US envoy extends ‘hand of friendship’ to Indian Muslims

Wearing a black business suit and a pearl necklace sparkling in the dimly lit lawns of the India Islamic Cultural Centre here, Farah Pandith, the US Special Representative for Muslims, bowed her head low and listened with rapt attention as a cleric recited a verse from the Quran.The verse was about Allah’s command asking people on the earth to be just with each other and Pandith, a Kashmiri-born American diplomat, seized the opportunity trying to convince Indian Muslims that the US was a friend.The 42-year-old envoy, on her four-day visit to India, Wednesday evening seemed to connect with her audience well as she began her short speech with the traditional Muslim greeting “Salaam Alykum,” or “peace be upon you”, of course in a heavy American accent.Pandith highlighted President Barack Obama’s “vision to build partnerships with Muslim communities across the globe on the basis of mutual interest and mutual respect”.“I repeat that it is based on mutual interest and respect and I extend my hand of friendship and partnership with you,” she said, addressing an invited gathering of mostly Muslims.Pandith assumed the coveted post in June last year, days after Obama’s bold overture to the Islamic world in his historic Cairo speech on June 3, 2009. The president in his speech had expressed sympathy for the Palestinians and called for Americans and Muslims to abandon their mutual suspicions and do more to confront violent extremism.Pandith is not the only Muslim in the Obama administration. The president recently appointed Rashad Hussain, a deputy White House counsel, to be the special envoy to the Organisation of the Islamic Conference, an intergovernmental group with 57 member states that calls itself the collective voice of Muslims. Hussain is a Quran expert who has memorised the holy book in his early age.Eboo Patel, an Indian-American Muslim from Chicago, is also in the White House on Obama’s advisory council for faith.Pandith said the US was focussing on the Muslims because they formed one-fourth of the world population “Our country wants to build partnership with the Muslims. Secretary (Hillary) Clinton asked me to work with the Muslim community as much as we can.”And the key focus, she asserted, would be young generation. Her endeavour was to reach out to the grass roots of Muslims “in the countries where Muslims are either in majority or minority”, she stated.Pandith was on a her first official visit to India after she was appointed as the Muslim envoy June 23, 2009, by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.“And since then (her swearing in on Sep 15 last year), I have been travelling all around the planet to befriend Muslims for a common good,” Pandith said, adding: “We are doing this in a wide range of initiatives in fields like science, technology, education and health.”She said the relationship with Muslims would have to move from government-to-government level to “people-to-people contact”.“We are engaging young Muslim generation in dialogues and conversations to build trust and remove misunderstandings,” she said.Pandith had to confront some harsh questions from other speakers about the United States’ Afghanistan, Iraq and Middle East policies. She listened to them, smiled and shook her head while they were speaking, but diplomatically avoided answering them directly and repeatedly said that America wanted to develop “an intellectual partnership with Muslim masses”. (thanks to way2online)============================================================

High Court pulls up police for Osmania University incidents

The Andhra Pradesh High Court Thursday once again pulled up state police for using force against students and journalists on the Osmania University campus last week and asked them why the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) should not be asked to probe the campus violence.

The court took serious note of the police baton charge and firing of teargas shells. Justice Narasimha Reddy sought reply to many questions from Joint Commissioner of Police P.S.R. Anjaneyulu, who appeared before him on his directions.Reprimanding the officer for his handling of the situation, the judge wanted to know why the police had to resort to indiscriminate baton charge on students. He was also asked why girl students and journalists were beaten up brutally and what was he doing when his men were damaging vehicles of mediapersons. The police admitted that they set afire the vehicles of media persons.Advocate General D.V. Sitarama Murthy informed the court that a detailed report on the incidents of Sunday evening and Monday morning on the campus would be submitted on March 1. Following his submission, the court adjourned the hearing of the case.The judge also wanted to know from the joint commissioner of police how many policemen were deployed on the campus and who passed the orders for their deployment.Scores of students and media persons were injured when police baton charged them on the campus during students’ protests over the demand for statehood to Telangana.Dealing with a petition of a Telugu TV channel journalist who was injured in the police action, the judge Tuesday ordered the government to pull out all paramilitary forces, including Rapid Action Force (RAF), from the campus.The government, however, went for an appeal against his order before a division bench, which dismissed it the next day.All paramilitary forces have been removed from Osmania University, the nerve centre of ongoing Telangana agitation.The same judge earlier remarked that the police were lawless and even the chief minister and his cabinet colleagues were helpless in controlling the actions of the state policemen.Crime Investigation Department (CID) of the police is already probing the incidents. The State human rights commission is also conducting an inquiry, (thanks,way2online)
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Talk to opposition first, then to Pakistan: Modi

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi Thursday asked the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government to first talk to the opposition on national security issues and then to Pakistan.

Intervening on the national security resolution presented by Arun Jaitley, Modi said: “The UPA government is saying that since we are a mature democracy, we are ready to initiate talks with Pakistan. But I am saying, the UPA is very keen to talk with Pakistan but has no time to talk with the main opposition (party).“I demand that the central government first talk to us and then move forward for talks with Pakistan.Modi’s comments came a week before foreign secretaries of India and Pakistan meet in New Delhi. India had earlier insisted that it would not talk to Pakistan until the latter stopped supporting anti-India militant groups. The BJP is opposed to any dialogue with Pakistan.
Modi alleged that the Congress-led government was not serious about battling terror. He asked the government not to treat terrorism casually.
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Jyotiraditya Scindia meets Israel President – discusses possibilities of developing further cooperation

(PIB NEWS) Shri Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, Minister of State for Commerce & Industry presently on a two day (16-18 February) visit to Israel, called on President Shimon Peres and discussed various aspects of India-Israel bilateral cooperation. Shri Scindia stated that the proposed free trade agreement between India and Israel is expected to give a major boost to trade and economic cooperation. Shri Scindia also discussed possibilities of developing further cooperation in high tech areas including IT, Bio-technology, and Nano technology to take advantage of mutual core competencies. The two sides also exchanged views on the global challenge posed by terrorism and ongoing cooperation between the two countries in the area of homeland security. Both the leaders agreed to emphasise on cooperation in the application of science & technology particularly in areas related to agriculture and water management. Later, Shri Scindia met Israeli Minister of Industry, Trade & Labour Mr. Benjamin Ben-Eliezer. The Minister underlined the fact that R&D constitutes a fundamental basis for core competence in multiple industrial areas for both countries. Shri Scindia proposed that a practical step to enhance high tech cooperation would be to set up a Government to Government joint technology incubator initiative in India with representation from both sides including the private sector. He also met leading Israeli industrialists to discuss promotion of trade and commerce between the two countries and delivered a Keynote Address on “Indian Economy in the Next Decade – an Engine for Growth” at a seminar jointly organised by the Israeli Export and International Cooperation Institute and the Embassy of India.The bilateral trade figure for the last fiscal (2008-09) was US $ 3.55 billion with exports from India amounting to US $ 1.5 and imports to India amounting to US$ 2.09 billion. Bilateral trade increased at a compound annual growth rate of 15 percent over the last five years.
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PAWAR-RELEASING "ICAR PUBLICATIONS" BOOK

The Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and Agriculture, Shri Sharad Pawar releasing the book “ICAR Publications” at the inauguration of the Vice Chancellors’ Conference of Agricultural Universities, in New Delhi on February 17, 2010. The Minister of State of Agriculture, Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, Professor K.V. Thomas is also seen.  (Photo by PIB No:CNR-30468) ======================================================

Instructions issued for strict adherence to revised procedure for grant of Conference Visa

(PIB NEWS) The Ministry of Home Affairs has recently issued instructions to all Central Ministries / Departments and Chief Secretaries of all State Governments/UTs advising them to strictly adhere to the revised procedure for grant of Conference Visa to foreign participants coming to India for attending international conferences, seminars, workshops etc. The detailed guidelines in this regard were earlier put in place on 15th July, 2009. These instructions have been issued so as to ensure that all organizers of such international events strictly adhere to the time line for submitting their proposals to this Ministry at least six weeks before the commencement of the event. This would ensure that security clearance for the event and for the participants could be suitably assessed. The issuance of these instructions had also become necessary because security vetting is a time-consuming process and most of the organizers of international events were not strictly adhering to the time schedules prescribed. 2. As per the revised procedure, while the Ministry of Home Affairs (Foreigners Division) grants in-principle approval for holding the event, security clearance for grant of Conference Visa is required from this Ministry only in respect of participants from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, China, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, Sri Lanka & Sudan and in respect of foreigners of Pak origin and Stateless persons. The participants from other countries can obtain Conference Visa from the Indian Mission concerned on production of (i) invitation letter from the organizer, (ii) event clearance from the Ministry of Home Affairs, (iii) administrative approval of the nodal Ministry, (iv) political clearance from the Ministry of External Affairs and (v) clearance from the State Government/UT concerned
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OBAMA calls PM and condemns Pune blast

(PIB NEWS) US President Barack Obama called the Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh earlier this morning to condemn the blast that took place in Pune on Saturday and to condole the loss of lives. In a brief conversation, the two leaders took the opportunity to review developments in Indo-US relations.

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YECHURI TO ADDRESS CITU CONVENTION AT AURANGABAD

Aurangabad (Syed Khaja Sohel,Correspondent) The 12th state unit convention of the Center of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) will be held in Aurangabad between February 19 and 21.CPI-M politburo member and MP Sitaram Yechuri will be the main speaker at the inaugural programme.The convention will be held at the sant Eknath Rangmandir and will be inaugurated by citu national president Dr. MK Pandhe , on Friday at 10.30 am.State unit CITU president KL Bajaj , general secretary Dr.DL Karad state Government Employees Union leader RG Karnik Hanumant Tate and AITUC leader Sukumar Damale will remain present.District unit CITU general secretary Damodhar Mankape said that over 400 workers from the unorganized sector will attend the inauguration will be followed by a colourful procession ,which will be flagged off from Karanti Chowk at 2.Pm .Reception committee chairman and MLA Pradeep Jaiswal has appealed all to participate in the convention.
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