This is the first move to book cops who may have bloodied their hands by either tampering with or not producing crucial evidence in the court and leading to a Delhi trial judge acquitting all the nine accused, including Haryana minister’s son Manu Sharma,who was part of the politically connected bratpack out on drinking binge on the fateful night of Aprl 29, 1999.

The High Court has also asked Paul to submit a report on the role of the investigators in the case. Paul said the case had been registered under Sections 201 (causing disappearance of evidence or giving false information to screen an offender), 218 (fabrication of records), 120B (criminal conspiracy) and 34 (common intention on the part of several persons in executing a crime) of the IPC.

Paul, who had reported in 2001 that cops had conspired with the accused and recommended registration of case, also did not rule out the arrest of any officer found guilty. Nobody, however, has been named in the FIR registered at the Mehrauli police station.

The team tasked with probing the conduct of the investigators in the case is headed by special commissioner (intelligence) U K Katna and comprises an ACP, M K Sharma, and two inspectors, Rakesh Dixit and Raj Singh Cha-uhan.

Sharma and Chauhan are deployed with the economic offences wing and Dixit with East district police. "We sought opinion from additional solicitor general Gopal Subramanyam before registering the case. Any officer, irrespective of rank, if need be, will be quizzed and asked to explain the probe irregularities. The alleged role of CFSL officials will also be looked into. We are not giving a clean chit to anybody," Paul said.(Agencies)

Bringing to a close proceedings on a petition filed by one Madan Mohan, a losing candidate against her in the election from Uttar Pradesh, the Commission has recommended disqualification of Bachchan on the ground that she was holding an office of profit -- Chairperson of UP Film Development Board.

Under the Constitution, the President decides whether a sitting member has incurred disqualification in consultation with the EC. Article 102 (1)(a) bars an MP from holding any office of profit under the Government of India or in any state other than an office declared by Parliament by law not to disqualify its holder.

Legal experts say that the President is bound by the EC recommendation which is notified in the official gazette. (PTI)

"We remain hopeful that solutions acceptable to all sides will be found," Singh said while replying to the debate on India's vote at the IAEA on Iran's nuclear programme.

Replying in both Houses of Parliament, the Prime Minister said there can be no two opinions that Government should not take pre-determined positions or positions at the behest of other nations. Gurudas Dasgupta, CPI, and Subrata Bose, CPI-M, as also Kharbala Swain, BJP, had contended in Lok Sabha that foreign policy should be guided by national interests and not based on the position of other countries.

"No one can dispute that it is Government's duty to take a position on such matters after a dispassionate examination of facts, keeping in mind our national interests," the Prime Minister said stressing "Government has precisely done this".

Referring to Monday's meeting in Vienna of the IAEA Board of Governors, Singh said "it is as yet not clear in what manner this issue will be taken up" by them. He said the IAEA resolution adopted last month mentioned certain steps that Iran and the international nuclear watchdog would be taking.

"Government's approach will be based on our consistent policy of promoting efforts for a resolution of issues through dialogue and discussions," he said.

Noting that there have been discussions between Iran and Russia in the efforts to explore various options, Singh, who spoke to President Vladimir Putin on Saturday night, said "we do not favour confrontation, rhetoric or coercive measures as these only exacerbate tensions in the region and beyond".

He said "India has consistently stated that all sides must work to find mutually acceptable compromise solutions, and that confrontation should be avoided at all costs."

"For this to be possible, time must be given for diplomacy to work," he said.

Singh said "I think there is consensus in Parliament and in our country that confrontation is not in the interests of India or of our region".

Singh said whenever the matter is taken up, India would work with like-minded countries, including those from NAM, for a mutually-acceptable resolution of the issue. On concerns voiced by members of the adverse fallout on India's relations with Tehran in the wake of New Delhi's vote against it, he said "Government is committed to widening, deepening and expanding our diverse and mutually beneficial ties with Iran." He said Government will continue to monitor the situation closely and deal with the Iran issue with the seriousness it merits. (PTI)

New Delhi: Citing its "impeccable" non-proliferation record, India on Monday asked Australia to lift the ban on uranium supplies to its reactors as the two countries set up a group of officials to study the Indo-US deal which Canberra views "positively".

Not committing himself to the Indian request, visiting Australian Prime Minister John Howard told a joint press conference after talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that his country wanted more details on the Indo-US deal. After the hour-long talks between Singh and Howard, the two countries also signed six pacts, including one on defence cooperation which envisages setting up of a Joint Working Group.

Howard also announced a 25 million Australian dollar research assistance to India to foster cooperation in science and technology, including biotechnology. Noting that he had raised the issue of nuclear cooperation with Howard, Singh said he "sincerely expected" Australia to review its decision not to sell uranium to India.

Singh said though India may not be a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), it abides by most of the conditions the international treaty prescribes. "We have an impeccable record of non-proliferation. We are also committed to self-imposed moratorium," he said, adding the world should take note of it.

Howard said his country's long-standing policies stated that it would not sell uranium to any country that does not sign the NPT. He, however, referred to the Indo-US deal clinched during last week's visit of President George W Bush here and said "it is a very significant" deal and "we look at it positively".

The Australian Prime Minister said his country was anxious to know more details of the deal and that India needed to interact with Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG). He said the Indo-US deal would not have an automatic impact on his country's long-standing policies. To a question, Howard said his country's "policies don't change at a press conference". (PTI)

A Bench comprising Justice K G Balakrishnan and Justice P P Naolekar also issued notices to BSP Legislative Party leader Swami Prasad Maurya and others on a bunch of petitions challenging the High Court judgement quashing by 2:1 majority, the then Assembly Speaker Kesri Nath Tipathi's decision to recognise the breakaway group of 40 BSP MLAs.

The High Court on February 28 had directed the Speaker to decide on the disqualification of the breakaway BSP MLAs, who after splitting with parent party had formed a separate party and subsequently merged with Samajwadi Party.

During the brief hearing on the stay of the High Court verdict, senior advocate Harish Salve appearing for Rajendra Singh Rana and other MLAs of breakaway BSP contended that the Speaker cannot decide the disqualification as the three judges have not given conclusive findings on the issue of "split".

Maintaining that the issue of split remained unanswered b the High Court, the senior advocate said "we are saying if you recognise our split, what remains in the petition". (PTI)

Hyderabad: Sixty-two members belonging to five parties, including the Left allies of ruling Congress, were on Monday suspended from Andhra Pradesh Assembly for two days for stalling proceedings alleging large-scale "irregularities" in the controversial Sripadasagar irrigation project. It was first time since the Congress came to power in the 2004 elections, with the Left parties' support, that the members of CPI and CPI (M) were suspended from the House.

Amid noisy scenes, marked by slogan-shouting and storming of the Speaker's podium, the members belonging to the main Opposition TDP, CPI, CPI-M, Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) and Majlis Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) were suspended and marshals were called in to evict them from the House. At the crux of the furore was the alleged inflation of the cost of the Rs 900 crore project to the tune of Rs 400 crore to benefit certain private contractors. 

The issue, which had rocked the House last week, was raked up again on Monday by the Opposition as soon as the House assembled for the day, with the Left parties insisting on taking up their adjournment motion on the matter. Waving placards and raising full-throated slogans against the Rajasekhar Reddy Government, the TDP members frequently rushed to the podium and stalled the proceedings, prompting Speaker K R Suresh Reddy to adjourn the House briefly.

The situation, however, showed no signs of subsiding after the House re-assembled with the Opposition members storming the well. Amid uproarious scenes, Legislative Affairs Minister K Rosaiah moved a motion suspending the members after they refused to leave the podium, despite Government's assurance that it would make a statement on the issue. Among the suspended members, 30 were from TDP, 14 from TRS, 7 CPI (M), 6 CPI and 5 from MIM.

After the Opposition members left the House, the Chief Minister intervened to assure that no (no) irregularities were committed in finalising the irrigation works. Asserting that his government was committed to maintaining transparency in implementation of irrigation projects, Reddy said a detailed statement on Sripadasagar project, designed to benefit the backward Telangana region, would be made in the Assembly in a couple of days.

Turning the tables on the Opposition parties, particularly the TDP, he said they were trying to hold the House to ransom by distorting the facts. The TDP, he alleged, was bent upon creating hurdles in the way of ambitious irrigation projects and demoralising the officials involved in their implementation. The Chief Minister urged the Speaker to allow a detailed discussion on the issue after the Government's statement. (PTI)

Eleven criminals carry a cash reward of Rs 5,000 each on their head while the other two carry a reward of Rs 2,500, Gaba said. (PTI)

Kolkata: The chilling execution of two Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) men by Maoist guerrillas in West Bengal has created an alarm in the State that will hold Assembly elections in April.

Hours after CPI(M) State secretary Anil Biswas’ visit to the area on Saturday and call to party activists to counter the Maoists and move in groups, the rebels abducted a group of nine CPI-M men from Sijua village in West Midnapore district and executed its leader in a kangaroo trial on Sunday.

The group had returned from the meeting of Biswas when the rebels in battle fatigues raided their village and abducted them and killed Kartick Singha after branding him a police informer and a rapist. The same night Maoists tied a CPI(M) activist to a tree and sprayed bullets on him in adjoining Bankura district’s Barikul area. The areas are about 200 km from here.

The Maoist attacks came a week after four policemen were killed in a landmine blast by rebels in Belpahari of West Midnapore. Anil Biswas condemned the incidents as dastardly acts and said people would answer the rebels even as party members are shaken by the attacks. "I will not allow my husband to be associated with a party whose members are killed like this. Where will I go with my three children?" asked Sreemati, wife of Bhim Singha of Harulia village in West Midnapore.

A visibly shaken Bhim was one of the nine kidnapped by the Maoists and a witness to the execution of Kartick Singha. The group was discussing poll preparations when the Maoists raided the village. The rebels, who have asked people to boycott the polls, have thrown an open challenge to both the police and the CPI(M) to hold free elections in the area. (IANS)

However, a Bench comprising Justice A K Bhan and Justice L S Panta declared his petition as dismissed as withdrawn and asked him to approach the Rajasthan High Court with his grievances. Salman had accused the prosecution of intentionally not producing Dulani for cross-examination contending that he was a false witness who had fabricated a case for the police.

Senior advocate Rajeev Dhavan, appearing for the actor, had challenged the order of the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Jodhpur, who had stated that the court could exercise its powers to ask questions to accused with respect to the deposition made by Durani.

The Jodhpur Court on February 27 had framed charges against Salman, Saif and actresses Sonali Bendre, Neelam, Tabu and two others relating to alleged poaching of two black bucks at Kankani village on the intervening night of Oct 1 and 2, 1998 .

The charges were framed against Salman, the main accused, under provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act that bans hunting of black buck and Section 147 of the Indian Penal Code (unlawful assembly). (PTI)

KOLKATA: Police in West Bengal say they have uncovered an illicit trade in human bones, with the skeletons of poor villagers whose families cannot afford cremation being taken and sold for medical research. Officers last week stumbled on a "bones factory" in a village on the banks of the Bhagirathi river in West Bengal's Burdwan district, where dozens of human skeletons, treated with preserving chemicals, were laid out in the sun to dry.

Mukti Biswas, a villager known to have traded in bones in the past, told police that he had plucked bodies from the river as well as collecting those left behind by the poor at Hindu cremation centres. A cremation can cost up to Rs 9,000, beyond the means of millions of poor Indians. Instead, impoverished families often dump dead relatives in rivers, many of which are considered holy.

Biswas was not arrested but police said they were attempting to trace a network of people involved in the trade. "The skeleton factory does exist and we are now piecing together the jigsaw puzzle in a bid to end this business," said N K Biswas, Deputy Inspector General of Police in Burdwan, 200 km north of Kolkata.

The bones usually end up at medical schools in Kolkata, he said, where they were used to produce training skeletons or to hone the skills of would-be forensic scientists. Police are trying to determine if Biswas' operation is linked to reports of bodies going missing from Muslim graveyards.

A year ago, 11 graves in a Muslim cemetery in Burdwan district were reportedly exhumed. Similar incidents of grave-digging have been reported from other districts as well as in Kolkata. Officers are also investigating claims that bones are being illegally shipped overseas after being smuggled to nearby Bangladesh in a trade that can fetch smugglers up to 30,000 rupees for each skeleton.

Muslims have demanded an investigation.  "Hurting religious sentiments by digging graves cannot be tolerated. All previous incidents of grave-digging must be investigated," Hasan Ahmed Imran, general secretary of the Muslim Council of Bengal, said in Kolkata.

The State's ruling Communist Government, facing elections later this year, is pressuring the police to take immediate action. Former bone traders say Kolkata was once a thriving centre for the export of human skeletons, which were sent as far as western Europe.

But the Central Government banned the exports in the late 1980s after human rights groups raised questions about how the bones were being collected, forcing the trade underground. "There were about 10 exporters in the city who would together export over 10,000 human skeletons for medical research in a month," said V. Aron, owner of Young Brothers, once involved in the exports.

Despite the ban, human skeletons remain easily available from medical college mortuaries for between 2,000 and 8,000 rupees, police said. "Dozens of unclaimed bodies lying in mortuaries are a source and this alone explains why fibre-based skeletons we deal in hardly sells in these parts," said Rajesh Arora, secretary of the Kolkata Surgical and Scientific Dealers Association.

Indian medical teachers prefer human skeletons to fibre models, another expert said. (Reuters)

Moreover, with growing dissidence in Congress camp, the Chief Minister DD Lapang himself wants to make sure that the MDA remains united in the Assembly. Another worry for the Chief Minister is the fate of five Congress MLAs who had defected from NCP. The NCP is making all efforts to disqualify these MLAs.

Informed sources on Monday said that Speaker Mr MM Danggo was unhappy over the Chief Minister's failure to fulfill his promise to accommodate the former in the MDA ministry. After the formation of MDA ministry, the Chief Minister had said that Mr Danggo would be accommodated in the ministry and senior Minister Mr JD Rymbai would take over the Speakership. The disgruntled Congress MLAs, who were deprived of Cabinet berths, may also rally behind the Speaker. Though a non-confidence motion is unlikely to come up, there are efforts on the part of the dissidents to move a motion on the poor performance of the Govt departments.

Informing this, GHLF Spokesperson and UDP MLA BG Momin said that recent transfer of the Government employees for supporting the GSU agitation, the inquiry into the September 30 incidents and violation of the state's job reservation policy in the recent appointment of ten extension officers in Agriculture department would also figure in the meeting.

It may be mentioned that four media persons, including a cameraman, were assaulted by BSF personnel in front of a magistrate and other State government officials when they accompanied a joint survey team comprising the district administration and the NGOs on border fencing.

"Some miscreants from the visiting team entered the labour camp and asked the labourers to leave the place and not to work for the NBCC. One of the miscreants displayed a pistol and threatened that he would open fire in case they raise any alarm," the release said adding that everything took place within a short span of time. The BSF mistook the journalists as miscreants which led to the incident, the release further clarified.

SHILLONG: Continuing their crusade for justice, the teachers of the St Anthony's College, Mass Communication Department on Monday met the Home Minister Mr HDR Lyngdoh and demanded early completion of Biplab Das murder probe.

Speaking to reporters, Head of Department (Acting) of Mass Communication Department, Mrs Ampareen Lyngdoh said that the chargesheet should be filed at the earliest. "The teachers and students of the Mass Communication Department have taken up the responsibility of following up this case as the parents of Biplab Das are not in the right frame of mind to do so", she said claiming support from the college authority in this regard.

She further informed that on March 18 the college would observe 'Black Day' in memory of Biplap Das and they will continue to observe the same on 18th of every month until justice was done.

It may be mentioned that three persons were arrested in this connection. One of them, Bernard Lyngdoh Phawa allegedly masterminded the abduction and murder of Das on February 18 last. His accomplices were Bonnie Lyngdoh Phawa and Akbar Quereshi. The accused were booked under Sections 302, 364 ,201 and 120 B of IPC. However, police is yet to frame charges and fear is that the culprits might go unpunished as always.

Hailing the decision as a 'right move', NCP leader Mr Edmund K Sangma, MLA on Monday said with the transfer of the two SPs the two judges, heading the inquiry panels, would be able to perform their duties without any difficulty.

SHILLONG: With Meghalaya facing acute shortage of power, the Association of Power Engineers of Meghalaya State Electricity Board (MEESEB) has submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister for the speedy development of the vast hydro potentials in the state to meet this deficit.

Informing this here on Monday, the Zonal Secretary of the Association, Mr Arju Dkhar said that as the country had a vision of adding 50,000 MW of hydro capacity by the end of the Twelfth Plan period in 2017, the power potential of Arunachal Pradesh which has 21600 MW; Uttaranchal ( 5000 MW,) J&K ( 2500 MW) Himachal Pradesh (2300 MW) and Meghalaya (3000 MW) could be tapped.

Out of the 3000 MW hydro potential, Meghalaya has harnessed only 185 MW and another 84 MW (Leshka Hydel Project) is under construction and is expected to be completed in 2008. "The remaining 2731 MW in about 24 Hydel sites are yet to be exploited," the memorandum said.

The Association said that the restricted peak requirement of the state during 2005-06 was around 270 MW against its own installed generation capacity of only 185 MW and it was evident that there was an acute shortage of power in the state.

"The peak requirement of the state by 2011-12 would be 700 MW and at the present pace of capacity addition, the state is heading towards a dire strait," it said adding that the per capita electricity consumption in Meghalaya was less than 400 Kwh "which is far below the targeted national average of 1000 Kwh".

"The cost for construction of a Hydel project is around Rs 4.5 crore per Megawatt and therefore to develop all the 2731 MW would mean an investment of Rs 12,289.5 crore, which the state cannot afford," the association said.

The association further felt that the entire hydro power potential of the state can be developed at the earliest either by the Central agencies or under Build, Operate, Transfer (BOT) schemes so as to enable the state to contribute in meeting the power requirement of the country. This can also promote growth of industries and educational institutions, the association said.

Other advantages the Association pointed out were the solution to the unemployment problems by adopting state government policy in matters relating to recruitments in the BOT scheme and improvement of the per capita consumption of the people, so as to bring the people closer to the national main stream.

SHILLONG: International Women's Day will be celebrated here on Wednesday with emphasis on emancipation of the rural women. The State Women's Commission has adopted Chalo gaon ke aur slogan to empower the women to counter the rise in crime against women.

Adopting the proposal of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment - Chalo gaon ke aur that deals with awakening and empowerment of women in the rural areas, the State Women's Commission of Meghalaya has initiated steps to create awareness on the need for women in the rural areas to come forward and air their problems.

Speaking to The Shillong Times , the State Women's Commission Chairperson Dr Biloris Lyndem said " the women in the rural areas should stand up for themselves and voice the atrocities meted on them. They should not be scared as we can only help them if they come forward with their problems."

If any atrocity is meted on them, they are to "immediately go to the nearest police station and report the incident. They should not delay in reporting the problem", Dr Lyndem said. She said that Chalo gaon ke aur programme will highlight all these issues to create awareness among the rural women.

She said that most of the cases of violence against women were not directly reported to the Commission. Most of the rape and murder cases of women are those from 2002, which are pending in the court, she added.

The cases that come to the Commission are maintenance and domestic violence cases, she said. Awareness programmes are being conducted throughout the district to sensitise women about their rights and about voicing out atrocities meted on them, so that action can be taken. She also felt the need to have women's cell wherever they can as only a woman can understand another woman's problem, as a small step to mitigate crime against women.

Sister Teresa Joseph Regional Co-ordinator -Domestic Workers' Movement, North Eastern Region felt the need for NGOs to work together to reduce crime against women. According to her, if the women NGOs can work together with better co-ordination, the common problems faced by the women can be properly addressed.She also said that awareness alone cannot help reduce the problem faced by women unless action follows.

Meanwhile, the State Social Welfare department together with the Meghalaya State Commission for Women has organised a training-cum workshop at Donbosco Youth Centre here on the International Women's Day on Wednesday.

Shillong: Kill a Bangladeshi intruder and you will be rewarded Rs 3,000. This is the direction by the Raid Nongshken to the villagers living in the international border of East Khasi Hills. The 20 km stretch of fertile land at the international border criss-cross Nongjri-Umniuh-Nongshken villages. The cultivable land belonging to the Khasi villagers is rich in betel nuts, bay leaves and fruits.

The Raid Nongshken has no option than to award 'death sentence' to the Bangladeshi miscreants. "It is very difficult to guard our plantations so, we have the instruction from the Raid Nongshken not to spare the Bangladeshi intruders," the local residents told a group of reporters who visited the area recently.

There were several cases of stealing of betel nuts and fruits in the past. Concerned over the looting in the border by the Bangladeshi intruders, the owners of plantations even employed local armed guards to prevent thefts.

A Khasi guard, armed with an SBBL licensed gun and a knife, said he was paid by the land owner under the Umniuh Tmar Elaka to guard the betel nut plantations. "I am not alone. There are many of us guarding the border in the different stretches of the land," the guard said.

Recently, he shot dead a Bangladeshi intruder who invaded the Khasi hamlet to steal betel nuts. "The body was taken away by his Bangladeshi friends," the guard said. The BSF officials at Tuka Border Outpost (BOP) have appreciated the efforts of the local guards in manning the border. "We do not have any objection to the guards employed in the border by the land owners," the BSF officials said.

As far as the security of these areas are concerned, the BSF with less manpower has to patrol on foot the entire stretch of 12 kms from extreme Tuka BOP to the next Nayaz Bazar BOP as the villages are adjacent to the Zero Line (from the boundary pillar number 1258 to 1260). There is only one each platoon in Tuka and Naya Bazar BOPs. The villagers say that two more BOPs and the required BSF strength would be ideal to man the border.

The menace created by the Bangladeshi raiders have even compelled the villagers to abandon a village. Pakhria village near the Zero Line is a case in point. Meiot Khongsngi, an elder in the village told that 12 years ago, 30 households had to abandon the village due to the constant harassment by the Bangladeshi miscreants.

Even the attacks by Bangladeshis had taken toll on the Khasi villagers too. Under Raid Nongshken in the recent past, at least 10 villagers were killed by the Bangladeshi infiltrators, recall the residents. The border in this sector is not yet fenced. There are only border pillars determining the land whether it belongs to India or Bangladesh, and this makes all the more easy for the intruders to take advantage of the situation.

As the main PHC located at Wahshyrphmut is yet to be made fully functional, many patients succumbed to their illness. The doctor comes only once in a week to the PHC which caters to the needs of the villgers of Nongshken, Umniuh Tmar, Tangmang, Korblang, Mawdang, Wahumlein and Tangriang.

Many died of malaria and other diseases, Khonglam said adding, if the Government does not show seriousness in inaugurating the PHC, many more lives will be lost due to various illness.

SHILLONG: One motorbike (ML 05 C 9493) belonging to an NIC employee was stolen from the Main Secretariat premises on Monday. An FIR has been lodged in this connection.

Shillong: In a bid to ensure that all localities within the city get equal supply of drinking water, the East Khasi Hills district administration has formed the Quick Response Teams recently.

The teams, besides supervising equal distribution of water, have also been entrusted to oversee that no leakage of any pipe line occurs in localities. In this connection, the Deputy Commissioner East Khasi Hills has urged the general public to contact the team leaders in the event of water shortage, detection of leakage within their respective localities.

The teams have been divided into seven sections, namely: Team I - Police Bazar, Jail Road, Oakland, Assembly areas, Lachumiere, Secretariat Hills and Keating Road areas; Team II - Laitumkhrah areas and Nongthymmai areas; Team III - Malki, Dhanketi, Cleave Colony, Motinagar and Nongthymmai areas; Team IV - Mawlai area and Nongmali area; Team V Pasteur Hill, part of Mawlai Mawroh, Polo area, Forest Colony and Nongmensong area; Team VI - Laban Bishnupur, Rilbong, SMB and Lumparing area, and Team VII - Jaiaw, Mawkhar and South East Mawkhar and Mawprem.

In case of detection of leakage, the general public can inform their respective team leaders, namely, Team I - Mr M S Sangma, EAC (2521056, 94361 01595, 94361 05136); Team II - Mr B Mawlong, EAC (94361 10507); Team III - Ms I Majaw, EAC (2232506); Team IV - Ms L T Lyngdoh, EAC (94361 10144); Team V - Ms C D Lyngwa, EAC (94361 61416); Team VI - Ms S R Marak (98630 62326) and Team VII, Ms R Iangrai, EAC (2544047, 98630 68652).

Meanwhile, the Shillong Municipal Board has constituted Water-Sanitation Committees for every locality to ensure close coordination with the Board on matters relating to sanitation and water crisis in the city at a meeting held recently and attended by 45 representatives including Rangbah Shnongs and secretaries from different localities.

"History has been made." With these four simple words, India has crossed the Nuclear threshold. Gone is the 30-year old pariah status of being the outsider. Signalling the tantalizing beginning of a radical transformation in Indo-US ties. From a convergence of mutual interest to being geo-political allies. Ushering in a spring of a new nuclear order. To use the famous evergreen American catchline, both President Bush and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh have come a long way, baby!

After a culmination of eight long months of intense negotiations, starting on 18 July last, both leaders cut through the diplomatic maze to seal a landmark nuclear deal. While New Delhi agreed to demarcate 65 per cent of its nuclear facilities as civil --- 14 of its 22 reactors --- and throw them open to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspection, Washington settled to quench India’s growing thirst for energy by guaranteeing American supply of nuclear fuel for the Indian civil reactors and treating it as a de facto nuclear State. Notwithstanding the Cold ‘red’ Warriors in India and the non-proliferation dogmatists in America.

What does the ‘historic’ N-deal add up to? Is Prime Minister Manmohan Singh correct when he asserts, "our discussions make me confident that there are no limits to the Indo-US partnership"? Or, are the critics correct by accusing New Delhi of selling the country to American carpetbaggers? And, what should one make of President Bush’s statement that, "Sometimes it is hard to get rid of history and short term history shows that the United States and India were divided. We did not have much of a relationship….What this agreement says is things change, times change, that leadership can make a difference… it is in our economic interest." How does this deal intersect with the larger nonproliferation global concerns?

The answers to these questions lie somewhere in between. On the positive plane, India has struck the best possible compromise in this path-breaking deal. By bifurcating our civil and military installations, New Delhi in one fell stroke has joined the nuclear mainstream and come on board with other major powers like Russia, Britain, China, France besides the US. Asserted a senior diplomat, "Today we have got into the loop of international acceptability".

Gone are the nuclear sanctions which bogged India’s expansion plans and barred it from trading in civil nuclear energy technology for its civil nuclear power structure with any other country. Now Western, including American firms, will be able to invest in India's nuclear technology. Read dollars and cents. True, it does not give India "formal" entry into the all-powerful Nuclear Club, but by throwing open its installations to IAEA inspection it has acquired an "unofficially admitted" status. Also, once the US Congress and the Nuclear Suppliers Group comprising 38 countries gives its go-ahead India would have truly arrived nuclearally! That would facilitate it to not only maintain but also cross its target of eight per cent growth rate.

The downside is that for the first time in 30 years, has accepted new non-proliferation obligations. A majority of our N-installations will be open to permanent IAEA safeguards. Since the establishment of the Indian N programme in 1974, there has been no international oversight, and now the majority of India's programme will be under supervision of the IAEA. We can no longer transfer any of our N technologies. Besides, by agreeing to an unilateral moratorium of N testing, working with Washington towards a fissile material cutoff treaty alongwith passing a national export control law, New Delhi has brought itself into the ambit of international conformance.

Importantly, behind the N-jargon lies the unwritten core of the deal: it all boils down to money, stupid! Notwithstanding the momentous, historic razzmatazz surrounding the deal. It all totals --- market access. Bluntly, the pay-off is that the US gets a free run of a billion-strong population which adds up to US $100b worth of trade incentives. The US will reap the benefits of a full civil N-trade, resulting in more opportunities for American and other firms, to bring the latest in technology in the power industry to the nuclear establishment here in India. Not to forget the retail, agriculture and consumer sectors.

While India Inc seems upbeat about the deal, many feel that the $100b quid-pro-qou of allowing the American multi-nationals would kill the small and medium scale entrepreneurs. See how hard Bush canvassed for the entry of Walmart super mart chain in India. As it stands, the divide between the have-and have-nots is widening. While a 250million odd middle-class relishes Kentucky Fried Chicken, over 800 million satiate their appetite on the neon lit signboards of Coke and pizza.

Not a few fret that this could be the beginning of India becoming a banana republic. An euphemism of being an American stooge. As history shows the Yanks used their expertise to sell their technological superiority to the poor Latin American and African countries to take over a country. It started by selling the leaders the-where-withall to increase their banana plantations and double their yield. Having gained a foothold in a country, they slowly started exercising their hold to gain control of the governmental levers. Nationalists fear that the deal and the 100b worth of goodies smack of the same thing.

At another level, as Under Secretary of State Nicholas Burns very condescendingly underscored, one of the reasons for showering India with N goodies was that it had a good N-track record, had not proliferated like North Korea, Iraq and Iran. Questionably, what happens when Washington perceives that New Delhi is acting to big for its N boots? Or when it thinks that enriched uranium is being diverted from civilian to the nuclear reactors. Will it do another Tarapur and stop fuel supplies? Or an Iraq? Accuse us of stockpiling WMD’s (weapons of mass destruction)? What guarantee will there be that Washington does not turn the tap off, notwithstanding the ‘perpetuatity’ clause? Look at Iran. Washington was the staunchest supporter of Iran in the 70s. But today it is its sworn enemy.

Equally worrisome is that the treaty harks back to the Kissinger thesis of the 70s. From Washington’s eyes, the South Asian region now attains strategic contours along two axes ---- economic dynamism and resource potential and N non-proliferation. Said Kissinger: "US interests in S Asia go beyond the economic realm. There is a fundamental political interest to prevent the Asian nations from forming a block inimical to US purposes." He argued that the US should act as the "guarantor of equilibrium" for which it would be prepared to play a "pivotal or balancing role in Asia". The US strategy it seems is to create a regional balance of power, forge limited defence links with geo-strategically important countries, arrive at limited military arrangements, build loose alliances systems and evolve multilateral security to ensure it remains the sole super-power in a unipolar world.

Moreover, as elucidated by P.K.Iyengar, former Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission, "we need to find out what Washington means by an ‘India specific’ safeguard to be negotiated with IAEA. We have to avoid any intrusive inspections by IAEA in the identified civilian facilities," he said. Secondly, "India must ensure that the plutonium currently held in stocks and also bred inside its reactors is excluded from safeguards.

Also, as some foreign analysts’ point out, there could be many a slip between the nuclear cup and lip. Signing the deal was the easiest part. Now comes the tough part. Bush will have to approach the Congress soon to ask for modifications to the Atomic Energy Act of 1954. Already the anti-deal lobby, led by Democrat Congressman Edward Markey, has raised the ante. The Congressman who is the co-chair of the Bipartisan Task Force on Nonproliferation and the senior-most Democrat on the House Energy and Commerce Committee in the US Congress has stated his intention "to fight this terrible agreement and block any legislation that would alter restrictions on nuclear trade in law."

Secondly, India would be fooling itself if it anticipates the deal will materialize soon. It would be lucky if everything goes through during Bush’s Presidential term which ends in November 2008.Recall, when Republican President Ronald Reagan signed the historic deal with China in 1985, it took 13 long years for it to get the US Congressional approval and another seven years for a US company to sell four N-reactors to Beijing!

What next? As Delhi basks in the warmth of a new dawn in Indo-US ties, it has to tread slowly and cautiously. True, it has been elevated into the big league but it needs to ensure a level-playing field sans patronizing by Big Brother. Bush is correct that times are changing but as South Block moves forward it has to safeguard it own interests, trust nobody and have its own security dynamics in place. It needs to watch and steer clear of the pitfalls. ---- INFA

Trekkies may remember engineer Scotty giving the 23rd century formula for "transparent aluminium" to a 20th century person in the 1986 movie Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home. Being able to make aluminium or for that matter any metal transparent would be a fantastic accomplishment with fabulous applications right from the arts to armaments. But metals being metals are stubborn and possess a rigid interlacing of their outer electrons shared between a great many identical atoms which refuse the passage of light through them.

The closest scientists have come so far has been to create transparent alumina which, alas, is just another name for aluminium oxide not a metal but a ceramic:

Brittle, unbending and generally pretty un-metallic. However, just when transparency was being thought of as fundamentally incompatible with one of the defining characteristics of a metal, a new bunch of scientists seemed to have found a clever way out of the situation. A recent report in the journal Nature Materials describes how researchers at Imperial College in London and the University of Neuchatel in Switzerland have pioneered a new optical effect which could be used one day to render such solid objects like walls and other hard artefacts, seem transparent.

The trick lies in not making the objects themselves see-through in a total physical sense, but in impressing techniques on their aspect which would allow people to treat them as if light was being able to pass through. To make the breakthrough, the researchers created special crystals only a few nanometres in length which behaved like artificial atoms. That is, when light was shone into the crystals, it became "entangled" with them at a molecular level rather than being absorbed, thereby causing the material to become transparent.

This new material created by the entanglement is made up of molecules that are in fact half-matter and half-light. Weird as it sounds these real life X-ray specs can have great applications in the future. Already they're talking about using the techno-logy to see through rubble at earthquake sites, hunt for hidden fossils and underground oil deposits or even utilise the trapped and frozen light to encrypt communications data via optical computers with 100 per cent confidentiality. (By arranegement with The Times of India)

Sir,

The recent announcement of CBSE to restructure certain important question papers of Class X and XII and allotting an extra time of 15 minutes to the examinees before the scheduled start of the examination as a cool period is significantly a great and welcome decision. This decision of CBSE is pragmatically welcome news for about 12 lakh students appearing in the board examination. This grace period will indeed help the students to plan and organize themselves in a proper and systematic manner.

Meanwhile, the CBSE Chairman has also decided to allot 30 minutes extra time to examinees for revising their answers, which is even more significant. This grace system shall not only enable the students to revise their papers but in the meanwhile this double new grace system will practically boost the overall performance of the student community at large, as the allotted 30 minutes extra time for revising the answer will not be deducted from the total duration of the exam.

Taking a broader view, it would be worthwhile if the various State Boards including the MBOSE take the same initiative.

Yours etc.,
Sugat Gewali,
Shillong-2

Sir,

Apropos the news item "children of non-tribal father cannot claim ST Status-SC" (ST. Feb 16), what I feel, it is a landmark judgement and would go a long way to purge the tribal society. It is often found that the children of non-tribal father and tribal mother use the surname of their mother and thereby claim to be tribal and avail the tribal status in the society which is unfair as far as competing with the pure tribal children in the fields of employment /admission is concerned. Another quite common thing is that being children of the same parents, one child uses father's surname and the other uses mother's surname. Thereby one is a tribal and the other a non-tribal in the same family, which is quite funny. This judgement of the Supreme Court would help checking the manipulative device of such parents and maintain the sanctity of the tribal society.

Yours etc.
P.P. Sengupta
Shillong - 1

The 3rd North East Trade Expo 2006, aimed at providing a platform to all the eight states of the region to showcase their products, will be inaugurated by Tribal Affairs Minister PR Kyndiah. The theme of the eight-day expo at Pragati Maidan is "India's Northeast- Towards Economic Resurgence". The event also aims at mainstreaming the northeast and to open new avenues for trade, commerce and investment opportunities.

The DONER ministry, headed by Kyndiah, had signed an agreement with India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO) for organising this event. This year's event is poised to be a mega event due to the simultaneous holding of Octave 2006, a north-east cultural festival by the Ministry of Culture. This would encompass the diverse cultural forms including music, dance theatre, cinema and literature of the region. 

Guwahati: The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader and former Lok Sabha Speaker Purno A Sangma has struck and understanding for an anti-Congress and anti-BJP alliance with CPI-M and United Democratic Front (UDF) in view of forthcoming polls in Assam.

The veteran MP from Tura is trying hard to woo both factions of the regional Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) to form a formidable poll alliance." The NCP has decided to have an alliance with the CPI-M and the newly-formed United Democratic Front (UDF) for April Assembly polls in Assam and is now making the last ditch effort to bring in both the factions of the AGP," Mr Sangma said here. Mr Sangma said the AGP was the most formidable anti-Congress force in the state.

At a meeting with Phrang Roy, Assistant President of the International Fund for Agriculture Development, Kyndiah emphasised the unique socio-economic and geographic specifics of tribals in India and discussed the policies for their development, an official release said.

Roy and Kyndiah also discussed issues relating to exposure and training of all concerned officials engaged in tribal welfare to improve their sensitisation. The Minister emphasised the unique socio-economic and geographic diversity of tribals in India.

Imphal: The custodial molestation of a woman rocked Manipur Assembly on Monday with the Opposition members demanding justice and resignation of the O Ibobi Singh-led Government.

While several Opposition members demanded justice in the case without any delay, one member called for resignation of the Ibobi Singh Government and seeking a fresh mandate. Maibam Naobi Devi, who alleged that she was molested and subjected to inhuman treatment after she was picked up from the house of PLA cadre, who was killed in an encounter with the police in Thoubal district last month.

The House took up the "shocking" case after a calling attention motion and an adjournment motion were moved by four Opposition members separately. The Speaker Maniruddin Shaik clubbed the two together and admitted it as a short duration discussion.

The Opposition members were unanimous in the opinion that the case was very serious that has all the potential to burn Manipur and in calling exemplary punishment of the commando personnel involved in the case.Senior Opposition member O Joy Singh termed the commando action as "jungle law" while his colleague Nimaichand Luwang demanded that the Ibobi Singh government should step down as demanded by the people and seek a fresh mandate.

The Opposition warned the Government that unless the situation is dealt with seriously, it deserves the angry people may even target all the 60 members of the House. The treatment meted out to Naobi Devi is an affront to the entire women community of Manipur, they said. (NNN)

The main objective of the expo is to provide an exclusive platform to all the NE states to showcase their unique products to discerning national and international clientele. It aims at mainstreaming the NER and to open new avenues for trade, commerce and investment opportunities. The expo also portrays the region in a positive light, displaying its diverse strength, inherent traditional richness, tourism potential etc.

Adding to the Expo, there will be a mega event due to the simultaneous holding of the North East Cultural Festival by the Ministry of Culture. This would encompass the diverse cultural forms including music, dance theatre, cinema and literature of the region.

"OCTAVE 2006", a weeklong cultural festival would have all sorts of programmes showcasing all the seven NE states and Sikkim.

Imphal: A rally to protest the alleged mass rape at Churachandpur district by suspected militants will be carried out on March 9 at Churachandpur district. The mothers of Churachandpur supported by Zomi Mothers Association (ZMA), Hmar Women Association (HWA), Kuki Women Union (KWU) and Mizo People's Convention Women Wing will stage the rally.

The Kuki Students' Organisation has alleged that on January 16 last large numbers of girls were raped by militants at Churachandpur. Other organisations had also condemned the incident and the stoic silence of womens' bodies over the issue. (UNI)

Agartala: Many of the tribal customary laws prevailing in different parts of the country are "oppressive" towards women and require a change. This was the view articulated by many legal experts at a workshop for women held here recently.

Many of the participating representatives of the State Government agreed that some of the provisions of customary laws are oppressive in nature. While certain customary laws that are beneficial to women, especially from the tribal and backward sections, should be retained, others need a change.

"There are some customary laws which are not beneficial to the women. And, those customary laws are not even recognised by law. We should recognise those customary laws which are beneficial to the society," said Swapan Chandra Das, Secretary, Law, Government of Tripura.

Participants said such workshops educate women about their rights and help in uplifting their status in the society. "Such awareness workshops are very helpful as they inform us about our rights and gives protection against atrocities," said Alpana Bhowmik, a participant. The workshop concluded on Sunday. (ANI)