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As the controversy over BJP's CD in the Uttar Pradesh polls refused to subside, Singh also dubbed as "dangerous practice" using religion to divide people for electoral benefit.
"Through the Sachar Committee Report and the Ministry of Minority Affairs, we want to address the issue which Maulana Syed Asad Madani had raised during his life time," he said after releasing a book containing Parliamentary Speeches of Madani.
Describing the late Maulana as a staunch advocate of pluralism and secularism, he said the themes Madani discussed and the measures the government has been taking now were "centred around equity, justice and fair play." "The use of religion for dividing people and getting electoral benefit is a bane of our age. It is a dangerous practice which needs to be curbed," he said. PTI
Younis not dropped for series against Lanka: Salahuddin
Karachi, Apr 23 (PTI) Pakistan's Chief Selector Salahuddin Ahmed today made clear that senior batsman Younis Khan had not been dropped for next month's one-day series against Sri Lanka in Abu Dhabi.
Reacting to media reports that Younis had been dropped for the tournament as he was not invited for a week-long training camp starting from April 28 in Lahore, Salahuddin said Younis remained an automatic choice for selection.
"I have spoken to Younis and due to his county commitments with Yorkshire he will let us know about his availability in the next few days. If he is available he can even join the team directly in Abu Dhabi as he remains an automatic selection in our book," he said.
The new selection committee yesterday announced 39 probables for the camp as part of preparations for the three one-day matches against Sri Lanka.
But it did not include Younis or leg-spinner Danish Kaneria who is playing for Essex.
Salahuddin said since Younis was already playing first class cricket for Yorkshire the condition for attending the training camp was waved for him. PTI
Sania clings to 49th in WTA rankings
New Delhi, Apr 23 (PTI) Bracing up for a comeback after a seven-week injury layoff, Indian tennis ace Sania Mirza remained static at 49th in the latest WTA rankings issued today.
Sania, who is aiming for a May 7 return to action in the German Open, has 503 ranking points in a list topped by Belgian Justine Henin Hardenne with 3859 points.
Sania, who has recuperated from last month's knee injury, started practising last week.
Meanwhile, in the ATP rankings, both Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi dropped down in the doubles list this week.
While Paes was down two spots to ninth with 3790 points, Bhupathi slipped three rungs to 25th with 1640 points. American brothers Bob and Mike Bryan continue to be the World number one in doubles. PTI
Maruti cars cheaper by up to Rs 5,000
New Delhi, Apr 23 (PTI) Country's biggest car maker Maruti Suzuki has reduced the price of its products by up to Rs 5,000 following increased tax sops offered by Haryana, where its facilities are located.
"We have passed on the benefit of the reduction in sales tax by Haryana from 3 per cent to 2 per cent effective April 1 to dealers, who in turn have passed it on to customers," a company official said.
The reduced sales tax would translate to a price cut in the range of Rs 3,000-Rs 5,000 across various models, the official added.
Haryana had in the beginning of the month reduced sales tax from 3 per cent to 2 per cent coinciding with the reduction in central sales tax from 4 per cent to 3 per cent.
The reduction in price could not have come at a better time for the leading car maker of the country, when the psychological effect of higher interest rates are making customers postpone their purchases.
Maruti Udyog Managing Director Jagdish Khattar had said that higher interest rates could have a short term impact on sales as customers tend to hold back, but in the long term they should not make a big difference. PTI
Airbus to take 51 pc share in Chinese assembly plant
Beijing, Apr 23 (PTI) European aircraft manufacturer Airbus will hold a majority 51 per cent stake in the new assembly facility for A320 plane in north China's Tianjin city, a Chinese official said today.
The remaining 49 per cent will be held by an entity called Tianjin Zhongtian Aviation Industry Investment Co, general manager of China Aviation Industry Corp Two (AVIC Two), Zhang Hongbiao said.
Investors in the new Chinese company include Hafei Aviation Industry Co and Jiangxi Hongdu Aviation Industry Co, both of which are affiliated to AVIC Two, Tianjin Bonded Zone Investment Co, and China Aviation Industry Corp One (AVIC One), the other leading Chinese aircraft maker.
The Chinese company's registered capital of 300 million yuan (USD 39 million) includes 180 million yuan from Tianjin Bonded Zone Investment, 60 million yuan from AVIC One, 30 million yuan from Hafei and a further 30 million yuan from Hongdu.
The joint-venture aircraft assembly facility will begin operating early in 2009. By 2011 it will be producing four A320 planes a month. Total investment in the project is estimated at eight to ten billion yuan (USD 1.04 to 1.3 billion), the report said.
China is one of the leading purchasers of Airbus aircraft. PTI
Arcelor Mittal finalises on Sicartsa acquisition
London, Apr 23 (PTI) The world's largest steel manufacturer, Arcelor Mittal, has received approval from the US and Mexican competition authorities to acquire Sicartsa from Grupo Villacero for an enterprise value of 1.43 billion dollars (about Rs 6,006 crore).
"The acquisition of the Mexican integrated steel producer was finalised following all required approvals of the transaction including sactions by the US and Mexican Competition Authorities," Arcelor Mittal said in a release today.
Arcelor Mittal had initially announced the transaction on December 20, 2006.
Sicartsa is a fully integrated producer of long steel, with an annual production capacity of about 2.7 million tonnes and estimated iron ore reserves of 160 million tonnes.
The acquisition includes Sicartsa's manufacturing facility at Lazaro Cardenas, two mini mills and two rolling mills, it added.
Arcelor Mittal has also entered into a 50-50 commercial joint venture with Grupo Villacero to utilise the latter's network for distribution and trading of its own products in Mexico and in the Southwest of United States. PTI
Musharraf to seek re-election from present assemblies: Aziz
Islamabad, Apr 23 (PTI) Maintaining that the general elections would be held as scheduled later this year, Pakistan Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has, however, said President Pervez Musharraf would most probably seek re-election by existing national and provincial assemblies before they are dissolved.
Next elections would be held according to schedule after November this year and the President's elections most probably would be completed within the tenure of the present assemblies, Aziz was quoted in the media here as saying.
The general elections are due after the term of the present assemblies end by November 14 this year and as per Constitution they should be held before January 15 next year.
Media reports had earlier also said that Musharraf planned to get re-elected by the present assemblies, before they are dissolved and fresh elections held.
Pakistan's opposition parties have threatened to oppose Musharraf's attempts to get re-elected by the same assemblies by resigning en mass from national and provincial assemblies.
But the government apparently was hopeful of striking a deal with former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, which if materialises would help Musharraf to sail through.
Aziz yesterday declined to say whether Musharraf would retain his uniform if he is re-elected as President.
The Constitutional provision adopted by Parliament allowed Musharraf to remain President in uniform till December 2007 and he would decide after that whether to be a civilian President or not, he said. PTI
Chinese, Indian governments urged to remove trade "obstacles"
Anil K Joseph
Beijing, Apr 23 (PTI) The governments of India and China should find ways to eliminate "obstacles" affecting bilateral trade and investment to ensure the prosperity of both economies, top businessmen and scholars from both sides have said.
It seems inevitable for China and India, the two fastest-growing economies which have much in common in economic growth mode, to compete with each other, Executive Director of Tata Sons Limited, Alan Rosling said.
However, businesses from both countries can still find opportunities for cooperation in many sectors if obstacles are removed, he said adding persistent obstacles will harm sustainable development of both countries and the integration of the world market.
China's investment of 300 million U.S. Dollars in India so far is belittled if compared with the country's huge economy, Rosling said at a seminar on the harmonious development among India, China and other Asian countries at the annual conference of the Boao Forum of Asia in China's southern isl and province of Hainan.
"The Indian government should be blamed for blocking Chinese enterprises' accession to Indian sectors such as telecommunications on the excuse of national security, and the Chinese side is also responsible for Indian exporters' frustration in selling automobiles and steel products to China," Xinhua news agency quoted Rosling as saying.PTI
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