Quote:With controversy erupting over Padma Bhushan for NRI hotelier Sant Singh Chatwal, Government stepped in to clear the air saying "due diligence" was done before selection and that the CBI had closed three cases of financial irregularities against him.

The Government came out with an unusual clarification saying its attention has been drawn to some media reports about the conferment of the Padma Bhushan award on Chatwal.

The release also hailed Chatwal as a "tireless advocate" of India's interests in the US and has been working relentlessly for strengthening bilateral relationships between the two countries.

He was ac active member of NRI committee in the US in securing support for the nuclear deal among the members of US Congress.

Quote:After sparring with Sena over N Indians issue, BJP blames Cong



PTI | New Delhi



A day after sparring with ally Shiv Sena, BJP on Tuesday attempted to put the blame for hatred against North Indians working in Maharashtra on the Congress, saying despite being in power in the State it was shedding crocodile tears instead of protecting the victims.



"What is happening in Maharashtra is an attempt to create hatred against people from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. I would like to tell the Congress, which is in power in the State, not to shed crocodile tears or play divisive politics for votes," former BJP president Rajnath Singh said here.



Without naming Rahul Gandhi, who had spoken on Monday about rights of North Indians living in the State, Singh said, "Congress leaders are giving reactions only... Though they are in power in Maharashtra."



Singh accused the Congress of taking course to inaction and shadow boxing by providing indirect assistance to MNS and other extremist outfits as a part of their strategy.

[size="6"]

"Congress party has a history of patronising many separatist and regional movements in the country, which has not only damaged the secular fabric of India but also dealt a big blow to unity and integrity of our country," Singh said.[/size]



He enumerated the Khalistan Movement in Punjab, separatist movement in Jammu and Kashmir and the "prevalent anti-India sentiment" in many parts of North-Eastern states and alleged these cropped up due to "either active or passive" involvement of the Congress.



"What the RSS has said (that North Indians should be protected in Maharashtra) is absolutely correct. All over India, every countryman has rights and all political parties should respect this basic feeling among all Indians," BJP vice-president Shanta Kumar said on Monday.

Quote:While the Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi made the most of his Mumbai visit to connect with the people, despite stray protests staged by the Shiv Sena activists, he kept Mumbai's who's who on their toes. They were seen going all out to please the Gandhi scion.



The Minister of State for Home Ramesh Bagwestae actually picked up Rahul’s slippers while Chief Minister Ashok Chavan patiently waited for Rahul under a tree.



The stray protests staged by Shiv Sena activists to disrupt Congress general secretary Rahul's Gandhi’s visit to Mumbai did very little to damage to the Congress leader’s plans.



In an open defiance of the Sena's threat, he boarded the local at Andheri to reach Ghatkopar, where he garlanded a statue of Ambedkar. Rahul also spent some time with children in slums.

Quote:11/02/2010

Kashmiris wanting to return from PoK are welcome: Chidambaram



New Delhi: In a significant gesture, the government on Thursday said it was ready to "welcome" Kashmiris who had gone to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) [color="#0000FF"]if they were ready to return after giving up militancy.[/color]



"The idea that any Indian who had crossed over to PoK and wishes to return India is certainly welcome," Home Minister P Chidambaram told reporters backing the proposal mooted by Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.



"The idea is accepted... This idea must now be translated into a scheme," the Home Minister said, adding it was one of the recommendations of one of the Working Groups appointed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for recommending measures to address problems of Jammu and Kashmir.



Replying to questions at a briefing after meetings of the Cabinet and Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, Chidambaram said the return could be facilitated through a scheme which will entail identification, screening, travel, debriefing, rehabilitation and reintegration.



Noting that "PoK is actually an Indian territory", he said the government "should facilitate the return" of those who had gone across the Line of Control for "some reasons".

[color="#800080"](Yeah, and we all know that these were jihadi, i.e. terrorist, reasons.

And if PoK is actually an Indian territory, why does the christogovt of India suffer Pukestani troops to be stationed there? They are lying through their teeth, they know it and they know they can get away with it.)[/color]



[color="#FF0000"]Significantly, his statement counters the view of his Cabinet colleague and former J and K Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad who has questioned the idea of allowing the return as he apprehended that they could come here to "create trouble".[/color]

[color="#800080"](Even the islamic ex-CM of J&K realises they're terrorists just waiting for an opportunity to terrorise at close range.)[/color]



Thousands of Kashmiri youths had crossed over to PoK from 1989 to join militant ranks. While many of them infiltrated back, a large number has not returned. Around 800 of them are understood to have conveyed their desire, through various channels, to return home.

[color="#800080"](Of course they desire to come back to India: to terrorise the dar-ul-harb. To continue and complete the jihad.



And now: Forget the peaceful persecuted Hindus of Pukestan: they should be held out at all costs, they're Hindus and India is marked for jeebusjehovallah now. So christogovt deliberately turns a blind eye to masses of Bangladeshi and TSP islamaniac infiltrators - encouraging them to flood Dharmic India and ensure a votebank for christism while simultaneously reducing the number of the country's Dharmics through jihad - and now that same christogovt ASKS the islamaniacs of Kashmir, who had openly chosen to betray India by joining TSP in PoK and were attacking India and its Dharmics from there, to "please come back".



Can Hindus even tell that it is a christian government ruling India, one that's moreover remotely controlled?

Why don't Dharmics revolt? This isn't a democracy. It's a sham. It is not a government representing the indigenous people of India. It is not even an Indian government.

It is a government with an alien ideology, that works for foreign interests and works with terrorists to bleed the indigenous population a little at a time.)[/color]





PTI



More on news

Quote:[url="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Punjab-sect-declares-new-religion/articleshow/5521656.cms"]Punjab sect declares new religion[/url]



In a step that could create a major impact on the socio-political space in Punjab and possibly other parts of the country, Dera Sachkhand Ballan announced a new religion, Ravidassia Dharm, at Seer Gowardhanpur in Banaras, the birthplace of Guru Ravidass, late on Saturday. The occasion was the 633rd birth anniversary of Ravidass, a saint of the Bhakti movement.



..

The move is said to have had the silent approval of some Congress leaders and administrative officials close to the dera.

Quote:[url="http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/politics/chavan-threatens-to-withdraw-uddhavs-security_100317628.html"]Chavan threatens to withdraw Uddhav’s security[/url]



Chavan’s statement came as the Shiv Sena threatened to intensify their agitation against Shah Rukh’s film “My Name is Khan”.

Quote:[url="http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/politics/chavan-threatens-to-withdraw-uddhavs-security_100317628.html"]Chavan threatens to withdraw Uddhav’s security[/url]



Chavan’s statement came as the Shiv Sena threatened to intensify their agitation against Shah Rukh’s film “My Name is Khan”.

Quote:The Bharatiya Janata Party on Saturday raised questions over the resignation of Prime Minister's special envoy Shyam Saran and wondered why another top diplomat Shivshankar Menon who, it alleged, brought "shame" to the country at Sharm-el-Sheikh, was appointed National Security Adviser.



"Why an honest adviser of the government, who had the country's interests in mind, is not able to continue," BJP spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad asked.



"Does this government only promote those advisers, who create shame at Sharm-el-Sheikh and make India [ Images ] meekly surrender as far as foreign policy concerned," he posed, referring to former Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon.



He claimed that Saran's differences with Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh on emission cuts were a known fact. Saran, who announced his decision to quit on Friday, was the Prime Minister's special envoy on climate change.



"It is a fact that he was opposed to weakening of India's position on climate change as far as emission cuts are concerned," the BJP spokesperson said.



Prasad said the party demands that the government should explain Saran's decision to quit and the appointment of Menon as NSA against the backdrop of "highly detrimental initiatives taken in Kashmir in the fight against terror and meek submission in dialogue with Pakistan."



This is "a very disturbing scenario", he said adding, BJP takes the developments "very seriously."