The Correspondent
The Correspondent
New Delhi
ph: 9810929963
editor
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Is Mahesh Bhatt planning to join politics?
After having actively campaigned for the Congress, film maker is trying to make a mark in politics as well.
Bhatt is leading an Aligarh-based group under the Millat Bedari Muhim Committee.
The organization recently urged the UPA government to implement the recommendations of the Sachar Committee that would also go a long way in solving various problems faced by the Muslim community at the national-level.
The MBMC under the patronage of Bhatt would strive hard and relentlessly pursue this cause with the present UPA government with the immediate and the time bound implementation of the report, their press release said.
The MBMC also wants the UPA to come pass the ‘Anti- Communal Violence Bill’ in the next session of Parliament.
Jasim Mohammad, Centre for Comparative Study of Indian Languages and Culture, Aligarh Muslim University, has yet to respond to the question posed in the headline on behalf of Mahesh Bhatt.
Recession, what is that!
HR is now admitting firing people was a big mistake
After getting away with firing lakhs of employees, undertaking cost-cutting measures, reducing publicity budgets... the corporates are admitting that the economic slowdown in India was just a sentiment of big-time lalas and not a reality.
The flashy HR heads are also agreeing that organizations must have a long term perspective to retain talent as that is critical for sustained growth.
At a seminar Indian Oil Corp Ltd HR director V C Agrawal said,“The objective … is to discuss compensation and rewards as a strategic tool during the downturn, while keeping in mind that it is also a key tool when we focus on growth. “
“The financial turmoil and the global slowdown in the economy are forcing companies to look closer at their expenses and at efficiency gains. Managing Human Capital in a downturn requires a systematic approach. Reducing people, related expenses and achieving a higher ROI on the human capital in the company will be the key strategy. Organizations should focus more on productivity and utilization rather than cost during these challenging times.”
Sandeep Chaudhary, Practice Leader-Performance &Rewards South &West Asia, Hewitt Associates
“Compensation management is an opportunity to communicate the positioning, brand, strategies, vison, mission, value of a company to its employees.It is a critical instrument to bring the people to the forefront.Most companies perceive compensation as financial security or primarily as a reward or recognition.”
K K Sinha, Director- HR, Jindal Steel and Power Ltd
3,000 LTTE hiding in camps
The Sri Lanka Government has revealed that around 3,000 LTTE cadre are hiding in camps, while certain foreign powers were trying to help the terrorist escape.
The government said that certain ‘foreign powers’ had made repeated appeals in the last stage of the war to save Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) chief Velupillai Prabhakaran, as well as some 50 other top terrorists who were ‘seeking to escape’.
While the Government has not identified these ‘foreign powers’, one report claims that LTTE’s chief negotiator and the outfit’s international arms dealer, Kumaran Pathmanathan aka KP was in constant touch with "diplomats of at least four western nations, UN functionaries in Geneva and New York, a foreign Cabinet Minister and a few prominent Western journalists", in attempts to get the LTTE leaders out in the dying moments of the war.
Efforts to protect LTTE cadres have not yet ended, and there have been numerous attempts to smuggle out particular individuals from the camps currently housing Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), in connivance with various Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) – the principal reason why Ban Ki-moon’s demands for ‘unfettered access’ were summarily rejected by Colombo.
Sri Lanka has, however, permitted 52 NGOs to operate inside the camps, though restrictions exist on the movement of vehicles within the camps. Rajiva Wijesinha, the Secretary of the Human Rights Ministry, stated that "Things get complicated when there are too many vehicles running up and down the camps, thereby compromising security."
UN’s Colombo spokesperson, Gordon Weiss, confirmed reports that attempts had been made by certain persons to smuggle out groups of IDPs from the camps, prompting the current restrictions.
President Mahinda Rajapakse has clarified that all aid workers would be allowed into the camps once the Army has completed operations to clear rebels hiding among the IDPs.
Rishard Badurdeen, the Minister for Resettlement, said, "There are some 3,000 LTTE cadres in the camps and we haven’t finished screening."
Significantly, Foreign Secretary Palitha Kohona claimed that some 4,000 former militants had "sneaked in" to the general refugee population.
"We will need to see how they will integrate and leave their past behind, or whether they will still harbour thoughts of going back into the jungle. We are just watching them. Many may have been forced to support the Tigers and had not been serious combatants. We would like to give them a chance to quietly reintegrate into society and not rake up their past and make a mess of their lives."
Kohona disclosed further that another 2,000 militants who surrendered or were captured were being "rehabilitated" in special facilities.
Should you elect Mahabal Mishra?
If the allegations of aiding a rape of a 16-year girl are true, then God help the country if we elect such a great leader.
Indian Express and Sandhya Times had reported in May 2007, that a 16 year old girl was raped by a man and kept in MLA Mahabal Mishra' office. The man, Pradeep Sehrawat, was arrest by the Delhi police and a chargesheet was filed in April 2007.
The victim, in the court, had alleged that Sehrawat and his friends abducted her and raped. They they kept her in the MLA's Mahavir Enclave office and his brother Hira's house for a week after the November 2006 incident.
Mishra denied his role in the incident. "Its a political stunt to maglin my image. I do not know Pradeep Sehrawat or the victim. Sehrawat's uncle are Congress workers and my interation with them in entirely professional."
The victim had told the police that she on her to take tution when Pradeep's motorbike hit her scooty. "I fell down and sustained brusies and he said he would take me to a doctor."
Instead he (Pradeep) took me to UP border and then with his friend took me to Bulandshar in Western UP where they raped me, the girl told the police.
After that they took the girl to Hira's home and then for four days kept the girl in Mahavir Enclave office of the MLA for four days.
The entire story cannot be cooked up. Mishra and his brother are involved in the incident. Mishra first denies knowing Pradeep Sehrawat and then admits he knows the uncles. He involvement should have been properly investigated and should have been sent to jail.
Newspaper cuttings
If the allegations of aiding a rape of a 16-year girl are true, then God help the country if we elect such a great leader.
Indian Express and Sandhya Times had reported in May 2007, that a 16 year old girl was raped by a man and kept in MLA Mahabal Mishra' office. The man, Pradeep Sehrawat, was arrest by the Delhi police and a chargesheet was filed in April 2007.
The victim, in the court, had alleged that Sehrawat and his friends abducted her and raped. They they kept her in the MLA's Mahavir Enclave office and his brother Hira's house for a week after the November 2006 incident.
Mishra denied his role in the incident. "Its a political stunt to maglin my image. I do not know Pradeep Sehrawat or the victim. Sehrawat's uncle are Congress workers and my interation with them in entirely professional."
The victim had told the police that she on her to take tution when Pradeep's motorbike hit her scooty. "I fell down and sustained brusies and he said he would take me to a doctor."
Instead he (Pradeep) took me to UP border and then with his friend took me to Bulandshar in Western UP where they raped me, the girl told the police.
After that they took the girl to Hira's home and then for four days kept the girl in Mahavir Enclave office of the MLA for four days.
The entire story cannot be cooked up. Mishra and his brother are involved in the incident. Mishra first denies knowing Pradeep Sehrawat and then admits he knows the uncles. He involvement should have been properly investigated and should have been sent to jail.
Newspaper cuttings
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Kasab names JuD-LeT boss, yet Pak leaves Hafeez
Mumbai terror operative who was caught in action, Kasab, in his confessional statement made before a Magistrate in the month of February this year – has named Hafeez Saeed repeatedly.
Hafeez's role is also mentioned in the confession. Main points in Kasab's statements naming Hafeez:
- Hafeez Saeed has told Kasab and his co-fidayeens – “All Mujahideen has to fight for freedom of Kashmir.”
- “During the training an unknown person (Major General Sahab) visited the camp – while Hafeez Saeed and Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi (LeT’s chief of operations) were present."
- “The financial strength of India is in Bambai (Mumbai). It is hence imperative to attack Mumbai. You all have been well training in operating in marine environment. We will use the sea route to attack Mumbai,” Hafeez told the terrorists who attacked Mumbai.
It is amply clear that Hafeez was very much in the know of things that were happening and it was he who supervised the Mumbai terror attacks and was directly responsible for the training and execution.
In the list of 35 accused wanted by Mumbai Police in connection with the November 26-29, 2008 Mumbai terror attack, the Mumbai attack plotter Hafeez Saeed figures in the top.
A big question remains hanging: Why did Pakistan release Hafeez? This can easily be answered by anyone who knows what are the intentions of Pakistan.
JuD (LeT) man talks Kashmir
Roaming around a free-man after a Pakistani court released him , Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief Hafiz Muhammad Saeed considers Indian occupation on Jammu Kashmir “illegal”.
Saeed rejected India’s allegations against him and added that the moment would come soon when India would liberate Kashmiris.
He said that the Kashmiris took gun after feeling helpless to achieve freedom from Indian illegal occupation.
Hafiz Saeed further stated that Azad Kashmir should be the base camp for the independence movement of Kashmiri, adding that Pakistan and Azad Kashmir are not fulfilling their responsibilities about the freedom movement of Kashmir.
He said India is involved in sabotaging the peace deal between Taliban and Pakistan government as it is committing terrorist activities in Balochistan and tribal areas. He said that Indian army has set up training camps in Afghanistan and conducting terrorist activities inside Pakistan.
He said that he had not received any letter from the Pakistan government about banning the Jamaat-ud-Dawa, adding that only four leaders of the organization were banned by United Nations Organization.
What Major General sahib told Kasab and others in the presence of Hafeez.
“The Major General Sahab then came there. He embraced Hafeez Saeed and Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi and spoke to them a little distance away from us. Then Zaki-ur-Rehman told us that the Major General Sahab would like to review our training. All of us were given Kalashnikovs and one magazines each. Major General Sahab then told to prepare for target practice. Major General Sahab then told us – “When I say fire once, you have to fire single shot, when I say twice, you have to rapid fire.” All ten of us took positions. They saw the positions and said “fire”, and we all fired single round. Only Imran Babar missed the target. Hafeez Saeed gave him a mouthful. Major General Sahab then told him – “Practice properly”.
Then he asked us to take firing positions again. This time he said fire twice. After hearing him, we emptied out magazines. Major General Sahab went to the targets and asked – “Who has fired on target number 4”. I told him that it was me. He told me – “You have completely destroyed the target. I am happy”.
Then he addressed everybody – “With fewer bullets you will have to destroy the target. You will have to fire like this mujahideen”. He then left.”
‘Morning Walk’ is all set to hit the theatres on June 26, 2009
Taliban control in SWAT
Catch 'em young
The Vishwa Hindu Parishad conducted week-long training of women cadre through out the country to instil a 'sense of security' in them.
Presiding over the concluding ceremony of Durga Vahini training camp in Delhi, journalist Sandhya Jain said that dowry, girl child abuse and other atrocities on women are major challenge before the society.
"The way Durga Vahini has demonstrated its preparedness today to fight with the evil forces, I am hopeful that Delhi will soon get result out of it," Jain said.
The camp was organized in Amar Colony in south Dehli where the Girls above 15 years of age were given training for physical excercises, lathi, shooting, Niyudhha (Zoodo Karate), rangoli, menhadi etc.
Many sadhvis, sants & experts of different walks of life have addressed the participants.
Matri Shakti’s zonal convener Malti, state convener Santosh Gaur, Durga Vahini’s State convener Anjali and her deputy Sanjana, VHP’s state President Swadesh Pal Gupta and media chief shri Vinod Bansal, the school principal Dr, Shrichand Agrawal and area Municipal corporater Savita Gupta were amongst other dignatories present on the occasion.
Prabhakaran is dead, admits LTTE
Now LTTE will adopt non-violence means to achieve freedom
The LTTE has admitted that their chief Velupillai Prabhakaran is dead.
In a telephone interview with BBC published, the head of the outfit’s international relations, Selvarasa Pathmanathan, said Prabhakaran had died on May 17.
He also said that the outfit would now use non-violent methods to fight for the rights of Tamils. "We have already announced that we have given up violence and agreed to enter a democratic process to achieve the rights for the Tamil (self) determination of our people," he said. Most of the LTTE senior leadership is believed to have been killed in the fighting. The Sri Lankan army has also officially ended the war with the tigers.
The Correspondent
New Delhi
ph: 9810929963
editor
