News

New Delhi, August 15: The Sangh Parivar fountainhead RSS has alleged that separatist forces and elements across the border were actively involved in “Islamisation” of Kashmir through covert means.

“The Islamisation of Kashmir is a dangerous game. This was on for the last two decades. First they started changing the names of places and signboards. They they imposed a ban on cinema halls, beauty parlours, restaurants and fashion shops. They asked their women to wear veil even in schools and offices,” RSS mouthpiece Organiser states in its latest issue.

New Delhi, August 15: Chief Election Commissioner SY Quraishi today batted for use of electronic voting machines (EVMs) during elections, calling them “tamper-proof” despite concerns of some political parties over its unreliability.

Quraishi, who has been holding consultations with political parties in this regard since taking over early this month, said the Election Commission (EC) was 100% certain that the EVMs were “tamper-proof and reliable” as they were designed that way.

New Delhi, August 15: The capital specially the Old Delhi area turned into a fortress with over 60,000 gun-toting security personnel taking up position on Delhi’s streets. They are remaining vigilant to stop any terrorist attacks on the eve of Independence Day. Heavy rain notwithstanding, the men were told to take up their positions by midnight.

An impregnable ground-to-air security apparatus has been put in place in the capital, especially near Red Fort where Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will unfurl the tri-colour and address the nation for the sixth consecutive time on Sunday.

New Delhi, August 15: Mother of seven Rasheeda Malik’s door opens into the drainage of Sarai Kale Khan the part slum, part working class colony on the eastern stretch of the Nizamuddin railway station in New Delhi.

One end of Sarai Kale Khan touches the neighbourhood of the Nagli slums, which border the brand new, 1100 crore residential complex for 8,000-plus athletes participating in the Commonwealth Games in October.

Kollam, August 15: Peoples Democratic Party leader and accused in the 2008 Bangalore blast case Abdul Nasser Madani has filed a petition in the Karnataka High Court on Friday, seeking quashing of the charge sheet against him.

Although prohibitory orders were clamped in and around a religious centre in Kollam district in view of Madani’s imminent arrest after August 15, his lawyer P. Usman said, “It is (the petition) likely to come up for consideration either on August 16 or 17.”

New Delhi, August 15: President Pratibha Patil called upon Maoists and other extremist groups to eschew violence and urged civil society to encourage them to join the national mainstream.

In an address to the nation on the eve of the 64 {+t} {+h} Independence Day, she said, “proponents of extreme ideologies and the followers of Left Wing Extremism must abandon their path of violence. I call on them to join [the] national efforts for growth and development. I hope that everybody, including the civic society, will come forward and move them in this direction.”

New Delhi, August 15: The much-touted Equal Opportunity Commission to be set up by the Central Government may now be limited to minorities.

The decision to narrow the ambit of EOC was taken by a group of ministers headed by Defence Minister A K Antony here on 12th August.

Mumbai, August 15: To the shock of hosts of 400 wedding parties, scheduled between Aug 15 and Oct 15 in Municipal Corporation of Delhi’s (MCD) community halls, the civic agency has decided hand over these building to house security personnel on Commonwealth Games duty.

The civic agency made about 400 bookings for weddings between Aug 15 and Oct 15 in its 60 community halls.

Now, during this period, the agency has decided to reserve these halls for accommodation of officials of Sports Authority of India and paramilitary forces who will guard the capital during the Games.

New Delhi, August 15: Commuters had a harrowing time on Delhi roads Saturday as intermittent heavy rains led to water-logging, resulting in traffic snarls and breakdown of vehicles in many areas. The Met office forecast more showers on Sunday.

Flooding in low-lying areas, traffic snarls and an incident of building collapse were reported from various parts of the city.

The traffic snarls in various parts of Delhi, especially in the evening, exposed the poor preparedness of civic authorities in handling flooding due to rains.

Srinagar, August 15: The Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Omar Abdullah on Saturday announced that his government will recruit 50,000 youths in the next few months and pitched for restoration of autonomy to the state to bridge the “trust deficit” between the people and the Centre.

The Chief Minister said people in Jammu and Kashmir have cynicism about the promises made by the Centre in the past and there is a need for the central government to initiate action to remove all doubts from the minds of the people and bridge the gap that has emerged over the last six decades.

Mumbai, August 15: Ahead of 64th Independence Day on Sunday the security has been tightened and high alert has been announced in various parts of the country.Special vigil is being kept at the crowded areas.

In Delhi metro parking has been made out of bounds for the public from 1400 hours on 14th August to 1400 hours of August 15th.There is an overall preparedness on the part of Delhi police to combat any situation arising out of terror threat.Patrolling has been stepped up and checking on boarders have been intensified.