MELBOURNE: Five men have been charged with viciously attacking two Indian students in this Australian city Monday night, a media report said. The attack comes a little over three weeks after the fatal stabbing of Indian student Nitin Garg in a park in Yarraville in Melbourne.
The attackers made comments to the pair before one of the Indians was pushed to the ground and kicked at about 10.20 p.m. Monday. The 18-year-old Indian victim also suffered a wound to his left ear from what appeared to be an edged weapon, police said.
The other Indian student, a 22-year-old man, was also punched to the ground and suffered minor abrasions to the forearm, Australian news agency AAP reported.
The assailants, who were described as being of Asian appearance, fled after the attack.
Police confirmed the two victims were Indian students but could not say whether the comments made were racial.
The 18-year-old was taken to St Vincent's Hospital with lacerations to the left ear while the 22-year-old victim did not require hospital treatment.
Nine people were detained over the attack on the two Indian students.
Five youths have been charged with affray, intentionally cause injury and summary assault offences. The other four have been released pending further investigations.
The string of attacks on Indian students since May last year has caused an outcry in India and strained relations between Canberra and New Delhi.
Australia's immigration department figures for the period from July to Oct 31 last year show a 46 percent drop in student visa applications from India compared with the same period in 2008. It has heightened fears for the country's $17 billion international education industry. About 115,000 Indians have studied in Australia in the last 12 months.
Indian taxi drivers have been targeted in some recent incidents.
Three Indian taxi drivers were attacked in different Australian cities Jan 16. While a 25-year-old Indian taxi driver was assaulted in Melbourne, two Indian taxi drivers, one of whom was a student, were attacked in Ballarat.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Ex-Pak air force chief's image in Indian govt advertisement
NEW DELHI: In a huge embarrassment, a full page newspaper advertisement given by the government on Sunday to mark the National Girl Child Day Indian govt ad goof-up: Former Pak Air Force chief features in the ad.carried a photograph of a former Pakistan air force chief along with that of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi. ( Watch Video ) The advertisement also showed sports icons Kapil Dev and Virender Sehwag and sarod maestro Ustad Amjad Ali Khan along with former PAF chief Tanvir Mahmood Ahmed in uniform with the heading, "Where would you be if your mother was not allowed to be born?" An unrepentant minister for women and child development Krishna Tirath defiantly refused to accept the blunder and accused the media of hair-splitting. She said the "message is more important than the image. The photograph is only symbolic. The message for the girl child is more important. She should be protected." Tirath told reporters that whether the mistake was on part of her ministry or the DAVP which releases government advertisements, will be investigated. Tirath said the DAVP looks at advertisements "minutely" before releasing. At the same time, she said no name was mentioned with the photo of the former PAF chief. "It was a photo of an officer in uniform and no name was mentioned," she said indicating that it was issued by mistake. The mix-up, probably at the ministry's end, made the IAF go livid, with senior officers saying that the use of the PAF officer's picture was a "big embarrassment". "I do not know why they have used the former PAF chief's picture. If they had wanted to use the photo of the IAF chief Air Chief Marshal P V Naik, all they needed to do was ask for one from the Air Headquarters," a senior IAF officer told PTI. "This is a big embarrassment not only for the WCD ministry, but also to the IAF. Nowhere do such goof-ups happen," the IAF officer, who did not want to be named, said. Ahmed had retired from PAF on March 18, 2009. Meanwhile, officials said that the publicity material for the National Girl Child Day was released by the WCD ministry through the DAVP after the direct approval and clearance from Minister of State Tirath, whose staff had prepared the text and images for the advertisement. Tirath said advertisements of the ministry also come to her for approval before being sent to the Directorate of Advertising & Visual Publicity (DAVP). Referring to the advertisement, she also said, "We are any way for global peace." The media department of the WCD ministry had also cleared the advertisements, sources in the ministry said. The WCD ministry had brought out several advertisements on the occasion of the International Girl Child Day on September 24.
R-Day: Six Naxals surrender before Maha home minister
GADCHIROLI (Maha): Six dreaded Naxalites, involved in killing of 16 police personnel last year, today surrendered before Maharashtra Home Minister R R Patil at the police parade ground here on the occasion of Republic Day.
Six Naxalites, including two women, who laid down their arms, were welcomed by Patil with flowers.
The Maoists were identified as Platoon Commander Tulasa alias Raju Juru Masavedea (28), Saimmaiya alias Kiran Barsagade (27), a member of Perimili Dalam, Anil Bajirao Wasame (20) from Bhambragarh Dalam, Jamuna alias Shevanti Kowase (20) of Bhamragarh Dalam, Kamla Usendi (20) and N Rajkumar Veeru Parchaki (19), a Gram Rakshak Dal (GRD) member of Tippagarh Dalam from Chattisgarh.
DIG Sunil Ramanand, and Jaykumar, Superintendent of Police (SP) Gadchiroli, were also present on the occasion.
Sixteen policemen, including an inspector, a sub-inspector and five women constables were killed in a naxal attack on May 21 last year at Tawitola in Gadchiroli district.
Six Naxalites, including two women, who laid down their arms, were welcomed by Patil with flowers.
The Maoists were identified as Platoon Commander Tulasa alias Raju Juru Masavedea (28), Saimmaiya alias Kiran Barsagade (27), a member of Perimili Dalam, Anil Bajirao Wasame (20) from Bhambragarh Dalam, Jamuna alias Shevanti Kowase (20) of Bhamragarh Dalam, Kamla Usendi (20) and N Rajkumar Veeru Parchaki (19), a Gram Rakshak Dal (GRD) member of Tippagarh Dalam from Chattisgarh.
DIG Sunil Ramanand, and Jaykumar, Superintendent of Police (SP) Gadchiroli, were also present on the occasion.
Sixteen policemen, including an inspector, a sub-inspector and five women constables were killed in a naxal attack on May 21 last year at Tawitola in Gadchiroli district.
Isro tests third biggest rocket motor
BANGALORE: Indian Space Research Organisation has successfully tested the third biggest solid rocket motor in the world after the booster rocket of Nasa's space shuttle and Arianespace's Ariane-5 launch vehicle. The Isro rocket motor is 22 metres long and 3.2 metres in diameter.
The rocket was tested on ground on Sunday at Sriharikota, Isro's biggest and most powerful rocket motor called S-200, powered by 200 tonnes of solid propellant. This is a vital step in the development of its Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark-III (GSLV Mk-III), which will put a satellite weighing 4 tonnes in orbit.
N Narayana Moorthy, project director, GSLV Mk-III, described the test as a big success. The firing of the motor began at 8 am at the test bed at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre and lasted its full duration of 130 seconds. The performance was exactly as predicted with nearly 600 parameters being monitored. During the test, the motor produced a peak thrust of 500 tonnes.
Isro scientists have said that the design, development and successful realisation of the motor was entirely an indigenous effort of the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Thiruvananthapuram, and the SDSC, Sriharikota, in collaboration with public and private sector industries. The preparation and casting was done at the newly built Solid Propellant Plant at Sriharikota. V Srinivasan is the Project Director of the S-200 motor programme.
Two S-200 motors will hug the core liquid stage of the GSLV Mk-III rocket, which will also be propelled by a powerful cryogenic engine. The GSLV Mk-III which is at an advanced stage of development will weigh 630 tonnes and will be 43.5 metres tall.
The rocket was tested on ground on Sunday at Sriharikota, Isro's biggest and most powerful rocket motor called S-200, powered by 200 tonnes of solid propellant. This is a vital step in the development of its Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark-III (GSLV Mk-III), which will put a satellite weighing 4 tonnes in orbit.
N Narayana Moorthy, project director, GSLV Mk-III, described the test as a big success. The firing of the motor began at 8 am at the test bed at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre and lasted its full duration of 130 seconds. The performance was exactly as predicted with nearly 600 parameters being monitored. During the test, the motor produced a peak thrust of 500 tonnes.
Isro scientists have said that the design, development and successful realisation of the motor was entirely an indigenous effort of the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Thiruvananthapuram, and the SDSC, Sriharikota, in collaboration with public and private sector industries. The preparation and casting was done at the newly built Solid Propellant Plant at Sriharikota. V Srinivasan is the Project Director of the S-200 motor programme.
Two S-200 motors will hug the core liquid stage of the GSLV Mk-III rocket, which will also be propelled by a powerful cryogenic engine. The GSLV Mk-III which is at an advanced stage of development will weigh 630 tonnes and will be 43.5 metres tall.
No flag-hoisting in Lal Chowk after 19 years
SRINAGAR: The national flag was not hoisted by security forces in Lal Chowk, the nerve centre of Srinagar, on the Republic Day today for the first time in 19 years.
The usual hustle and bustle was not there in the heart of the city as people preferred to remain indoors in view of strike call given by separatists as well as tight security measures taken by the authorities.
The tricolour used to be unfurled on the clock tower, popularly known here as "Ghantaghar" in Lal Chowk on the Republic Day and Independence Day since 1991.
The first time the flag was hoisted at the clock tower was in 1991 when then BJP President Murli Manohar Joshi did it amidst rocket attacks by militants.
No official reason was cited for not hoisting the national flag in Lal Chowk, which recently saw a 22-hour terrorist siege.
The authorities last evening eased security restrictions in the city to lessen inconvenience to the people. Police and paramilitary forces remained deployed in strength but checking of vehicles and frisking of pedestrians was restricted to a few places.
"We have not lowered the guard but several steps have been taken to avoid unnecessary harassment of the people. Instead of random checking at every half a km in the city, the vehicles were searched at a few places particularly at the entry points," officials said yesterday.
However, tight security arrangements were made today in view of terror threat to the R-day function.
The usual hustle and bustle was not there in the heart of the city as people preferred to remain indoors in view of strike call given by separatists as well as tight security measures taken by the authorities.
The tricolour used to be unfurled on the clock tower, popularly known here as "Ghantaghar" in Lal Chowk on the Republic Day and Independence Day since 1991.
The first time the flag was hoisted at the clock tower was in 1991 when then BJP President Murli Manohar Joshi did it amidst rocket attacks by militants.
No official reason was cited for not hoisting the national flag in Lal Chowk, which recently saw a 22-hour terrorist siege.
The authorities last evening eased security restrictions in the city to lessen inconvenience to the people. Police and paramilitary forces remained deployed in strength but checking of vehicles and frisking of pedestrians was restricted to a few places.
"We have not lowered the guard but several steps have been taken to avoid unnecessary harassment of the people. Instead of random checking at every half a km in the city, the vehicles were searched at a few places particularly at the entry points," officials said yesterday.
However, tight security arrangements were made today in view of terror threat to the R-day function.
Bar criminals from fighting polls: Sonia Gandhi
NEW DELHI: The Election Commission's diamond jubilee celebrations saw a rare convergence among political parties over checking criminalisation of politics with Congress chief Sonia Gandhi calling for a consensus on barring candidates with criminal backgrounds.
On a day which saw BJP's Sushma Swaraj also on the same page, Sonia said, "We need to do more in contending with the influence of money and muscle power...We also need to build a consensus on how to prevent individuals with a criminal record from contesting elections."
The remarks, part of a prepared speech rather than a response to questions, are significant and the Congress chief can be held to her words in case there is lack of progress on cleaning up politics where as of now a candidate convicted in a case that carries a sentence up to two years can contest polls pending appeal.
On his part, law minister Veerappa Moily assured EC that the government will look into all demands for reform and a national consultation will start from June this year. It needs to be pointed out that all his predecessors gave similar assurances without any result but a prod in the right direction from party president Sonia Gandhi may help.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh regretted that the best minds are not getting attracted to politics and referred to the lack of unanimity on how to clean the system so that people without means can contest elections too.
Sonia Gandhi and Sushma Swaraj said 60 is the age for introspection. Lauding EC for its achievements and its contribution in making India a robust democracy, Gandhi referred to the Women's Reservation Bill and regretted the lack of consensus on giving 33% reservation to women in Lok Sabha and the assemblies.
Swaraj said it is only due to EC that there has been change of power in India with ballots and not bullets. Swaraj also said the fact that even powerful politicians are scared of EC is a testimony to its credibility and fairness.
The speeches by leaders on Monday were measured and less rhetorical than usual. Uniformly praising the work of EC and calling it one of the pillars of Indian democracy, everyone from President Pratibha Patil, PM Manmohan Singh, vice-president Hamid Ansari, Sonia Gandhi and Sushma Swaraj advised EC to take stronger corrective measures to improve quality of the polity.
The inaugural function that saw political adversaries sharing the same space -- Mamata Banerjee and Prakash Karat, Jayalalithaa listening to DMK's A Raja and Sushma Swaraj on the same dais as Sonia Gandhi -- was inaugurated by the President. The President said impediments, lacunae and malpractices in elections would have to be removed to make Indian democracy cleaner, healthier and stronger.
The vice-president was most forthcoming, emphasising three big challenges for Indian democracy. "Six decades on, a fair verdict would be that the glass is neither empty nor full but well above the half way mark," he said. While the country has traversed a long distance in providing a constitutional basis for local government, real empowerment and participatory governance at the third tier is still "work in progress".
Then, despite efforts, unaccounted election expenses constitute the major expenditure of political parties and candidates. "These relate to distribution of freebies, liquor and cash during elections, the phenomenon of surrogate advertisements and the extensive media related malpractice of `paid news' and `coverage packages'," he said.
Lastly he said, "The challenge for the political parties now is to bring about substantive organisational democracy." "Each of these is a blot on the democratic process and on the objective of free and fair elections. Corrective action by the EC and our political parties is imperative," Ansari said.
On a day which saw BJP's Sushma Swaraj also on the same page, Sonia said, "We need to do more in contending with the influence of money and muscle power...We also need to build a consensus on how to prevent individuals with a criminal record from contesting elections."
The remarks, part of a prepared speech rather than a response to questions, are significant and the Congress chief can be held to her words in case there is lack of progress on cleaning up politics where as of now a candidate convicted in a case that carries a sentence up to two years can contest polls pending appeal.
On his part, law minister Veerappa Moily assured EC that the government will look into all demands for reform and a national consultation will start from June this year. It needs to be pointed out that all his predecessors gave similar assurances without any result but a prod in the right direction from party president Sonia Gandhi may help.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh regretted that the best minds are not getting attracted to politics and referred to the lack of unanimity on how to clean the system so that people without means can contest elections too.
Sonia Gandhi and Sushma Swaraj said 60 is the age for introspection. Lauding EC for its achievements and its contribution in making India a robust democracy, Gandhi referred to the Women's Reservation Bill and regretted the lack of consensus on giving 33% reservation to women in Lok Sabha and the assemblies.
Swaraj said it is only due to EC that there has been change of power in India with ballots and not bullets. Swaraj also said the fact that even powerful politicians are scared of EC is a testimony to its credibility and fairness.
The speeches by leaders on Monday were measured and less rhetorical than usual. Uniformly praising the work of EC and calling it one of the pillars of Indian democracy, everyone from President Pratibha Patil, PM Manmohan Singh, vice-president Hamid Ansari, Sonia Gandhi and Sushma Swaraj advised EC to take stronger corrective measures to improve quality of the polity.
The inaugural function that saw political adversaries sharing the same space -- Mamata Banerjee and Prakash Karat, Jayalalithaa listening to DMK's A Raja and Sushma Swaraj on the same dais as Sonia Gandhi -- was inaugurated by the President. The President said impediments, lacunae and malpractices in elections would have to be removed to make Indian democracy cleaner, healthier and stronger.
The vice-president was most forthcoming, emphasising three big challenges for Indian democracy. "Six decades on, a fair verdict would be that the glass is neither empty nor full but well above the half way mark," he said. While the country has traversed a long distance in providing a constitutional basis for local government, real empowerment and participatory governance at the third tier is still "work in progress".
Then, despite efforts, unaccounted election expenses constitute the major expenditure of political parties and candidates. "These relate to distribution of freebies, liquor and cash during elections, the phenomenon of surrogate advertisements and the extensive media related malpractice of `paid news' and `coverage packages'," he said.
Lastly he said, "The challenge for the political parties now is to bring about substantive organisational democracy." "Each of these is a blot on the democratic process and on the objective of free and fair elections. Corrective action by the EC and our political parties is imperative," Ansari said.
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