Investigators suspect that five to six people may have been involved in Tuesday's attacks. The security agencies have got a lead from a local shopkeeper, who called the police to say that two men had left a bag in his shop. The bag later turned out to be the third bomb that was diffused.

Home Minister Shivraj Patil Wednesday said the militants attempted three blasts in Varanasi, which were similar to the Delhi blasts last year. He said Ammonium Nitrate was used in the blasts, which were set off by a timed device.

"More people died in the blasts at the Railway station than at the temple. I praise the people of Uttar Pradesh for showing remarkable resilience," he added.

Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav has said it is unclear whether Pakistan is involved in the blasts.

"We cannot say for sure. But we have received information that the terrorist who was killed this morning in an encounter in Lucknow is a Pakistani. He was trained in a camp in PoK," Yadav said, referring to a suspected LeT terrorist who has been killed in an encounter in Lucknow.

Returning to normal: In Varanasi, most of the injured from the blasts have been moved to the SS Hospital in the Banaras Hindu University campus. A large number of the injured are young children and women who had gathered for the Tuesday prayers.

But life is now bouncing back to normal in the city even as people continue to be wary. The Sankatmochan temple in Varanasi has been reopened, and devotees today attended the morning aarti. The Varanasi Cantonment Railway Station area, the site of the second blast, has also been cleaned-up.

No chances: But authorities are taking no chances in Varanasi or in other parts of the country. Security has been tightened at temples, public places and vital installations in the capital. Patrolling in market places has been intensified and police pickets have been directed to maintain a high alert.(Agencies)

In the wake of public outcry against the recent acquittal of all the accused in the murder of a Delhi model Jessica Lal, the apex court noted that "people have started feeling that criminal trials are like cobweb where small flies are getting caught and big people are dashing through".

Zahira, who had turned hostile in the Bakery case and was found to be a "self-condemned liar" by a high-powered committee appointed by the court, was sentenced to one year simple imprisonment and a fine of Rs. 50,000 for contempt of court. (PTI)

Earlier, the Indian Government had raised strong objections to Pakistan constructing the Bhasha Dam on its side of Kashmir. In a statement, the Indian Government spokesman said that New Delhi’s protests had been "conveyed through diplomatic channels" to Islamabad.

The spokesman further went on to say that India took exception to Pakistan’s moves to construct the Bhasha dam "in territory that is part of the State of Jammu and Kashmir, which is an integral part of India by virtue of its accession to it in 1947. He said that the government was of the view that the reservoir of this dam, according to media reports, would inundate large parts of land, which falls in the northern part of the State of Jammu and Kashmir.

Pakistan is of the view that the Bhasha Dam can make up for depleting energy and water sources. The proposed earth rockfilled 660 foot Dam is coming up at Chilas on the River Indus. Its length will be 3,018 feet and it will have a reservoir and catchment area of 27,700 acres and 152,100 square kilometres respectively. The total storage capacity of the dam is 9.0 km3 or 7.3 MAF and its expected volume will be 58 million yards.

Once completed, the installed hydropower capacity of the dam will be 3,360 MW from 12 units. If Pakistan opts to continue with the construction of the Bhasha Dam, it would require upgradation of 323-Km of Havelian-to-dam site road and relocation of 140-km of Sazin to Raikot bridge. More than 24,000 people are expected to be displaced by the Bhasha Dam.

According to Pakistan’s Water And Power Development Authority WAPDA), there has been resistance to the project by the local population - right from the start, causing disruption in the investigation works by WAPDA.

The main demands of the locals are:

(a) settlement of the project boundary dispute;

(b) a share in the royalty accruing from the revenue of the project;

(c)the employment of locals on the project,

(d) compensation for lands and houses that would be inundated by the reservoir,

(e) a change in the name of the project to Diamir Dam.

Efforts are being made at government-level to resolve these issues. (ANI)

Jan Sangharsh Manch (JSM) decided to approach the Nanavati-Shah commission soon "to initiate action against Zahira Sheikh and prosecute her for lying before the commission" during her deposition last year.

"We are filing an application before the commission asking it to take strict action against Zahira and prosecute her for giving false statements before the commission," said Mukul Sinha of JSM.

"The commission has special provisions to get a person prosecuted for lying before it," he added.(IANS)

Babita had delivered a child few days ago after which she was reportedly not keeping well and died on Monday in a village in nearby Saharanpur district. Her family members have filed an FIR alleging that she had died due to the "carelessness" of the lady doctor who had operated upon her. The doctor has since been absconding.

The victim’s husband Jaipal Singh said they found a scissors while collecting her ashes a day after the cremation. Chief Medical Officer R K Sharma has ordered an inquiry into the incident. (PTI)

Jaipur: Introduction of Value-Added Tax, relief to motor parts and accessories industry and oilseeds and higher levy on cigarettes were the highlights of the Rajasthan government’s Budget for 2006-07 that was presented in the assembly on Wednesday.

Presenting the Budget, which proposes to end the next fiscal with a surplus of Rs 60.85 crores, Chief Minister Vasundhra Raje said the state would embrace VAT, which has been introduced by all but seven states in the country, from April one. The decision to implement VAT was taken after elaborate consultation with the representatives of business establishments, industries, consumer organisations, economists, tax advisors and public representatives, she said, adding that as a result Central Sales Tax will be reduced to two per cent and subsequently abolished.

The Budget, which proposed 50 per cent exemption under CST to new autoparts and ancillary units, hike entry tax on pan masala (bettle nuts) from four to eight per cent. (PTI)

New Delhi: The Minister of State for Shipping, Road Transport and Highways, K H Muniyappa on Wednesday said that India has one of the largest road networks in the world, aggregating to about 3.31 million kilometres at present.

Briefing the Lok Sabha, he said the country's road network consists of National Highways, State Highways, Major District Roads, Other District Roads and Village Roads. He said the Ministry is responsible for development and maintenance of National Highways only. Commenting on the increased traffic, he said, it is a fact that there are some stretches of the National Highways not capable to meet the demands of increased traffic.

While replying to the question about National Highways, he said, the total length of National Highways in the country at present is about 65,569 km. This includes about 31,271 km of National Highways declared during the Ninth and Tenth Plan period.

The minister said these National Highways were State roads before being declared as National Highways and had inherent deficiencies like poor geometrics, insufficient pavement, distressed bridges and culverts, congested sections etc. "The responsibility of development and maintenance of state roads and other roads are with the State Governments concerned," he further added. He said the National Highways are being kept in traffic worthy condition within the available resources.

Briefing the gathering about the National Highways Development Project, he said the Government has taken up improvement programme of 4/6 laning of National Highways under Phases I and II of the National Highways Development Project (NHDP) connecting four metropolitan cities namely Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkatta and North-South Corridor (Srinagar to Kanyakumari) and East-West Corridor (Silchar to Porbandar) and improvement of road connectivity to major ports.(IANS)

The state-owned telecom service providers, BSNL and MTNL, added 4.55 million new subscribers during February, taking India’s tele-density beyond the 12 percent mark. The surge in the number of new connections continued last month with an average daily addition of 160,000 lines, sources in the ministry of telecommunication said. The total number of telephones in the country crossed 135.5 million, as against 131 million till January 31, 2006, registering a growth of 3.43 percent.(ANI)

New Delhi: India on Wednesday declared the next ten years the ‘Decade of the Survival of the Girl Child’ and sounded a red alert to prevent killing of girls in their mother’s wombs on International Women’s Day. Ten million girl children have "disappeared" in the past two decades in India after foeticide by families who did not want girl children, the government said as the nation celebrated the Women’s Day.

"We are on a red alert from now on," Union Women and Child Development Minister Renuka Chaudhury told a news conference.

"The girl child today is an endangered species than the ‘chiru’ from which we make expensive shawls and the lion and the tiger we hunt."

The years 2008-2018 will be observed as the ‘Decade of the Survival of the Girl Child’ to achieve complete reversal of the present trend, which has seen the population of women decline in several states, including the national capital, Ms Chaudhury said.

"We are not so much celebrating the day as every year half-a-million girl children are prevented from being born in our country," she said.

The final touches are being given for a National Commission on Protection of Child Rights, which is expected to be constituted in a few months. The aim of the government is to educate, employ and empower women so that they could stand up, speak and make their voice heard.

Various schemes of the government will see changes in the coming months and the corporate sector will be asked to share the responsibility. A poster calling for equality of women in the society was released on the day by the Women and Child Development Ministry and the United Nations Development Programme. (UNI)

Alleging the "minority appeasement" policies of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government, Advani claimed that his party’s "uncompromising stance on minorityism" had been endorsed by the people of India.

"Otherwise, a party with two MPs in the Lok Sabha in the 1980s would not have become the principal ruling party within a decade," Advani told reporters in the parliament building.

He suggested that Tuesday’s twin blasts in Hindu temple town in Varanasi, which killed 14 and injured more than 100, was also a reaction to increasing "minorityism".

"In the present global context, any political party which promotes minorityism for the sake of a vote bank is dangerously contributing to fundamentalism and thereby posing a grave threat to national unity and security," Advani, who is leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha, said.

"The BJP has decided to undertake twin yatras across the country by me and (party president) Rajnath Singh for national integration.(IANS)

The Australian prime minister arrived here Tuesday night.

Howard, leading a trade delegation on a daylong visit to this city said business between the two countries had increased manifold and after the US and Britain, Australia accommodated the largest number of Indian students.(IANS)

Bangalore: The Executive Committee of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) has decided against talaq through Internet or phone. Announcing this here today after the meeting the All India General Secretary of the AIMPLB, Abdul Rehman Quereshi said that there is no question of Muslim law board considering talaq through phone or internet.

For a question on the issue of fatwa as the issue is before the Supreme Court, the AIMPLB has decided to abide by the decision of the Supreme Court.The AIMPLB has welcomed the Centre to conduct a census of the Muslim’s in the Indian Armed Forces.

According to Abdul Rehman Quereshi, the executive committee also discussed issues related to Babri Masjid and reforming the Muslim’s in obeying the shariot and the Islamic personal law under the Constitution of India. The Executive Committee of the AIMPLB is of the opinion that shariot and fatwa are the important fundamental rights under the Constitution of India. (ANI)

Instead of writing "daughter of", it was wrongly written as "son of..." Speaking to reporters, Miss Mawniuh on Wednesday said that her actual examination centre was KJP Higher Secondary School, Mawkhar but on account of this error, she had to sit in an examination centre mea-nt for only boys.

Obviously upset over this Miss Maw-niuh, however, does not want to waste time thinking on this. "I am definitely upset, but I cannot keep on thinking about this because my main aim is write the examination properly".

The school authority reportedly assured her that it would send an application to the Board for correction in the admit card only after the examination was over. "It is unacceptable that they committed this mistake despite that fact that the examinee is from St Joseph Secondary School - a girls' school, which everybody knows. Or why else the name of the school is written in the form?" Miss Mawniuh argued. She said on Friday the authorities would shift her examination centre from DNS Wahlang Secondary School to KJP Higher Secondary School.

Similar errors also appeared in the admit cards of some HSSLC candidates as well.

Soon after the State government officially announced the name of Rev Basaiawmoit as the emissary to initiate a peace process, the HNLC expressed its desire for a tripartite agreement with the Centre, involving the State government.

The government also had a few rounds of talks with Rev Basaiawmoit,  the recent one being with Chief Minister DD Lapang and State Home Minister HDR Lyngdoh. The Church leader on Wednesday said the outcome of his meeting with Mr Lapang and Mr Lyngdoh was communicated to the HNLC top brass and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).

In this context, he said, "There were no differences among the top leaders of the HNLC in having a dialogue with the Centre. All the three including its chairman Julius K Dorphang, general secretary Cherishstarfield Thangkhiew and C-in-C Bobby Marwein signed the letter written to the Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh expressing their willingness to come for talk".

Rev Basaiawmoit said he was confident that Mr Lapang, who is now camping in Delhi would take up the matter with the Union Home Minister Mr Shivraj Patel so that the peace process started as early as possible.

SHILLONG: Taking strong exception to the former Sports Minister and KHNAM legislator Mr Paul Lyngdoh taking a biased stand on the State Reservation Policy, the Garo Students' Union on Wednesday challenged him for an open debate on the issue.

"The GSU is ready to debate on the State Reservation Policy against the backdrop of Garo's share in the recent recruitment process for the Agriculture department", GSU president Andreas Sangma told The Shillong Times.

It may be recalled that after the recent recruitment for the agriculture department, GSU raised the storm saying that the Garos were not adequately absorbed as ensured by the State's Reservation Policy, to which Mr Lyngdoh asserted that there was no violation of the reservation policy in the recruitment of Agriculture and Horticulture extension officers in the State.

"He has some misunderstanding. We urge him to be clear on the reservation policy", Mr Sangma said. Of the ten candidates appointed as extension officers, "there is only a single Garo candidate", he reminded.

"There were 16 Garo candidates in the merit list and of them only one was appointed", Mr Sangma pointed out adding that at least four Garo candidates were supposed to get the job. He observed that as the posts were advertised, the appointments should have been permanent and not temporary.

"We have also evidence to prove that in all the State government departments, Garos are not properly represented as per the reservation policy", Mr Sangma said.

"The government has manipulated the reservation policy. We could have launched another strong of agitations, but we believe in dialogue and expect a positive response from the State government", the GSU leader said.

The students' leader also met the Garo Hills Legislators Forum (GHLF) chairman in the Secretariat to discuss the issues related to MBOSE and the State reservation policy. The second round of talks is scheduled for Thursday.

NEW DELHI: With the demand for reshuffle in the MDA government in Meghalaya gaining momentum, Chief Minister DD Lapang has taken up the issue with Congress leadership here demanding increase in number of berths in the ministry. Mr Lapang, accompanied by the MPCC president O L Nongtudu, met several top Congress leaders including Oscar Fernandes, the in-charge of the party in the state.

"I held a thorough discussion on the issue of Cabinet reshuffle and expansion of ministry with the party leaders," Mr Lapang told The Shillong Times adding that the ball was now in the party high command's court. He also indicated the matter would be decided only after Assam polls.

Referring to the Assembly Speaker Martle M Danggo's reminder regarding lack of representation from the West Khasi Hills in the Ministry, the Chief Minister said "we discussed this matter in the state PCC too and are awaiting nod from the Central leadership".

"But our hands are tight after the downsizing of the Ministry brought under constitutional amendments," he said. "The state has as many as 60 seats but only 12 ministerial berths," he said adding that the states with much smaller str-ength were allotted the same number of ministerial berths. "Unless the number of ministerial berths is increased it will be difficult to fulfil hopes and aspirations of the different ethnic groups and clans residing in the state," he added.

While dismissing the NCP's claim that the Congress lost ground in Garo Hills, Mr Lapang said that despite all odds the party candidate put up a brave fight in Tura by-poll. "But the Government will carry on its developmental works in the Garo Hills districts too," he said.

On HNLC's offer for tripartite talks, Mr Lapang said that the state government would go by the direction of the Centre in this regard. He was appreciative of the conciliatory role played by the Church leaders in the peace process.

SHILLONG: The State Government is yet to get the clearance from the Defence Ministry to take up the construction work of new Assembly building at Upper Shillong. Informing this, the State Assembly Speaker M M Danggo said that after the search committee headed by Deputy Speaker Mr PW Muktieh approved the site at Upper Shillong, the matter was referred to the Defence Ministry for their clearance as the site was near the Defence land. "We are still awaiting reply from the Union Defence Ministry", he said.

It may be mentioned that the Upper Shillong was the fourth site selected for construction of a new Assembly complex after the old Assembly building was gutted by fire on January 9, 2001. Old Assembly site, Mawdiangdiang and Barik were the other three sites proposed for the purpose. The Old Assembly site and Barik were rejected following reports from PWD that this would cause traffic congestion.

Moreover, during December 2004, the High Powered Committee (HPC) had abandoned the plan to construct the Assembly building at Mawdiangdiang after the Assembly passed a resolution against the move.

The search committee meeting had earlier discussed as many as 11 sites for consideration such as old Assembly site, State Central Library, Mayurbanj complex, Lawsohtun, Upper Shillong, Maxwelton estate, Pinewood Hotel, Chief Secretary's bungalow area, State Guest house, Cantonment near Lady Keane and area near Rhino Hall. Atleast 12 acres of land will be required to construct the new Assembly complex.

Estimated at a cost of Rs 22 crore, the Assembly building should have been completed within eighteen months, but it has been hanging fine for five years. In the past, the PWD had submitted an estimate of Rs 21 lakh to the General Administration Department for the construction of the new Assembly building. Rs 300 lakh which was an additional Central assistance was also allotted in 2002 from the Non-Lapsable Pool of Resources.

The first decision of the Assembly High Power Committee was to construct the new Assembly at the old site.

SHILLONG: The State's annual plan of Rs 900 crore for 2006-07 has evoked mixed response from the legislators, with one section appreciating the Centre's generosity of granting more than what the State government has sought, while the another section felt even the increased plan size was smaller for the State. The State had sought Rs 896 crore from the Centre and returned with Rs 4 crore extra.

But MDP legislator PT Sawkmie was not happy at all. "This is not adequate as the annual expenditure of the State is around Rs 2000 crore", he said adding: "we need this amount to clear pending projects like the construction of the new Assembly building that needs Rs 22 crore, while the money in hand is only Rs 5 crore."

"Every year there is an increase in plan allocation, which is used for developmental works and for payment of salary of some State government employees", he said, explaining that given Rs 900 crore in hand, "the State needs to generate the remaining amount of Rs 1100 mobilising its resources".

The priority area would definitely have to be sectors like road, health and education, he said.

Highlighting that the legislators cannot implement developmental schemes, especially in rural areas due to the paucity of funds, BJP State unit president Mr AL Hek representing Pynthorumkhrah constituency recalled that earlier they were asked to cut down their expenditure on developmental works.

With the DONER Minister being from the State, it should get Rs 5,000 crore or Rs 10,000 crore, the BJP leader said with an assertion that Rs 900 crore was nothing for the State. He wanted that the State government to stress on rural development, health, education and tourism.

However, Social Welfare Minister Martle Mukhim seems to be happy with the reward. Mr Mukhim felt that the plan allocation was justified and Rs 900 crore "is sufficient for one year". Depending on the performance of the State government, he said the State would be able to get more funds from other sources.

To pacify those who are not happy, he said the State government would give utmost importance to rural development, healthcare, rural electrification, water supply, besides generating self sustaining avenues for employment.

SHILLONG: The Martin Luther Christian University is likely to start functioning from June subject to the approval of Meghalaya Governor MM Jacob. Informing this on Wednesday, Chancellor Dr KM Shyamprasad said the university was created by a special Act and had been notified by the State government here in July last year.

"We have fulfilled the requirements of the State government and now set to start the functioning of the University", Dr Shyamprasad, who is also the chairman of Christian Medical College, Ludhiana and Vice President of the National Board of Examination, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said.

Addressing a press conference at KJP Synod office, he said the Governor has accepted the proposal of the sponsoring body - the Lutheran Church and KJP Synod - for having him as the Chancellor of the University. The courses to be conducted by the University include BSc Surgical Laboratory, BSc Medical Technology, Degree Course in Computer Application and Agriculture.

Shillong: Despite the undue harassment by the Bangladeshis, the villagers of Nongjri-Umniuh-Nongshken have opposed the border fencing saying that they will lose vast cultivable land in the process.

The secretary of Raid Nongshken, Mr Meiot Khongsngi said that in spite of so many theft cases people are still opposing border fencing as their valuable land will go to Bangladesh."After the fencing from 150 yards, it will be difficult for the Khasi villagers to go to the other side of the border as the Bangladeshi villagers will claim the cultivable land," Khongsngi said.

But the residents said that they have no objection in fencing the border from zero line. The villagers of Umniuh Tmar Elaka said that if fencing is carried out from 150 yards, the rich betel nut plantations and orchards will be under the possession of the Bangladeshis.

Shillong: In order to provide connectivity to all the state capitals and district headquarters in the North East Region, the Centre has approved the implementation of the special accelerated road development programme at an estimated cost of Rs.4,618 crore with an allocation of Rs.550 crores in 2006-07.

The proposal would also include upgrading other stretches of National Highways and State highways considered important for economic development of the North East Region.

The Department of Road Transport and Highways is giving special attention to the development of NH in the N.E. Region, with 10 per cent of the total allocation being earmarked for it. At present, three agencies namely the state PWDs, BRO and the NHAI are developing and maintaining the NHs in the N.E. Region.

SHILLONG: Contrary to the general belief, the status of women in the Northeast is no way better than the one enjoyed by women from the mainland. The Northeast women, contrary to general notion, do not enjoy an equal status with their male counterparts and this came up for a lively discussion at a two-day seminar of ICSSR-…. organised by the Department of anthropology, Dibrugarh University recently.

Noted academicians from the region focussed on the status of tribal women of North East India on property rights; educational status, rituals and rites associated with nutrition and good health; participation in agriculture; art of weaving as an informal education; problems faced by the tribal women as entrepreneur; haemoglobin genotypes and fertility; health and health care issues; participation of tribal women in Panchayat level politics, besides having a special study on the problems of displaced women.

Especially in matrilineal society, Prof. Farida Ahmed Das of Dibrugarh University said, the status of women is not as encouraging as it seems. Though women inherit the property mere as custodians, she observed that the women folk do not have any role in decision-making process. "Male representatives dominate this department", she said.

As a matter of fact, in Meghalaya, Khasi women inherit the ancestral property, but they are poorly represented in the policy-making establishments like the District Council and the State Assembly. In her keynote address, Prof Farida said that both status and role of women are interlinked with the concept of power and position. Status largely depends on role assigned by the society where sex plays a major role and makes all the differences.

Sex is biological, whereas gender is socio-cultural construct, and gender inequality is the main factor behind women’s status in society. Altogether 33 research papers were presented in five scientific sessions. Prof. RK Kar, Prof. Farida Ahmed, Prof. Birinchi Kumar Medhi, Prof. Indira Barua and Dr. Sankar Kumar Roy conducted these sessions respectively.

Among the invited papers there were four presentations: a presentation by tribal Prof. AD Mahanta focussed on the women of North East India and its changing trend; another presentation by Prof. RK Kar highlighted tribal women in an industrial set-up; one speaker highlighted women in Tai Mongoloid population groups of Assam (Prof. Indira Barua); and the last interesting paper was presented by Prof. Sheila Bora on tribal women of North East India-some issues and discourses. The seminar was enriched by the authoritative representation of the participants in both, academic and spatial aspects. About 60 scholars covering various disciplines took part.

The Vice Chancellor of Dibrugarh University, Prof. Kulendu Pathak, inaugurated the seminar and the session was presided over by noted anthropologist Prof. R K Kar. Dr. Sarthak Sengupta, Head, Department of Anthropology and the Director of the seminar welcomed the distinguished guests and participants, focussed on the broad theme of the seminar and raised issues on the main aspects of the seminar. He also touched on the problems dogging tribal women of India in general and North East India in particular and outlined the manner in which the idea of the seminar took shape.

In the concluding session with Prof (Mrs) Aparna D Mahanta in the chair, Prof. R K Kar of Dibrugarh University presented the sum up speech. Dr Dwipen Bezbarua offered the vote of thanks.

It is open to all residents, individuals and institutions, NRIs and FIIs having two options namely (i) Dividend option with payout and reinvestment facility and (ii) Growth option. With a minimum initial investment of Rs.5,000, the Fund is being retailed through the Shillong GPO and the Laitumkhrah Post Office. The offer is open till March 22.

Shillong: Women’s Day was celebrated on Wednesday in the city. A workshop on the relevance of the day was organised by the Social Welfare Department in association with the Meghalaya State Commission for Women at Don Bosco Youth Centre. Gracing the programme as chief guest, Welfare Minister Mr M N Mukhim invited the NGOs to come forward and take advantage of the large number of schemes available for the uplift of women.

Women’s Day was also celebrated at a grand function organised under the aegis of Air Force Wives Welfare Association (Regional), Eastern Air Command on Wednesday. The function was inaugurated by AFWWA president, Mrs Zareen Major, who also released a handbook on provisions of Indian laws relating to wife of air warriors. Other highlights of the day include an informative lecture on ‘legal rights and safeguards’, solo dance performance and a skit presented by women of Eastern Air Command campus.

Elsewhere, an exhibition-cum-sale of handicraft goods to mark International Women’s Day was held at NEEPCO. The exhibits were made by Roilang, Dwar Jingkyrmen and Women for Integrated Sustainable empowerment (WISE). Mr.M.Singh, Director (Personnel), inaugurated the exhibition in the presence of other senior officials.

Meanwhile, Mr Shanbor Shullai, MDC organised a function at his office to mark the day. A sum of Rs three lakh was sanctioned from the MDC Charitable Trust Fund for people living below the poverty line while Rs 3,000 each was distributed to those suffering from cancer, tuberculosis and physically handicapped women.

The Indian urban middle class has a confused, contradictory and schizophrenic attitude towards the United States. Going by an opinion poll commissioned by Outlook magazine (March 6) among lower-middle class and higher strata in nine cities, 66 per cent believe that President George W. Bush is a "friend of India". Yet, 50 per cent believe Washington is "closer to Pakistan" than to India! (Only 30 per cent think the opposite is true".) Strangely, 49 per cent think this "friend" hasn’t done "enough to help India" in fighting terrorism." But an even larger 55 per cent believe "India can trust the US for support in times of need."

As many as 72 per cent of respondents think the US is a global "bully". And a good 59 per cent think India has "compromised on its foreign policy" by getting too close to America. And yet, 46 per cent "love the US". (Only 14 per cent "hate" it.) Seventyfour per cent think that India should "link itself with the US" on trade and business issues, although their interests diverge on these. The middle-class person’s logic isn’t consistent. Fiftyone per cent approve of India’s two pro-US votes against Iran at the International Atomic Energy Agency. But 64 per cent think India should "ignore Washington’s objection and pursue the Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline." They obviously don’t realise that India’s anti-Iran votes have set back the pipeline’s prospect.

A survey last June by the US-based Pew Research Centre confirms that India’s middle-class is remarkably strongly inclined towards the US. As many as 71 per cent in this all-urban India sample have a favourable opinion of America—the highest proportion among the 16 countries surveyed. Only 41 to 45 per cent in most Western European countries have such a favourable opinion, barring the UK (55 per cent). The percentage is 42 in China, and a miserable 23 in Pakistan. It’s a safe bet that poor people, who constitute a majority of India’s population, are far more critical of Washington. India’s upper crust is probably much more enamoured of the US than its middle class. This elite is now severely recasting and re-aligning our foreign policy in Washington’s favour.

The Bush visit offers eloquent and irrefutable evidence for this. Most of the agreements the US President signed were negotiated in secrecy and without adequate discussion with the concerned ministries. Our policy-makers, starting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, demonstrated evangelical zeal in re-aligning India with the US while giving up even the pretence of independence. It’s as if they lived in a fantasy or make-believe world and become blind to the character of the US as a power in desperate search of a global Empire, and to Washington’s disastrous role in spreading insecurity and instability in the world, including most volatile region, West Asia-North Africa, as well as our immediate neighbourhood.

This assessment is not based on knee-jerk anti-Americanism or mindless nostalgia for non-alignment. It derives from an analysis of the driving forces behind contemporary US foreign policy and actions. The US is today engaged in an aggressive project to reshape the world. Various statements of this orientation are available in the public domain, including the "National Security Strategy of the US" and "Nuclear Posture Review" of 2002, a total of 44 National Security Presidential Directives signed by Mr Bush, "Strategic Command" documents such as "Doctrine for Joint Nuclear Operations", and reports of the National Intelligence Council, including "Mapping the Global Future" (December 2004).

The US wants to establish "full-spectrum" dominance in all strategic areas and prevent the emergence of a potential rival or alternative power-centre anywhere, including most importantly, Eurasia. It wants unfettered neoliberal or "free-market" globalisation. To achieve this, the US must control strategic resources like oil and gas and reject any proposals for limiting consumption. Washington is prepared, indeed eager, to beat back any challenge to its economic, political and military hegemony by waging, if necessary, preventive or pre-emptive wars—an indefinitely "long-war", as defence secretary Donald Rumsfeld put it. Washington won’t brook any resistance to its designs.

The most articulate formulation of these designs is the Neoconservative manifesto, "The Project for a New American Century" (website: www.newamericancentury.org). The Project seeks to indefinitely prolong the "unipolar moment" which arose with the Cold War’s end, when the greatest state-level challenge to America collapsed. The primary means by which this is to be done shall be military—not least because the US’s military prowess exceeds that of any other power. Indeed, US defence spending, now $450 billion-plus, exceeds the military expenditures of the next 14 nations put together.

Under Mr Bush, the Neocons have emerged as the most powerful group in command of US policy. It’s impossible to delink their influence from specific US actions—the terrible mess in Iraq after its occupation, or the rush to further develop weapons of mass destruction, the atrocities in Abu Ghraib or Guantanamo Bay, refusal to ratify the Kyoto Protocol and the International Criminal Court treaty, or pushing an iniquitous agenda in the World Trade Organisation and other forums. It’s impossible to understand the logic of these actions without reference to Washington’s larger strategic goals.

To achieve these, the US must build a system of alliances which neutralises all rivals and dissenters and co-opts previously recalcitrant states—be they "Old Europe" (which temporarily defied the US on Iraq), or Russia and other former Communist states. Such alliances must contain or counter possible challenges which might arise from anywhere.

That’s where formerly non-aligned India comes in. The US has been trying to recruit India into a "partnership"—among other things, to counter China. India’s strategic location between West Asia and Southeast Asia, and her emergence as an economic power, place it in a special league. That’s the fundamental rationale of the US offer last year to "help India become a great power in the 21st century"—the fountainhead of agreements like the India-US nuclear deal and defence cooperation framework of last year, and the Bush visit itself.

India has dutifully reciprocated America’s overtures. Ashley Tellis, a senior associate of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, has appreciatively listed some of these, including India’s enthusiastic support for Mr Bush’s Ballistic Missile Defence ("Star Wars") plans even before his closest strategic allies backed them; India’s silence over the abrogation of the Anti-Ballistic Missile treaty; its offer of military bases for the US war in Afghanistan after 9/11 (something it never offered to the USSR despite the Treaty of Peace & Friendship); endorsement of the US position on climate change, including its latest avatar, the "Asia-Pacific Partnership"; helping the US get rid of a Third World director-general of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons; and of course, the September and February votes against Iran at the International Atomic Energy Agency.

To these must be added the 30 India-US military exercises involving all three services, 50 high-level military conferences; $990 million worth of arms imports; issue of 1,320 licences for arms transfers; and close strategic relations with Israel at Washington’s behest. India maintained a deafening silence on the 2002-03 US campaign for war on Iraq—right until the day before the invasion, when the Opposition forced a resolution through Parliament. Worse, in 2004, India came close to sending a whole division for Iraq’s "stabilisation".

Mr Bush’s visit further consolidates this partnership. The agreements signed during it, while important, are much less significant than its overall thrust and character, which is strategic and comprehensive, covering civilian nuclear cooperation, economics, agriculture, space, scientific research, energy, nano-technology, the Container Security Initiative (which mandates intrusive checks on shipments for supposedly "anti-terrorist" purposes), and not least, medical drug trials (using Indians as guinea-pigs).

Many of these agreements are downright unequal and one-sided. Some will tend to undermine multilateral arrangements like the Climate Change Convention. It’s futile to rationalise them as being in India’s "enlightened national interest." In a greatly asymmetrical relationship, the stronger partner always calls the shots, the weaker partner follows his agenda, on terms set by him.

All that India will have gained if the nuclear deal goes through and is ratified by the US Congress—a far-from-certain prospect—is acceptance and legitimisation for its weapons of mass destruction and second- or third-rate status as a US ally which acts as Washington’s junior policeman in escorting "high-value" US cargo to the Straits of Malacca and otherwise provides logistical support for US strategic operations. We must pause and ask if the cost involved—a complete betrayal of the Gandhi-Nehru legacy of peace and abandonment of the UPA’s promise to return to the global nuclear disarmament agenda and fight for a multipolar world order—can ever be worth the price.

The question might be irrelevant for the worshippers of nuclear weapons and defenders of the "right" to visit mass destruction upon unarmed civilians. (IPA Service)

Sir,

The result of the Tura Parliamentary bye-election is out, and with it all bickering ended. The victor has won with a thumping majority of over 1 lakh margin of votes. The victory undoubtedly was the victory of people. The common people, the masses have demonstrated their unhappiness and extreme revulsion by voting out the congress candidate. It is rightly as pointed out in one of the letters to the editor that it was not the victory of winner- Purno Sangma, but a victory of all the people who were suffering, those who had to face extreme humiliation at the hands of the then Home Minister and who is also the Education Minister in the Government of Meghalaya. The entire episode leading to the selection of candidate by the oldest political party was but a show of disrespect to the people of Garo Hills. Despite majority expressing their deep sorrow and anguish at the manner in which the MBOSE issue was handled leading finally to unavoidable firing incident that claimed the lives of nine innocent people and injury to many others. The person who is widely held responsible, the party chose to believe in the very person who was subjected by the people to resign from the Govt.

Further analysis of the happening in the Congress camp illustrates the callousness of the oldest party disregarding the sentiments and emotions of the people. This is exemplified by the words spoken by one of the Secretaries of AICC. The most disheartening thing to note is that the poll managers are not able to assess the outcome of the poll. Sanjay Bapna, Secretary AICC predicted the win by a margin of over one-lakh votes. The prediction indeed came true but not in favour of his party candidate. He stated, "PA Sangma has taken the people for granted. But the people cannot be befooled with assurances only," declared Sanjay Bapna. If one dispassionately analyses the whole situation, one would realize that the AICC from the very beginning has taken the people of Garo Hills for granted and therefore despite national displeasures expressed all over the Garo Hills, against the choice of candidate, the most controversial candidate was selected. Time and again the sane people of Garo Hills have warned the party that they are not against the party but against the very candidate they have chosen.

In my opinion the Congress party has chosen the wrong slogan of development. Why should development be slogan in the first place? It is weird and absurd. The public representative, be he from the oldest political party or the youngest or an independent, is expected to take care of his constituency first for development. The people vote the candidate precisely for the purpose of bringing more development to their area, to remove all bottlenecks that hamper progress. If the candidate cannot deliver he has no reason to be there. Therefore it is felt that a slogan like development is not a slogan at all. Lets remember that the history is replete with such slogans, which has boomeranged on them. The NDA coined the slogan like "India Shining," "Feel Good Factor," at the height of their power. But people are not amused.

Your etc.,
Matgrik Racha Sangma,
Tura

Addressing mediapersons here, NCP leader and former Lok Sabha Speaker P A Sangma said NCP has reached a two-tier agreement with the AGP-P and CPM for 58 seats and with the AUDF for another 55 seats.

''We will have one common candidate in 90 seats, while the remaining 23 seats may see friendly contests. However, negotiations are still on and we are hopeful of bringing down the number,'' he said.

Mr Sangma said although it is only an adjustment of seats among the four parties, the leaders will adhere to a common minimum guidelines while under taking the election campaign. (UNI)