Chandrayaan – 1 likely to be launched on October 22 - ISRO

India’s maiden mission to moon Chandrayaan – 1 is likely to be launched in the early hours of October 22 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota, about 100 kms north of Chennai.

“The tentative date for launch is October 22 though the window will be kept open till October 26. Weather permits, we plan to launch the lunar spacecraft around 6.30 am IST on October 22”, Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) Director S Satish told reporters in Bangalore.

The 1,380-kg spacecraft, built at ISRO’s Satellite Centre in Bangalore, has already been shipped to Sriharikota, where it is in the process of being integrated with the specially designed 320-tonne Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV – C11). The PSLV rocket will carry the spacecraft into the lunar orbit.

The integration is expected to be completed by this weekend. “All the systems and instruments will be checked and tested for operational purposes”, Satish said. “If weather permits, the formal countdown will begin 50 hours before the launch in the early hours of October 20”, he said.

“The spacecraft will orbit around the moon at an altitude of 100 km to map the topography and mineralogical resources of the lunar soil. Chandrayaan – 1 has 11 payloads including five from India and six from US, Europe and Bulgaria”, Satish added. A 30-kg moon impact probe, which also part of the payload, is expected to hit the lunar surface and unfurl the Indian tricolour.

Though the Rs 3.86 billion lunar mission had been cleared by the Federal Government five years ago, the historic launch of Chandrayaan –1 had faced several delays. The launch of Chandrayaan – 1 is being viewed as India’s entry into the big league of space-faring nations.

Ahead of the launch, ISRO Chairman G Madhavan Nair called upon the scientific community to come out with innovative studies by going to Venus, Mars and other planets and their satellites. “This would take human knowledge beyond what has been achieved so far”, he told reporters in Bangalore.

He said ISRO was also planning Chandrayaan – 2, which is awaiting the Government’s nod for a manned space flight in a few months. Similiarly, ISRO is planning even an unmanned mission to Mars in a year’s time, he said.

Bishops’ conference rubbishes claims of rampant conversions

Rejecting the charges of large-scale conversion of Hindus into Christians, the Catholic Bishops Conference of India (CBCI) has accused the Sangh Parivar of using the “bogey of conversion” to unleash an attack on the Christian community in the country.

Speaking to reporters after a two-day meeting of Catholic Bishops from across India, which concluded in Bangalore on Friday, the CBCI President Cardinal Varkey Vithayathil wondered how the number of Christians in the country would remain a mere 2.3 per cent of the total population if the churches were involved in rampant conversion.

Though speaking about one’s faith was a right guaranteed under the Article 25 of the Indian Constitution, conversion by allurement or force was against the basic principles of the Catholic Church, Vithayathil said.

The attacks on Christians and Christian institutions in several states across India were being carried out by “trained agents of radical Hindutva organizations” to build up a vote bank for the Lok Sabha elections, due to be held next year, he said.

“The Catholic Bishops Conference of India has resolved to seek a ban on the fundamentalist groups, which train terrorists under the banner of Hindutva or any other name”, Rev. Vithayathil said.

Archbishop Raphael Chinnath from Bhubaneshwar said the National Minorities Commission had clearly stated that there were no instances of forced conversion booked anywhere in India. “The Sangh Parivar was using the ploy of giving a dog a bad name before killing it”, he said.

The Federal as well as the State Governments had failed to take stringent action against the persons and organizations responsible for the attacks on churches. “As a result of reports of violence continued to pour in from states like Orissa”, he said.

The attacks on Christians in Orissa were closely linked to the rise of the Dalit communities in the state’s Khandamal district because of the educational and developmental initiative of the church.

Most of them were earlier “no more than slaves under the upper caste people” and the educational activities of the church had questioned this caste hierarchy.
Secretary General of Catholic Bishops Conference of India (CBCI) Stanislaus Fernandes said about 30,000 people, who had fled to the forests in Orissa after the attack, were not returning to their villages fearing attacks. “They are still in the forests fearing attacks and no compensation had reached them. They were not safe even in the refugee camps”, he said.

Central forces arrive in violence-hit Karnataka

Central forces have begun arriving in Karnataka after the team of senior Home Ministry officials toured the communal violence-hit parts of state and returned to the national capital.

Three companies of Rapid Action Force (RAF) have arrived in Karnataka and have been stationed at Bangalore and Mangalore.

One company of RAF comprising 150 presonnel including 12 women led by a Deputy Commandant has been stationed at Bajpe in Mangalore, where large-scale communal violence had broken out after suspected pro-Hindu activists had attacked churches in different parts of the state.

The RAF companies will be stationed in Bangalore and put under the command of the Director General of Police.

The arrival of RAF companies was preceded by an announcement to the effect by senior Home Ministry official Special Secretary (Internal Security) M L Kumawat, who toured Karnataka. “The Karnataka Government has asked for three companies of RAF, which was agreed to”, he said.

During its tour of Karnataka, the two-member Central team led by Kumawat went around Mangalore, Udupi and other affected areas of state before reaching Bangalore and holding a discussion with senior officials.

Kumawat said the team held meetings with deputy commissioners, superintendents of police of the violence-hit districts, besides the Chief Secretary and Director General of Police in Bangalore.

“The affected community is upset and unhappy. They complained against the police. More patrolling, more preventive action and peace meetings are required to keep such incidents under a check”, Kumawat said.

Meanwhile, the arrival of three companies of RAF also co-incides with the demand placed before the Federal Government by the National Commission for Minorities to immediately deploy paramilitary forces in the sensitive areas of the state.

A tam of the National Commission for Minorities led by Chairman Mohammed Shafi Qureshi visited the violence-hit areas of the state and sought stringent action against Bajrang Dal activists, who had let loose a reign of terror against Christians and targeted their places of worship.
The Federal Government should rush paramilitary forces to Karnataka to ensure the safety and security of life and property of the Christians, who are being attacked, the Commission said in its report that has been submitted to the Government.

Heroin worth Rs 150 million seized at Bangalore airport

A Vietnamese woman, who was carrying heroin worth Rs 150 million with her, was arrested minutes before was board a flight to Hanoi at the Bangalore international airport on Thursday.

The accused Nguyen Thi Trang, 24, who claimed to be student from Vietnam, had arrived at the airport from New Delhi a few hours ago. When Customs officials examined her baggage and two pairs of sandals before she was to board a flight to Hanoi via Bangkok, they recovered a large quantity of pure heroin packed in polythene bags.

“She had concealed a total of 4.28 kgs of heroin in specially made cavities in her sandals and false bottom of a suitcase”, Commissioner of Customs A K Koushal told reporters. While a search of the sandals yielded 900 grams of heroin, the rest was found hidden in the suitcase.

The Customs officials had received a tip off on the Vietnamese woman’s arrival in Bangalore airport. “After she flew in here from New Delhi, we took her into custody while she was getting ready to take the flight to Hanoi”, a Customs official said.

During interrogation, the suspect said she was a student and was in India on a short visit. She had apparently met a Nigerian national in New Delhi, who assigned her the job of transport the consignment to Hanoi. She also confessed to have received $ 1,500 and a free flight ticket for the job.

As the heroin appears to have a high-level of purity, the Customs department officials have sent its sample to laboratory for investigations.

Though the Vietnamese national was booked under Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances Act 1985 and sent to custody, the Customs officials have begun an investigation to find out the existence of an international drug route that passes through Bangalore.
For, this is the second time in the last two months that foreigners had been arrested at the Bangalore international airport while trying to sneak out of the country with heroin. “Apart from finding out whether Bangalore has emerged as a transit point, we will also inquire into the origin of the drug and the players involved”, Koushal said.

Karnataka seeks US consulate in Bangalore

The Karnataka Government has urged the United States to open a consulate in Bangalore to cater to the large number of US visa aspirants from the State, who are forced to travel to Chennai to submit their applications.

“There is a strong need to open a US consulate in Bangalore as the number of visa aspirants from Karnataka is now estimated to be more than 45,000 every year”, Karnataka’s Home Minister V S Acharya told the US Consul General Andrew T Simkin, who was in Bangalore on Tuesday.

Apart from the estimated 45,000 people from Karnataka, who travel to Chennai seeking different types of US visas every year, there are about 7,000 US nationals living in different parts of Karnataka, the Home Minister added.

Besides, Bangalore, being the hub of the Information Technology (IT) industry in the country, could well emerge at the top of the list of cities in the world seeking visa applications to the US.

Acharya promised the Government’s support to help set up the US consulate in Bangalore. “The State Government is ready to provide all necessary facilities for setting up a US consulate in Bangalore”, he said.

Karnataka’s Law Minister Suresh Kumar, who was also present on the occasion, requested Simkin to consider starting an application receiving centre till a full-fledged US consulate of opened in Bangalore.

The US, which already has its consulate in New Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai, will be opening its fourth one in Hyderabad by the end of this year.

Responding to the requests of Karnataka Government, Simkin said its consulate in Chennai, which caters to US visa aspirants from Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala, stands at the No. 3 position in the global list of consulates handling highest number of visa applications. “We received 289,000 visa applications from Chennai last year”, he said.
“The same kind of response can be expected from Bangalore with more young professionals and students flocking the US for higher education”, Simkin said. “American companies see South India as a pool of best talent. From hi-tech operations to fabulous R and D, it has got it all. So, we get the best manpower from here”, he added.

Central team in Karnataka to review security situation

A team of senior Home Ministry officials arrived in Mangalore in coastal Karnataka on Tuesday to review the security situation in the BJP-ruled State following the recent attacks on churches by suspected pro-Hindu activists.

The two-member team led by Special Secretary for Internal Security M L Kumawat and comprising Joint Secretary to the Department of Home Ministry A K Yadav held discussions with senior police officials and obtained details about the attacks on the churches.

The later went around Mangalore and other parts of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts, which had borne the brunt of the attack.

Kumawat said they would submit a report to the Federal Home Minister V Shivaraj Patil on their return to the capital in two days time after completing their tour of affected parts of the state.

The Central team’s visit to Karnataka comes close on the heels of the two advisories issued by the Home Ministry to the BJP Government in the State to initiate effective steps immediately to prevent the attacks on churches.

However, Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa has not taken the dispatch of the Central team to Karnataka by the Federal Government kindly. Just as he resented the issue of advisories, Yeddyurappa was offended with the visit of the Home Ministry officials and said there was no need for the Federal Government to send a team to study the security situation in Karnataka.

“The law and order situation in Karnataka is good. What is happening in Delhi? Terrorists are killing innocent people everyday, but the Centre is keeping quiet. On the other hand, it sends letters to Karnataka”, said Yeddyurappa while speaking to reporters in Hubli on Tuesday.

However, he said he had no objection to the Central team’s visit as long as it submits a “factual and objective” report on the security situation in the State.
He said the Karnataka Government has decided to invoke the provisions of the Anti Goonda Act against persons indulging in attacks on places of Christian worship. Apart from ordering a Corps of Detective (CoD) probe, the State Government has announced an judicial inquiry into the attacks on churches, he said.

Political cum spiritual retreat for Karnataka legislators begins

More than 65 legislators cutting across party lines descended on Suttur Srikshetra, a religious institution situated on the banks of river Kapila in Mysore district, about 170 kms from here for a rare political-cum spiritual retreat organized to inculcate in them moral values and social responsibilities.

The three day camp for the members of the Legislative Assembly as well as the Legislative Council, which began at Suttur on Tuesday, comes less than two months after a brain-storming session on management practices was held for the first-time Ministers of BJP Government at Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore (IIM-B).

Legislators from not only the ruling BJP, but also the Opposition Congress and JD (S) are participating in the camp that features lectures on subjects like “value-based politics” and “social responsibilities” by a battery of learned spiritual leaders and scholars from different backgrounds.

The camp, which essentially seeks to bring about a moral change among the legislators, will also have sessions on meditation and yoga.

A couple of Ministers of the B S Yeddyurappa-led Government in the State are also among the legislators participating in the camp. “Though more than 104 legislators had enrolled themselves for the camp, about 65 to 70 of them attended the first day’s session on Tuesday”, co-ordinator of camp Channabasappa told reporters.

Organized by the Suttur Math, a religious institution of Lingayats, a caste to which Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa belongs, the unique conclave was inaugurated by founder of Isha Foundation, Coimbatore, Sadguru Jaggi Vasudev.

“This is the first religious institution to have taken the lead in inculcating among the legislators the nuances of value-based politics”, said Channabasappa.

While Magsaysay award winners Anna Hazare and Prakash Amte will guide the legislators on the importance of nation-building, while D Veerendra Heggade of the Dharmasthala Math will deliver a lecture on Religious Institution and Rural Development.

Lectures on Legislature and Proceedings besides Legislators and Social Commitments will also be part of the three-day programme. Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa will be delivering the valedictory address on Thursday, the last day of the conclave.

Channabasappa said the proceedings of the three-day meeting will be recorded and a book will be brought out on the findings and results of the camp. “Based on the results and speeches at the camp, the Math plans to bring out a handbook for legislators which will contain the dos and don’ts for them and their duties and principles”, Channabasappa said.

Two trampled to death during stampede for Ramadan charity

Two women were trampled to death while twelve others suffered injuries during a stampede outside the residence of a rich mine owner in Bellary in Karnataka, who was distributing food grains and clothes as charity during the holy month of Ramadan.

Police identified the deceased as Shyamala, 25, and Noor Jahaan, 60, both of whom are residents of Bellary. The injured persons have been admitted to Vijaynagar Institute of Medical Sciences for treatment.

Superintendent of Bellary district Police Seemanth Kumar Singh said the stampede occurred on Sunday when hundreds of people from Bellary and nearby villages gathered in front of the residence of Iqbal Ahmed, a mine owner, who regularly doles out food grains, clothes and even cash to the poor people as part of Ramadan.

As soon as the gates of Iqbal Ahmed’s house were opened around noon, the restive crowd estimated to be more than 5,000 people began pushing and shoving each other to gain entry into the house. As people tried to rush inside, many women and older men were thrown down, leading to the stampede.

Though security had been provided for the event, the team of policemen led by a sub inspector of police proved to be inadequate to control the crowd and bring the situation under control.

“We will find out the exact reason for the tragedy. Prima facie it looks like there was a delay on the part of the organizers to open the gates early and the heavy rush of people resulted in the stampede”, Seemanth Kumar Singh said.

Iqbal Ahmed said his family used to distribute charity every year during Ramadan and never before had such an incident taken place. “This year also, we took all security measures properly. What happened is very unfortunate”, he said.
Meanwhile, Cowl Bazaar police station in Bellary has registered a case against Iqbal Ahmed’s family for “negligence”.

Federal Government may ban Bajrang Dal - Moily

The Federal Government may ban the BJP’s frontal organization Bajrang Dal for creating a fear psychosis among the minorities by attacking Christians and vandalizing their prayers halls, warned All India Congress Committee’s (AICC) media cell chairman M Veerappa Moily.

Speaking to reporters in Bangalore, Moily described the attacks on churches in Mangalore, Udupi, Chickmagalur, Udupi and Kolar districts as “pre-determined” acts of violence that had the “blessings” of the BJP Government in the State.

Though the Bajrang Dal activists had owned up to the attack, the Government had not arrested them, Moily said. The liberal approach of the BJP Government towards Bajrang Dal activists had emboldened them to attack Christians and their prayer halls with impunity, he said.

Moily, who is also a former Chief Minister of Karnataka, said the Federal Government would not hesitate to initiate stern action even against the State Government if continued to turn a blind eye to the violence unleashed by its party’s frontal organizations.

The National Minorities Commission and the National Women’s Commission have been reviewing the situation in the State. Based on the reports of these two organizations, the Federal Government will take a final decision.

“But, it is quite evident from the unending attacks on churches that law and order situation in the had collapsed. The Federal Government can take action citing the collapse of law and order”, he said.
Meanwhile, Rajya Sabha member S M Krishna paid a visit Kolar, where the St Mary’s Church was vandalized by suspected pro Hindutva activists, and urged the Federal Government to proscribe Bajrang Dal, which has unleashed a reign of terror in Karnataka ever since the BJP Government came to power.

Karnataka orders CoD probe attack on churches

The BJP Government in Karnataka has ordered a Corps of Detective (CoD) probe into the recent attacks on churches in different parts of the state, particularly in the coastal town of Mangalore.

A decision to order a probe by the elite sleuths of the CoD was taken after prolonged discussions over the attacks on churches during a Cabinet meeting held on Thursday.

Briefing reporters after the Cabinet meeting, Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa said the State Government has decided to order a probe by the CoD as it wanted an “impartial inquiry” into the communal violence gripping the state.

Claiming that he was “shocked and pained”, Yeddyurappa said the Government wishes to hold an impartial inquiry into the incidents of communal violence that have rocked the state.

The CoD would be asked to probe all the instances of attacks on churches reported since September 14 and file a report within the next two months. “The probe would expose the persons, groups and organizations behind the attacks on churches”, he said.

He said the police has been directed to provide round-the-clock patrolling in sensitive towns and cities of the State in view of the communal unrest. All the places of worship, particularly the ones belonging to minorities will be given security, Yeddyurappa said.

The BJP Government’s decision to order a CoD probe comes after Opposition parties came down heavily on the Chief Minister for not initiating action against the Bajrang Dal leaders and activists though they had accepted responsibility for the attacks of Christian places of worship in protest against conversion.

The Opposition Congress and JD (S) leaders have accused Yeddyurappa of shielding Bajrang Dal leaders, which has emboldened the Sangh Parivar activists to unleash terror against minorities.
Meanwhile, the attacks on churches in different parts of Karnataka continued even on Thursday with Hindu activists attacking a church in Kudremukh in Chickmagalur district on Thursday.

Karnataka offers land to Tata Motors for Nano project

Karnataka Government has offered 1,000 acres of land if Tata Motors relocates its small car Nano project from Singur in West Bengal to its state.

After holding a crucial meeting with Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa in Bangalore on Thursday and discussing the feasibility of setting up the Nano car plant in Karnataka, Managing Director of Tata Motors’ Ravikant claimed that Karnataka Government had offered 1,000 acres of land and all the incentives needed to relocate the small car project.

Yeddyurappa expressed confidence that Tata Motors will take decision to shift to Karnataka shortly.

“If they (Tata Motors) wish to relocate, the Government of Karnataka will give them all the support and facilities. They were very receptive to our proposal. We are confident of a positive outcome in view of our excellent relationship”, the Chief Minister said apparently referring to the two plants of Tata Motors, which are already functioning in Dharwad district of Karnataka.

As the main Nano plant and the ancillary units have to be together, the representatives from Tata Motors have made it clear to the Government that they would require a total of 1,000 acres of land as their project was integrated in nature. “If we need to relocate, we need to have 1,000 acres”, Ravikant told reporters.

Though the company was actively looking for an alternative site to relocate its plant from Singur, where the Opposition Trinamool Congress party is protesting against the acquisition of land for Tata Motors, Ravikant said a final decision in the matter is yet to be taken.

Ravikanth said the other possible sites for the small car project include Pantagar in Uttarakhand, where Tata manufactures mini trucks, and Pune in Maharashtra, where the company has already carried out test production for Nano.