Kasab's security costs govt over Rs 10 crore

Mumbai, May 24: The Indo-Tibetan Border police (ITBP) commandos have been guarding the lone surviving terrorist Ajmal Amir Kasab, at the Arthur road jail since his capture and conviction for the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks but it now appears this arrangement has come at a great price for the Maharashtra government.ITBP, with their sophisticated arms and communication devices are on guard 24/7 at the prison, helping the country's judiciary conduct a smooth and fair trial on their most high profile inmate. The ITBP has presented a bill of Rs 10 crore to the Maharashtra government, for the services rendered.The turn of events has left the officials from the government in a tizzy, owing to the astronomical figure quoted by the ITBP.In a move, which follows standard procedure, the ITBP forwarded a bill of Rs 10,87,12,041 as reimbursement for its services from March 28, 2009 to September 30, 2010.Usually whenever the Para-military is called into action, it is the State government, which has to pay the bills as Law and order is a state subject, an official source said.According to another source in Ministry, the state government has asked the ITBP for a waiver stating that the attack was on the country and not limited to the state.The state government, which has spent as much as Rs 6 crore on the construction of the special cell setup for Kasab, along with the expenses incurred for additional security and construction of the Special court.
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Maharashtra not pay Kasab bill?

Mumbai, May 24 : A stunned Maharashtra government has refused to foot the Rs 11 crore-bill sent to it by the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) for guarding Ajmal Kasab, the lone surviving terrorist in the 26/11 Mumbai attack facing a death penalty, reports said on Tuesday.The state government was apparently shocked after the special paramilitary force that provides 200 commandos to guard Kasab sent the astronomical bill -- a fraction of what it actually costs to keep the Pakistani-trained terrorist alive at the Arthur Road jail of Mumbai.State officials are now in the process of writing to the ITBP arguing that that 26/11 terror attack was “not only an issue limited to Maharashtra but a national issue”, hinting that it wants the Centre’s help to fill the buck.While the Rs 10.87 crore bill sent by the ITBP sent eyeballs rolling, the actual cost of keeping Kasab alive is estimated to be much more owing the bulletproof arrangements, food and other essentials in a high security environment.Maharashtra Home Minister R R Patil said he would take a decision on the bill soon, but he did not seem too happy with it.On Feb 21 on expected lines, the Bombay High Court upheld the death sentence of Ajmal Kasab earlier passed by a lower court.Kasab, who the court said killed 56 people along with another terrorist Abu Ismail and alone killed seven, has the option to move the Supreme Court.He was responsible for the killing of Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) chief Hemant Karkare and Kamte Ashok Kamte, the Additional Commissioner of Mumbai Police.The 24-year-old Mohammed Ajmal Amir Kasab was one of the ten terrorists from Pakistan who arrived by seawaters and attacked several locations in Mumbai in Nov 2008 that left 166 people dead and 238 injured.The court said the attack of 26/11 was an attack on the government and upheld that the attack was waging war on India. The court said Kasab's crime was "diabolical and brutal" and he has a "scheming mind".
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Telangana issue diff from UPA Cong resolution on small states:BJP

Hyderabad, May 23 : Senior BJP leader and former Union Minister Ch Vidyasagar Rao said the latest demand for division of UP through second States Reorganisation Commission (SRC) had nothing to do with creation of a separate Telangana state.

Addressing at a press conference here, he took serious exception to some ministers advocating setting up of second SRC for bifurcation of the state after the UP Congress committee passed a resolution to constitute a second SRC for division of the country's largest state.AICC General Secretary, Rahul Gandhi's support to UP Congress resolution for the constitution of second SRC revealed that the Congress-led UPA government was committed for creating of smaller states, he said.In this backdrop, formation of separate Telangana state was inevitable and could not be linked to Second SRC, he added.Stating that the agitation for Telangana had reached its peak and the sentiment was very strong among the people of the region, the former Union Minister appealed to all political parties to set aside party and agendas, and move forward with the sole agenda of bifurcation of the state.The BJP will hold a mammoth public meeting in Karimnagar on May 31 on Telangana issue, he said and appealed to leaders of all political parties to attend the rally and declare their resolve for a separate Telangana state.
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