NEW DELHI: Seeking to downplay recent incursions by Chinese Army along the Line of Actual Control, National Security Advisor M K Narayanan on Saturday cautioned that media "hype" could lead to "unwarranted incident or accident" that could create problems with the neighbour.
He acknowledged that incursions were taking place but said there was "hardly any increase" in these activities and situation was not "alarming".
The NSA disagreed that China was trying to put pressure saying "India of 2009 is not (India) of 1962" and said both nations are keen to maintain peace and tranquillity at the border.
"In terms of number of incursions, there has been hardly any increase. Occasionally inroads are a little deeper than what it might have been in the past. I don't think so that there is anything alarming about it. I think we have a good understanding about the whole issue," Narayanan said to a news channel.
"I really am unable to explain why there is being so much media hype on this question," he said.
Asked if over reaction by media could create problems, he replied in the affirmative and said, "I have been through 1962. I was aware of the problem then.... What we need to be careful of is that we don't have an unwarranted incident or an accident of some kind.
"That's what we are trying to avoid. But there is always concern (that) if this thing (media hype) goes on like this someone somewhere might lose his cool and something might go wrong."
Won’t allow Pak soil to be used for launching terror attacks: Zardari
London:President Asif Ali Zardari has declared Pakistan's determination to not allow anyone to use its territory against a third nation against the backdrop of mounting international pressure on his country to dismantle terror infrastructure blamed for attacks on India.
Zardari also raised the Kashmir issue saying meaningful progress towards resolution of the "dispute" is necessary for the durable peace and stability in South Asia and wanted the revival of composite Indo-Pak dialogue.
In his wide ranging address and discourse with British intelligentsia gathered at London's International Institute of Strategic Studies (IISS) on Friday, Zardari said terrorist attacks were also directed against Pakistan's peace process with India.
Zardari, who also answered questions, said the non-state actors and supporters of dictatorship have vested interest in fanning conflict in the region.
Extremists and militants who challenge the state and our ideology wherever they may be in Pakistan will be chased and eliminated, the President said.
Reinforcing this commitment to end militancy, the President said, "Let me assure you that we have not come this far at this price, to fail".
Zardari also rejected the blames that were being laid at the door of Pakistan and said "We need active regional co-operation and understanding rather than resorting to blame game."
About future of Indo-Pak dialogue, Zardari said, "Pakistan is convinced that revival of the composite dialogue process is necessary and in the mutual interest of the two countries."
Answering a question on Kashmir issue, Zardari said, "Kashmir has been pending before the UN for the last 60 plus years. Kashmir is important to regional peace and our future generation. There has to be a peaceful solution to the issue of Kashmir."
2002 Gujarat riots: Nanavati Commission refuses to issue notice to Modi
AHMEDABAD: The Nanavati Commission probing the 2002 riots in Gujarat on Saturday asked the staff of chief minister Narendra Modi to provide details of their phone conversations with ministers during the riots that killed over 1,000 people, most of them Muslims.
Mukul Sinha, advocate for the NGO Janshangharsh Manch, said: "The commission has sought details of telephone conversations between the chief minister's staff and other ministers, and Jaideep Patel," then a leader of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, affiliated to the state's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.
The role of the Narendra Modi-led government has been under the scanner, with many victims and rights groups alleging complicity of its ministers in the riots.
But despite the plea of the Manch, the commission had still not issued any summons to Modi or his staff to appear before it, Sinha told a news channel.
Kalawati, who moved Rahul Gandhi, to contest Maharashtra polls
MUMBAI: Kalawati Bandurkar, the poor widow whose name Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi had mentioned in his parliament speech last year, will be contesting the Maharashtra assembly polls as a candidate of the Vidarbha Janandolan Samiti, a party official said on Saturday.
After the speech, for a while Kalawati had become the name and the face of the plight being faced by farmers in the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra.
Many farmers in the region have been forced to commit suicide after their crops failed and they could not pay off their debts.
Samiti president Kishore Tiwari said Kalawati, 48, who lives in Jalka village in Vidarbha, is contesting the assembly polls slated October 13.
Gandhi had been moved by her plight during a visit to the village last year and had mentioned her in his speech during the July 22, 2008 trust motion.
Indian Business News
Recession fuels disruptive innovation: Moorthy
New Delhi: Home Minister P. Chidambaram, after inaugurating TiEcon Delhi 2009, one of India's largest entrepreneurship conference, said, that an entrepreneur has a difficult path to choose and a difficult path to tread.
One of session titled, ‘Starting up-Is there ever a right time’, discussed about aspects that have an impact on the entrepreneurial environment and the opportunities relevant to Indian companies, particularly the Startups.
Two eminent speakers at the session spoke to IndianExpress.com about entrepreneurship in brief.
Bejul Somaia, Managing Director, Lightspeed Venture Partners:
Q. Does an upturn or a downturn (in economy) really matter to a budding entrepreneur?
One always has to be aware of it. If one has an idea, one has to strive to validate that idea, because at the end of the day, a good business is a good business.
Q. What things should a budding entrepreneur keep in mind before venturing out?
It is really validating the idea, by putting the entire plan together. Apart from this, one has to pay a patient ear to the views most of the people have about your upcoming venture. If the majority views go against it, one should have a relook at the entire plan.
Q. Is India ripe enough for the Dot Com investments in the current times?
I don’t think so (that the Indian market is ripe enough for the Dot Com investments).
Q. How do you see the venture capital industry in India?
It (Venture capital industry) is emerging.
British govt provides 10m pound loan to Tata Motors
LONDON: India's Tata Motors has been sanctioned a 10 million pounds loan for its new electric car project in the UK by the British government.
With this, Tata has become the first company to secure a loan under the British government's 2.3-billion pounds automotive assistance programme scheme, eight months after its launch.
The loan from the government will support 25 million pounds of the Indian company's own investment in plans to develop and manufacture Tata-branded electric cars in the UK.
The company is now "considering locations" in Britain to set up a factory. An announcement is expected soon.
Britain's business secretary, Lord Peter Mandelson, said last night: "The government is determined to help the car industry to exploit fully the opportunities offered by green manufacturing. Today we are backing Tata as Tata backs Britain."
"This loan will strengthen our electric vehicle manufacturing expertise, securing and creating high-value engineering jobs in the West Midlands."
A spokeswoman for the business secretary said the government is in talks with 17 other companies about projects worth 2 billion pounds.
Tata said: "It appreciates the state support."
The car maker, led by Ratan Tata, has developed a four-seater electric vehicle in partnership with Norwegian group 20Miljo Grenland/Innovation.
Production of the vehicle should begin in Norway later this year, The Daily Telegraph reported on Saturday.
Indian Sports News
Dhoni's men face Kiwis in practice match
Potchefstroom (South Africa): India will look to get acclimatised to conditions and test the fitness of key players in their only warm-up game, against New Zealand, on Sunday ahead of the Champions Trophy.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni's men will be up against a team which was blown away by both Sri Lanka and India in the Compaq Cup and did no better against a local side, Warriors, in the first warm-up game Potchefstroom on Friday.
The Kiwis are only ahead of England, West Indies and Bangladesh in the ICC rankings which just about sums up their floundering fortunes in one-day cricket.
The pitch at the Potch Drop Club, venue for Sunday's warm-up, produced a score of 345 by a cobbled-up West Indies in an earlier warm-up match.
The Indians will have little to do than practice for first five days of next week before meeting Pakistan in their opening day-night engagement at Centurion on September 26 – a match which could very well decide who moves up to the semi-finals of the Champions Trophy.
India could feel under-cooked for the big match, more so since Pakistan would have already played a game -- against the West Indies at the Wanderers on September 23.
Sunday's match would thus be the case of making the most of whatever little opportunities Indians have ahead.
Indians would surely look to put Gautam Gambhir, Suresh Raina, Yuvraj Singh and Yusuf Pathan in the middle for as long as possible.
The match is a season opener for Gambhir, who missed the tri-series in Sri Lanka because of a groin injury, while the other three have still not yet become very comfortable with short-pitched bowling.
Sports ministry snubs BCCI, reiterates commitment to WADA
New Delhi: The Indian Government is committed to the global anti-doping laws and fully accepts the new WADA Code, including the contentious "whereabouts" clause which has been rejected by the country's Cricket Board.
Reacting to WADA chief John Fahey's remarks that he had asked the Indian government's stand on the BCCI's rejection of the "whereabouts" clause, Sports Ministry said on Saturday that there was no change in its earlier stand of full commitment to anti-doping rules.
"The Government and National Anti-Doping Agency stand fully committed to WADA Code including the provisions related to International Standards of Testing and 'whereabouts' clause. We have informed WADA that there is no change in the position of Government of India in so far as implementation of anti-doping rules adopted by NADA," Rahul Bhatnagar, joint secretary in the Sports Ministry and Director General of NADA said.
"India's stand now and before has been the same. There is no compromise when it comes to doping in sport," he said. Bhatnagar said the Indian Cricket Board has not responded to the ministry's communication regarding the advice it sought about the "whereabouts" clause.
"In respect to the issue raised by BCCI regarding 'whereabouts' clause we have repeatedly been asking BCCI about the advice they have sought in this matter. But we have not got any response either from BCCI nor from elsewhere as to what exactly was that opinion," he said.
Bhatnagar said the ministry will do whatever is required to get rid of doping in sports. "NADA has fully accepted WADA Code which has been approved by the Government of India. The 'whereabouts' clause of WADA has also been accepted by NADA and Government of India. As far as anti-doping in sport is concerned, Government of India and NADA will take all possible means to eradicate the menace from sports and we are ready to take the lead in this regard among other nations in the world."
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