Pak court issues notice to Nawaz Sharif, Asif Ali Zardari over foreign assets

LAHORE: A Pakistani court has issued notices to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, former President Asif Ali Zardari and 62 other politicians on a petition seeking direction for them to bring back their assets from abroad.

Lawyer Javed Iqbal Jafri had filed the petition against 64 politicians, alleging they had transferred at least $3,00,000 million to foreign countries through money laundering, causing a huge loss to the national exchequer.

The Lahore high court, on Friday, issued notices to the federal government and the 64 politicians, including Punjab's chief minister Shahbaz Sharif and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chief Imran Khan for May 29.

The petitioner said these politicians had not yet submitted to the court, their affidavits regarding alleged money laundering despite court orders.

He said Pakistan would not have required foreign loans if assets of the politicians were brought back to return the international loan of the country.

He asked the court to issue directions to the politicians to bring back their assets.

Justice Khalid Mahmood Khan adjourned the hearing till May 29 and sought replies from the respondents.

Finance minister Ishaq Dar has said Pakistanis — mostly politicians — had $200 billion in the Swiss banks.

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Naveen Patnaik's role in Saradha scam should be probed by CBI: BJP

BHUBANESWAR: With the Supreme Court ordering a CBI probe into the Saradha scam, BJP on Saturday mounted a scathing attack on Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik accusing him of protecting the culprits and demanded inclusion of the BJD supremo in the enquiry net.

"Naveen Patnaik has to come under CBI probe net in chitfund probe. His role needs to be probed .. moreover, he has also been incharge of Home department," senior BJP leader Bijoy Mohapatra told reporters here.

Claiming the chief minister and his associates stand exposed after the apex court order, he alleged Naveen was the captain of team and monitoring the entire process as Home minister when the crime branch as well as commissionerate of police (Bhubaneswar-Cuttack) probed chitfund scam.

Now it is the end of the road for Patnaik, who has "blots on his cheeks" with the Supreme Court ordering a CBI probe into chitfund scam, Mohapatra said at the press meet, also attended by BJP state president K V Singhdeo.

He said when the demand for a CBI probe got shriller, Patnaik deliberately wrote a letter to Orissa high court with a request to spare a sitting judge to probe it knowing fully well that a sitting judge cannot be engaged. Then he appointed a commission. When the matter went to the supreme court, the CM engaged a battery of highly paid lawyers to save leaders involved in the scam, though it was a case between chitfund companies and investors, Mohapatra said.

Asking the chief minister to clarify why he was opposing CBI probe while states like Assam and Tripura recommended probe by the central investigating agency into the scams in their states.

The BJP leader also lashed out at BJD government for agreeing to allow CBI probe in 37 ponzi companies and leaving out seven chitfund firms facing serious charges.

The senior BJP leader also asked the politicians and bureaucrats involved in the scam to surrender voluntarily before CBI starts investigation and reaches their necks. The chief minister should ask the culprits to surrender before they are caught, he said.

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Bombay HC puts on hold release of film on Aarushi Talwar's killing

MUMBAI: The Bombay high court has put on hold the release of Hindi feature film 'Rahasya', reportedly based on the high profile murder case of Aarushi Talwar, till June 13, but refused to restrain the producers from making promos of the movie.

Justices V M Kanade and Anil Menon, hearing a petition yesterday, refused to restrain the producers of the film from advertising or making promos of the movie, because no prima facie case had been made out for this relief.

However, the judges said they were keeping the petition for final hearing after the vacations on June 13 when they would decide on the release of the film.

Nupur and Rajesh Talwar, parents of Aarushi, who have been convicted for their daughter's murder and are undergoing life sentence, had filed a petition in the high court earlier seeking a ban on the film's release on the ground that it was based on "distorted" facts about their daughter's killing.

Advocate Atul Damle, appearing for director Manish Gupta and producer UVI Films Production Ltd, assured the court that the film would not be released till the final date of hearing of the petition, i.e June 13.

The counsel also assured the court that in the promos and advertisement they would put a disclaimer saying that the movie was a work of fiction and did not bear any resemblance to any person, dead or alive.

The Talwars have filed an appeal against their conviction and it is pending in the Court. Both pleaded that promos and advertisements of the film should be banned because it may influence their appeal, which is yet to be heard.

The judges, however, did not grant any relief to the Talwars while observing, "No case has been made out for grant of relief in the notice of motion."

The court also took note of the assurance given by the film makers that they would put a disclaimer in the advertisements and promos of the film.

On the intervening night of May 15 and 16, 2008, Aarushi and the family's domestic servant Hemraj were found murdered at Talwar's residence in Noida, near Delhi.

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Steps taken to prevent killing of animals during Jharkhand's hunting festival

JAMSHEDPUR, Jharkhand: Adequate arrangement has been made to prevent hunting of animals in Dalma Wildlife Sanctuary during the annual Bishu Sendra Parv (hunting festival) of the tribal community on Monday.

Armed with traditional weapons, hundreds of tribals from east and west Singhbhum and Seraikela-Kharswan districts of Jharkhand, as well as bordering districts of West Bengal and Odisha will start climbing the Dalma hill on Sunday to take part in the hunting festival the next day.

Divisional forest officer, Dalma Wildlife Sanctuary, Kamlesh Pandey said the department set up 15 check posts at various places to stop entry of the hunters.

"We have also deputed over 25 magistrates at strategic joints to prevent killing of wildlife," he said, adding that the magistrates would also be deputed at railway stations to discourage the tribal hunters.

The department also urged the South Eastern Railway to launch a campaign against ticketless travellers as most of these hunters travel in passenger trains without ticket.

Pandey said that the department has launched an awareness campaign in the rural pockets for the last three months urging the tribals to shun killing of innocent animals, which were fast depleting.

Pandey claimed that the department has succeeded to convince majority of the tribals and they had said the festival would be celebrated in a symbolic manner and preserve the custom without harming the wildlife.

The forest department has installed deep boring well to provide the tribals drinking water in over half a dozen villages, and was supporting them in breeding honeybee as a source of livelihood while concrete toilets were built in the villages, he said.

On the two groups that were adamant to celebrate the festival in separate dates — May 12 and 19 — Pandey said the department had discussed with the groups' leaders and the issue was likely to be settled much before the festival.

Jharkhand governor Dr Syed Ahmed and chief minister Hemant Soren also appealed to the tribal community to celebrate the festival in a symbolic manner without harming innocent animals.

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Lawyer for Pakistan doctor jailed over Osama bin Laden hunt quits amid threats

ISLAMABAD: The lawyer defending a Pakistani doctor jailed after helping the CIA find Osama bin Laden is quitting the case because of death threats and alleged US interference in the trial, the lawyer said Saturday.

"I am getting threats on a regular basis. Not only is my life in danger, my family is also in danger. I have therefore decided to quit," lawyer Samiullah Afridi said.

Afridi is representing Dr Shakil Afridi, who was jailed for 33 years after helping the CIA find the al-Qaida chief. Bin Laden was hiding in Pakistan until US Navy Seals killed him in a 2011 raid.

The raid - and Dr Afridi's jail sentence - severely strained relations between the United States and Pakistan, its nominal ally.

Afridi's sentence was later overturned. He is still in jail and undergoing a retrial, but his lawyer said the US government was unduly interfering.

"The government of America is putting a lot of pressure on the Pakistani government for the release of Dr. Shakil Afridi," he said.

"Our mission and our wish also was to get him released, but our courts are free and they have to work according to a set procedure. I therefore did not like America's unjustified pressure."

A US embassy spokeswoman was not immediately able to comment on the allegations.

Relations between two allies were icy after the bin Laden raid.

Pakistan's powerful army was furious that the United States had mounted a military operation on its soil without advance warning. In turn, some US leaders were suspicious that Pakistani security forces may have helped shield bin Laden.

After it emerged that Afridi had run a fake vaccination campaign in an effort to help the CIA find bin Laden, Pakistani authorities jailed him for alleged links to militants.

The sentence provoked outrage in the United States and the government cut a symbolic $33 million from an aid package to Pakistan.

Several militant groups, including the Taliban, have threatened to kill Dr Afridi if he is ever released.

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Rajasthan ATS arrests another IM operative from Jodhpur

JODHPUR: Another Indian Mujahideen terror suspect has been arrested in Jodhpur by the Rajasthan Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS).

30-year-old Zakir was arrested yesterday from Lala Lajpat Colony in Pratap Nagar locality here. He was also found to be associated with the IM module of Rajasthan and was assisting the module's active members, said an ATS official.

ATS has got this breakthrough following the information obtained from the interrogation of Ashraf, an IM operative who was arrested in Tamil Nadu on May 1 in connection with IM's sleeper module in Rajasthan which was busted by the state ATS and Delhi Police special cell in March.

Zakir was today produced in court which sent him to 14 days judicial custody.

According to the officials, Zakir is a mason worker and resident of Johdpur.

This is the sixth arrest from Jodhpur. Earlier five suspected IM terrorists were arrested from different locations in Rajasthan in March.

Ashraf, also a resident of Jodhpur, was, however, arrested from Chennai last week. He had escaped from Jodhpur following the busting of the module here.

ATS is currently interrogating Ashraf, who was remanded to 10 days police custody by a local court on Wednesday.

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Chopper services to Kedarnath to be launched from May 12

DEHRADUN: Uttarakhand government will launch chopper services between Linchauli and Kedarnath from May 12 to help devotees reach the Himalayan shrine comfortably.

The decision was taken at a cabinet meeting here chaired yesterday by chief minister Harish Rawat, official sources said.

It was also decided that about 500 pilgrims will be permitted daily to pay obeisance at the shrine out of which 100 will be from Uttarakhand.

Concentrating on streamlining arrangements for the Char Dham yatra of Badrinath, Kedarnath, Yamunotri and Gangotri after conclusion of polling to the five Lok Sabha seats in the state on May 7, the state cabinet also decided to provide incentive to hotel, restaurant and dhaba owners on the yatra route.

DMs concerned have been asked to identify areas on the pilgrimage route where traders will be exempted from payment of water and power bills for the next three years, they said.

Construction of the road with gentle slopes from Lanchauli to Kedarnath will be completed by May 30, the meeting was told.

In the next two weeks 100 toilets in Kedarnath and 30 in Linchauli will be built for the convenience of devotees.

Doctors and pharmacists deployed on the yatra route will also be given incentives.

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Special security forces likely to be deployed in Assam: Tarun Gogoi

GUWAHATI(Assam): Assam's chief minister Tarun Gogoi has said his government has asked for the deployment of special security forces as a confidence building measure.

Gogoi said this request to the central government has been made after 41 Muslims were gunned down over a period of three days by hardcore tribal militants who are against the presence of immigrants from Bangladesh.

Gogoi was speaking to media here after visiting violence hit Baksa and Kokrajhar districts on Wednesday. He also met the family members of the victims who had been brutally killed.

"I had visited the two districts of Baksa and Kokrajhar, the total death toll is 39, Kokrajhar is at seven, and in Baksa, there are a little more. And, ten people are missing. The national disaster force is working to rescue the missing people," said Gogoi.

Police on Wednesday found six dead bodies floating in the river in Baksa district, where some of the attacks took place.

Bodo representatives have long argued many of the Muslims in their part of the state are illegal immigrants encroaching on ancestral lands. In 2012, clashes erupted in which dozens of people were killed and 400,000 fled their homes.

The unrest in the tea-growing state comes towards the end of a marathon election across India that has heightened ethnic and religious divisions and which the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) looks set to win.

Gogoi said that a special force will be raised for protection of people in the vulnerable violence-hit areas.

"There is some insecurity among people and I have deployed security forces to instill faith among the people," said he.

Security forces found the bodies of nine people with bullet wounds on May 3, six of them women and children, the third day of violence that police have blamed on Bodo tribesmen attacking Muslim settlers as punishment for opposing their candidate in the election to the parliament.

A dusk-to-dawn curfew was imposed on May 2, and soldiers deployed in the affected parts of Assam, a remote state with a history of ethnic violence and armed groups, some fighting for greater autonomy and others for secession from India.

State police said the latest outbreak of violence seems to have been sparked by these local rivalries, with Bodo tribesmen attacking Muslim settlers as punishment for not supporting their parliamentary candidate in the election.

Several opinion polls have forecast the BJP will emerge with the biggest share of the 543 parliamentary seats up for grabs, although the party could fall short of a majority.

In addition to that violence, Assam has a history of sectarian strife and armed groups fighting for greater autonomy or secession from India.

Police had said they suspected militants from the Bodo tribe were behind the latest attacks late on Thursday into Friday in a region.

Meanwhile, election candidates, including front-runner Narendra Modi have called for tighter migration controls.

As per the reports in one of the incidents, eight people were killed by a group of suspected Bodo guerrillas and in another, three members of one family including two women were shot dead, and a baby was wounded. Later on Friday, a group of militants carrying AK-47 assault rifles attacked an isolated village in the state's Baksa district and open fired, killing 11 people, most of them women and children.

Voting was held over several days in Assam to help security forces handle violence from any of the separatist or tribal militant groups active in the state.

Polling in the Bodo region ended on April 24, in what residents say was a tight race between a Bodo and a non-tribal candidate, although results from the five-week national election are not due for another two weeks.

Bodo people are followers of the local Bathouist religion.

Modi, the prime-ministerial candidate of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), said last week that illegal immigrants from Bangladesh in the nearby state of West Bengal should have their "bags packed" in case he came to power, accusing the state government of being too soft.

The five-week general election has exacerbated friction over migration in Assam.

The communal clashes in Assam two years ago triggered violent protests by Muslims in cities elsewhere in India.

About 30,000 migrants from the northeast temporarily returned home after threats of reprisals by Muslims circulated by text message.

India's staggered voting concludes on May 12 and results are due to be announced on May 16.

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Heavy rains forecast in seven districts in Karnataka

MANGALORE: A heavy rainfall warning has been issued in Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Uttara Kannada, Kodagu, Shimoga, Chikmagalur and Hasan districts over the next 48 hours, owing to a depression in the Arabian sea.

Thunder squalls with wind speed reaching 50-60 kmph are likely off the coast in the next 24-hours. Fishermen have been advised not to enter the sea, the meteorology department said.

Deputy commissioners have been directed to be alert and take precautionary measures in all vulnerable areas during the rains, it said, adding that control rooms should be fully operational and all incidents be reported.

The department has instructed that rescue and relief teams be kept on standby for emergency duties.

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Gandhi's great-grandson not seeking re-election in the US state of Kansas

WASHINGTON: Shanti Gandhi, a great-grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, will not seek re-election to the House of Representatives in the US state of Kansas, citing personal frustration with the legislative process.

"I am not going to run," he said. "Governing is totally different than campaigning."

The 73-year-old lawmaker who retired as a heart surgeon said he intended to endorse his Republican primary rival Dick Jones in the November elections.

Gandhi had defeated Jones in the 2012 Republican primary.

"We became good friends after our election," Gandhi said. "I'll definitely endorse him."

He said he experienced personal frustration with a legislative process requiring members to make snap decisions on substantive policy issues, Topeka Capital Journal reported.

At times, he said, he did not feel like there was opportunity for lawmakers to adequately research bills before votes took place on the House floor or in committee.

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SC rejects plea to appoint panel to supervise safety measures in Kudankulam nuclear plant

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Thursday rejected a plea of an anti-nuclear activist to appoint a committee to supervise safety measures in Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant in Tamil Nadu, saying there is "no laxity" on the part of authorities which are taking necessary steps.

A bench headed by Justice K S Radhakrishnan expressed satisfaction on the steps taken by Centre and Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) to put in place safety measures for the nuclear plant.

"We find it unnecessary to appoint any committee at this stage since the status report and the affidavits indicate that the respondents are taking necessary steps so as to give effect to various directions, even though some of the directions are yet to be fulfilled, which naturally would take some more time. At the moment, we find no reason to give any further directions," the bench, also comprising Justice Vikramjit Sen, said.

After perusing the various affidavits filed by government authorities, the bench noted the directions given by this Court are being properly addressed by them and there is no laxity on the part of them in carrying out various directions of this Court.

"For full implementation of directions, evidently, it may take some more time and we are sure that the respondents would make earnest efforts to give effect to all the directions of this Court in letter and spirit," it said.

The bench had on February 17 sought response from Centre and AERB on implementation of safety guidelines issued by it.

It passed the order on the plea of anti-nuclear activist G Sundarrajan, who had moved the apex court against the commissioning of the plant.

While giving a green signal to the nuclear power project in May last year, the apex court had, however, passed a slew of directions relating to environment protection, disaster management, safety of the people, and quality of systems and components in the plant and had said that they be complied with before its commissioning.

It had directed Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCIL) and AERB to maintain constant vigil and make periodical inspection of the plant at least once in three months and if any defect is noticed, the same has to be rectified forthwith.

It also had said NPCIL should ensure that the radioactive discharges to the environmental aquatic atmosphere and terrestrial route shall not cross the limits prescribed and NPCIL, AERB and Tamil Nadu government should take adequate steps to implement the National Disaster Management guidelines.

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Lalu tweets about stopping Modi like Advani's rath yatra

PATNA: RJD president Lalu Prasad on Thursday claimed to halt BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi's political ambition the way he had stopped the "rath yatra" of L K Advani in Bihar in 1990.

Without taking the names of the two leaders, Lalu tweeted, "Pehle guru ko roka tha, ab chele ka number hai. (Earlier I had stopped the teacher, now it is the turn of his disciple)."

BJP leaders touring the state were quick to react to the tweet and said Prasad was daydreaming about stopping their prime ministerial candidate.

"For stopping Modi, Prasad will first have to stop BJP in Saran constituency from where his wife Rabri Devi is contesting. Our candidate Rajiv Pratap Rudy is winning from there, so how will he stop Modi in the country? Syed Shahnawaz Hussain, BJP spokesman told reporters at Patna airport before leaving for election campaigning in Siwan and Motihari.

Lok Janshakti Party president and BJP ally Ram Vilas Paswan rubbished Prasad's tweet, saying first "he will have to become something then only he will be able to check Modi. During Advani's rath yatra, Prasad was the chief minister. Today he is nothing."

Talking to reporters, former deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi called Prasad's tweet "just a case of chori and sinajori (commit theft and argue over it)" alluding to the RJD leader's involvement in scams.

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Fodder scam case: Patna high court dismisses PIL against Lalu Prasad

PATNA: The Patna high court on Thursday dismissed the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) challenging Lalu Prasad's continuance as Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) president after his conviction in a fodder scam case.

The PIL was filed by RJD rebel MLA Samrat Chaudhary on May 1 citing the party's constitution where it was mentioned that a convicted person could not be its president.

Hearing the case, the high court bench of Justice Navin Sinha and Justice PK Jha asked Chaudhary's lawyer SPK Mangalam why such haste was shown in filing the PIL when the rebel MLA had petitioned the Election Commission on April 14, and the Commission was yet to decide on it.

The lawyer failed to provide a satisfactory answer to the court and requested permission to withdraw the case. The judges then ordered it "dismissed as withdrawn".

Earlier, while filing the case, Chaudhary and his lawyer had argued that as per rule No 21 of RJD constitution, a convicted person loses the primary membership of the party and thus Prasad was unfit to hold the president's post.

Samrat Chaudhary, who led a defection of 13 MLAs in February this year, and his father Shakuni Chaudhary had been suspended by RJD for anti-party activities.

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Colin Pillinger, Britain's would-be Mars explorer, dies at 70

LONDON: The British space scientist Colin Pillinger, best known for his failed attempt in 2003 to put a spacecraft called Beagle 2 on Mars, has died at the age of 70, fellow scientists said.

Pillinger, who championed the Beagle 2 project despite some mocking by the public, died at his home in Cambridge, in southeast England, after suffering a brain haemorrhage.

Martin Rees, Britain's Astronomer Royal, hailed Pillinger as one of the nation's leading planetary scientists.

"He was of course a character — an archetype eccentric professor," Rees said. "He was committed to space exploration and to its broader role in science education."

Beagle 2 was named after the ship Charles Darwin sailed in when he formulated his theory of evolution. It was built by British scientists for about 50 million pounds ($85 million).

The craft was taken to Mars aboard the European Space Agency's orbiter Mars Express, but then disappeared without trace after being dropped off to make its landing.

Colleagues and friends praised his zeal and planetary curiosity.

"Colin was a visionary and an inspirational leader, and had a wonderfully involving interaction with the media," said Andrew Coates, the head of planetary science group at the Mullard Space Science Laboratory at the University College London. "He really raised our hopes of actually going to Mars in 2003 to look for past or present life."

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HC issues notices to Shahrukh, Saif, Shetty and Devgan for 'promoting' liquor in Madhya Pradesh

BHOPAL: Madhya Pradesh high court on Thursday issued notices to five Bollywood stars for alleged violation of state excise Act by promoting liquor brands in the state.

Actors Saif Ail Khan, Manoj Bajpai, Ajay Devgan, Sunil Shetty and Shahrukh Khan have been asked to file their reply on a petition accusing them of getting indulged into promotional activities of different brands of liquor and i.e. violating provisions of Section 23 (A) of Madhya Pradesh Excise Act.

The said Act prohibits any kind of advertisement of liquor in the state.

Gwalior bench of high court comprising justice D K Paliwal has asked these stars and managing directors of three distilleries to submit explanations within six weeks.

Petitioner Awdesh Bhadoria alleged that the state police was reluctant on registering FIR against the celebs despite an inquiry report citing commission of offence by them. The inquiry was conducted by station house officer (SHO) Indergang in 2013.

Bhadoria had filed his first petition on this issue on March 24, 2013 after which HC had issued notices to the principal secretary home and Gwalior Superintendent of Police to give explanation on the use of photos of Bollywood actors for advertisements of liquor.

After which SHO Inderganj was asked to investigate the charges. SHO submitted his report to the then SP citing that a violation of Section 23 (A) of MP Excise Act was found. "Despite this report, senior officers were not ready to take necessary action", Bhadoria told TOI.

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Maoists torch EVM, vehicle during polling in Visakhapatnam

HYDERABAD: Maoists burned an Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) and a vehicle in the agency area of Visakhapatnam district of Andhra Pradesh on Wednesday during the polling for second phase of Lok Sabha and assembly elections.

A group of Maoists burned the EVM and a vehicle at Palakagidi of Koyyuru Mandal in the district before fleeing, according to a senior police official.

"Following this incident, repolling has been ordered at the polling station," the official said.

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Narendra Modi questions Mamata Banerjee's attitude towards rapists

KRISHNANAGAR/BARASAT (West Bengal): Questioning the attitude of West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee towards rapists, BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi Wednesday also said the Saradha scam was a raw nerve for her.

Addressing successive rallies in Krishnanagar in Nadia district and later in Barasat in North 24 Parganas district, Modi hit out at the Banerjee regime for the rising crime against women in the state.

"Didi (Banerjee), you are a tigress, but the country wants to know why women are falling victims to crime, why Bengal is one of the leading states in the country when it comes to crime against women," he asked.

"One after the other incident of rapes are happening. You are a woman, so how can you tolerate attacks on a woman," said Modi as he went on to question Banerjee's attitude towards criminals.

"Is Didi's attitude towards the rapists and the crimes appropriate? Does she have the same amount of anger for them as she has for Modi?" he asked the crowd which reciprocated with a deafening "no".

Modi, whose remarks regarding a Banerjee's painting fetching in excess of Rs. 1.80 crore had resulted into a war of words between his Bharatiya Janata Party and Banerjee's Trinamool Congress, again broached the Saradha chit fund scam issue.

"I don't know why Mamata gets an electric shock whenever I talk about Saradha. AI can understand those involved in the scam getting angry at me," said Modi as he called for jailing all those involved in the scam and returning the money involved in the scam to the poor investors.

He also raised the issue of alleged irregularities in the appointment of primary school teachers and claimed that if the BJP came to power, it will get India and Bengal rid of scams.

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Nigeria police offer $300,000 for information on girls

ABUJA: Nigerian police today offered a reward of $300,000 for information leading to the rescue of the 223 girls being held hostage by Boko Haram Islamists.

"The Nigeria Police hereby announce a cash reward of 50 million naira to anyone who volunteers credible information that will lead to the location and rescue of the female students abducted from Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State," a statement said, referring to the April 14 mass abduction claimed by the Islamist extremists.

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Narendra Modi questions Mamata Banerjee's attitude towards rapists

KRISHNANAGAR/BARASAT (West Bengal): Questioning the attitude of West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee towards rapists, BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi Wednesday also said the Saradha scam was a raw nerve for her.

Addressing successive rallies in Krishnanagar in Nadia district and later in Barasat in North 24 Parganas district, Modi hit out at the Banerjee regime for the rising crime against women in the state.

"Didi (Banerjee), you are a tigress, but the country wants to know why women are falling victims to crime, why Bengal is one of the leading states in the country when it comes to crime against women," he asked.

"One after the other incident of rapes are happening. You are a woman, so how can you tolerate attacks on a woman," said Modi as he went on to question Banerjee's attitude towards criminals.

"Is Didi's attitude towards the rapists and the crimes appropriate? Does she have the same amount of anger for them as she has for Modi?" he asked the crowd which reciprocated with a deafening "no".

Modi, whose remarks regarding a Banerjee's painting fetching in excess of Rs. 1.80 crore had resulted into a war of words between his Bharatiya Janata Party and Banerjee's Trinamool Congress, again broached the Saradha chit fund scam issue.

"I don't know why Mamata gets an electric shock whenever I talk about Saradha. AI can understand those involved in the scam getting angry at me," said Modi as he called for jailing all those involved in the scam and returning the money involved in the scam to the poor investors.

He also raised the issue of alleged irregularities in the appointment of primary school teachers and claimed that if the BJP came to power, it will get India and Bengal rid of scams.

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Landslide on Mumbai-Pune expressway, rains in Raigad

NAVI MUMBAI: Various parts of Raigad district witnessed unseasonal rains and hail on Wednesday afternoon, which also partially affected the Mumbai-Pune expressway due to a landslide.

Raigad police officials informed that at around 5.30pm, an advertising hoarding fixed to a hill slope next to the expressway in Khandala section suddenly fell done on the road where the traffic was moving towards Mumbai. "Due to the sudden rains, the hoarding's base supports somehow became weak, and it fell down, which caused a traffic jam. No accidents have taken place due to this incident,'' said an official.

Tiny snow pellets and hail also fell in parts of Karjat and Khalapur in Raigad.

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Ratan Tata awarded Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire

LONDON: Ratan Tata on Monday became the first Indian to be awarded the Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire (GBE) since India became a Republic in 1950.

British high commissioner to India, Sir James Bevan conducted the honours for Ratan Tata, Chairman Emeritus of Tata Sons.
The high commissioner presented Tata with the Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire (GBE) on behalf of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

UK said recently "Tata has been awarded an honorary GBE, one of the highest civilian honours conferred by the UK, in recognition of his services to UK/India relations, inward investment to the UK and philanthropy".

Speaking after the ceremony, Sir James said "Ratan Tata's leadership, vision and integrity will remain the gold standard for generations of aspirational British and Indian business people. His contribution to the deep ties that exist between the UK and India has been invaluable".

Queen Elizabeth II conferred on Tata the honorary award of Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE) in 2009.
Tata is a member of the UK-India CEO Forum and the British Prime Minister's Business Advisory Group. As Chairman of Tata Sons, UK benefited from significant inward investment from Tata companies. Tata are now the largest manufacturing employer in the UK.

The KBE is one of the highest honours given by the British queen to civilians.

It commonly appears on the Diplomatic Service and Overseas list but can also be given to Britons based abroad or in an honorary capacity to foreign nationals.

Tata successfully guided one of India's oldest business empires through rough seas.

The former chairman of Tata group - under whose leadership the group's revenues grew to around Rs 475,721 crore in 2011-12 from Rs 10,000 crore in 1991 retired on Dec 2012 after a 50-year run at the helm. Cyrus Mistry took over as the new chairman.

The Tata group is highly popular in UK. Iconic British car brands Jaguar and Land Rover became part of the Tata group in 2008. The company employs over 16,000 people at its manufacturing facilities in the UK, including 3,500 engineers at its two product development centres.

Around 78% of Land Rovers are exported to 169 countries, while Jaguar exports 70% of its products to 63 countries around the world.

Tata Limited was established in London in 1907 to be Tata group's representative in Europe

Tata companies have operations and a 60,000-strong workforce spread across Europe

Tata's association with UK academia also dates back to the establishment of the Sir Ratan Tata Department at the London School of Economics.

Subsequently called the Department of Social Sciences, it was set up to research the causes of poverty. Its first lecturer, Clement Attlee, went on to become the British prime minister who gave India its independence and also set up the British National Health Service.

Tata has maintained close links with the London School of Economics through a research collaboration with the Tata Institute of Social Sciences.

In 1920, the Department of Engineering at the University of Cambridge moved to its current Trumpington Street site thanks to a donation from Sir Dorabji Tata, an alumnus of the institution.

Tata International Social Entrepreneurship Scheme (ISES) began in 2008 as a two-month social internship programme for international students from the University of California, Berkeley, USA, and the University of Cambridge, UK.

In 2010, the London School of Economics joined hands with Tata ISES to enable its students to be part of the programme. The students are selected for an eight-week summer internship at different Tata community initiatives in India.

Tata said "I am deeply touched and feel greatly honoured to receive the recognition so graciously bestowed on me by Her Majesty. It has been a privilege to endeavour to have our enterprises contribute positively to the growth and standing of the United Kingdom. I am also deeply appreciative of the support we have always received personally from David Cameron and his government, through good and bad times. This support and faith have been of immeasurable value throughout".

He added "But none of what we have been able to achieve could ever have been possible without the unflinching trust, commitment and dedication of the people within our enterprises in the UK. I admittedly have been most closely associated with Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) where I have witnessed at close quarters the tremendous leadership and the impressive spirit of the workforce working together to achieve the goal we have set - 'to restore these two venerable English brands to their earlier glory'. To all these wonderful people I owe my most grateful thanks".

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Congress accuses Parkash Singh Badal of snooping on his granddaughter during voting

BATHINDA: Congress spokesperson Sukhpal Khaira has accused Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal and his daughter-in-law Harsimrat Badal for snooping upon Harsimrat's elder daughter while she voted for the first time on April 30.

He said the snooping implied lack of faith and an attempt to curb a voter's independence.

In a statement, Khaira said the snooping has raised eyebrows and questions. "It appears as if the senior Badal and Harsimrat Kaur do not have confidence on their young voter or is it yet another attempt of the Badals to curb the independence of a voter?" He asked if the Badals were afraid that the young Harkirat Kaur may have begun to hold an independent opinion.

Khaira said it has also put question mark over the fairness and integrity of the polling staff deputed at village Badal. "Why did they allow the elderly to snoop upon at Harkirat Kaur?" asked Khaira, adding the CEO Punjab must clarify whether it is not against norms.

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Congress accuses Parkash Singh Badal of snooping on his granddaughter during voting

BATHINDA: Congress spokesperson Sukhpal Khaira has accused Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal and his daughter-in-law Harsimrat Badal for snooping upon Harsimrat's elder daughter while she voted for the first time on April 30.

He said the snooping implied lack of faith and an attempt to curb a voter's independence.

In a statement, Khaira said the snooping has raised eyebrows and questions. "It appears as if the senior Badal and Harsimrat Kaur do not have confidence on their young voter or is it yet another attempt of the Badals to curb the independence of a voter?" He asked if the Badals were afraid that the young Harkirat Kaur may have begun to hold an independent opinion.

Khaira said it has also put question mark over the fairness and integrity of the polling staff deputed at village Badal. "Why did they allow the elderly to snoop upon at Harkirat Kaur?" asked Khaira, adding the CEO Punjab must clarify whether it is not against norms.

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Bomb kills 3 policemen in western Afghanistan

KABUL: An Afghan official says a roadside bombing has killed three policemen and wounded two in the country's western Herat province.

District police chief Shir Agha Alokozay says the attack took place in the province's Obe district today morning, when the police vehicle the officers were riding in hit the roadside bomb.

Alokozay says the bomb was set off by a remote control device and that the police have caught a suspect with the remote control.

No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack but Afghan security forces are frequently targeted by insurgents and violence has intensified in the country as most international troops prepare to withdraw at the end of the year.

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Bhanwari Devi murder case: Co-accused Parasram Bishnoi surrenders

JODHPUR: Parasram Bishnoi, a co-accused in the Bhanwari Devi abduction and murder case and brother of main accused Malkhan Singh Bishnoi, today surrendered before a local court, and claimed the entire case was a "fabricated one".

"It was a conspiracy to wipe out our family by framing us using CBI in this false case. There is a veteran Congress leader behind all this, whose name I will disclose soon," Bishnoi told reporters moments before surrendering before the court.

He also alleged that the CBI has acted at the behest of this leader and had framed me in the case falsely. He said he was innocent and would soon come out clean. "The conspiracy will soon be laid bare," he added.

The ACJM (SC/ST Cases) court had on March 23 issued an arrest warrant against him after he did not appear in the court on the scheduled dates of hearing.

Bishnoi kept trying every possible way to evade arrest like filing bail application to challenging the warrant and even questioning the jurisdiction of the court and justification of the appointment of CBI counsels.

Referring to his evading arrest, Bishnoi said that he was to appear before a Mumbai court in connection with some other matter and later waited for the decision on his bail.

"I never evaded the arrest as I have full trust in and respect for the court and keeping my words, I have surrendered before the court today," he said.

"When he appeared in the court, magistrate Mahendra Kumar read out the charges against him, which were earlier dropped by the same court, and were pending following the high court's order to the lower court to re-frame the dropped charges," said the CBI's counsel.

From the court, Bishnoi was sent to the jail again after about 18 months. Earlie, he was bailed out by the court on October 4, 2012 following the dropping of non-bailable charges 120 (B), 302 and 364 of the IPC against him.

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Narendra Modi can't be blamed for Assam violence: Shiv Sena

MUMBAI: Shiv Sena on Monday slammed the Congress for holding Narendra Modi responsible for the violence in Assam, saying those levelling such charges are the ones who have "divided" the country and should practice meditation at Ramdev's ashram as they have "lost their mental balance".

BJP's oldest ally also targeted Congress leader Kapil Sibal, saying it has never seen him "taking up the cause of Hindus in Kashmir as as he did for Bangladeshi Muslims in Assam".

"Those who are saying that India will break into pieces because of Modi are the ones who have divided the country. Instead of abusing Modi, Congressmen should introspect," an editorial in Sena mouthpiece Saamana said.

"Those in Congress who are making such allegations should either do vipassana (meditation) in Ramdev's ashram or else they will have to be admitted in a mental hospital after May 16 poll results as they have lost mental balance," the Sena said.

Congress on Sunday attacked BJP and its prime ministerial candidate for the violence in Assam, saying it was a result of "communal polarisation" done by them to garner votes.

32 people were killed, several others injured and thousands rendered homeless in two districts of Assam after attacks by militants belong to the anti-talks IK Songbijit faction of National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB-S).

The Sena said, "Assam is burning. Peace eludes the Kashmir valley. We never saw Kapil Sibal taking up the cause of Hindus in Kashmir as he did for Bangladeshi Muslims in Assam."

"Sibal and Omar Abdullah (J&K chief minister) are afraid that after Modi comes to power, Bangladeshis will be driven out from Assam and Hindu Pandits will be brought back with honour in Kashmir," the Sena said.

Abdullah deliberately ignored the plight of Hindus in Kashmir, it alleged.

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US-Philippines launch war games after Obama pledge

MANILA: Thousands of American and Philippine troops launched large annual exercises on Monday after US President Barack Obama vowed "ironclad" backing for its Asian ally, locked in a tense maritime row with China.

Filipino Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario said the 10-day drills were necessary to deal with the challenge of "aggressive" neighbours intent on "changing the status quo".

He did not mention China directly, but it has been robust in its efforts to assert territorial claims over most of the South China Sea, putting a strain on its relationships with neighbouring countries.

"In recent years tensions in the Asia-Pacific region have increased due to extensive and expansive maritime and territorial claims undermining the rule of law," del Rosario said at the opening ceremony.

"Aggressive patterns of behaviour aimed at changing the status quo threaten peace and stability in the region."

He added that the military exercise, known as Balikatan (Shoulder to Shoulder), with its focus on "maritime capability" boosted the Philippines ability to "address these challenges".

The Philippines last year asked a United Nations arbitration tribunal to declare what Manila said was Beijing's claim to 70 per cent of the South China Sea as illegal and a threat to freedom of navigation.

The waters are believed to contain huge deposits of oil and gas and sit close to vital sea lanes.

Beijing has rejected UN arbitration and urged Manila to settle the dispute through bilateral talks instead.

About 2,500 US soldiers are joining 3,000 Filipino troops in the manoeuvres, which began a week after Obama assured Manila his government was committed to a 1951 mutual defence treaty.

Also last week, the allies bolstered their security alliance with a new defence agreement giving American forces greater access to Philippine bases — part of a US rebalancing towards rising Asia.

The accord gives US forces, vessels and equipment increased access to certain Filipino bases over the next 10 years.

"The (new agreement) updates and strengthens US-Philippine defence cooperation to meet 21st century challenges," US ambassador to the Philippines Philip Goldberg said in a speech.

Obama's four-nation Asian tour was dominated by worsening maritime tensions between Beijing and Washington's allies in the region, which have triggered fears of military conflict.

The Philippines, which has one of the weakest militaries in the region, has repeatedly called on the United States for help as China has increased military and diplomatic pressure to take control of the contested areas.

While Obama sought to reassure the Philippines that the United States would support its ally in the event of an attack, he did not specifically mention coming to the aid of Manila if there were a conflict over the contested South China Sea areas, as his hosts had hoped.

But he ended his trip with a warning to China against using force in territorial disputes.

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Pakistan forces kill 10 separatist militants in Baluchistan

QUETTA, Pakistan: Pakistani forces killed at least 10 separatist militants in the volatile province of Baluchistan on Monday, paramilitary officials said.

Baluch rebels have waged a decades-long insurgency in the remote, sparsely populated and mineral rich southwest province, bordering Iran.

The Frontier Corps, the main state security force in Baluchistan, said it launched an operation against militant hideouts in the mountainous Panjgur district on Monday morning.

"Ten militants were killed in heavy exchange of fire this morning," said Frontier Corps spokesman Wasay Khan. "Several militant hideouts were destroyed and three soldiers were also wounded."

It was impossible to verify official accounts as journalists and independent observers are not allowed to operate freely Baluchistan.

The operation took place after Latif Johar, a member of the separatist Baloch Students Organisation (Azad), went on hunger strike 11 days ago to demand the release of the group's chairman and more than 100 detained members.

In the past three years, bodies of hundreds of members of Baluch political parties, student groups and poets have been discovered across the province, and many more are still missing.

Baluch activists say the bodies are evidence that the army is pursuing a systematic 'kill and dump' campaign to crush the separatist movement - a charge the army has repeatedly denied.

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Narendra Modi can't be blamed for Assam violence: Shiv Sena

MUMBAI: Shiv Sena on Monday slammed the Congress for holding Narendra Modi responsible for the violence in Assam, saying those levelling such charges are the ones who have "divided" the country and should practice meditation at Ramdev's ashram as they have "lost their mental balance".

BJP's oldest ally also targeted Congress leader Kapil Sibal, saying it has never seen him "taking up the cause of Hindus in Kashmir as as he did for Bangladeshi Muslims in Assam".

"Those who are saying that India will break into pieces because of Modi are the ones who have divided the country. Instead of abusing Modi, Congressmen should introspect," an editorial in Sena mouthpiece Saamana said.

"Those in Congress who are making such allegations should either do vipassana (meditation) in Ramdev's ashram or else they will have to be admitted in a mental hospital after May 16 poll results as they have lost mental balance," the Sena said.

Congress on Sunday attacked BJP and its prime ministerial candidate for the violence in Assam, saying it was a result of "communal polarisation" done by them to garner votes.

32 people were killed, several others injured and thousands rendered homeless in two districts of Assam after attacks by militants belong to the anti-talks IK Songbijit faction of National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB-S).

The Sena said, "Assam is burning. Peace eludes the Kashmir valley. We never saw Kapil Sibal taking up the cause of Hindus in Kashmir as he did for Bangladeshi Muslims in Assam."

"Sibal and Omar Abdullah (J&K chief minister) are afraid that after Modi comes to power, Bangladeshis will be driven out from Assam and Hindu Pandits will be brought back with honour in Kashmir," the Sena said.

Abdullah deliberately ignored the plight of Hindus in Kashmir, it alleged.

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Nigeria's Boko Haram claims abduction of over 200 schoolgirls: AFP

ABUJA: The Islamist militant group Boko Haram claimed responsibility on Monday for the abduction of more than 200 schoolgirls during a raid in the village of Chibok in northeast Nigeria last month, the French news agency AFP reported, citing a video it had obtained.

"I abducted your girls," Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau said in the video, according to AFP. It did not immediately give further details.

Boko Haram on April 14 stormed an all-girl secondary school in the village of Chibok, in Borno state, then packed the teenagers, who had been taking exams, onto trucks and disappeared into a remote area along the border with Cameroon.

The brazenness and sheer brutality of the school attack has shocked Nigerians, who had been growing accustomed to hearing about atrocities in an increasingly bloody five-year-old Islamist insurgency in the north.

Boko Haram, now seen as the main security threat to Africa's leading energy producer, is growing bolder and extending its reach.

The kidnapping occurred the same day as a bomb blast, also blamed on Boko Haram, that killed 75 people on the edge of Abuja and marked the first attack on the capital in two years.

The militants repeated that attack a week later in almost exactly the same spot, killing 19 people and wounding 34 in the suburb of Nyanya.

The girls' abductions have been hugely embarrassing for the government and threaten to distract attention from its first hosting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) for Africa, this week.

The apparent powerlessness of the military to prevent the attack or find the girls in three weeks has triggered anger and protests in the northeast and in Abuja.

On Sunday, authorities arrested a leader of a protest last week in Abuja that had called on them to do more to find the girls. The arrest has further fuelled outrage against the security forces.

In a televised "media chat" late on Sunday, President Jonathan pledged that the girls would soon be found and released, but also admitted he had no clue where they were.

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Lalu Prasad cries conspiracy, Rabri files complaint for life threat

PATNA: Alleging conspiracy by communal forces to stop him, RJD president Lalu Prasad said he will complaint the matter to the Election Commission, after his party's cavalacade was stopped by police and district officials when they were returning from a campaign in Saran district.

The incident occurred during the wee hours at Shivbachan Chowk in Saran, when a team of police and administrative officials stopped the RJD cavalcade for election related checking, police said.

Prasad and his wife Rabri Devi, both opposed this on the grounds of "non-availability" of women police personnel and search order papers.

The atmosphere was vitiated with frayed tempers and exchange of angry words, police said.

A large crowd of RJD supporters also assembled around. An empty black SUV present on the spot and without a hind number plate added to the drama.

"Eight criminals were following us in this black SUV since we started from Chhapra. The plan was either to kill us or to implant cash in our vehicles. When they could not overtake us, the police stopped us on the pretext of search without any women constable or proper permission papers," said Prasad.

"This black SUV was following us for a long time. This is a conspiracy to kill us. The police had checked our vehicle and suitcase earlier also so there was no reason for checking again," Rabri said.

After a heated exchange of words, Prasad lost his temper and lambasted all the government officials present there, who beat a hasty retreat.

Rabri went to Sonepur police station to file a case alleging threat to her life. The policemen there have accepted her complaint, but are yet to register an FIR.

"This was a conspiracy by the communal forces to stop us. This was done intentionally. There was no videographer with the police. They tried to harass a woman candidate. I am not letting this go. We will be complaining to the EC today itself," Prasad said.

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Lalu Prasad cries conspiracy, Rabri files complaint for life threat

PATNA: Alleging conspiracy by communal forces to stop him, RJD president Lalu Prasad said he will complaint the matter to the Election Commission, after his party's cavalacade was stopped by police and district officials when they were returning from a campaign in Saran district.

The incident occurred during the wee hours at Shivbachan Chowk in Saran, when a team of police and administrative officials stopped the RJD cavalcade for election related checking, police said.

Prasad and his wife Rabri Devi, both opposed this on the grounds of "non-availability" of women police personnel and search order papers.

The atmosphere was vitiated with frayed tempers and exchange of angry words, police said.

A large crowd of RJD supporters also assembled around. An empty black SUV present on the spot and without a hind number plate added to the drama.

"Eight criminals were following us in this black SUV since we started from Chhapra. The plan was either to kill us or to implant cash in our vehicles. When they could not overtake us, the police stopped us on the pretext of search without any women constable or proper permission papers," said Prasad.

"This black SUV was following us for a long time. This is a conspiracy to kill us. The police had checked our vehicle and suitcase earlier also so there was no reason for checking again," Rabri said.

After a heated exchange of words, Prasad lost his temper and lambasted all the government officials present there, who beat a hasty retreat.

Rabri went to Sonepur police station to file a case alleging threat to her life. The policemen there have accepted her complaint, but are yet to register an FIR.

"This was a conspiracy by the communal forces to stop us. This was done intentionally. There was no videographer with the police. They tried to harass a woman candidate. I am not letting this go. We will be complaining to the EC today itself," Prasad said.

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Centre's decision to probe snoopgate issue 'wrong': Omar Abdullah

SRINAGAR: Jammu & Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah on Sunday termed as "wrong" the Centre's announcement for setting up a judicial commission to probe the snoopgate issue allegedly involving Narendra Modi.

Omar, whose National Conference (NC) is a part of the UPA, said his father, Union minister Farooq Abdullah, also felt the same way about the announcement.

"Was talking to my dad last night and he felt the same way — setting up a commission of inquiry in the dying hours of UPA 2 is just wrong," Omar twitted.

The chief minister said the decision should have been implemented when it was taken in December.

"If the decision to appoint a commission was taken in December, it should have been implemented. To appoint a judge 5 months later is wrong," he said.

On Friday, the central government had said a judicial commission to probe "snoopgate" allegedly involving Modi will be in place before the Lok Sabha poll process comes to an end on May 16.

The UPA government had decided four months back to set up the inquiry commission but the process got delayed reportedly because of its inability to find a judge, who was ready to take the task.

The Union Cabinet had announced that the commission, to be headed by a retired Supreme Court judge or a retired Chief Justice of a high court, will also look into charges of snooping on Himachal Pradesh chief minister Virbhadra Singh by the previous BJP government when he was in the opposition as well as the leaking of the call data records (CDR) of Jaitley in Delhi.

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Centre's decision to probe snoopgate issue 'wrong': Omar Abdullah

SRINAGAR: Jammu & Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah on Sunday termed as "wrong" the Centre's announcement for setting up a judicial commission to probe the snoopgate issue allegedly involving Narendra Modi.

Omar, whose National Conference (NC) is a part of the UPA, said his father, Union minister Farooq Abdullah, also felt the same way about the announcement.

"Was talking to my dad last night and he felt the same way — setting up a commission of inquiry in the dying hours of UPA 2 is just wrong," Omar twitted.

The chief minister said the decision should have been implemented when it was taken in December.

"If the decision to appoint a commission was taken in December, it should have been implemented. To appoint a judge 5 months later is wrong," he said.

On Friday, the central government had said a judicial commission to probe "snoopgate" allegedly involving Modi will be in place before the Lok Sabha poll process comes to an end on May 16.

The UPA government had decided four months back to set up the inquiry commission but the process got delayed reportedly because of its inability to find a judge, who was ready to take the task.

The Union Cabinet had announced that the commission, to be headed by a retired Supreme Court judge or a retired Chief Justice of a high court, will also look into charges of snooping on Himachal Pradesh chief minister Virbhadra Singh by the previous BJP government when he was in the opposition as well as the leaking of the call data records (CDR) of Jaitley in Delhi.

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Northeast India's development will help Bangladesh: Bangladesh's foreign minister

DHAKA: Bangladesh's foreign minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali said development of India's northeastern region would also benefit his country.

"It will ultimately be a win-win situation for all of us," Ali told a seminar in Dhaka Saturday on the country's Liberation War in 1971 and the relations with northeastern Indian states.

The minister recalled the contribution of India's northeastern states to the cause of Bangladesh's liberation in 1971 when he said "millions of our people took refuge in Tripura, Meghalaya and Assam besides West Bengal", bdnews24.com reported.

He said a lot of development took place after the independence and "we are playing an important role in this region's economic development, peace and stability".

Ali cited Bangladesh's steps on establishing more rail and road connectivity with the India's northeastern states and said the region comes as "an important link of connectivity" in Bangladesh's plan to be bridge between South Asia and Southeast Asia and beyond".

The proposed BCIM (Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar) economic corridor will pass through northeast India after originating in Kolkata and passing through Bangladesh before it enters Myanmar and finally China's Yunnan province.

This regional corridor, it is felt, would be a game-changer for the economy of all four countries.

Mahmood Ali said Bangladesh has already requested India to allow opening a deputy high commission in Guwahati and upgrade its Agartala visa office to an assistant high commission to increase diplomatic and commercial presence in the northeast.

He said there would be direct air link between Dhaka and Guwahati soon.

"We need to complement India's endeavour to develop its northeastern states in our own interest".

He said this "mutual respect and understanding" of each other's concerns has put the relationship on "a solid footing".

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