New CBI director favours joint ops with foreign countries

New Delhi, Aug 2 (DNS) With increasing number of crimes having international links, the CBI today favoured joint operations with foreign agencies against criminals setting up global syndicates। "CBI's role is not limited within the boundary of the country.

We want to have joint operations, investigation, joint prosecution even with other countries," new CBI Director Ashwani Kumar told reporters after assuming charge here। Kumar said Indian criminals were being prosecuted even in other countries for different crimes, including illegal money transfer.

"Our assets -- illegal money -- are being transferred to other countries। So our task is how to bring that money back and catch the criminals," he said.

Asked whether the CBI would be able to arrest key accused in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts Dawood Ibrahim, believed to be in Pakistan, during his tenure, Kumar said an Interpol Red Corner notice has already been served against the gangster and he was hopeful that Dawood would be brought to justice। "We will be successful.

I hope we will be successful in bringing him back to the country। I hope we will not only be able to arrest him but also other criminals," he said.

The 58-year-old Kumar also favoured close coordination between state police forces and the CBI to deal with different crimes। "The state police forces have a major role to perform and the CBI can assist them.

When the Prime Minister (Manmohan Singh) had visited Ahmedabad (following the serial blasts), he announced that there would be joint operation, joint investigation," he said.

SAARC should allow trade in more goods: CII

New Delhi (DNS): SAARC countries should allow trade in more goods under South Asia Free Trade Agreement to enhance the trade among the member countries, industry body CII said।

Enhancing trade among the SAARC countries -- India, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Pakistan, Maldives, Sri Lanka and Nepal -- in a time bound manner would hasten the process of SAARC integration, the chamber said।

In a five point agenda, CII asked the government to enhance trade and investment flows, integration of infrastructure, promotion of tourism and greater people-to- people contacts, and Cooperation in agriculture and SME development।

Export Promotion Zones and Special Economic Zones should also be set up in each SAARC member country to enhance the investments between them, CII said।

CII also said that to encourage the intra-SAARC investments, all the member nations should frame a regional policy for the purpose and a South Asia fund on Climate Change should also be set up to increase cooperation।

Since making borders irrelevant is an important initiative towards integration, CII suggested to set up an integrated south Asia transport network for easier movement of goods, services and people।

For greater cooperation in agriculture and small and medium enterprises development, a South Asian centre for agriculture research and extension services should be set up which would go a long way in modernising agricultural operations in the smaller economies, it added.

Inflation rises to 11.98 per cent

New Delhi, July 31 (DNS) Inflation rose to 11।98 per cent for the week ended July 19, as some food and manufactured products turned dearer.

The moderation in inflation a week earlier to 11।89 per cent turned out to be an aberration as the rate of price rise is now a just a tad below the crucial 12 per cent। It has been rising unabatedly since petrol prices were increased by the Government on June 5.

Prices of pulses, fruits and spices went up as did the rates some manufactured products items।

Inflation stood at 4।65 per cent in the corresponding week a year ago.

This is the first official data on inflation after the Reserve Bank increased the short-term lending (repo) rate by 50 basis points to 9 per cent and also raised the mandatory deposits (CRR) that banks have to park with it by 25 basis points to cool down the rate of price rise।

However, the exact effect of these measures will be known after some time only as official data is released with a two week lag and hike in CRR would come into effect only after August 30।

Announcing the first quarterly review of the credit policy RBI Governor Y V Reddy had said that the main thrust of the policy would be to bring down inflation to 7 per cent by March, 2009।

Earlier, the apex bank had set the attempt to bring down inflation close to 5 per cent by end of this fiscal and lower it further to 4-4.5 per cent with a medium-term objective of 3 per cent.

Maya in campaign mode

July 30: In a bid to prove her might beyond UP, BSP supremo Mayawati has decided to set in motion the party’s campaign well in advance in four election-bound states of Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh।

Ms Mayawati is expected in Delhi on Friday for a series of meetings with state unit party functionaries। At the meeting she will not only talk about the strategy to be adopted in the run-up to the elections, she also finalise names of the candidates for a few Lok Sabha and Assembly constituencies. Ms Mayawati has asked the party units of Delhi, MP and Chhattisgarh to mobilise people for the August 9 rally in Lucknow, which will set the agenda for the party’s growth out of UP.

"UP chief minister Mayawati is coming to Delhi on Friday, when she will take stock of the party’s chances in the forthcoming Delhi Assembly elections। Apart from mobilising the workers for the Lucknow rally, she is likely to finalise the strategy for the state polls," said a senior BSP leader. Following the directions from "bahenji", most of the state unit chiefs have started working in their respective states. "We are mobilising people in our areas. The strength of the party in the state will be reflected in the number of people that we take to Lucknow for the rally," said BSP president of MP, Bhujbal Singh Ahirwal.

Sources said that the BSP supremo will carry out intensive tours of MP and Chhattisgarh apart from Delhi after the Lucknow rally. "The directions are clear to the state party units. The party has to make its presence felt in big ways in Delhi, MP and Chhattisgarh, which are on top of the party’s agenda for growth out of UP," said a party functionary. Delhi, Chhatisgarh, MP along with Rajsthan will go for state polls in November this year.

Indians have not shown mental alertness

Sri Lanka in these months can get extremely muggy, but that’s not the only reason why the Indian team will be feeling discomfited when it takes the field in the second Test beginning today। Badly beaten in the first, the players will be under acute pressure. A defeat here means the series is lost too, and with that will sink much of the goodwill and ranking that was earned in the past year.

It is not possible for any team to win every time; in any case, the Indian team cannot boast to be the best in the business। But so abject was the performance in the first Test that it has riled the sensibilities of cricket lovers and aficionados.

Such a rout suggests that the problem could be something more serious than just a one-off setback। As against Australia, the Indian team could come back strongly, but it will not be easy in these conditions.

The wickets Down Under earlier this year were batsmen friendly, and the players themselves appeared fit and enthusiastic for battle। From what has been in evidence in Sri Lanka yet, the pitches are not poor, but need getting used to. This requires some time, which the itinerary did not permit what with only one three day game before the first Test.

More damagingly, India’s players have not shown the same levels of physical fitness and mental alertness that was witnessed during the Australian tour. There is a jadedness about the side, perhaps because of the excessive cricket played over the past six months. How to beat this will be the big test for Kumble and his men even before they take the field today.

CPI(M) not to support Congress in future

New Delhi (DNS): After the break over the nuclear deal, the CPI (M) has ruled out supporting the Congress in forming the government at the centre।

It also parried questions over projecting BSP supremo Mayawati as the Prime Ministerial candidate by non-Congress and non-BJP parties in the next Lok Sabha elections।

"If you think we are going to support a Congress government, I don't know, I think people will accuse us of opportunism," CPI(M) General Secretary Prakash Karat told Malayalam television channel "Kairali TV"।

He also raised a question as to why only the possibility of the Congress and BJP forming a government is raised।

"So, why do you think that there can only be a BJP-led government or a Congress-led government," he said adding there could be a third force, which could also be in that position।

Asked about projecting BSP supremo Mayawati as prime minister, he said they do not look at it in terms of individuals being projected।

"Hopefully, we will be able to present some third force in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections। We don't look at it in terms of individuals being projected as Prime Minister," he said.

Karat said that what the Left was looking for was that "there is a possibility today to have some combination which will not just reduce the country's politics to a Congress-led alliance and a BJP-led alliance"।

Replying to another question whether coming together of the Left with parties like the BSP, which have aligned with the BJP in the past, would create a durable Third Alternative, he said the Left was not going to project such an alternative।

"Be very clear, I didn't use the word Third Alternative। I have not talked about the Third Alternative...Our party's understanding of the Third Alternative is not some combination to fight elections. The Third Alternative has to be in terms of policies and programs," Karat said.

Karat said that political parties which were not part of the Congress and BJP led coalitions joined forces only after realising they had a common agenda - opposition to the nuclear deal।

"Its only after we withdrew support, we said we would contact all the secular parties who opposed the deal and who can plan with us to vote against the UPA government। And as part of the process, I met Mayawati, Ajit Singh, Deve Gowdaji.....We met all of them and then came to a common understanding," he said.

Karat sought to downplay the erstwhile UNPA (led by the Samajwadi Party) and said he never considered it a part of the Third Front।

"In our party congress held in April, we said the Third Alternative is not there। We didn't even consider the UNPA, which was headed by the SP to be a Third Alternative. We told them this is not the alternative we are thinking of," he said.

The CPI(M) leader said he told UNPA that the Left parties could co-operate with them on important issues like price rise, farmers' issues or the nuclear deal।

"But the Third Alternative means something more stable, something more based on a programme," he said.

Indian Americans lobbying for N-deal approval in Congress

Washington, July 27: Buoyed by the UPA government's victory in the crucial trust vote over the Indo-US nuclear deal, the Indian-American community leaders have started lobbying decision-makers here to ensure smooth passage of the historic accord in the American Congress।

The community leaders are not wasting any more time and are organising their first strategy session here tomorrow evening। The general perception among leaders of the community is that much time has already been lost.

With the government of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh getting through the vote of confidence last week, efforts are on to contact top Congressional leaders right away।

"The Indian American community did its part for the Hyde Act... Now once again Indian American community has to ensure the final passage of 123 agreement by the US Congress। We are ready to do so. Leaders of various organisations are meeting in DC on Monday for this purpose," Ashok Mago, Chairman of the Dallas-based USINDIA FORUM said.

Mago is one of the community leaders who played an important role in getting most of the Texas delegation in the House of Representatives and the Senate behind the Hyde Act in 2006।

"The real focus here begins from the first week of September when members of Congress return after their District work period," a highly-placed source seeking anonymity said।

He explained that New Delhi should be expected to have wrapped up all the procedures and processes pertaining to the civilian nuclear deal by the time Congress returns from the August recess।

"It is not going to be easy। But we have no doubt that the administration and leadership of both the republican and democrat party will do everything to ensure that this historic agreement between the two nations is concluded under their watch," Mago said in a statement.

As things stand the House of Representatives has a target adjournment date of September 26 and the Senate Majority Leader Democrat Harry Reid has indicated that he has no problem in having the same timeline for the Senate।

Normally Congress sits in session until the first week of October, but this time around it is earlier because of the Presidential elections -- all 435 members of the House and one third of the 100-member Senate face elections along with the Presidential poll on November 4।

Sources say that there is no sanctity behind the September 26 target adjournment date and that this could get extended inspite of the elections। And there are others who believe that mere technicalities on the passage of the civilian nuclear agreement should not stand in the way either.

"There is a technical rule that makes it a little difficult in Congress -- the thirty day continuous session requirement। But Congress can make an exception because Senators Barack Obama and John McCain have both said they support the deal," Walter Andersen, Associate Director of the South Asian Programme of the School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University said.

Congressional Staffers argue that the thirty-day rule cannot be waived or shortened -- at least not without sinking the whole deal. The argument here has been that getting rid of the thirty day rule could bring in opposition from Senators who could threaten to filibuster the move.