Statement by the Prime Minister prior to his departure for USA and Brazil

The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh being received on his arrival at the Frankfurt International Airport on his way to Washington on April 10, 2010. (Photo by PIB No:CNR-31177)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(PIB NEWS) Following is the text of the statement by the Prime Minister prior to his departure for USA and Brazil:-"I am leaving tomorrow to attend the Nuclear Security Summit being hosted by President Barack Obama in Washington DC, and the India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA) and Brazil-Russia-India-China (BRIC) Summits being hosted by President Lula da Silva in Brasilia. India welcomes President Obama’s initiative to hold a Summit on Nuclear Security. Nuclear energy is poised to play a growing role in addressing the developmental challenges of our times. This will be possible only if we, as individual nations, and as a global community ensure the highest standards of security which reinforce public faith in the benefits of nuclear science. India is an important stakeholder in this global endeavour.I expect the Summit to focus on nuclear terrorism and the security of sensitive nuclear materials and technologies. These are legitimate concerns which require firm responses. India has a well developed indigenous nuclear energy programme, which dates back six decades. We have an impeccable record of security, safety and non-proliferation which reflects our conduct as a responsible nuclear power. India has been a consistent advocate of complete and universal global nuclear disarmament. We were among the first countries in the world to call for a world free of nuclear weapons. I am encouraged by the fact that this approach is finding greater resonance today. We will continue to call for more meaningful progress in this direction. During my stay in Washington I look forward to having bilateral meetings with President Obama, President Nazarbaev of Kazakhstan, President Sarkozy of France, Prime Minister Harper of Canada and other world leaders. From Washington, I will proceed to Brasilia to attend the fourth IBSA Summit and the second BRIC Summit. These groupings reflect the growing role of emerging economies in shaping the global economic order. The IBSA process has come of age. Today, it encompasses a wide range of activities which supplement the excellent bilateral relations we enjoy with each of these countries. Our coordination on important international issues has expanded, and our trilateral cooperation is beginning to bear fruit in many sectors. The BRIC countries are among the largest and fastest growing economies with rich human and material resources. They represent the future of the global economic landscape. We have a high stake in the revival of the global economy, an open trading system, energy security, combating climate change and addressing non-traditional threats to international security. I will also hold separate bilateral discussions with President Lula da Silva. Relations with Brazil are an important pillar of our policy towards Latin America and have witnessed substantial expansion in recent years. In Brasilia I will also have bilateral meetings with President Hu Jintao of China and President Dmitry Medvedev of Russia."
======================================================

Mullahs frown at Sania-Shoaib pre-marriage ‘proximity’

Indian tennis star Sania Mirza’s “physical proximity” with her fiance Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik has come in for strong disapproval from the Islamic clergy.The Lucknow-based Darul-Uloom Nadwatul-Ulama and the Deoband-based School of Islamic Studies have said that Sania and Shoaib’s proximity before marriage went against the tenets of Islam.“Physical proximity between a bride and groom before the marriage is not acceptable in Islam. As such, the fact that Sania Mirza and Shoaib Malik were living under a common roof does not have sanction under the Shariat,” Lucknow’s Naib Imam Maulana Khalid Rasheed said Friday.
The Maulana, who belongs to the Nadwa school of Islamic thought and was also the head of Lucknow’s oldest seminary, Firangi Mahal, said: “It would be appropriate if Shoaib did not reside in the same house as Sania.”The Deoband Islamic School too has serious objections against Sania and Shoaib occupying the same roof in Hyderabad, where the cricketer is living in his would-be wife’s home.“The Holy Quran does not permit a bride and groom to be living under a common roof before their nikah (wedding),” said Mufti Ashraf Farouqui of the fatwa department at the Deoband School.“Sania and Shoaib have clearly violated the tenets of Islam by living in the same house without getting married, and what is worse is that even Sania’s parents have not cared to prevent that,” he said.“Islam strictly bans private meetings, chatting or mingling of the opposite sexes unless the male and female were marries couples,” he pointed out.Farouqui was firmly of the view that Shoaib and Sania had no business to be mixing around in public “until they were declared husband and wife”.Significantly, even the All India Muslim Personal Law Board for Women has disapproved of the Sania-Shoaib pre-wedding proximity. “Islam does not believe in double standards, so there cannot be a separate law for celebrities like Sania Mirza and Shoaib Malik. They ought to abide by the tenets of the Quran,” a spokesperson said.  (way2online)

======================================================

Shoaib gave false information in divorce paper?

Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik, who is set to marry Indian tennis ace Sania Mirza, could land in fresh trouble for furnishing false information while giving divorce to his first wife Ayesha Siddiqui, according to official documents.The divorce and agreement papers, which Shoaib signed April 7, have the name of his late father as Malik Saleem Hussain while the invitation for the April 15 wedding reception carries the name of his father as Malik Faqeer Hussain, the documents show.According to legal experts, Shoaib could face legal action if Ayesha’s family files a case against him on charges of furnishing false information.The wrong name given in divorce certificate and the agreement signed on Rs.100 stamp paper could be yet another attempt by Shoaib to show that he did not marry Ayesha, they said.The former Pakistani skipper divorced Ayesha Wednesday after she filed a police case against him for cheating. Sania’s family members and some community elders convinced him to end the row through divorce.It was immediately not known if Ayesha’s family would again approach the police against Shoaib.The Pakistani star is still caught in a legal mesh as the police have not yet returned his passport which was seized about a week ago.Though Ayesha has informed the police that she was withdrawing her complaint, Shoaib would get back his passport only after completing legal formalities.With police yet to return Shoaib’s passport, the qazi expressed his inability to perform the ‘nikah’, which was scheduled to take place Friday evening.Qazis in Hyderabad do not perform marriages of foreigners without verifying the passport and no-objection certificates from their respective governments.Sources said the nikah would now be possible any day before April 15, the day when Sania’s family has planned to host a wedding reception at the Taj Krishna hotel here. (way2online)
======================================================

Saif and Kareena in marriage plans!

It looks like this is the marriage season. Shoaib and Sania’s marriage seems to have brought the marriage season to bollywood. Saif and Kareena have been in the limelight ever since their affair became public and many are waiting for their marriage to happen. Although there is no official confirmation from the pair, Bollywood is at buzz about their wedding now.“They are seriously thinking of marriage and both the families are working towards it. Saif’s parents want to see their son getting married again, so are Kareena’s parents. In fact, Karisma has already spoken to her sister to tie the knot soon,” said our source.      (thanks to way2online)
=======================================================

Breakthrough in probe into communal riots

Hyderabad, Apr 10 : The City police got a breakthrough in the investigation into the communal riots which broke out on March 27 with the arrest of three people belonging to a particualr community midnight last night.Police are on the look-out for three more people in connection with the violence.The accused were sent to judicial remand, a police press note here tonight said. Investigation done so far revealed that when people of majority community were trying to put flags in connection with religious festival on March 30, some members of the particular minority community objected to removal of their religious flags. Following this, some members of the majority community attacked some members of the particular minority community in the Moosabowli area. On the next day, the accused attacked the members of the majority community with lethal weapons and committed four communal offences on March 28 and March 29 wherein a member of the majority community died due to stab injuries. Another person, who was in a critical condition, died on April seven. A two-wheeler was torched and three people, including a Andhra Pradesh Special Police Constable, were injured.The six accused and others were booked for offences punishable under Sections 147, 148, 427, 153 (A), 302 IPC read with 149 IPC, police added.
======================================================

Chiranjeevi asks PRP cadre to take on people's issues

Hyderabad, Apr 10: Praja Rajyam Party (PRP) President Chiranjeevi today exhorted his party activists to concentrate on solving burning issues concerning people.Speaking after releasing the list of the 108-member Greater Hyderabad Party Committee, he said the party's base could be strengthened only by interacting with the people at the grassroots level on a regular basis and focusing attention on raising issues concerning the common man, especially price rise and power cuts.Mr Feroz Khan was named Greater Hyderabad City President and Ms Saida Begam the women's wing President.
======================================================

Indefinite curfew completely lifted in riot-hit old city

Hyderabad, Apr 10 : The city police today announced complete lifting of indefinite curfew imposed on March 29 as peace returned to thr riot-hit old city of Hyderabad, providing much-needed relief to the people inconvenienced by restrictions for the last 14 days.Hyderabad city Police Commissioner A.K.Khan told mediapersons that as Friday prayers in the old city area passed off peacefully, it was decided to lift the curfew totally during a review meeting with senior police officials.As a precautionary measure, prohibitory orders would be in force in the 25 police station limits for two days. All processions, meetings and demonstrations were banned in these areas, he added.After relaxing curfew for two hours on April 1 in 17 police station limits, the city police gradually relaxed the curfew period every day, before totally lifting the restrictions today.The indefinite curfew was clamped in the wake of killing of three people since March 27 as violence, which erupted over putting off religious flags, spread outside the old city on March 29.Altogether 30 companies of central paramilitary forces were deployed in the communally-sensitive areas of the old city, besides state police, including personnel of the elite OCTOPUS force raised to combat terror strikes.Police had so far arrested over 250 people in connection with over 167 cases while another 300 people picked up for questioning were let off later.
======================================================

Andhra Pradesh govt signs agreement with Tatarstan delegation

Hyderabad, Apr 10 : Chief Minister K Rosaiah today mooted a Festival of Andhra Pradesh in the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia and a Festival of Tatarstan here to boost bilateral cultural ties and tourism activities.He was speaking at the signing of 'Protocol on the implementation of the agreement between the Government of Republic of Tatarstan (Russian Federation) and the Government of Andhra Pradesh at Camp Office here.Deputy Prime Minister Valeeva Zilya, who is also the Minister for Culture of the Republic of Tatarstan, and State Minister for Tourism and Information Geeta Reddy signed the agreement in the presence of Chief Minister K Rosaiah and others. Describing the signing of the protocol agreement as memorable, the Chief Minister said there is a vast potential to boost bilateral cooperation between Andhra Pradesh and Tatarstan in the areas of Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnologies, Petrochemicals and Chemicals, Gas-based industries, Power Plant machinery, aerospace, manufacture of defence equipments, information technology and ITES, human resources, Special Economic Zones etc.He said Andhra Pradesh was the leader in pharmaceuticals, particularly in bulk drug manufacturing and formulations and off-shore gas. The Chief Minister said a Petroleum and Petro-Chemical Investment Corridor was being developed from Visakhapatnam to Kakinada all along the coast and there is ample opportunities for investment in this region.
======================================================

BJP wants Centre to bring law and order in concurrent list

Hyderabad, Apr 10: Bharatiya Janata Party National Executive member and  former union minister Ch Vidyasagar Rao today urged the Centre to bring Law and Order subject under the Concurrent List of the Constitution to remove confusion over its handling.Terming as 'unfortunate' the killing of 75 CRPF personnel by extremists in Dantewada, Mr Rao told a press conference here that there was a need for a stringent federal law to curb the menace. It was high time that the Law and Order subject was removed from the State List to the Concurrent List as insurgency had inter-state ramifications, he opined. Maintaining that Union Home Minister P Chidambaram should not step down when the 'war against extremists is on,' he said, the Centre should concentrate on inter-state coordination for curbing extremism. He reminded mediapersons that the Central allocation for modernisation of state police forces had been hiked from Rs 200 crore earlier to Rs 1,000 crore when the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance was in power.
======================================================

Dalit Women And Girl children conference,

Smt.K.Sunita,IAS, addressing a Conference on Dalit women and girl children onganised by the Social Welfare  Department. Commissioner.Sri. K.Praveen Kumar,IAS. as part of dalit empowerment week at the Jubilee Hall on April 10,2010. D.B.Vijaya Bharati and Smt.G.Jhansi are also seen on the dias.   (Photo by R.S.J.THOMAS)======================================================

Republic of Tataristan of the Russian Federation Delegation met With Dr.Geetha Reddy,

A delegation of Republic of Tatarstan of the Russian Federation to Hyderabad led by Ms Valeeva Zilya, Deputy Prime Minister of Culture of the Republic of Tatarstan met with Dr.J. Geetha Reddy, Minister of Information & Public Relation,Government of Andhra Pradesh at his office at Secretriate, Hyderabad. (Photo by R.S.J.Thomas) ======================================================

Defence Investiture Ceremony at Rashtrapathi Bhawan

The President, Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil, the Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, the Defence Minister, Shri A. K. Antony and the Minister of State of Defence, Shri M.M. Pallam Raju with the Awardees, at the Defence investiture ceremony, at Rashtrapati Bhavan, in New Delhi on April 09, 2010.  (Photo by PIB No:CNR-31163)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Smt. Ambika Soni presenting GPS Media Award's,

The Union Minister of Information & Broadcasting, Smt. Ambika Soni presenting the Global Punjabi Society Media Award to Shri Vikram Chandra,CEO, NDTV Convergence, at the Global Punjabi Society Media Awards function, in New Delhi on New Delhi on April 09, 2010.
(Photo by PIB No:CNR-31170)
=======================================================

Curfew timings cut short in riot-hit parts of Hyderabad

Hyderabad, April 9 : With further improvement in the situation in riot-hit parts of Hyderabad, the police Friday said curfew relaxation was being extended from 12 to 17 hours.Police Commissioner A.K. Khan told reporters that curfew would remain in force from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. in areas under 25 police stations. The decision, which will come into effect from Friday, was taken after Friday prayers passed off peacefully. "The prayers were offered in a peaceful atmosphere and no untoward incident was reported from anywhere," Khan said. Elaborate security arrangements were made at the Mecca Masjid in the old city and hundreds of other mosques to maintain law and order. For the last three days, the curfew timings were from 6 p.m to 6 a.m. Though the situation had almost returned to normal, police continued with the restriction in view of the Friday prayers. The police commissioner said a decision on lifting the curfew totally would be taken in a day or two. The riots, which broke out March 27, following a dispute over putting up of religious flags, left three people dead and over 150 injured. The police commissioner said 181 cases were registered in connection with the violence and 250 people have been arrested. Special teams have been formed to identify and arrest those who were spreading rumours through SMSes.
=======================================================

Sania-Shoaib wedding postponed

Hyderabad, April 9 : Controversies continue to haunt Indian tennis star Sania Mirza and Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik as their high-profile marriage scheduled for Friday evening has been postponed.With police not yet returning Shoaib's passport, the qazi expressed his inability to perform the nikah and the two families had no option but to postpone the ceremony, sources close to the families said. Earlier, the qazi told reporters that nikah would be performed at 7 p.m. Sania Mirza's family members made hectic efforts to get back Shoaib's passport, which was seized by police Monday after grilling him in connection with a criminal case filed by his first wife Ayesha Siddiqui, also of Hyderabad. Sania's father Imran Mirza met senior police officers, including the one who was handling the case against Shoaib, but they told him that since the passport was deposited with the court, Shoaib would have to retrieve it from there after some formalities.Qazis in Hyderabad do not perform marriages of foreigners without verifying the passport and no-objection certificates from their respective governments. Though Ayesha, who was divorced by Shoaib Wednesday, has informed the police that she is withdrawing her complaint, Shoaib would get back his passport only after completing some legal formalities. Sources said the nikah would now be possible any day before April 15, the day when Sania's family has planned to host a wedding reception at Taj Krishna hotel here. Sania's family has also sought security for three-day marriage ceremonies at the house, beginning April 13. Sources in 'Qazat', or a section of Wakf Board, which deals with Muslim marriages, told media that the nikahnama or the marriage document to be signed by Sania and Shoaib will clearly mention this is Shoaib's second marriage. It was only Wednesday that Shoaib divorced his first wife Ayesha, a resident of this city, following mediation by Sania's family members and community elders. Ayesha had filed a police complaint against Shoaib, accusing him of cheating. The divorce came after the former Pakistani skipper constantly maintained that he did not marry Ayesha Siddiqui but another girl whose photographs she had sent her. Ayesha claimed the marriage took place over phone in 2002 and even produced a nikahnama with Shoaib's signature on it to prove this. She had even claimed that they stayed as man and wife. Ayesha also said she became pregnant and had a miscarriage. The Qazat Wednesday issued 'talaqnama' or divorce certificate after Shoaib signed the papers and paid Rs.15,000 to Ayesha towards her maintenance for three months as per Islamic sharia. It was only to save Sania from being called his second wife that Shoaib continued denying the marriage but crumbled when Ayesha produced "solid proof" and he faced arrest in the criminal case, sources said.
======================================================

Friday prayers peaceful, day curfew relaxed till 2200 hrs

Hyderabad, Apr 9 : As Friday prayers in the old city area here went off peacefully, the authorities decided to relax the day time curfew till 2200 hrs today.This was followed by improvement in the situation in 25 police station limits, where the indefinite curfew was clamped in the wake of killing of three people since March 27.Tight security was provided for Friday prayers at all mosques.Senior police officials, including city Police Commissioner A K Khan, were constantly monitoring the situation in the curfew-clamped areas, including the old city.Mr Khan, who toured the entire old city, told media that in view of the peaceful situation and Friday prayers, the curfew would be relaxed by another four hours today and it would be resumed from tomorrow.The final decision on total lifting of the curfew would be taken after review meeting with the authorities in a day or two, he added.He said the police would take action against persons involved in violent incidents with definite proofs.The situation was ''peaceful and fully under control,'' he said, adding no untoward incident had been reported during the curfew relaxation period.
======================================================

Sania-Shoaib marriage today,

Hyderabad, April 9 : Indian tennis star Sania Mirza will tie the knot with Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik here Friday.Qazi Azmatullah Jafari, one of the qazis of the area in which Sania's house is located, told reporters that the nikah would be performed after the 'maghrib' prayers after sunset. Sania's parents, Shoaib's mother and close relatives of the duo would attend the simple nikah at Sania's house in Jubilee Hills. The ceremony has been kept a closely guarded secret in view of the row over Shoaib's first marriage and divorce with a resident of this city. Since Shoaib has given divorce to his first wife Ayesha Siddiqui, the nikahnama to be signed Friday will clearly mention that it is second marriage of the Pakistani star. Shoaib had Wednesday divorced Ayesha following mediation by Sania's family members and community elders after Ayesha filed a police complaint against him. There were also speculations that Shoaib's marriage with Sania could be postponed as he has not yet got back his passport which was seized by police after they questioned him Monday. Though Ayesha has informed the police that she is withdrawing her complaint, police told Shoaib that he would get back his passport after completing the formalities in court. Qazis in Hyderabad do not perform marriages of foreigners without passport and no objection certificates from their respective governments. Sania's family will be hosting the wedding reception at a star hotel here April 15. ======================================================

Lok Satta warns against adopting casual approach to T demand

Hyderabad, Apr 9: Warning against adopting a casual approach to the demand for Telangana, the Lok Satta party today stressed the need to have a national, tangible and universally-acceptable criterion to reorganize states.Releasing its 117-page report to Justice Srikrishna Committee on situation in Andhra Pradesh to media, party president Jayaprakash Narayan said, ''Language has been such a marker (criterion) so far, and all non-Hindi states are formed on the basis of one language - one state.'' ''Now we need to carefully examine other markers before setting out to reorganise our states. Neither history nor geography nor development is sufficient as a marker. Once language ceases to be a marker for state formation, we should decide what a rational criterion for the division of states is...Any ad hoc approach in one part of the country will lead to escalating demands and a cascading effect elsewhere. Therefore, a rational and deliberate approach based on consensus and longterm interests is critical.'' Tracing the present crisis in Andhra Pradesh to ''genuine grievances of political disempowerment and a sense of lack of regional autonomy'', the report said, ''the local governments in Andhra Pradesh lost dynamism because they did not enjoy functional freedom, suffered from paucity of funds and, and bureaucracy was strengthened at their cost. Despite the passing of the 73rd and the 74th Constitutional amendments, real empowerment of the local governments has not taken place in Andhra Pradesh. A trend of over-centralization of political power coupled with the abolishment of the empowered, constitutional forum of Andhra Pradesh Regional Committee in 1973 has deepened the sense of political disempowerment and political alienation.'' The report recommended that institutional arrangements be made immediately to address the concerns and aspirations of Telangana and other backward regions in Andhra Pradesh. ''The arrangements can be taken up complementary to any efforts towards evolving a final settlement of the regional aspirations in Andhra Pradesh.''
======================================================

Chidambaram accepts ‘full responsibility’ for Dantewada

Home Minister P. Chidambaram said Friday that he has written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh accepting full responsibility for the massacre of 76 security personnel in Chhattisgarh, the worst Maoist attack since the insurgency started four decades ago.“I accept full responsibility for what happened in Dantewada,” said Chidambaram, adding that he has no hesitation to accept that the buck stops at his desk.“I have been asked directly or indirectly where the buck stops after the attack. The buck stops at my desk,” Chidambaram said at a CRPF function here.Chidambaram said he had given this in writing to the prime minister, immediately after his return from Chhattisgarh Wednesday, a day after the massacre.“Let me not elaborate,” the home minister said, three days after the attack in the forests of Dantewada district that killed 75 troopers of the Central Reserve Police Force and one Chhattisgarh policeman.The families of the slain personnel would be given full compensation before the end of this month, Chidambaram said.He also offered a job for a family member of each of the slain personnel.

======================================================

PM rejects Chidambaram resignation offer

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh “fully backs” Home Minister P. Chidambaram and had rejected his offer of resignation following the Maoist massacre of 76 security personnel in Chhattisgarh, government sources said.“PM has declined to accept the home minister’s offer for resignation. The PM fully backs his senior cabinet colleague,”The home minister had written to the prime minister and Congress president Sonia Gandhi accepting blame for Tuesday’s attack that led to the killing of 75 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel and a Chhattisgarh policeman in a Bastar forest, the worst Maoist assault since the insurgency began more than four decades ago, an official privy to the letter added.He said there was “no question” of Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi accepting the resignation offer as Chidambaram, who took over as home minister after the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack, has largely been hailed for his role in handling internal security management.According to sources, Chidambaram wrote the letters Wednesday soon after returning from Chhatisgarh.Chidambaram had set the ball rolling earlier in the day when he said at a CRPF function that he accepted “full responsibility” for the massacre and that the “buck stops at my desk”.“I have been asked directly or indirectly where the buck stops after the attack. The buck stops at my desk,” Chidambaram said at a function to mark Valour Day for the CRPF.“I accept full responsibility for what happened in Dantewada. I called the prime minister and gave in writing that I accept full responsibility for what happened,” he said, adding: “Let me not elaborate.”Referring to the many reports on how the men were poorly trained, Chidambaram went guns blazing defending the security personnel.“It has been written that the 62nd battalion was poorly trained or lacked adequate weapons and equipment which is not true,” Chidambaram said.“I ask everyone humbly that if you can’t go on the front, please don’t disrespect our jawans.”“We have addressed issues pertaining to salaries, allowances, pensions, compensations and rehabilitation. More needs to be done, and they will be done,” said the minister.The families of the slain personnel would be given full compensation before the end of this month, Chidambaram said. The government had announced a compensation of Rs.38 lakh for the next of kin of each slain security personnel, with the central government contributing Rs.15 lakh to the kittyHe also offered a job for a family member of each of the slain personnel.“I am proud of the CRPF and its work. I salute all those who laid down their lives. The families who lost their member in the Dantewada attack will be compensated by the end of this month,” the minister assured.
======================================================