Congress supporting Quattrocchi and Afzal: BJP

Attacking Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for his statement that the case involving Bofors payoff suspect Ottavio Quattrochi was an 'embarrassment' to the government, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Sunday said it proved that withdrawal of the Interpol lookout notice for the Italian businessman was a 'political decision' of the UPA government.
It also said that the UPA government wanted to 'save' Afzal Guru, sentenced to death for the 2001 attack on Parliament House, for the sake of 'vote bank' politics.
'The United Progressive Alliance (UPA) wants to save Afzal for vote bank politics and Quattrochi for his connection with the first family of the Congress. Both these decisions have once again proved that 'Congress Ka Hath Quattrochi Aur Afzal Ke Saath' (The Congress' hand - party symbol - is with Quattrochi and Afzal),' said a statement issued by BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar.
A decision on Afzal's execution is pending as the mercy petition filed by his family has not been accepted or rejected as yet.
'The BJP deplores the absurd logic of PM Manmohan Singh that India would have been looked down upon by the world community if the Red Corner Notice against Quattrochi was not removed,' the statement added.
In an interview to a news channel, the prime minister had said: 'The Quattrochi case is an embarrassment for the government of India. We have tried to extradite him from Malaysia. We have tried to extradite him from Argentina. We have failed. The court says we do not have a strong case.'
'It's not a good reflection on the Indian legal system that we harass people while the world says we have no case. The Interpol had asked the government of India that why do you want to treat him under the Red Corner notice,' Manmohan Singh added.
Italian businessman Quattrochi is a suspect in the Bofors gun purchase payoff scandal of the late 1980s.
The BJP spokesperson said this was a 'futile attempt to defend the indefensible act' of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) withdrawing the lookout notice.
'This also proves that withdrawal of Red Corner Notice against Quattrochi is not a CBI decision but a political decision of the UPA government. Instead of proceeding with the investigations, the UPA government offered Quattrochi a parting gift,' the statement said.

Lankan forces poised for final assault on LTTE

A pre-dawn breakout bid through the high seas by beleaguered Tamil Tigers was foiled by Sri Lankan navy on Friday, who sank their three boats killing 23 sea Tigers as the army appeared poised for a final assault.
The Lankan warships which have blockaded the small coastline off Mullaittivu, still held by the Tigers noticed an attempt by three LTTE boats to take to sea and sank them after challenging them, a naval spokesman said.

This is the second time in less than four days that Sri Lankan navy has thwarted attempts by Tamil Tigers to put their boats to sea. The encounter comes as reports say that the entire LTTE leadership including its supremo V Prabhakaran are holed up in a small stretch of land.

On the land, the army tightened their siege of the last strip of land controlled by the Tigers and appeared poised to launch the final assault.

Military spokesman Brig Udaya Nanayakkara said, "the Tigers have no land escape route left. We have troops in place to move anytime."

In the battle-front, three Divisions of the Sri Lankan force estimated to number around 22-30,000 have surrounded the Tigers, whose fighting cadres are reported to be around 900-1,200.

Indications that the government forces could be ready to go for the kill also came when the government drop leaflets over the LTTE held areas carrying President Mahinda Rajapaksa's appeal to the Tamil civilians to flee across the front lines.

"Your suffering is prolonged by the LTTE who are holding you as a human shield for their own safety," Rajapaksa said adding that "I appeal to everyone of you who come over to the cleared areas."

The President promised to ensure safety to all civilians.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa rejected the calls for a cease-fire. "We fearlessly stood up to a brand of terrorism that the entire world believed was invincible," he said in a May Day address.

The Tamil Tigers also today took their war into the cyberspace by hacking into the official website of the Sri Lankan army.

The hackers believe to be Tiger computer experts replaced the contents with photographs of civilians killed in military action in the north east.

In a further embarrassment for the rebels 58 child soldiers, including a senior female LTTE leader, gave themselves up to the authorities in Kilinochchi.

India concerned over harassment of Sikhs in Pak

Taking serious note of Sikhs being driven away from their homes by the Taliban [Images] in Pakistan's northwest region, India on Friday conveyed its concerns to Islamabad [Images] over the treatment meted out to the minorities in that country.
The Ministry of External Affairs summoned a diplomat of the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi [Images] to register its unhappiness over the development. The Indian High Commission in Islamabad also conveyed similar views to the Pakistan Foreign Office there.
"On seeing reports about Sikh families in Pakistan being driven out of their homes and being subjected to Jaziya (protection tax imposed on non-Muslims under Shariah law) and other such impositions, the government of India has taken up with Pakistan the question of treatment of minorities with the government of Pakistan," External Affairs Ministry spokesman Vishnu [Images] Prakash said.
Reports from Aurakzai said Taliban had imposed Jaziya and destroyed the houses of 11 Sikh families who failed to pay the huge tax of Rs 50 million each till April 29, when the deadline expired.
Sources said that India has conveyed its concerns over the treatment meted out to Sikhs by Taliban in Pakistan's troubled Aurakzai tribal region, saying it was a 'serious matter'. The Pakistan government has the responsibility of ensuring safety and security of Sikhs, who are a minority community in that country, they said.

Avtar Singh Makkar, the president of the Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee, has written a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh [Images] and External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee [Images], seeking permission to visit the Taliban-dominated Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan, to assess the condition of the Sikh families residing in those areas. Makkar's request comes in the wake of reports about the residences of Sikh families being razed for the non-payment of jazia -- the tax imposed on minority communities.
"We have also written to the Pakistan government to seek permission to visit these areas," Makkar told rediff.com.
He added that Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had also requested Dr Singh and Mukherjee to look into the issue of harassment of Sikh families by the Taliban in Pakistan.
"Badal sahib has requested the PM to give top priority to this matter and take it up with his Pakistan counterpart to ensure that Sikhs are not harassed by the Talibans or any other religious groups," the SGPC chief said.
The Taliban have reportedly levied a hefty tax of Rs 50 million on members of the minority community who are living in areas controlled by them.

Duminy scripts Mumbai win against Kolkata

East London: JP Duminy smashed an unbeaten 52 off 37 balls to help Mumbai Indians carve an 11-run victory against a fighting Kolkata Knight Riders in their Indian Premier League match here today.
Duminy hit four towering sixes and a four to propel Mumbai to 148 for six after skipper Sachin Tendulkar won the toss and elected to bat while Kolkata, despite Brad Hodge's brilliant 73 off 60 balls, could manage only 139 for six in their reply at Buffalo Park.

Duminy also stitched a 35-run partnership with dubutant Ajinkya Rahane (10) to hand Kolkata their second defeat in five days in the tournament.

Kolkata gave a good fightback to come close to achieving the target but fell to the bowling of Zaheer Khan who returned 3 for 31 while Graham Napier and Abhishek Nayar plucked one wicket each.

In their previous match, Mumbai had defeated Kolkata by 92 runs.

Duminy took charge of the proceedings when his team was struggling after star openers Sanath Jayasuriya (6) and Sachin Tendulkar (34) were removed by Knight Riders inside eight overs.

Kolkata pace spearhead Ishant Sharma started by conceding nine runs in the opening over but Ashok Dinda gave Knight Riders a big breakthrough in the fourth over.