National News

New Delhi, Nov 24 (IANS) The indictment of senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders by the Liberhan Commission should be a clear warning for the party to stop practising communal politics, Law Minister M. Veerappa Moily said Tuesday.

New Delhi, Nov 24 (IANS) Retired judge M.S. Liberhan, who probed the razing of the 1992 Babri Masjid, has called for a firm separation of religion and politics and sought 'exemplary punishment' for those using religion for political ends.

New Delhi, Nov 24 (IANS) While pinning the blame of the Babri Masjid demolition on Hindu rightwing groups, the Liberhan Commission has also lashed out at the 'fanatical Muslim leadership' for 'its failure to protest effectively against the events which were building up to a crescendo'.

Jammu, Nov 24 (IANS) Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah Tuesday said there would be timely reduction in the army's presence in the state when the security situation normalises. He said though there was some improvement rising cross-border incursions remained a concern.

Ranchi, Nov 24 (IANS) Four Indian Air Force helicopters have been pressed into service to ensure peaceful polling in Wednesday's first phase of Jharkhand's assembly elections, police said.

New Delhi, Nov 24 (IANS) Director General N.P.S. Aulakh, chief of the National Security Guard (NSG) that ended the 26/11 terror siege, says the media should exercise control in such situations as some operations then were exposed due to live coverage.

Panaji, Nov 24 (IANS) President Pratibha Patil, who was awarded a degree of doctor of letters (D.Lit) at the 22nd annual convocation ceremony of Goa University Tuesday, exhorted students to desist from ragging, calling it a 'crime against humanity'.

New Delhi, Nov 24 (IANS) Refusing information to an octogenarian under the Right To Information Act has cost a Delhi government official dear.

New Delhi, Nov 24 (IANS) Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari Tuesday said that the response of Indian politicians to terror attacks has been very 'squeamish' and a change needs to be brought in their mindset on security issues.

Chandigarh, Nov 24 (IANS) The 10-day long wedding celebrations of Punjab's 'powerful' politician Bikram Singh Majithia, the brother-in-law of Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, has been keeping agencies of the Punjab government, including the state police, on its toes.

New Delhi, Nov 24 (IANS) Hundreds of disabled people along with their supporters are expected to take part in a 'Walk to Freedom' march in the capital on Dec 3 on the occasion of World Disability Day, to reiterate their demand to right to education, employment opportunities and accessibility to public services.

Panaji, Nov 24 (IANS) The controversy over the poaching of a Royal Bengal tiger in Goa earlier this year has taken a fresh twist with central government officially admitting that the animal was killed, contrary to the stand of the state forest department.

New Delhi, Nov 24 (IANS) The Liberhan Commission that probed the Babri Masjid demolition has held 68 people individually culpable for leading the country 'to the brink of communal discord'. The list includes former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, senior BJP leaders L.K. Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi as well as Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray.

Chennai, Nov 24 (IANS) Tamil Nadu's ruling DMK party Tuesday announced Kamalakannan and Anita Radhakrishnan as its candidates for Vandavasi and Tiruchendur constituencies, where by-polls are scheduled Dec 19.

New Delhi, Nov 24 (IANS) The National Security Guard (NSG), which finally decimated the Mumbai attackers and lost two of its men, will not be organising any commemorative event to mark the first anniversary of 26/11.

New Delhi, Nov 24 (IANS) An unseemly brawl over a religious slogan disrupted the Rajya Sabha after Home Minister P. Chidambaram tabled the report of the Liberhan Commission that probed the 1992 demolition of the Babri Masjid.

Chandigarh, Nov 24 (IANS) Justice M.S. Liberhan Tuesday remained composed and asked the media to read his report on the 1992 Babri mosque demolition before asking questions even as the controversial document was tabled by the government in parliament.

Bhubaneswar, Nov 24 (IANS) Orissa will soon deport 4,035 Bangladeshi infiltrators who have been living in 25 of the state's 30 districts, officials said Tuesday.

New Delhi, Nov 24 (IANS) Samajwadi Party (SP) general secretary Amar Singh, who got into a scuffle with Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) S.S. Ahluwalia in the Rajya Sabha, Tuesday said he was ready to apologise and 'didn't want to manhandle him' but was provoked by attempts to divide the house along communal lines.

New Delhi, Nov 24 (IANS) Seventeen years after the demolition of the Babri Masjid that polarised the country along communal lines, the report of the Liberhan Commission of Inquiry was Tuesday tabled in parliament amid turmoil, slogan shouting and even scuffles between MPs of various parties.