On the eve of third anniversary of 26/11 Mumbai attacks, former home secretary G K Pillai on Friday accused the United States of entering into plea bargain with one of the key accused David Headley without taking India into confidence.
In the first part of this interview with Bula Singh, former home secretary G K Pillai had talked about why AFSPA need not be repealed immediately but the Disturbed Areas Act should be lifted in Kashmir. In the second and concluding part of the interview, he explains that no one wants to take a risk or bite the proverbial bullet in Kashmir, fearing that the situation might implode again.
India has proposed two sets of dates -- March 21-22 and March 28-29 -- to Pakistan for Home Secretary-level talks, where counter-terrorism, including progress in Mumbai terror attacks trial and the demand for voice samples of 26/11 accused are expected to be discussed.
The government on Tuesday said it follows a proper procedure in ordering interception of telephones and a high-level committee reviews each case individually before giving its final approval.
An eight-member delegation of the United Liberation Front of Asom, led by leader Arabind Rajkhowa, will call on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday. The ULFA delegation will brief Dr Singh about the on-going talks between the Centre and the militant outfit. ULFA leaders on Thursday met Home Minister P Chidambaram and Home Secretary G K Pillai in Delhi.He made it clear that the ULFA had no plans to contest the state assembly elections.
The Income Tax department and Enforcement Directorate have been asked by the government to pull up their socks and expedite disposal of cases related to terror financing in various parts of the country.
For the first time in its 31-year-long struggle, the banned United Liberation Front od Asom will hold face-to-face unconditional talks with the Centre tomorrow in an attempt to usher in peace in insurgency-hit Assam. An eight-member ULFA delegation led by its 'chairman' Arabinda Rajkhowa will meet Union Home Secretary G K Pillai.
With the Commonwealth Games fast approaching, Indian agencies have expressed concerns over an aerial attack by terrorists on the games. Home Secretary G K Pillai too had expressed a similar concern while stating that Pakistani terror groups have purchased modern paragliders from China and are capable of launching a cross border attack with such state-of-the-art equipment.
Bangladesh Home Secretary Abdus Sobhan Sikdar, who held a crucial two-day talks with his Indian counterpart Gopal K Pillai, said all border and security related issues were discussed in the meeting and both the sides are working sincerely to resolve the ongoing problems in shortest possible time.
The schedule for the Bihar assembly polls, which will be held in five phases, is likely to be announced by Saturday. Chief Election Commissioner SY Quraishi and Election Commissioner V S Sampath held detailed meetings with Home Secretary G K Pillai and chiefs of central police organisations to discuss the deployment of forces in the state during the polls.According to sources, the poll schedule is almost ready and it is being given its final touches.
Unfazed by India's attack, Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has justified his statement comparing Home Secretary G K Pillai with Jamaat-ud Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed, saying it was "balanced and objective".
Claiming 'palpable differences' between the ministries of External Affairs and Home, Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday accused Foreign Minister S M Krishna of 'publicly insulting and humiliating' Home Secretary G K Pillai, who, it maintained had made the right statements about Inter Services Intelligence and the Pakistan army.
In the midst of controversy over the remarks of Home Secretary G K Pillai on Pakistan, Interior Minister Rehman Malik thanked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Indian counterpart P Chidambaram for "creating positivity" on Thursday.
India has rejected Pakistan's claim that it was in agreement with it that Home Secretary G K Pillai's remarks regarding Inter State Intelligence role in Mumbai attacks were uncalled for.
Nokia on Thursday announced installation of a server in India to enable security agencies lawfully intercept its email and messenger services, a move which may force BlackBerry to follow suite.
The Supreme Court on Thursday asked the Centre to respond within 10 days to the petition filed by Tata Group Chairman Ratan Tata, seeking a direction to the government to probe the leakage of audio tapes containing his private conversation with corporate lobbyist Niira Radia and stop their further publication. The apex court issued notices to Home Secretary G K Pillai, the Central Bureau of Investigation, the Income Tax Department and the finance ministry.
The Centre's decision to constitute a one-member panel headed by former Union Home Secretary G K Pillai to consider the demand for a separate Bodoland state has triggered fresh unrest in the Bodoland Territorial Autonomous District Council areas of Assam.
Two days before Prime Minister Manmohan Singh plays host to his Pakistani counterpart Yusuf Raza Gilani at Mohali during the World Cup semi-final match between the two neighbours, the home secretaries of India and Pakistan are scheduled to hold talks on a range of bilateral issues at New Delhi on Monday. The talks are scheduled to start at the Ashoka hotel in the capital at 10 am.Pakistan Home Secretary Chaudhary Qamar Zaman arrived in India on Sunday.
Marking the first step in the resumption of the stalled dialogue process, home secretaries of India and Pakistan will hold talks in New Delhi on March 28 and 29 on a range of issues including terrorism and the 26/11 trial.This will be the first structured bilateral secretary-level meeting on counter-terrorism after the recent Indo-Pak decision to resume comprehensive talks.Islamabad has conveyed to New Delhi its consent to the meeting.
The government has decided to extend the visa of noted Pakistani singer Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, who was detained by revenue enforcement authorities at the Delhi airport for allegedly carrying US $ 1.24 lakh.
Union Home Secretary Gopal K Pillai said a Commission may even be sent to the United States for getting evidence, may be from Headley, his wife and from other people, for which it would talk to the US authorities.
Leaders of the banned United Liberation Front of Asom on Thursday met Home Minister P Chidambaram as they began face-to-face unconditional talks with the Centre in an attempt to usher in peace in insurgency-hit Assam.
Eight member-delegation of the United Liberation Front of Asom led by chairman Aurobinda Rajkhowa, already in the national capital, will hold talks with the Union Home Secretary G K Pillai on Thursday after a introductory meeting with the Home Minister P Chidambaram.
Union Home Secretary G K Pillai on Monday said Kerala government has asked Centre to take up investigation into the case of chopping off the hand of college lecturer T J Joseph allegedly by activists of radical outfit Popular Front of India.
Faced with August 31 deadline to address the country's security concerns, BlackBerry maker Research In Motion on Friday said it was "optimistic" of resolving with the government the issue of lawful interception of its services.
Newly-elected Bharatiya Janata Party member Ram Jethmalani surprised the Rajya Sabha on Thursday when he praised External Affairs Minister S M Krishna for showing "dignity" in the face of critical remarks of his Pakistani counterpart Shah Mahmood Qureshi about Home Secretary G K Pillai at a joint press conference last month.
The worst-ever attack on a police force by Maoists, the blast in Pune at the beginning and the Varanasi explosion at the end of the year blotted the copybook of the security forces, which otherwise kept 2010 free from terror.
Noting that Pakistan had done nothing on the 26/11 case, former National Security Adviser Brajesh Mishra on Tuesday said the government had made a "serious mistake" by holding talks and these were "bound to fail".
The government said on Friday that it was aware that elements in certain right wing Hindu outfits were allegedly involved in terror activities in the country.
The Bharatiya Janata Party on Friday regretted that Home Secretary G K Pillai was not 'defended' by External Affairs Minister S M Krishna when he was 'openly castigated' by Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi for his remarks that the Inter Services Intelligence had coordinated the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.
Union Home Secretary G K Pillai will visit Srinagar on Wednesday to review the law and order situation in violence-hit Kashmir. He is scheduled to meet Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and some top officials of the state government, official sources said.
Concerned over spurt in Naxal violence, Union Home Secretary Gopal K Pillai will arrive in Raipur on Monday on a two-day visit to Chhattisgarh during which he will take stock of the security situation, redeployment of paramilitary forces and visit some worst Maoist-hit areas.
In a major Naxal attack, 27 Central Reserve Police Force personnel were on Tuesday shot dead and seven injured in an ambush in a remote area of Chhattisgarh's Narayanpur district.
Centre will send forces to remove blockade of national highway passing through Nagaland, said Home Secretary G K Pillai on Monday.
Union Home Secretary G K Pillai on Saturday visited border areas of Suchetgarh and Abdullian in Jammu region to review situation along the International Border.
The home secretary said software companies in India were now realising this fact and they were taking their own measures to protect themselves. "And the government is also in partnership with many of the companies to make an effort to provide adequate security," he said.
Union Home Secretary G K Pillai on Wednesday discussed the situation in Nagaland with Governor Nikhil Kumar and Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio in the wake of Manipur government opposing National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Isak Muivah leader T Muivah's visit to his village.
Union Home Secretary G K Pillai has said that British officials were so impressed by the manner in which the Delhi police and other agencies handled the security at the Commonwealth Games yesterday - the opening Day - that they wanted lessons for the 2012 London Olympics.Before the opening ceremony, Home Minister P Chidambaram had done a recce of many of the stadiums, including the Talkatora swimming pool, to supervise the security arrangements.
Union Home Secretary G K Pillai told newsmen on Sunday that the special branch of the Delhi police had arrested a Pakistani national in Delhi who is allegedly a spy.
"The Centre will not invite Maoists to talk till they abjure violence," said G K.Pillai, the Home Secretary. Pillai was speaking at a seminar organised by South Asian Free Media Association (SAFMA). The other participants were Maoist sympathizer and PUCL, Hyderabad, chairman and eminent human rights lawyer, K.B.Kannabirn, and human rights activists Gautam Navlakha and Shabnam Hashmi.