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''If she wants to return to Kolkata or elsewhere in West Bengal, she is welcome. But the Centre will have to ensure her security,'' he told reporters after a felicitation programme at his Salt Lake residence.
This is the first CPI(M) leader to speak in sympathetic tone for the exiled writer ever since trouble broke out in Kolkata last month over her writings with a number of leaders having adoped a rather cold attitude on her return to the city.
Recalling that he had met Nasreen earlier on several occasions, Basu said, ''I read in the newspapers that she is very disappointed about having to stay outside Kolkata. Now let us see what the Centre says.'' Stating that he had read Nasreen's book 'Dwikhondito' which sparked off violence in the city last month, the former West Bengal chief minister said, ''The state government has already banned the book. What she has written there about the Prophet Mohammad and the Koran cannot be accepted by any Muslim.'' Basu, however, was also critical of those who indulged in the violence last month after which she was whisked away to Jaipur, the Rajsthan House in Delhi and then to an undisclosed location in the national capital.
''Those who indulge in such violence think that they will be closer to God if they kill people,'' he said.
Lauding External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee for his statement in Parliament on the Taslima Nasreen issue, he said, ''the External Affairs Minister has given a good speech.'' PTI
Narendra Modi sworn in as Gujarat Chief Minister for the third time
Ahmedabad, Dec 25 (PTI) Narendra Modi, who powered BJP to a spectacular victory in the Gujarat Assembly polls, was today sworn in as Chief Minister of the state for the third consecutive term.
The 57-year-old Modi was administered the oath of office and secrecy in Gujarati by Governor Nawal Kishore Sharma at a ceremony at the jam-packed Sardar Patel Stadium here.
Modi, attired in a brown kurta and a saffron shawl, took the oath in Gujarati and in the name of God. He was the only one to take oath today. The ceremony coincides with the birthday of senior BJP leader and former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
The BJP leadership was present in full strength led by its Prime Ministerial candidate L K Advani and party chief Rajnath Singh.
Former Vice President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, senior party leaders Murli Manohar Joshi, Venkaiah Naidu and Arun Jaitley as well as Chief Ministers of BJP-ruled states Vasundhara Raje (Rajasthan), Shivraj Singh Chauhan (Madhya Pradesh), Raman Singh (Chhattisgarh) and B C Khanduri (Uttarakhand).
Among the NDA leaders present at the function were its convenor George Fernandes and Shiv Sena leader Manohar Joshi. PTI
Bangladesh formally decides not to send artifacts to Paris
Dhaka, Dec 25 (PTI) Bangladesh today sought Interpol help to trace two 1,500-year-old statues of Lord Vishnu stolen from the airport here and cancelled plans to send other rare artefacts to France for an exhibition in view of "public sentiments".
"A special meeting chaired by Chief Adviser of the interim government Fakhruddin Ahmed decided not to send a second artifact consignment to Paris in view of public sentiment," an official statement said.
Officials said National Central Bureau (NCB) of the police has sent a message to the Interpol informing them of the heist and seeking help in finding the Gupta era statues and hunting down those responsible for the theft.
The statues were found missing from the Zia International Airport on Sunday minutes ahead of their shipment to Paris by a cargo plane, defying protests by archaeologists, historians, connoisseurs and civil society leaders.
Ahmed, who returned home last night after performing Hajj in Saudi Arabia, called the meeting as security officials said investigations were underway to find the two terracotta idols.
"We have not lost hope, but yet there is no development which I can tell you. Let's see what happens," Inspector General of Police Nur Mohammad told PTI.
Director general of elite anti-crime Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) Hassan Mahmud Khondkar echoed the police chief only saying "investigations are underway and we are assisting police". That's all I can tell you right this moment.
Today's high-level meeting also constituted another high powered committee headed by Cabinet Secretary Ali Imam Majumdar, the top bureaucrat, to "make a comprehensive report on the issue". PTI
Maoists to rejoin Nepal govt soon: Prachanda
Kathmandu, Dec 25 (PTI) The Maoists in Nepal are set to join the government soon, CPN-Maoist chairman Prachanda has said, arguing that only formalities now remain before the monarchy is abolished in the Himalayan state.
The Maoists had walked out of the government on September 18 demanding the immediate abolition of the monarchy that led to the postponement of the key Assembly polls.
Claiming that only formalities and technicalities now remain for the abolition of Nepal's monarchy, Prachanda indicated that Maoist leaders-- Krishna Bahadur Mahara, Dev Gurung, Hisila Yami, and Khadga Bahadur Biswokarma-- who quit the government a few months back could rejoin since they have experience in running the ministries.
Prachanda said the Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist (CPN-Maoist) will rejoin the government within the next few days as part of the deal the Maoists signed with the six mainstream parties to end the political deadlock that had stalled the land mark peace process in the country.
Stressing that the CPN-Maoist has gained through the Sundays landmark deal, Prachanda said the Assembly polls should not be deferred once a fresh date is fixed.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala yesterday accepted the resignation tendered by four Maoist ministers. Nepal yesterday also set in motion the process to abolish the world's last Hindu monarchy with its Parliament commencing a debate on a Constitution Amendment bill.
The Bill provides for declaring the country a Republic by amending the interim Constitution in line with the 23-point deal signed by the Seven Party Alliance (SPA) including the Maoists which signalled the end of the three-month peace deadlock.
The pact also provides a 58-42 ratio allocation for proportional and direct election systems for the 601-seat Constituent Assembly. PTI
Oppn should back up claims of poll rigging with evidence: Pak
Rezaul H Laskar
Islamabad, Dec 25 (PTI) Pakistan's caretaker government today dismissed allegations by opposition leaders about the rigging of the January 8 general election, saying they should provide evidence to back up their claims.
Information Minister Nisar Memon said the interim government believes that the political parties and candidates should work together to create an atmosphere conducive to the holding of free, fair and transparent polls.
Dismissing apprehensions of "pre-poll rigging" expressed by some political leaders, Memon said in a statement that the "unfortunate culture of questioning the electoral process has become a custom in our country".
Former Premiers Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif have alleged that the government would indulge in "massive rigging" to benefit the PML-Q party which backs President Pervez Musharraf.
Bhutto has also demanded the suspension of local governments and mayors and the reconstitution of the Election Commission and the caretaker government.
But Memon said: "It will be appreciated if evidence is provided to the government about the authority or the officials allegedly involved in subverting the caretaker government's commitment to hold free, fair and transparent elections. Mere levelling of accusations would serve no purpose." The government, he said, would welcome suggestions from political parties and proof of "anything that is contrary to the code of conduct issued by the Election Commission". (more)
7 killed, many missing in Nepal bridge collapse: report
Kathmandu, Dec 25 (PTI) At least seven persons were killed and many reportedly swept away after an overloaded suspension bridge over the Bheri River in Nepal's Surkhet district collapsed today.
Nearly 300 people were crossing the suspension bridge connecting Daha-chaur and Medhapura VDCs in Surkhet district today when it collapsed in the afternoon, the district police office quoted eye-witnesses as saying.
The Bheri Zonal police informed that seven people were killed in the incident. However, only five bodies have been recovered so far, the police said.
The people were on their way to a major religious fair at Subha-ghat area, about 380 kilometres west of the capital Kathmandu, police officials told the Kantipur Online. Around two hundred people reportedly managed to swim to safety so far.
Nepal's Home Ministry has confirmed that five people have been killed and stated that rescue teams were on their way. It said a rescue helicopter has arrived at the site.
Soldiers from Chhinchu and Surkhet barracks of the Nepal Army rushed to the site, head of the mid-western division of the army, Ananta Bahadur Thebe, told the local media. PTI
Share of SSIs in manufacturing to go down: Assocham
New Delhi, Dec 25 (PTI) The share of small scale units in the country's manufacturing sector may decline as newer technologies, trade barries and strict quality norms erode their competitiveness, industry body Assocham said today.
According to a study by Assocham, the contribution to manufacturing and job creation by small scale industries (SSI) is likely to slip by five per cent and three per cent respectively as it has already plunged into deceleration because of its inability to absorb latest technologies.
The report, "Prospects of SSIs in 2008 vis-a-vis other Booming Sector", said that large and medium industries are sourcing their inputs through cheaper imports that have endangered SSIs' existence and the trend is unlikely to be arrested in the coming year.
"SSIs will encounter a gloom period, beginning 2008 as its contribution to manufacturing will come down to 35 per cent as compared to 40 per cent of now and over 45 per cent preceding year until 2006-07," chamber president Venugopal N Dhoot said in a press release.
The number of SSI units in 2006-07 were estimated at 44 lakh with employment capacities for nearly 2.38 crore workers with Rs 14 lakh crore of output to manufacturing, it said.
"As a result of deceleration, the number of units in SSIs have come down to around 40 lakh by now and employment generation has shrunk to 2.25 crore workers. Their output to manufacturing has come down to Rs 12 lakh crore," Dhoot said.
The report pointed out that due to lack of visible policy decisions, the export by SSIs would also decline by 7-8 per cent as the inputs being produced by the entire sector are costing to their supplier higher by over 6-7 per cent. PTI
Narasimhan takes over as new chairman of Lanka IOC
Colombo, Dec 25 (PTI) S V Narasimhan has taken over as Chairman of Lanka IOC from Sarthak Behuria who relinquished office recently.
A chartered accountant and a management expert by profession, Narasimhan has rich experience of working in the oil sector for over three decades, says a company statement.
Narasimhan joined Indian Oil Corporation Ltd, India in 1975.
Before joining as Director (Finance) in Indian Oil Corporation Ltd on July 1, 2005, he had been holding the position of Managing Director in Chennai Petroleum Corporation Ltd (a group company of Indian Oil) since November 2002.
Narasimhan has assisted the Oil Cost Review Committee set up by the Government of India in 1983 whose report was the basis for pricing of petroleum products till the time the deregulation started in phases effective from April 1, 1998.
He was also a member of the Sub-Committee of Working Group set up by the Union Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Government of India, for the comprehensive long term perspective plan for the Hydrocarbon Sector.
This became the basis for "R" Group Report and subsequent deregulation road map drawn up by the Government of India.
Lanka IOC PLC, a subsidiary of India's "Fortune 500 company", began retailing operations in the Island country in 2003. PTI
Private bank boards in Bangladesh to see major shake-up
Dhaka, Dec 25 (PTI) The private sector banks in Bangladesh are set to see a major reshuffle on their boards with about 130 directors losing their jobs by October 2008 under an amended banking law, officials said.
More than half of the country's private banks would either have to induct new directors or thoroughly rearrange their boards after October next year to comply with the amended Bank Company Act, The New Age newspaper said quoting officials of the central Bangladesh Bank.
The act, promulgated in October 2007, stipulates that no person will be allowed to serve as a bank director for six consecutive years and if any director exceeds six years in job, he or she will be dropped from the bank board within one year from the promulgation of the ordinance.
Out of 31 private banks, 18 will see a major shake-up of their boards as the interim government in emergency-ruled Bangladesh installed on January 12 with crucial military support spearheads a massive institutional reform campaign alongside an anti-graft drive.
The report said Al-Arafah Islami Bank will top the list with 21 directors being removed while it would be followed by United Commercial Bank Limited (UCBL) which is to remove 19 directors. Al-Arafah, UCBL, Pubali, Premier, City and SIBL banks would have to reconstitute their boards entirely after October 2008.
"Banks are not like other companies as they deal with depositors' money. The boards must enjoy full confidence of depositors in particular and people in general," a central bank official said, hoping that the amended law will ensure good corporate governance in the banking sector. PTI
UAE sees surge in FDI by over 10 per cent
Dubai, Dec 25 (PTI) Foreign direct investment in the United Arab Emirates has increased by more than 10 per cent in 2006, a survey has found.
UAE Minister of Economy Sheikha Lubna bint Khalid Al Qasimi, yesterday announced results of a survey that showed FDI had reached Dhs68.63 billion (Rs 680 billion) in 2006, up 10.8 per cent from the previous year's Dh 61.91 billion (Rs 619 billion).
The survey was conducted by the Ministry of Economy (MoE), in coordination with the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).
Al Qasimi said the survey included companies with at least one non-resident, regardless of nationality, having invested 10 per cent or more of the company's capital.
The main economic sectors instrumental in the substantial FDI growth were the financial intermediation and insurance (34.4 per cent), construction (29 per cent), domestic trade (14 per cent), and manufacturing (10.1 per cent).
Dubai posted the largest share at 62 per cent, followed by Abu Dhabi at 24 per cent, while Sharjah contributed 10 per cent. The rest of the Emirates contributed 4 per cent to the total FDI, the minister said in a statement.
"Our stable investment environment, which enjoys both regional and global prominence, must be enhanced not only systematically but scientifically as well so it can reach its full potential," Al Qasimi said. PTI
Sehwag out, Dravid all set to open against Australia
Melbourne, Dec 25 (PTI) In a clear indication that Rahul Dravid will be given the opening slot, the Indian team management has decided to leave out Virender Sehwag and Dinesh Kaarthick from the 12 shortlisted for the first cricket Test against Australia starting here tomorrow.
Sehwag, whose very selection for the tour raised eyebrows as he was not even in the list of probables for the series, has probably been left out to accomodate an in-form Yuvraj Singh.
His ouster paves the way for Dravid to open the innings with Wasim Jaffer, after a gap of two years and the right-hander has already stated that he is willing to do the job for the team's sake.
"If I am asked to open in the Test matches, I will be happy to do so. I am comfortable doing any role that is given to me by the team management. I try and do the best I can, irrespective of where I bat," he had said when the speculation about him opening the batting first started.
In the bowling department, it will be a toss up between off-spinner Harbhajan Singh and pacer Ishant Sharma. But after skipper Anil Kumble gave hints of going in with a two-pronged spin attack, Harbhajan's chances of making the playing XI look stronger.
"Yes, there is a case for playing two spinners, but it all depends on how the pitch looks the morning of the match. We will take a final call on the matter tomorrow morning," Kumble told a pre-match conference here today.
Rookie pacer Pankaj Singh has also been left out of the probable 12.
The team: Anil Kumble (capt), Wasim Jaffer, Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman, Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Yuvraj Singh, MS Dhoni (wk), Zaheer Khan, RP Singh, Ishant Sharma, Harbhajan Singh. PTI
Team management keen to have Munaf Patel
Ashish Shukla
Melbourne, Dec 25 (PTI) Team India has dialled the number M which answers by the name of Munaf Patel.
In a team meeting last night, Team India showed sufficient concern on its fast bowling resources, in particular those of its right-hand fast bowlers, to all but forward the request to the Indian Board.
In a team meeting, it is learnt that bowling coach Venkatesh Prasad expressed his concern at the inability of India's right-arm fast bowlers to hit the right length on Australian wickets.
The right-arm fast bowlers in the touring Indian squad are youngsters Pankaj Singh and Ishant Sharma, rank rookies even though the latter grabbed five wickets in only his second Test, the final one against Pakistan in Bangalore early this month.
Three other medium-pacers in the squad are all left-arm bowlers -- Zaheer Khan, Rudra Pratap Singh and Irfan Pathan.
While Ishant has been shorlisted in the 12 for the opening match, Pankaj Singh and Pathan have been left out. Opener Virender Sehwag and wicket-keeper batsman Dinesh Kaarthick are the others who do not figure in the 12 shortlisted for the game.
The right length on Australian wickets is the one bowled closer to the batsmen even though visiting bowlers make the mistake of pitching it short which is meat and drink to the Australian batsmen. PTI
Mallya promises to consider Karun as test driver in 2009
Amlan Chakraborty
New Delhi, Dec 25 (PTI) Karun Chandhok's fledgling Formula One career received a shot in the arm with Force India part-owner Vijay Mallya promising to consider the youngster for a test driver's role, if not the race driver's seat, in 2009.
Mallya made it clear that Karun remains on the F1 radar and if he does well in the GP2 series this year, the youngster might end up landing the race diver's job straightway in 2009.
"I know his family for a long, long time and he is like my son. He himself felt he needs to spend one more year in the GP2, where he is doing quite well, before he is ready for F1" Mallya told PTI from Malaysia.
Mallya's words are sure to come as music to Karun's ear and the youngster seems on the right track to achieve his F1 dream.
After his maiden GP2 series victory with Durango Corse in Belgium, Karun has been rewarded with a test driver's role with the Red Bull F1 team. The youngster has also left the mid-field Durango to join top-flight iSports International, which won the championship previous season.
It was a significant step in the right direction, considering iSport driver Timo Glock won the championship and was confirmed by Toyota for the next season.
In the past, drivers who made the GP2 to F1 transition include 2005 champion Nico Roseberg, who joined Williams, and 2006 winner Lewis Hamilton who was roped in by McLaren.
Similarly, doing well on GP2 would open the F1 door for the 23-year-old Chennai driver, believes Mallya. PTI
Play Tait in place of Hogg: Kasprowicz
Melbourne, Dec 25 (PTI) Considering that the Indian batsmen don't really relish fast bowling, Australia should pick Shaun Tait ahead of Brad Hogg and unleash a four-pronged pace attack to knock down the visitors, advocates Michael Kasprowicz.
"I'd go with four quicks. When you are looking for the bowlers who are going to get you 20 wickets ... On a drop-in wicket it doesn't really offer a lot of turn," he said.
"Nothing against Brad Hogg or anything, he's a fantastic bowler. I just think the Indian batsmen are seasoned campaigners against spin bowling and what they don't particularly like is fast bowling," Kasprowicz was quoted as saying by the Australian Associated Press(AAP), a news agency.
"Shaun Tait bowling yorkers at 160 kilometres an hour, if you ask most batsmen around, they don't particularly enjoy it.
"Certainly if it's swinging in at your toes, it's not all that comfortable to play," he reasoned.
Hogg, however, enjoys the backing of skipper Ricky Ponting and vice captain Adam Gilchrist, both of whom believe having a spinner would add variety to the attack.
But Kasprowicz believes part-time spinners like Michael Clarke would be more than enough.
"The mix of Brett Lee and Stuart Clark with left-armer Mitchell Johnson's variation and Shaun Tait as well, you have an arsenal there to go hard at them," he said.
"You've always got (part-time spinners) Andrew Symonds and Michael Clarke if you did want to change things around." And having four pacers would not make the attack one-dimensional, he asserted.
"...Each of those quick bowlers are different in their own way and I think there is enough variation there." PTI
Captaincy would not affect my role as a bowler: Kumble
Ashish Shukla
Melbourne, Dec 25 (PTI) Anil Kumble today stressed that the additional responsibility of captaining India would not have any adverse effect on his primary role of being the spin spearhead as his side takes on Australia in the Boxing Day Test here tomorrow.
"I don't forget for a moment that I am a bowler first and then a captain. The team does well when I play my part as a bowler," remarked a typically sedate, in-control Kumble.
Kumble also dismissed the query out of hand that in the three Tests he has been captain, he has tended to underbowl himself.
"I was told by my physio the other day that on an average on all days of the Tests against Pakistan, I bowled 10 overs a day (or 50 in a Test). He said he wouldn't mind if I didn't do anything in between. So that settles the question," he said.
Kumble would need to keep his right arm turning over against an Australian batting machine which comes out firing against all opponents in all conditions.
"We have plans to put a brake on their rate of scoring. Our bowlers need to bowl in the right areas and keep them in check. I am positive and can't see any reason why we wouldn't do well," he said. PTI
Guj election was fought almost like a General election
Snehesh Alex Philip
Ahmedabad, Dec 23 (PTI) The Gujarat Assembly election 2007 was fought almost like a General Election with mostly all national leaders camping in the state to address rallies, mobilise party cadres and even to organise road shows.
"This election was the most keenly fought election among all the Assembly elections in the last decade and half. Not only our country but even many other countries have been keenly following the trends in this election," a senior BJP leader told PTI.
The Gujarat election is been looked at by many as a referendum for the national politics with the speculation of General Election taking place much before the stipulated time doing rounds.
The BJP, to ensure a win had even dropped a large number of the sitting MLAs while the Congress took a considerable amount of time to come out with its list of candidates, he said.
The importance of the election can be gauged from the fact that Congress Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul Gandhi spent considerable time in the state addressing rallies to organsing road shows. BJP's PM candidate L K Advani too chipped in.
While the main campaigner for BJP was Narendra Modi himself, even former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee who had stayed away from active campaigning citing health reasons at the last moment also appealed to the public to vote for BJP through an ad released by the party. PTI
Big budgeted multi-star flicks dominate Bollywood in 2007
Shambhu Sahu
New Delhi, Dec 22 (PTI) The year 2007 can easily be compared to an over-budgeted multi-starrer masala flick with additional glam and spice.
However, it should perhaps be best remembered for the grand promotions with lots of hype, shocking box-office disasters, emergence of sports as a new success-mantra and an encouraging increase in children's films, besides the usual blockbusters, star break-ups and link-ups, and controversies.
We can safely start with the most noted Battle Royale between Shah Rukh Khan's 'Om Shanti Om' and Sanjay Leela Bhansali's 'Saawariya.' While the films battled each other at the ticket window, the superstar actor and critically acclaimed director of his times fought it out off-screen.
With the promotion costs of both films breaking all the records, this sure has been the most aggressive marketing battle ever in the Bollwyood. Irrespective of who won and who lost, the fight has sure given us all a hint at how cruel the fights would be off and on screen.
Meanwhile, it is 'OSO' that's apparently having the last laugh at the Box Office. But till the film breaks all the revenue records in the coming weeks, it is yet another SRK starrer Shimit Amin-directed 'Chak De! India' that tops the list of the year's blockbusters.
It is followed by Mani Ratnam's 'Guru, David Dhawan's 'Partner,' Sajid Nadiayadwala's 'Heyy Babyy,' Priyadarshan's 'Bhool Bhulaiya.' Among other successful films include 'Dhamaal,' 'Life in a Metro,' 'Shootout at Lokhandwala,' 'Namastey London,' 'Aap Ka Surroor' The movies and others.
Here Sagar Bellary's 'Bheja Fry' needs a special mention. Just like last year's 'Khosla Ka Khosla' this film was the underdog of the year. Made at a budget of about 50 lakhs the film went and made over six crores! PTI
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