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Parrikar admits ‘security lapses’ lead to terror attack

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manohar parrikar

Pathankot: Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar admitted on Tuesday that “security lapses” led to the terrorist attack on the IAF base here that left seven security personnel and six terrorists dead.

Parrikar also told the media after visiting the base that combing operations were still going on but “this is only for safety purposes” and that no more terrorists were believed hidden in the huge complex.

Some gaps led to security lapses, leading to the pre-dawn terror attack on Saturday, the minister said. He did not elaborate.

“What is worrying is how they (terrorists) entered the base,” he added.

Parrikar visited the Pathankot Indian Air Force base in Punjab on Tuesday along with the chiefs of the army and air force.

The head of the National Investigation Agency (NIA), which is probing the audacious terrorist strike, also visited the base separately.

“Combing operations are (still) going on,” Parrikar said. “This is only for safety purposes.”

He said the body of one of the terrorists still had a suicide vest, with a grenade sticking out.

“I am very, very clear that they (our officers) should not take any risk,” he said, recalling how a National Security Guard (NSG) officer lost his life earlier while trying to reportedly shift a similar body.

Parrikar admitted that the entire operation “is a very difficult” one.

“It is tedious. This has been done without compromising any assets… Not just the strategic assets but even a building.”

He said barring one building where the terrorists took shelter, no other building was even damaged because the security personnel managed to corner the raiders in a corner of the sprawling base.

He said the terrorists had AK-47 rifles, pistols, Swiss knives, commando knives besides 40-50 kg of bullets. They also had improvised mortars. “They had high quality explosives.”

The minister said the NIA had started investigation into the attack. He said it would find out “who sent them”.

“They have got initial leads, where they have come from, how they have come.”

(Agencies)

59 sixes, 129 fours: Mumbai teenager scores 1009 in 323 balls!

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Pranav Dhanawade

Mumbai: Mumbai teenager Pranav Dhanawade today scripted history by becoming the first batsman ever to notch up a four-figure score by smashing an unbeaten knock of 1009 in an inter-school tournament here.

The 15-year-old, playing for KC Gandhi Higher Secondary School, reached the gigantic score in just 323 deliveries with a jaw-dropping strike rate of 312.38 in the game against Arya Gurukul in the Bhandari Cup inter-school tournament organised by the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA).

In the course of his awe-inspiring innings, which lasted 395 minutes, Dhanawade smashed a whopping 129 fours and 59 sixes.

The epic knock ended when his school declared at 1465, which is also a world record. His school went past Victoria’s 1107 against New South Wales made way back in 1926.

Pranav now holds the record for the highest individual score in any form of cricket, bettering AEJ Collins’ 628 not out for Clark’s House against North Town in 1899 in the UK. Dhanawade was unbeaten at 652 at stumps yesterday.

(PTI)

Review: ‘Aakhri Shama’ is a heart touching, realistic & remarkable play

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Akhiri Shama

Dramatisation: Kaifi Azmi
Design & Direction: M. S. Sathyu & R. M. Singh
Music: Kuldip Singh & Iqbal Quereshi
Cast: A K Hangal, Bharat Kapoor, Ramesh Talwar, Rakesh Bedi, Mac Mohan, Javed Khan, Aanjjan Srivastav, Kuldip Singh, Masood Akhtar, Akhilendra Mishra, Bansi Thapar, Javed Siddiqi, Sushil Kumar, Rajan Kapur, Surendra Gupta, Ram Swaroop Mago, Vivek Marwah, Om Prakash, Pramod Dubey, Shakir Ali, Salim Arif, Harpreet Singh, Rajeev Jha, Darshan Sengar, Pandit Ratan Sharma, Murlidhar, Jasvinder Singh, Raman Kumar, Jaspaul Sandhu, Amrit Pal et al

Akhiri Shama is a play based on Farhatullah Baig’s book “Dilli Ka Yaadgar Mushaira”, which had been dramatised by Kaifi Azmi & directed by M. S. Sathyu. The play has been opened after a gap of a few years with bumper response & appreciation of the audiences. It opened on 22nd Dec, 2015 at Prithvi Theatre in Mumbai with a houseful show and later on, on 28th Dec, 2015 in Solapur.

The plotted scenario of the mushaira, which forms the basis of the heart warming play, Akhiri Shama, was the last of its kind in the Mughal Court. The court had a tradition of hosting an annual mushaira at the Red Fort. In 1857 when the law & order failed in the city of Delhi, it was evident that the mushaira would be cancelled. But there was 1 person named Maulvi Karimuddin, who went from pillar to post to organize the mushaira. The custom was to place a bowl with a candle or flame in front of the poet whose turn it was to recite. With it the restless “Shama” ended its adventurous & romantic journey. Action gave way to inaction & life to death. Since then this “Shama” has not stirred. Akhiri Shama is of historic significance too. Like the custom of the “Shama”, it was the last such symposium held under the direct patronage of the royal palace.

The 1st half of the play Akhiri Shama is devoted to vivid description of the changes that were overtaking Delhi at break – neck speed. The old Delhi, which was gay, lively & colorful even in its decadence. The city of Delhi is seen lying in ruins after the holocaust of 1857. Visibly moved by the pathetic sight, Ghalib tells in his own words his sad impressions of the unimaginable devastation & destruction that had taken place. It was the indefatigable Maulvi Karimuddin, in whose fertile brain the idea of organising a mushaira originates. He visits place after place, meeting poets, talking with them & even arguing with them. In fact, he makes frantic calls not only on celebrities but also on those who were not well – known. He goes to the royal palace to obtain King Bahadur Shah Zafar’s approval. Maulvi Karimuddin’s zeal, his enthusiasm, his sincerity & his devotion ultimately bears fruit and they all agree to participate in the mushaira. The last Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar, whom circumstances over which he had no control, prevented him from appearing in person, deputes his son, prince Fatuh – ul – Mulk & Mirza Fakhruddin ‘Ramz’ to preside over it. Not only that, he also sends a ghazal to be recited at the mushaira. This shows how much importance King Bahadur Shah attached to this mushaira. The 2nd half is a factual record of the mushaira itself. The great Masters, Ghalib, Momin, Zauq, Daag and others are seen in all their dignity & glory. Their literary encoutners, their digs, their jibes, their bouquets, their brickbats, their sincere appreciation as well as their malicious comments, all lend color & charm to the function.

The play, Akhiri Shama happens to be the play which is very uniquely stylish & offbeat. It is a totally different play from any other play that has ever been staged in the history of the theatre world. First of all it takes you to the period of the 19th century when Mughal Empire had been coming to an end completely & the English rule was on its full peak. Most impressive of all is the Urdu language spoken flawlessly by all the actors in toto. The sets, the lights & above all the costumes designed by M. S. Sathyu appears to be very realistic & remarkable which was appropriately suiting to the milieu of both the British and above all the Mogul period. In fact the mushaira phase which is held in the 2nd half also looks very realistic & remarkable which rightly convinces the viewers about the plight of the mushairas of Delhi of that particular period.

Performance wise all the actors have delivered a par excellence act. And above all a special well – deserved mention must be made of Ramesh Talwar who plays the character of Karimuddin displaying his extraordinary histrionic skills with finesse.

Tail Piece: Akhiri Shama is one, out of the blue, stage play that should not be missed once it comes to your place of choice, in your nearest town of your nearest city.

Kejriwal, 5 others gave false statements against me: Jaitley

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arun jaitley

New Delhi: Finance Minister Arun Jaitley today recorded his statement in a Delhi court in a criminal defamation complaint filed by him against Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and five other AAP leaders, accusing them of making false statements against him and his family members.

During the recording of his statement, Jaitley told Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Sanjay Khanagwal that Kejriwal and these five persons had given “false” and “defamatory” statements against him and his family members.

Jaitley, who appeared before the court amidst tight security, also said that statements have been made to deflect attention from CBI probe against a particular person who is working with Kejriwal, court sources said.

The security personnel did not allow any mediaperson to enter the court room and only the advocates have been allowed to attend the closed-door proceedings.

Jaitley had on December 21 filed criminal defamation case against Kejriwal and five other AAP leaders — Kumar Vishwas, Ashutosh, Sanjay Singh, Raghav Chadha and Deepak Bajpai — for allegedly defaming him and sought their prosecution for offences that entail a punishment of upto two years in jail.

The complaint was filed under various sections of the IPC including 499 (defamation), 500 (punishment), 501 and 502 (printing and sale of defamatory matter).

In his complaint, Jaitley had said that the CM and other AAP leaders, with common intention, have from December 15 undertaken “a false, malicious and defamatory campaign against him and his family members for political mileage causing irreversible damage to him.”

The complaint referred to some of the allegations made by AAP leaders in press conferences, including one that claimed that the CBI raided the office of Delhi government official looking for Jaitley’s “tax scam files” and that there was corruption worth several hundred crores under Jaitley’s tenure and that he had shielded DDCA for over 15 years.

Jaitley had said such statements have been made orally and through Twitter handle of the AAP leaders which have been carried by electronic and print media from December 15 to December 20.

(Agencies)

Operation enters third day, more forces rushed to Pathankot air base

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Pathankot

Pathankot: The operation against militants holed up at Pathankot air base entered the third day today after explosions and firing continued intermittently overnight.

Security forces had yesterday killed one of the at least two terrorists on the second day of the attack in which seven security personnel lost their lives including a Lieutenant Colonel of the NSG. Four terrorists were eliminated on Saturday when they had struck at the air base.

The operation stretched through the night with sounds of gunfire and explosions continuing till around 10 AM today after which they have ceased. Attack helicopters were still flying over the area.

More quick response teams have been rushed to the site.

Defence sources had last night said that one more terrorist was killed while another was injured.

The holed up militants were discovered in the forested area on the backside of the air base from where they are reported to have entered.

Air Commodore JS Dhamoon, Air Officer Commanding at the base, had said seven security men–one Garud commando, one NSG officer and five personnel of Defence Security Corps(DSC) have been martyred inthe operation. Seventeen security personnel were also injured till now.

Lt Col E K Niranjan, a member of the NSG’s Bomb Disposal Squad and a Kerala resident, died after he succumbed to injuries which he sustained while he was trying to retrieve a live grenade from the body of a dead terrorist. Four other security men were also injured in this explosion.

Three Defence Security Corps (DSC) personnel also succumbed to injuries at the hospital here during the intervening night of January 2 and 3. Garud commando Gurusewak Singh and two members of the DSC were killed in the gunbattle on Saturday at the air base, located barely 35 km from the Indo-Pak border.

“We are sure that still there are at least two more terrorists as firing have come from two different places. But we are not sure whether there are some more. We will come to know the number of terrorists only after the completion of the operation and body count,” Union Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi had told a press conference in Delhi on Sunday.

(PTI)

Outrage follows Saudi Arabia’s execution of nearly 50 prisoners

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Shiite protesters carry posters of Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr during a demonstration outside the Saudi embassy in Sana'a on October 18, 2014. (Photo: Reuters)

Shiite protesters carry posters of Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr during a demonstration outside the Saudi embassy in Sana’a on October 18, 2014. (Photo: Reuters)

by Deirdre Fulton, Common Dreams

Saudi Arabia—recently chosen to head a key United Nations human rights panel—on Saturday executed 47 people convicted of “terrorism,” including at least four convicted of offenses related to political protest.

According to Reuters, the executions took place in 12 cities in Saudi Arabia, with four prisons using firing squads and the others beheading.

Among those killed was prominent Shiite cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr, whom the Guardian reports “had called for pro-democracy demonstrations and whose arrest in 2012 sparked protests in which three people died.”

“Nimr,” the Guardian added, “had long been regarded as the most vocal Shia leader in the eastern Saudi province of Qatif, willing to publicly criticise the ruling al-Saud family and call for elections. He was, however, careful to avoid calling for violence, analysts say.”

The Associated Press noted that “The execution of Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr is expected to deepen discontent among Saudi Arabia’s Shiite minority and heighten sectarian tensions across the region.”

The mass execution comes on the heels of a deadly year that saw Saudi Arabia execute more than 150 people, “many of them for non-violent offenses,” said Maya Foa, director of the death penalty team at international human rights organization Reprieve.

“Today’s appalling news, with nearly 50 executed in a single day, suggests 2016 could be even worse,” Foa said on Saturday. “Alarmingly, the Saudi Government is continuing to target those who have called for domestic reform in the kingdom, executing at least four of them today.”

What’s more, she added, “there are now real concerns that those protesters sentenced to death as children could be next in line to face the swordsman’s blade.” According to Reprieve, the list of people executed did not include the names of a number of people sentenced to death as children who are still facing execution—including Ali al Nimr, Sheikh Nimr’s nephew; Dawoud al Marhoon; and Abdullah al Zaher, who were also sentenced to death over their alleged involvement in the 2012 anti-government protests, despite having been aged 17, 17, and 15 respectively at the time.

“Saudi Arabia’s allies—including the U.S. and UK—must not turn a blind eye to such atrocities and must urgently appeal to the Kingdom to change course,” Foa concluded.

Many echoed that call on social media, highlighting the apparent hypocrisy of Saudi Arabia’s seat on the UN Human Rights Council.

Meanwhile, the U.S.-backed, Saudi-led coalition that has been dropping bombs in Yemen for more than nine months, killing scores of civilians anddestroying critical infrastructure, announced Saturday the end of a ceasefire that had been in place since December 15.

Five die as quake hits north-east, West Bengal

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manipur-earthquake

Imphal: An earthquake measuring 6.7 on the Richter scale jolted north-eastern states and West Bengal early on Monday, killing five people in Manipur and injuring more than 60 across the region.

Those killed included four women, Manipur’s Inspector General of Police Clay Khongsai told IANS. Rescuers worked furiously to rescue those trapped under mounds of debris.

Khongsai said several multi-storey buildings in Imphal collapsed while many vehicles were damaged. The death toll is expected to rise, an officer said in Imphal.

The quake had its epicentre in Manipur’s Tamenglong district and occurred at 4.35 a.m., snapping power supply across the state.

It also shook Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Mizoram, Tripura and West Bengal, an official of the seismological centre in Meghalaya said. It was also felt in adjoining Myanmar, Bangladesh and Bhutan.

Imphal later felt an aftershock measuring 3.6 on the Richter scale.

Khongsai said the Emma market – the day market for women in Manipur – was badly damaged and cordoned off. “We are not allowing anyone to enter the market to prevent any loss of life.

“So far five deaths and 33 injuries have been reported from Imphal. Damages to a few buildings, residential units and government offices have been reported, including damage to a six-storey building,” a home ministry statement said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh on phone. Ibobi Singh convened a cabinet meeting to review the situation.

Modi also asked Home Minister Rajnath Singh to oversee the situation.

In Guwahati, Rajnath Singh said all central assistance would be extended to the north-eastern states.

“The prime minister has asked me to coordinate with all the chief ministers in the region. I have spoken to almost all of them though I could not contact the Manipur chief minister.

“Manipur’s chief secretary told me the damage is more in the state. The centre will extend all required assistance to the north-eastern states to deal with the crisis.

“I have also spoken to Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoiji,” said Rajnath Singh, on a two-day visit to Assam since Sunday.

A Guwahati report said at least 20 people suffered minor injuries as some buildings across Assam developed cracks due to the temblor.

Chief Executive Officer of Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) P.K. Tiwary said: “There are reports pouring in from different parts of the state about minor damage to buildings and houses. We are trying to verify the reports.”

He said there was no major damage or any causality in Assam.

The earthquake jolted the northern parts of West Bengal, particularly the districts of Jalpaiguri and Darjeeling, leaving at least a dozen people injured.

In Bangladeshi capital Dhaka, at least two people were killed and 100 others injured. Many people rushed out of their homes in panic.

The home ministry said the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) was coordinating with north-eastern states for rescue and relief.

“The NDMA has begun coordinating with the state governments, ministries of home affairs, defence, telecom, National Disaster Response Force, and government departments and agencies,” a statement said.

India’s north-east region is considered the sixth major earthquake-prone belt in the world. In September 2011, Sikkim suffered heavy damage following a quake.

(IANS)

Lodha panel recommends separate BCCI, IPL governing bodies

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bcci

New Delhi: The Justice R.M. Lodha Committee on Monday proposed separate governing bodies for the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the Indian Premier League (IPL) in a bid to partially segregate their functioning, while also suggesting a one-state-one-member pattern for the board.

Submitting its report to the Supreme Court, the three-member committee comprising its former chief justice, Justice Lodha, as also Justice Ashok Bhan and Justice R.V. Raveendran – former judges of the apex court – suggested reforms in the Indian cricket board and announced a slew of measures, among them that the IPL governing body should be of nine members with the secretary and the treasurer of the BCCI as its ex-officio members.

Two other members of the IPL governing council will be nominated or elected by the full members. Of the remaining five, two will be the nominees of franchises, one will be a representative of the players association (that is to be formed) and one will a nominee of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India.

Among other key recommendations, the panel stressed that one representation for one state is a fair idea and one association of each state will be a full member of the BCCI and have a right to vote. Other members from a state, or those without territory or competitive presence — Services, Railways, CCI, NCC — were relegated to associate status without voting rights in the BCCI.

The Lodha panel also recommended the appointment of a Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to manage the day-to-day affairs of the BCCI. The CEO will be assisted by six professional managers. The Lodha panel said the CEO and his managers will be responsible to an apex council that will be comprised of nine members — five elected, two representatives of players association, and one woman.

The Lodha committee has also sought to put some restrictions on the BCCI office-bearers: they should not be aged more than 70, should not be ministers or government servants – and cannot hold office for more than three terms, with a a “cooling-off” period between terms.

Lodha reckoned that a robust agent registration system would safeguard players. There will be a steering committee to include former star all-rounder Mohinder Amarnath, former India women’s captain Diana Eduljee, and legendary leg-spinner and former Test skipper Anil Kumble. They will take up matter with BCCI for formation of players’ association in light of suggestions from the report.

Lodha said the panel prepared an extensive questionnaire and interviewed several BCCI office bearers, stakeholders in Indian cricket, former national captains, including Bishan Singh Bedi, Kapil Dev, Sourav Ganguly, Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Kumble to finalise its report.

(IANS)

Karnataka: Highest sex ratio among Christians; Muslims overtake Hindus in literacy

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crowd

Bengaluru: Christians continued to record the highest sex ratio with the figure increasing from 1,030 in the 2001 Census to 1,049 in the 2011 Census. Although the child sex ratio was also high among Christians in the State, the growth was very marginal and it rose from 961 in 2001 census to 962 in 2011.

 

Economist Sangeeta Kattimani, who compiled these data from the two Census reports and the Religion Data of the Census 2011 released now, said that the lowest sex ratio of 739 was reported among Buddhists.

In fact, the sex ratio among Buddhists had seen a steep fall from 907 in the 2001 Census to 739 in the 2011 Census. The child sex ratio among Buddhists decreased from 953 in 2001 to 949 in 2011.

Prof. Kattimani said that the sex ratio of other major religious groups, including Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs and Jains, showed a marginal improvement when compared to the 2001 and 2011 census and same was the case under the child sex ratio head. While the sex ratio of Hindus rose from 966 in 2001 to 972 in 2011, the sex ratio of Muslims rose from 957 in 2001 to 969 in 2011.

There was a marked improvement in the sex ratio of Sikhs — from 739 in 2001 to 803 in 2011 census. The sex ratio of Jains rose from 926 in 2001 to 951 in 2011.

The child sex ratio of Hindus saw a marginal increase from 945 in 2001 to 947 in 2011. Among Muslims, it was 945 in 2001 and 947 in 2011.

The child sex ratio of Sikhs saw an increase from 882 in 2001 to 913 in 2011. Similarly, the child sex ratio of Jains rose from 882 in 2001 to 913 in 2011. Prof. Kattimani said that the latest figures released by the Registrar General of Census provided some interesting data of literacy levels of different religious groups. While the literacy rate of Christians and Jains, who always placed education as a priority in their life, was high, the literacy level of Muslims was higher than Hindus in the State.

As much as 90.80 per cent of Christians were literate and it was 88.32 per cent among Jains in the State.

Surprisingly, a higher number of Muslims were literate when compared to Hindus in the State. The literacy percentage of Hindus was 74.36 per cent as per the 2011 census figures while it was 78.89 per cent among Muslims in the State.

Prof. Kattimani said that the literacy rate of Buddhists saw a record increase from 53.16 per cent in 2001 census to 76.11 per cent.

(Agencies)

Now, RSS all set to launch its Christian wing

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rss

New Delhi: As part of its plan to tighten its grip over Indian society, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) is now mulling to launch its Christian wing.

 

The RSS has held meetings with Christian leaders as part of a plan to reach out to the community by setting up an organisation, according to a reliable report.

 

A senior RSS spokesperson confirmed the reports and said that efforts are on to reach out to the Christians and a meeting for the same was held on December 17, 2015.

The proposed Christain Wing will be on the lines of the Muslim Rashtriya Manch that RSS established over a decade ago.

“On December 17, 4-5 Archbishops, 40-50 Reverend Bishops from across 10 to 12 states met and it was decided to develop a movement. This is preparing the ground to lay the seeds for an organisation,” Indresh Kumar, member of RSS’ National Executive, said.

This is said to be the first such outreach to the clergy made through a Sangh-backed initiative.

The December 17 meeting, held in New Delhi, was presided over by Indresh Kumar. Chinmayananda Swami of Vishva Hindu Parishad was also present at the event, called the ‘Christmas Message for Love, Peace and Harmony from Indian Soil’.

It was attended, among others, by Archbishop Mar Kuriakose Bharanikulangara, Bishop Jacob Mar Barnabas of the Gurgaon diocese, Bishop Issac Osthatheous of the Delhi diocese and the general secretary of the Church of North India, Alwan Masih.

The development comes in the wake of an uproar over alleged increase in intolerance under the Bharatiya Janata Party government and political parties accusing the ruling party’s ideological mentor of instigating friction between communities.

(Agencies)

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