Ready for alliance with BJP, says leader from Ram Vilas Paswan's LJP

(NDTV)


Patna:  In election season, every party is hoping to get lucky with alliances. Sunday saw the first signs of political realignment. By 1 pm in the afternoon, Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) chief K Chandrashekar Rao accompanied by his family members called on Congress President Sonia Gandhi.

It may have been a thanksgiving exercise, but Mr Rao seems to have set the stage for a renewal of his ties with the Congress. But for another Congress ally, it is time to look elsewhere. Barely a couple of hours after Mr Rao met Mrs Gandhi, news came out that Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) chief Ram Vilas Paswan, a potential ally of the Congress in Bihar, may be tying up with the BJP for the Lok Sabha elections.

Mr Paswan, who is camping in Delhi, did not comment. His son too wasn't ready to spell out the party's plans. However, a senior party leader expressed the LJP's willingness to go with the BJP.

"The alliance between the BJP and the LJP is confirmed. It will be officially announced soon," said LJP leader Suraj Bhaan.

Just last month, Mr Paswan had announced that his party, along with Lalu Prasad's Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Congress, will contest the next Lok Sabha elections jointly in Bihar.

Sources say Mr Paswan, who had walked out of the BJP-led NDA post the 2002 Gujarat riots, made a U-turn as he reportedly wanted a minimum of 10 seats out of the 40 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar, but the RJD and the Congress were not ready to concede more than five seats to his party.

Mr Paswan is also reportedly adamant on two seats - he wants to field his son Chirag from Jamui and his younger brother Ramchandra Paswan from Samastipur. However, the Congress wants its state unit president Ashok Choudhary to contest from Jamui and former leader of the Congress Legislative Party in Bihar Ashok Ram from Samastipur.

Sources in the Congress say the LJP's move is political posturing.

Meanwhile, earlier today, hinting at a possible tie-up between the BJP and the LJP in Bihar, former Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi alleged that the UPA government was misusing the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) against Mr Paswan in the recruitment scam in a public sector undertaking after efforts to cobble up an alliance with the LJP appeared to be falling apart.

"We strongly condemn the UPA government for misusing the CBI against political adversaries, this time against Paswan," he said.

Kejriwal: A Hindu by faith A Muslim by practice

(Muslim Mirror)


By Syed Zubair Ahmad,
When Arvind Kejriwal was delivering his inaugural speech as Chief Minister of Delhi I was sitting in another  room and listening to him. All of a sudden I heard him saying ‘Mai Allah Ka Shukrya Ada Karta Hun’, I got confused and went to the room where the TV set was on. O my God, it was Kejriwal who uttered this sentence of gratefulness. I did not hear such words of praise of Almighty even from the mouth of a Muslim politician in India.
When I see Kejriwal’s sacrifice and his struggle for the cause of common man, when I see his austerity, his simple life style, his honesty and his straightforwardness I wish he were Muslim. Whatever he calling for or doing is absolutely the teaching of Islam.
Prophet Muhammad said: ‘The best among the people is the one who does good to the people’. It’s Kejriwal who is doing good to the people, who is striving for the betterment of people, who is fighting for the upliftment of the people for a long time.
Prophet Muhammad said that ‘Your worst enemy is your ego’.
Kejriwal in his inaugural speech as the CM asked his supporters to shun all kind of ego otherwise a new movement may start to end our ego.
Prophet Muhammad said ‘Those who take bribe and those who give bribe, both will go to hell’. It’s Kejriwal who is fighting against all kinds of bribe and corruptions. It is Kejriwal who took oath from the people to neither take bribe nor give bribe to anyone.
Prophet Muhammad said ‘Cleanliness is the part of Imaan. When Kejriwal was income tax commissioner he used to clean his  table, when he became politician he took the broom and started cleaning the system.
Prophet Muhammad said ‘Simplicity is the part of Imaan.’ Look at the simplicity of Kejriwal. He is the simplest person by any standard.
Once Prophet Muhammad was sitting on his foot, one of his companions asked ‘why are you sitting like this? The prophet said ‘I am a servant of Almighty Allah and I sit like a servant’. Kejriwal always says ‘meri koee auqaat nhi’  ‘meri koee haisiyat nahi’ I am nothing, I have no status.
Prophet Muhammad said ‘The best form of jihad is to say the truth before the oppressive rulers’. Kejriwal is telling the truth before the rulers.
Muslims believe that the time of death is fixed, and no power of this world can put off  it for a moment. By refusing his security Kejriwal has proved that he also believes in the fixed time of death. He told media persons that if God wants to kill him, no one can save him. And if does not want, no one can kill him.
Islam is the greatest advocate of brotherhood, and it declares all mankind the sons and daughters of Adam and Eve. Kejriwal gave the massage of brotherhood by singing the song…insaan se insaan ka ho bhaee chara yahi paigham hamara’
Kejriwal is one of the few Hindu politicians in my knowledge who don’t follow the unethical policy of Chanakya who advocated to ignore all kinds of ethics to grab the power at any cost.
The way Kejriwal and his ministers are roaming freely and contacting people in a move to redress their grievances and solve their problem reminds us the Caliphs of Islamic history when Muslim Caliphs used to roam into the streets to know the problems of the masses.
If Kejriwal really wants to eliminate the corruptions from the society he must know that legislation can never and will never end the corruption from the society. The legislation on rape is before us. In spite of most stringent legislation after 16 Dec incident last year the crime against women rose to 400% in Delhi itself.
Kejriwal needs to apply the following model to end the corruption from the society if he really wants to do so.
During one of his frequent disguised journeys to survey the condition of his people, Caliph Umar overheard a milkmaid refusing to obey her mother’s orders to sell adulterated milk. The mother reportedly told her daughter to add water to the milk as Caliph Umar is not there looking at them. The girl shot back that though Caliph Umar is not looking at them, Allah is always watching over everyone. Next morning Omar sent an officer to purchase milk from the girl and learned that she had kept her resolve; the milk was unadulterated. Umar summoned the girl and her mother to his court and told them what he had heard. Then he offered to marry the girl to his son Asim as a reward. She accepted, and from this union was born a girl named Layla that would in due course become the mother of Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz  (682 A.D.) who is known as Omar II in the Islamic history .
Caliph Omar II was the mightiest ruler of his time on the planet whose authority was spread in three continents – but  Umar died in Ra jab 101 AH at the age of 38 in a rented house at the place called Dair Sim’aan near Homs in Syria . He was buried in Dair Sim’aan on a piece of land he had purchased from a Christian. He reportedly left behind only 17 dinars with a will that out of this amount the rent of the house in which he died and the price of the land in which he was buried would be paid.
Once his wife found him weeping after prayers. She asked what had happened. He replied: “I have been made the ruler over the Muslims and I was thinking of the poor who are starving, and the sick who are destitute, and the naked who are in distress, and the oppressed that are stricken, and the stranger that is in prison, and the venerable elder, and him that had a large family and small means, and the like of them in countries of the earth and the distant provinces, and I felt that my Lord would ask me about them on the Day of Resurrection, and I feared that no defense would avail me (at that time), and I wept.”
The Facebook page of Kejriwal describes him as Gandhis’ Talisman. If  Kejriwal really wants to solve the problems of the masses then he must follow the advice of   Gandhi .Just after the independence in his speech delivered in Kolkata  Mahatma Gandhi said ” that if India finds a man like Omar ibn Khatab all the problems will be solved”.
Gandhi was the greatest supporter of Caliphate Movement and was much influenced by the second Caliph Omar.
Anyway what is supposed to be done by Muslims, Kejriwal is doing,what is responsibility of a Muslim is being performed by Kejriwal , that is why i say ‘Kejriwal is a Hindu by faith and Muslim by practice’  because Islam is a all about  worshiping  God and serving  the  humanity .

Obama meets Dalai Lama at White House ignores China

(TOI)

WASHINGTON: US President Barack Obama welcomed Tibet's exiled spiritual leader the Dalai Lama to the White House on Friday, defying China, which said the meeting would "seriously impair" ties between the two countries.

The encounter took place in the Map Room on the ground floor of the president's residence and not the Oval Office, which Obama usually uses to meet foreign leaders and visiting dignitaries.

"The president is currently meeting w/His Holiness the @DalaiLama in his capacity as an internationally respected religious & cultural leader," the US national security council said on Twitter.

There were no sightings of the Dalai Lama arriving at the White House and in a sign of its diplomatic sensitivity, the Obama administration ruled that the meeting would be closed to the press.

Obama last met the Dalai Lama, a fellow Nobel peace laureate, at the White House in 2011 in talks that triggered an angry response from Beijing, which said the encounter had harmed ties between the world's two largest economies.

China, which calls the Dalai Lama a "wolf in sheep's clothing" and accuses him of seeking independence for Tibet, was quick to react to Thursday's announcement of a meeting.

"China is firmly opposed to this," foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said in a statement.

"We urge the US side to treat China's concern in a serious way and immediately cancel the planned meeting."

Hua called the Dalai Lama a "political exile who has long been engaged in anti-China separatist activities under the cloak of religion."

On Thursday, national security council spokeswoman Caitlin Hayden underlined that the United States supported the Dalai Lama's approach but recognized Tibet to be "a part of the People's Republic of China".

"We do not support Tibetan independence," Hayden said. "The United States strongly supports human rights and religious freedom in China. We are concerned about continuing tensions and the deteriorating human rights situation in Tibetan areas of China."

Hayden said the administration would renew calls for the Chinese government to resume dialogue with the Dalai Lama or his representatives, without preconditions.

China has for decades opposed foreign dignitaries meeting the revered Buddhist leader, who fled to India in 1959 after a failed uprising against Chinese rule.

In Beijing, Hua said that China had "already lodged solemn representations" with the United States.

"The US leader's meeting with the Dalai is a gross interference in China's internal affairs, a severe violation of codes of international relations and will seriously impair China-US relations," she said.

The Dalai Lama says he advocates greater autonomy for Tibetans rather than independence.

But tensions between Tibetans and the Chinese authorities run high. More than 120 Tibetans have set themselves on fire and committed suicide in recent years to protest against what they see as oppression by China's government and controls on their right to exercise their religion.

"The Dalai Lama is essentially a political fugitive whose group instigates separatist activities including self-immolations," the state-run Xinhua news agency said in a commentary.

The visit comes on the heels of a trip to Beijing by US secretary of state John Kerry, but well ahead of an Asia-Pacific summit there in November that Obama is expected to attend — meaning that China could not retaliate by canceling a high-profile visit.

Obama is due in Asia in April, but has no stop in China planned — though the visit will be dominated by questions over Beijing's tense relations with its neighbors.

Todd Stein, Washington-based director of government relations for the International Campaign for Tibet, hailed Obama's meeting as another sign of US support for preservation of the Himalayan region's culture.

"President Obama's hosting of the Dalai Lama is a continued expression of support for his work, his message and his cause," Stein said.

Obama came under domestic criticism in 2009 when he did not see the Dalai Lama during a visit to Washington, as the new president looked to start on the right foot with China.

But the optimism of the early days of the Obama presidency has dimmed, with the United States pressing China on a range of concerns including its territorial disputes with US allies Japan and the Philippines and Beijing's alleged cyber espionage campaign.

In an interview with Time Magazine before his meeting, the Dalai Lama praised Chinese President Xi Jinping for "fearlessly" fighting corruption.

But he condemned censorship and said that China's judicial system needed to be improved to international standards.

Facebook to buy WhatsApp for $19 billion

(Reuters) 

Facebook Inc will buy fast-growing mobile-messaging startup WhatsApp for $19 billion in cash and stock, as the world's largest social network looks for ways to boost its popularity, especially among a younger crowd.

The acquisition of the hot messaging service with more than 450 million users around the world stunned many Silicon Valley observers with its lofty price tag.

But it underscores Facebook's determination to win the market for messaging, an indispensable utility in a mobile era.

Combining text messaging and social networking, messaging apps provide a quick way for smartphone users to trade everything from brief texts to flirtatious pictures to YouTube clips — bypassing the need to pay wireless carriers for messaging services.

And it helps Facebook tap teens who will eschew the mainstream social networks and prefer WhatsApp and rivals such as Line and WeChat, which have exploded in size as mobile messaging takes off.

"People are calling them 'Facebook Nevers,'" said Jeremy Liew, a partner at Lightspeed and an early investor in Snapchat.

WhatsApp is adding about a million users per day, Facebook co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg said on his page on Wednesday.

"WhatsApp will complement our existing chat and messaging services to provide new tools for our community," he wrote on his Facebook page. "Since WhatsApp and (Facebook) Messenger serve such different and important users, we will continue investing in both."

Smartphone-based messaging apps are now sweeping across North America, Asia and Europe.

"Communication is the one thing that you have to use daily, and it has a strong network effect," said Jonathan Teo, an early investor in Snapchat, another red-hot messaging company that flirted year ago with a multibillion dollar acquisition offer from Facebook.

"Facebook is more about content and has not yet fully figured out communication."

Even so, he balked at the price tag.

As part of the deal, WhatsApp co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Jan Koum will join Facebook's board, and the social network will grant an additional $3 billion worth of restricted stock units to WhatsApp's founders, including Koum.

That is on top of the $16 billion in cash and stock that Facebook will pay.

"Goodness gracious, it's a good deal for WhatsApp," Teo said.

TERMS

Shares in Facebook slid 5 percent to $64.70 after hours, from a close of $68.06 on the Nasdaq.

Facebook said on Wednesday it will pay $4 billion in cash and about $12 billion in stock in its single largest acquisition, dwarfing the $1 billion it paid for photo-sharing app Instagram.

The price paid for Instagram, which with just 30 million users was already considered overvalued by many observers at the time.

Facebook promised to keep the WhatsApp brand and service, and pledged a $1 billion cash break-up fee if the deal falls through.

Facebook was advised by Allen & Co, while WhatsApp has enlisted Morgan Stanley for the deal.

Transparency International released rebuttal for Shazia Ilmi's claims on Delhi corruption

AAP puts foot in mouth for Shazia Ilmi's Transparency International reference on corruption

(ZEENEWS)


New Delhi: Global corruption watchdog Transparency International (TI) has rebuffed the Aam Aadmi Party for claiming, based on a “unpublished report”, that corruption has come down in Delhi.

Former chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, who has positioned himself as an anti-corruption crusader, had claimed during a CII meet, yesterday, that he had come to know that Transparency International is set to release a report which says that corruption is down in the Delhi Jal Board.

“For 65 years, corruption was not controlled, we have brought it down even if only by 20-30 percent and they say we don't known how to govern?” Kejriwal had said.

Also Read: AAP against crony capitalism, not capitalism, says Arvind Kejriwal at CII meet
The first reference to a TI report was made by senior AAP leader Shazia Iilmi. She was quoted in a newspaper report, saying that Transparency International in a report, which has not yet been released, found that corruption is down in Delhi in the past 45 days.

“Transparency International, in a report which hasn't been released in India yet, says that in the past 45 days corruption has come down in Delhi. This is by itself an achievement of AAP,” she said.

Also Read: Will AAP's Shazia Ilmi challenge UPA chief Sonia Gandhi in LS polls?

However, Transparency International India has staunchly denied authoring any such report on Delhi, thereby exposing the tall claims made by AAP over its track record during the 49 days it was in power.

Ashutosh Kumar Mishra, executive director, Transparency International India, in a press release, denied the existence of any such report.

“The information shared by Ms Shazia Ilmi is factually incorrect. We have not undertaken any study on corruption in Delhi and so there is no question of any such published or unpublished report,” the press release said.

Essentially, the issue is not that much about whether corruption has come down in Delhi or not, the expose on the TI report bluff has damaged AAP's reputation and uncovered its intent to gain political mileage over issues that relate to the 'Aam Aadmi'.

Delhi had given the AAP a chance to govern, but it chose to abandon the responsibility and has set its eyes on Parliament.

The Aam Aadmi Party later issued a clarification. Senior party leader Manish Sisodia said there was “some confusion” on the report.

Another senior leader Gopal Rai said, “ Nobody has the auqaat to question the party on the issue of corruption.”

Google working on offering 10 gigabits /per second Internet speed

(ANI)

Washington: Google is reportedly working on offering data transfer speeds of 10 gigabits per second as part of its project to develop 'next generation' of the Internet.

Currently, Google Fiber service offers data speeds of 1 gigabit per second, and the search giant is working on technology to provide faster data transfer speeds.
Google's Chief Financial Officer, Patrick Pichette, said that the project was part of the search giant's broader, long-term obsession with speed, USA Today reports.

According to the report, faster speeds would increase the use of software as a service because users would be able to trust that critical applications that are data intensive would run smoothly over the Internet.

Pichette said that Google is trying to make the technology available in three years.

The report said that Google is not the only one working on this technology as last year, researchers in the UK announced that they achieved data transmission speeds of 10 gigabits per second using " li-fi"- a wireless Internet connectivity technology that uses light.

Illegal immigration from Bangladesh a threat to national security: Army chief

(TOI)

NEW DELHI: Contrary to the government's claims that there has been no largescale illegal migration from Bangladesh in recent years, Army chief general Bikram Singh on Tuesday called it a matter of "grave concern" and a threat to national security.

"The problem of illegal migration in Bangladesh has led to demographic changes in the northeast. It has led to serious internal security challenges in Assam," Singh told a seminar on "Border and Naxal Management", organised by a security think tank. He said the forces had received a lot of help from the current political dispensation in Bangladesh but responsibility needed to be fixed on illegal migration.
Singh also came down heavily on Pakistan for keeping the western border on fire by indulging in record ceasefire violations last year and blamed it on Islamabad's agenda to foment terrorism in the Kashmir valley in order to maintain its military presence in border areas. "The 2003 ceasefire was holding good, but last year has seen an increase in violations. It is being done with an agenda to hype terror in the valley to maintain army presence...," the Army chief said adding that Indian army had given Pakistan a fitting reply.

"I don't want to sound jingoistic... But we have given Pakistan a bloody nose," Singh said. He warned that as long as the nexus between the state polity (in Pakistan) and terror outfits like LeT continued and it kept getting financial support in an institutional manner, the forces should be prepared for all eventualities.

Singh also raised the red flag over former militants from Kashmir returning to the Valley through Nepal under the state government's rehabilitation policy. He said many of them are suspected to indulge in forming sleeper cells for terror outfits. "Use of the Nepal route by former Kashmiri militants to come back to the valley is a cause for concern. Though it appears they have mellowed down, the fear is that they could form sleeper cells and carry out terror activities. We have to be careful," he said.

The Army chief also lamented partial implementation of recommenations of the group of ministers, formed in the wake of the Kargil Review Committee report in 2000. The panel had suggested various changes in the security apparatus including synergy of stake holders, dedicated resources for border management, enhancing of combat power of forces, synergy of various intelligence agencies and the mantra of "one border one force" which asked for all active borders to be under the operational control of the Army.

Arunachal, Meghalaya to be on rail map this financial year

(PTI)

Arunachal, Meghalaya to be on rail map this financial year

New Delhi: Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya will appear on Indian Railway map during this financial year, Railway Minister Mallikarjun Kharge today promised in his Interim Rail Budget speech.

The Railways is now on course to convert the strategically important 510 km long Rangiya - Murkongselek Metre Gauge line into Broad Gauge within this financial year.

The capital of Arunanchal Pradesh, Itanagar, would soon be on rail map in this financial year, as Harmuti-Naharlagun newline is expected to be commissioned shortly.

Meghalaya is also all set to come on the Railway map in this financial year, as Dudhnoi – Mehendipathar newline is getting completed by March 2014, Kharge said

Manipur native Konsam Himalay Singh first from N-E India to become Lt Gen In Indian Army

(The Sangai Express)

Imphal, February 11 2014: Major General Konsam Himalay Singh of Manipur has become the first Army officer from the North-East to become a Lieutenant General.

Major General Himalay, who hails from Charangpat in Thoubal district, Manipur is an alumni of Sainik School, Goalpara (As

sam) and the National Defence Academy.

He was commissioned into the Second Battalion of The Rajput Regiment (KALI CHINDI) in June 1978 and later commanded 27 RAJPUT, informed Defence Spokesperson, Ministry of Defence Col SD Goswami.

The General Officer is a graduate of the Defence Services Staff College, College of Defence Management and the prestigious National Defence College.
He has held varied Commands, Staff and Instructional appointments during his career so far.

Conveying that the State native has vast operational experience in counter insurgency (CI) operations in Jammu and Kashmir, where he served five tenures in the last 35 years and four tenures in North East which included CI operations in LC (Line of Control), LAC (Line of Actual Control) and HAA (High Altitude Area) environments, Col Goswami said that the Major General also commanded 27 Rajput in Siachen Glacier from 1998 to 2000 .

Honoured with 'Yudh Seva Medal' in 2000 for command of a unit during 'Op Vijay' against Pakistan's unsuccessful move to occupy Indian territory, the General Officer later commanded an Infantry Brigade in Delhi.

He was General Officer Commanding (GOC) of 25 Infantry Division in J&K and was awarded with 'Ati Vishisht Sewa Medal' in 2013 .

Himalay is also said to have been awarded the Chief of Army Staff Commendation Card thrice and also the GOC-in-C Eastern Command Commendation Card.

Moreover, Maj Gen Himalay has held a number of prestigious staff appointments which included Assistant Military Secretary 1D, Colonel Administrator of a Mountain Division in Gangtok, Director PS-2, Deputy MS Eastern Command and Deputy MS (B) in the Military Secretary's Branch at IHQ of MoD (Army).

He has also been Battalion Commander and Senior Instructor at the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla.

A keen sportsman, the General has excelled in all troops games being brought up in a Sainik School environment.

He is an avid golfer, mountaineer and skydiver.

He also participated in Rajput Regiment expedition to Kedarnath Dome in 1980 and Kanchenjunga Expedition in 1987 .

Sainik School Goalpara, Assam, in which Maj Gen Himalay studied, was founded on November 12, 1964 .

He joined the school in the year 1968.It is a residential school for boys, providing Public School Education with an aim to prepare them to join the defence services.

Sainik School, Goalpara, which would be celebrating its golden jubilee this year, has excelled in its primary role as a feeder institution to the Armed Forces and has over 200 ex-Sainik School Goalpara students (SSGians) to its credit as officers in the Armed Forces.

A good number of ex-students are IAS, IPS officers, doctors, engineers.

The school serving is not only in Assam and the North East but also all over the country and abroad.

The school is a member of the IPSC (Indian Public School Conference) .

Maj Gen Himalay Singh is married to Dr (Mrs) Mangala Devi, an accomplished doctor and they have two daughters.

He is currently posted as Chief of Staff of a Strike Corps, detailed Col Goswami.

Gandhi family denied Pranab Mukherjee the chance to become PM: Narendra Modi

(ZeeNews)

Kolkata: Bharatiya Janata Party's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi on Wednesday slammed the Gandhi family for denying the coveted post of prime minister to Pranab Mukherjee twice - in 1984 and 2004 - despite his qualifications.

While addressing a massive rally at Brigade Parade grounds, Modi said, "When Indira Gandhi was assassinated Rajiv Gandhi was in Kolkata and he went back. Under a democracy, that time the senior-most minister in Indira Gandhi's government was Pranab Mukherjee. It would have been good had he been sworn in as the country's prime minister."

"They didn't give it. Not only that, the family (Gandhi) felt that something is going on. So when the Rajiv Gandhi government was formed, senior-most minister Pranabda was not even taken as a minister," PTI quoted Modi as saying.

"Again in 2004, Pranabda was the senior-most politician. It was very natural that had madam Sonia Gandhi not wanted to become (the PM), then the opportunity should have been given to Pranabda, but Manmohan Singhji was made (the PM). Pranabda was not given the opportunity," Modi said.

He urged the people of Bengal not to forget this. "People of Bengal should not forget this. I request you," the Gujarat Chief Minister said.

Also Read: Narendra Modi's Kolkata rally: As it happened

Modi attacks Third Front

Modi slammed the idea of a Third Front and said it should be "rejected" as the concept would make India "third grade", an IANS report said.

"Third Front will make India third grade and we need to reject them forever. Those talking about the Third Front in Delhi should come here and see which way the wind is blowing," the BJP leader said at a mammoth rally at the Brigade Parade grounds here.

The Gujarat CM said the absence of the Third Front was the "most important" reason why the western part of India has seen development.

"In the western side, none of the Third Front parties have ruled. No associate of the Third Front has ever been able to step into that region. It is different here in the eastern states and result is lack of development," he said.

"Those who are pushing the country to the third grade in the name of the Third Front are ruling in the eastern region

Modi soft on Mamata

Modi today was critical of the West Bengal government, but did not seek to cross swords with Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee, saying that while she could work for the development of the state, he be given an opportunity to serve its people from the Centre, a PTI report said.


"The people here can ask for an account of development from her at the state level, while they can seek the same from me if I am given a chance at the Centre," the BJP's prime ministerial candidate said.

"If the people make us victorious in all 42 Lok Sabha seats from Bengal, then it will be a three-tier gain for you people. While at the state level, you will have Mamataji for development, at the Centre you will have me and above all there is President Pranab Mukherjee who is also from here," Modi said.

Modi, however, questioned whether the people of the state were experiencing the much needed 'parivartan' (change) since the Trinamool Congress government took over in 2011 following the end of the 34-year Left rule since 2011.

The crowd shouted 'no'.

Modi invokes Bengali greats

Modi invoked Bengali greats like Swami Vivekananda, Rabindranath Tagore and Subhash Chandra Bose to connect with the crowd and paraphrased Bose's famous slogan to tell people "tum mujhe saath do, main tume suraj dunga (You give me help, I will give you good governance)".

"Vivekanand dreamt of India becomi g the 'jagadguru' (world leader). India was the world leader centuries ago. But we forget that it happened when Bengal was the nation's leader.... You must take the lead and vote for a party which can transform Bengal once again," he said.

'Bangladeshis snatching away Indians' livelihood'

He also raked up the issue of Bangladesh residents living illegally in the state, saying they were denying the jobs to Indian youth and cornering resources meant for Indians.

"Influx from Bangladesh is worrying people, be it in Assam or here in West Bengal. This has snatched away the livelihood of people in the state. For the growth and development of India, first and foremost right on resources belongs to the natives.

"Shouldn't jobs go to the citizens of the country first? Shouldn't the people of India have the first right to resources and development? But today, Bangladeshis are getting the benefits. Where will the youth go? Where will the sons of the poor go," he asked.

Quoting figures, he said West Bengal has become a laggard state and asked people to turn around its fortune by voting for him.

Ulfa chief calls deputy from China

(TimesOfIndia)

Uncertainty over a bag containing several sensitive documents including a phone directory forced Ulfa chief Paresh Barua to give up his telephone silence of several months to make a frantic call from his hideout in China last week.

According to intelligence sources, the bag was in the custody of Partha Gogoi, assistant finance secretary of Ulfa who was executed by the Barua faction in mid-January accusing him of being a traitor. Gogoi was set to surrender to Indian forces on January 26 and join the pro-talks faction. Ulfa (Independent), the faction led by Barua, has executed almost a dozen cadres in just the last three months, accusing them of being traitors.

Barua's frantic call was to one of his key deputies, Jyotirmoy Barali, who looks after an Ulfa camp in Myanmar, sources said. The bag containing several SIM cards, a few lakh rupees, some ammunition, and a phone directory is now believed to be safely in the custody of Barua loyalists in Myanmar.

Barua's phone call and other recent developments have further cemented inputs that he is living in China's Rui Li town, and that Ulfa (Independent) is facing fresh turmoil. According to sources, Barua has been living in the Chinese town, possibly with a woman friend, for the past two years. His wife and two sons live in Bangladesh.

Sources said there were indications that both Ulfa factions and NSCN (K) were at least enjoying free access into China, and in recent times seem to be working together. However, they said the Chinese don't officially seem to provide any overt support to these groups.

For long there were indications that Indian insurgent groups in the northeast were sourcing some of their weapons from China. Anthony Shimray, who is in Indian custody, has been among those agents who have been sourcing these arms from China.

In recent weeks, there are indications that groups such as Ulfa (Independent), NSCN (K) and some others are working together for strategic reasons. The groups are already active in Tirap and Changlang districts of Arunachal Pradesh, where they are exhibiting interest in political issues. The two districts are strategically located, next to or with easy access to Myanmar, Assam, Nagaland, China etc.

Growing interest in Arunachal Pradesh among insurgent groups that enjoy safe haven in China has Indian agencies concerned. It also raises questions if Chinese agencies have any role in this new pursuit of the insurgent groups. In October last year, David Starson, a senior NSCN (K) leader, visited Barua in China to discuss their strategy for Arunachal Pradesh, sources said. There are also indications that some senior NSCN (IMI) leaders went to China around the same period.

Meanwhile, sources said Ulfa (Independent) is facing new levels of turmoil. On January 30, Barua was sentenced to death in absentia by a Bangladeshi court for a 2004 arms smuggling case. There are also indications that the group is under fresh pressure in Myanmar to wind up its operations.