In a decision that could lead to a final view on the clemency petition of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru, Home Minister P Chidambaram has recommended to the President commutation of the death sentence of a prisoner in Tamil Nadu.
India would give a fitting reply to any future terrorist strike and there will be more security across the country in the next three months, Union Home Minister P Chidambaram said at Karaikudi in Tamil Nadu on Monday.
The government has offered a rehabilitation package for riot-hit Adivasi population living in refugee camps in Assam since the late 1990s. K Anurag reports.
Young turks from the Congress as well veterans lent their voice to a call for Rahul Gandhi to "put in place his own team" with Home Minister P Chidambaram even likening him to his father Rajiv Gandhi, who was the Prime Minister over two decades back on the last day of the plenary on Monday.
Chidambaram took a dig at Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi. Queried on the similarities Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi's remarks on involvement of "internal elements" in Mumbai attacks and comments by Pakistani leadership, he said, "You should ask Narendra Modi whether he and Pakistan are in contact with each other." According to Chidambaram Modi's comments were uncalled for.
Wife of arrested Indian Police Seervice officer Sanjeev Bhatt, who had given testimony against Narendra Modi in the post-Godhra riots case, has written a second letter to Union Home Minister P Chidambaram alleging that her husband was being treated like a "terrorist" by the police.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is scheduled to visit the blast victims under going treatment in Guwahati Medical College Hospital later in the evening on his arrival at the city. The prime minister is travelling to Shillong on Saturday to attend Indian Science Congress. "I have full faith in Assam police and am confident that they will capture them," he said.
The West Bengal government's move to provide a fax and a phone number to get information on the whereabouts of a kidnapped intelligence officer and his friend by Maoists will not help bring the ultras to the negotiating table, say social and human rights activists.
The interlocutors on Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday submitted their report to Union Home Minister P Chidambaram after their maiden visit to the state, with their leader Dileep Padgaonkar saying he is "hopeful" of a solution of the issue but did not have a "magic formula".
Union Home Minister P Chidambaram on Wednesday said that post 26/11 attacks, there have been just two terror strikes in India -- Pune and Mumbai.
Rejecting Chidambaram's statement that there was a lack of political consensus, the TRS, BJP and all other parties have called for a 48-hours strike in Telangana region from Thursday to intensify their fight for Telangana.
Swami Nijanand Tirth of Patan district has filed the complaint under IPC Sections 499 and 500 (defamation) in the court of metropolitan magistrate G C Gamit. Tirth has contended in his complaint that action should be taken against Chidambaram as he has "hurt" the sentiments of Hindu saints by using the term 'saffron terrorism'.
Contrary to expectations, Union home minister P Chidambaram on Wednesday did not make a direct offer to the separatists for a dialogue, but said the Central government was working to find a unique and acceptable solution to the Jammu and Kashmir problem.
In a move apparently aimed at mollifying states, the Union home ministry has proposed to take out the National Counter Terrorism Centre from the ambit of the Intelligence Bureau, a sticky point over which the anti-terror body has been stuck.
Lawyers have pointed out that the new laws increase police powers by extending the maximum limit of police custody from 15 days to 60 days or 90 days.
On a day when Muslims in Hyderabad observed a bandh by shutting down their businesses and shops and police was on a high alert fearing further terror attacks to avenge the blast and the firing, Chidambaram told a television channel that those arrested in connection with the blast in Ajmer Dargah, were also involved in Mecca Masjid blast.
With the Centre warning of action under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act against civil society representatives speaking in favour of Naxals, social activist and writer Mahasweta Devi on Friday dared Union Home Minister P Chidambaram to arrest her.
Noting that the Central Reserved Paramilitary Force, which was meant to be a 'reserved force', is definitely overburdened, Chidambaram said that there is no development in most of the Maoist-inflicted places like Lalgarh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, and the Centre cannot be blamed alone for this. "Even state governments are equally responsible for it," he added.
The BJP hailed teh package, saying it reflected the government's commitment towards creating jobs and stimulating the economy.
The Telugu Desam Party on Wednesday night announced that it would not attend the all-party meeting convened by Union Home Minister P Chidambaram in Delhi on Thursday to discuss the Srikrishna Committee report on Telangana statehood issue. In a letter to Chidambaram, TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu said it was for the Centre to take the decision on the issue.Telangana Rashtra Samiti and BJP have already said they will not be attending the meet on Friday.
On a visit to this remote town on the Sino-Indian border, Union Home Minister P Chidambaram on Friday said funds would not be a constraint for development of Arunachal Pradesh, observing that the state shared a special place in the hearts of people of the country.
Asserting that Harkat-ul-Jehadi Islami operational chief and Al Qeada commander Ilyas Kashmiri cannot dictate India, Union Home Minister P Chidambaram on Wednesday said India is not deterred by his threats.
Making it clear to Pakistan that arrests of one or two persons in connection with the Mumbai attacks was not enough, Home Minister P Chidambaram today said it has to dismantle the terror infrastructure to end the menace.
Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday asked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to limit the agenda of chief ministers conference, scheduled on April 16, to discuss the formation of National Counter Terror Centre only and not deal with the issue in a "perfunctory" manner.
Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh summoned Governor of Andhra Pradesh ESL Narasimhan to New Delhi on Saturday to discuss the political situation in Andhra Pradesh, including the ongoing agitation on Telangana.
In a major security breach on the anniversary of the deadly 2001 Parliament terror attack, two persons on Wednesday jumped into the Lok Sabha chamber from the visitors' gallery, shouted slogans and released yellow smoke from canisters that triggered panic and chaos in the House.
Andhra Pradesh government employees' unions in Telangana region would participate in the proposed strike in support of separate statehood agitation from August 17.
With the government planning to initiate a 'quiet dialogue, quiet diplomacy' to find a political solution to the Kashmir problem, Union minister and former chief minister Farooq Abdullah on Wednesday expressed hope that the process will give results.
The Lok Sabha on Wednesday passed three bills to replace the colonial-era criminal laws by voice vote.
Making a fresh offer, Union Home Minister P Chidambaram on Tuesday said the government was willing to open talks with the Maoists provided they 'abjure' violence that, he said, was the only hurdle to hold the dialogue.
Union Home Minister P Chidambaram on Tuesday expressed confidence that the long-awaited Women's Reservation Bill would be passed by parliament this year.
Union Home Minister P Chidambaram expressed confidence on Sunday that that the situation in Naxal-hit West Midnapore district in West Bengal would be brought under control in three to four days. Described Naxals as 'cowards', he said they were retreating into the thick forests even as security forces wrested control of areas dominated by them.
Union Home Minister P Chidambaram on Monday complimented West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Gorkha Janmukti Morcha president Bimal Gurung for making the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration agreement possible.
Mehbooba Mufti, president of Peoples Democratic Party, the main opposition in Jammu and Kashmir, on Monday said that by ruling out reduction of troops and revocation of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, the Union government was compromising the fundamentals of the country's standing as a democratic nation.
Union Home Minister P Chidambaram on Monday said that India had no doubt that the Mumbai terror attack had originated from Pakistani soil. He dismissed media reports suggesting that according to Islamabad, the 26/11 plot was hatched in Bangladesh or Europe. "There is no doubt that the Mumbai terrorist attack was planned and executed from Pakistan's soil. We have given the dossier to a hundred countries. Nobody has expressed any doubts about it", Chidambaram told reporters.
Union Home Minister P Chidambaram called Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and discussed with him the issue of a finance ministry note on allocation of 2G spectrum which appeared to raise questions on his role.
If the BJP has to work as a junior partner of Vijay's TVK, then either the party will have to change the state leader, or the latter should change himself. Incidentally, ever since Vijay started talking politics and elections, the pro-BJP/Hindutva social media had stopped dragging his name into any non-existing issue.' In particular, they have stopped referring to him by his Christian name, 'Joseph Vijay', observes N Sathiya Moorthy.
Official sources said BSF made the demand on Friday during a top security meeting in Guwahati chaired by Union Home Minister P Chidambaram where the influx from across the border was a much-emphasized issue. Chidambaram has reportedly considered the proposal.
Terming demolition of Babri Masjid as an act of religious fanaticism and extreme prejudice, Union Home Minister P Chidambaram on Tuesday said communalism in all its forms was deplorable and asserted that it was the duty of the majority community to protect the minorities.
The Budget session of the Parliament is likely to begin from February 25 with the Presidential Address to a joint sitting of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha followed by presentation of rail budget and general budget on February 26 and 28.
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