PM addresses the nation on I-day

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Photo Courtesy: AP

Sending out a positive message on Independence Day, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday called for a new era of cooperation and harmony and pledged all possible government assistance to farmers to deal with drought and stepped up efforts to control spiralling prices.

Addressing the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort for the sixth consecutive year, Singh said the government would work for political stability and strengthening economy with an aim of marching towards "a golden future".

Asserting that the people had rejected sectarian politics and have "chosen a political arrangement which is secular", he called for "a new era of cooperation and harmony" and promised to take everyone along to create "an environment of consensus and cooperation".

"You have entrusted a big responsibility on us and we humbly accept that and will fulfil it", he said.

Talking about problems like drought, economic crisis and swine flu facing the country, he sought to allay concerns.

There was no need to panic in the face of swine flu and daily life should not be disrupted because of it, said 76- year-old Singh.

Referring to the impact of the global meltdown, Singh said the government would take all steps like tapping of more foreign investment and encouraging exports to meet the "greatest challenge" of restoring the growth rate to nine per cent.

He hoped the situation would improve in the next four months. "We expect that there will be an improvement in the situation by the end of this year," he said.

The Prime Minister asked businessmen and industrialists to join in the effort to tackle the difficult situation and fulfil their social obligation.

On the drought situation created by the deficient monsoon, he said the government would provide all possible assistance to farmers to deal with the situation.

In this context, he said the date for repayment of farmer’s bank loans has been postponed and additional support given to them for payment of interest on short term crop loans.

Warning hoarders and black-marketeers, Singh said the state governments have been asked to strictly implement the laws in this regard to crack down such elements.

Assuring the nation that there was an adequate stock of foodgrains, he said all efforts would be made to control rising prices of foodgrains, pulses and other goods of daily use.

"We want that no one in the country goes hungry," Singh said.

All accused in 2003 Mumbai blasts case pronounced guilty

Gateway of India. Photo courtesy: AFP

A special court formed under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) has pronounced all three accused in the 2003 Mumbai twin blasts case as guilty.

Sentencing will take place on the August 4.

The court said 32-year-old Ashrat Ansari, 46-year-old Sayed Anees and his wife Fehmida Sayed were guilty of plotting the August 25, 2003 blasts in south Mumbai that killed 52 people and injured more than 100 others

The matter has been in court for nearly six years now and was the biggest terror verdict after the Tada court convicted 100 people for the 1993 serial blasts case in 2007.

Nilekani takes over as head of UIAI

Unique Identification Authority of India chief Nandan Nilekani. Photo Courtesy: AP

Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani on Thursday took over as head of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIAI) which has been tasked to create a national database of identity details of citizens.

Nilekani said the first set of database will be ready in 12 to 18 months time as announced by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee in his budget speech.

"We will be issuing the first set of identification numbers in 12 to 18 months," he told reporters in New Delhi.

Nilekani said Ram Sevak Sharma, a 1978 batch Jharkhand cadre IAS officer, will take over as Secretary and CEO of the organisation.

Nilekani, who was appointed as head of UIAI on July 13, said it will take few weeks for them to "get the team together"

"We will use biometrics but we still have not decided what that set will be," he said.

"It will take us few weeks to stabilise and figure out the team size. It will take us few weeks to get our thoughts together," he added.

A 25-yr-old man arrested with heroine worth Rs 850,000

NEW DELHI:

A 25-year-old man hailing from Rajasthan was arrested in the national capital for alleged possession of 1.7 kg of heroin which has a
market value of around Rs 8.5 lakh, police said today.

Prahlad Meena, hailing from Barrah, was caught from near Ram Lila Grounds yesterday by Crime Branch during a search after a tip off that a person from Rajasthan is supplying heroin to drug peddlers in East Delhi.

“Meena had come to Turkman Gate to deliver a consignment and during searches, 1.7 kg of heroin was allegedly recovered from his possession,” a senior police official said.

The accused belongs to a rich family and his father used to allegedly supply heroin in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh but Meena has taken over the 'business' for the last five years from his father who has become old, the official claimed.

"Sometimes, he himself prepares crude heroin from opium whereas on other occasions he buys the contraband from local manufacturers of Shyamgarh and Mandsaur districts of Madhya Pradesh," the official said.

Meena is being interrogated to ascertain his other contacts in the national capital. He was earlier arrested by Rajasthan Police in Chhipa Barut for his alleged involvement in drug peddling case.

Ex-SAS head to lead response to Indian attacks

Police watch over Indian students and supporters at the rally in Melbourne. Photo Courtesy: AFP

Australia said Tuesday the former head of its elite Special Air Service (SAS) regiment will lead a task force examining attacks on Indian students that have provoked outrage on the sub-continent

Foreign Minister Stephen Smith said Duncan Lewis, now the government's national security adviser, chaired the task force's first meeting Tuesday and would coordinate Australia's response to the assaults.

"Through this task force the Australian government is showing its resolve to play its part in collaboration with the states to respond to this very serious issue," Smith told parliament.

Canberra has been stung into action by a furious response in India to a series of attacks on students in Australia, particularly in the southern city of Melbourne.

Indian media have extensively reported the violence, dubbing them "curry bashings" and splashing with headlines such as "Australia, land of racists."

Victoria, the state at the centre of the furore, said it would introduce hate laws so that judges can take account of prejudice against a particular group of people when sentencing for a crime.

The changes would apply to hate crimes prompted by religion, sexual orientation and gender, as well as race.

"It may lead, in certain circumstances, to increased penalties," Victorian state Attorney-General Rob Hulls said.

"What we're looking at is ensuring that judges take into account whether or not a crime has been committed purely based on hatred or vilification of a particular group."

Hulls said the changes should be introduced by the end of the year.

Students in Melbourne also highlighted the issue at a peaceful city-centre rally which ended in scuffles as it was broken up by police early on Monday.

Footage of police dragging students away was beamed back to India along with allegations the officers used excessive force.

The students were demanding action after at least 70 attacks in Melbourne in the past year including four in recent weeks. One victim is in a coma after being stabbed with a screwdriver.

Police say 30 percent of assaults in Melbourne's western suburbs are against Indians, a disproportionate figure in a city of almost four million with an Indian student population of less than 50,000.

Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon. Photo Courtesy: AFP Oz has to ensure safety of Indians: Menon

Concerned over the recent attacks on its students in Melbourne, India on Wednesday said Australia had the prime responsibility of ensuring their safety and bringing to justice the perpetrators of these assaults.

"We are concerned over these attacks, but the prime responsibility lies with Australia," Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon told reporters when asked to comment on whether there should be an independent probe into the racial attacks against the Indian students.

He said India has already made known its views to Australia and will do "whatever it can" to ensure safety of its nationals.

To a question on motives, Menon said he was not sure whether or not the attacks were racial in nature. "But these are crimes against our nationals and that is a concern."

India's concerns have been conveyed by Prime Minister Monmahon Singh and External Affairs Minister S M Krishna when they spoke to their Australian counterparts a few days back.

The Ministry of External Affairs had also summoned Australian High Commissioner John McCarthy to press Canberra to ensure safety of Indian students.

Helpline in Australia

A helpline was on Wednesday set up in Melbourne by four Gurudwaras to provide all necessary assistance to students studying in Australia as well as their parents in India.

The helpline which will be available from 10 am to 8 pm Australian time (5:30 am to 3:30 pm Indian time) will provide all help to students in Australia and their relatives in India.

The help line – 0061398941800 - has been set up by four Gurudwara Committees in Melbourne in association with Gyan Sewa Trust, president of the trust H S Phoolka said.

He said similar helpline would be set up in Delhi and Chandigarh also to provide assistance to students who want to study in Australia.

Indian air force gets Awacs plane

India is the first country in South Asia to operate an Awacs aircraft

India has officially taken delivery of an Awacs early-warning surveillance aircraft, part of a $1bn (£600m) defence deal with Israel.

The plane, Russian-made but packed with Israeli radar, is expected to reinforce India's maritime security following the attacks on Mumbai last year.

Only a few non-Nato countries have Awacs and critics say it is a bad omen for the arms race in South Asia.

India has ordered another two AWACS as it upgrades its military capabilities.

The Ilyushin-76 - which arrived in India on Monday - gives India the capability to track hundreds of aircraft and potential threats at sea and on the ground, at considerable distances.

Air dominance

India is the first country in South Asia to own an Awacs (Airborne Warning and Control System) plane, popularly nicknamed the "eye in the sky". The second and third aircraft are expected to be handed over next year.

AK Antony (left) is concerned about the plane's late delivery

Analysts say the purchase, part of a 2004 deal involving India, Israel and Russia, is part of India's efforts to achieve air dominance over its rival, Pakistan. Russia and Israel are India's two largest military suppliers.

India's defence procurement is expected to rise to about $100bn over the next ten years.

Delhi recently signed contracts with Israel for medium range surface-to-air missiles, and with Russia for the design and development of fighter aircraft.

Other foreign defence companies, including those from the Americas, Europe and Asia, are also lining up to do business with India.

Indian Defence Minister AK Antony, who attended the Awacs handing-over ceremony at Jamnagar air base, complained about the late delivery of defence equipment ordered by India from a number of countries.

He pointed out that the Awacs should have been delivered 18 months ago.