Police fire at Muslims in Shimoga, 2 dead

Two persons were killed while nearly a dozen others were injured in communal violence in Shimoga. The police fired at Muslims who were protesting publication of Taslima Nasreen's article in a Kannada daily.

Those who died were identified as Mustafa and Ataullah. One of them died of a police bullet while another died because of injuries in the communal clash.

The protest march had been taken out in Shimoga on Monday after a local newspaper Kannada Prabha published an article of controversial author Taslima Nasreen.

The protesters were forcing shop owners to close their establishments and resorted to stone pelting. But the police fired at them, which caused the death of a person.

Another person died in the clash, sources said. The incident is likely to become a political issue as it shows failure of police in dealing with the protestors

Though there have been protests by right-wing parties like Sri Ram Sene and VHP in the state, the police have rarely resorted to firing at the demonstrations.

In the past, the police were accused of being soft towards Hindutva outfits ever since BJP came to power. However, Chief Minister Yeddyurappa has said that he will take stern action and ordered that a case be registered against the newspaper for publishing the article.

A similar demonstration against the publication of the article in Hassan town also turned violent but there was no casualty. The police have also increased vigil in the capital, Bangalore.

The Karnataka police have been accused of biased and communal action in the last couple of years. During the communal riot in Mangalore, the police had received flak for targeting Muslims and taking the side of Bajrang Dal activists.

TIH Bureau

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Red Terror: Maoists kill 20 paramilitary personnel in WB

Left-wing extremists struck at two different places in West Midnapore district of West Bengal, killing 20 jawans. The incident occured just two days after terror attack in Pune.

Initial repors suggested that the Maoists targeted the CRPF camp after setting it ablaze in Silda. Another attack on a CRPF camp was reported from Dharampur.

Maoist leader Kishanji has reportedly claimed responsibility for this daredevil attack. This is one of the biggest Maoist guerillas' attack on police or armymen in West Bengal, which is witnessing a resurgence of the Naxalites.

Nearly 100 Naxalites were involved in the attacks in a single day. Kishanji has dared the Centre to continue the recently launched Operation Greenhunt against the ultra-left wing militancy.

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Digvijay Singh raises doubts over Batla House encounter

Senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh, who reached Sanjarpur town in Azamgarh on Wednesday, expressed doubts over the Batla House encounter in which police had claimed killing terrorists.

Singh reached Sanjarpur to meet family of another alleged terrorist Shahzad, who was arrested recently. While Rashtriya Ulama Council activists protested his visit and showed him black flags, Singh visited Shahzad's home and assured impartial probe.

He also said that the photographs of the youths killed in the encounter Delhi, raised doubts about the genuinity of the encounter. "The bullet wounds were on the head, which is not possible in cross-fire", said Singh.

Singh also said that the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) did not listen to the other side. Ulema Council has alleged that the visit was an eyewash as Congress government is at the helm in Delhi and the encounter was held at its behest.

Two youths, who were allegedly members of Indian Mujahideen, a terrorist organisation, had been gunned down in the encounter at Batla House in Jamia Nagar in 2008.

Social activists, Muslim organisations and civil rights groups have been asserting that it was a fake encounter that was organised after the terrorist attack in Mumbai, to salvage the sagging image of government. The Delhi police special cell had killed the youths and inspector Mohan Chand Sharma had died in the exchange of fire.

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Hero or Hypocrite: Amitabh Bachchan's 'opportunism' dents his image!

Amitabh Bachchan's admiration for Bal Thackeray at a time when Shiv Sena is playing linguistic politics and fanning hatred over the issue of migrants to Mumbai, seems to have severely dented the star's image.

When Thackeray's party threatens Bollywood superstar Shahrukh Khan and warns talkies owners against screening the movie 'My Name is Khan', Bachchan goes ga ga over the fact that Uddhav Thackeray has seen his movie, Rann, and claims that Bal Thackeray wants a special show of the film arranged for him.

But Bachchan hasn't become a fallen hero overnight. Bachchan hails from Allahabad in UP, and despite numerous attacks on youths from North India, never uttered a word against the attacks. Shiv Sena, a right-wing party, remains opposed to North Indians, especially people from UP and Bihar.

Though Sachin Tendulkar, a Maharashtrian, said that he was an Indian first and Marathi later and even said that Mumbai was for all Indians, Amitabh Bachchan has never uttered a word.

Bachchan has also received flak for becoming a brand ambassador for Gujarat and praising Narendra Modi despite the fact that thousands were killed in Gujarat during the worst communal carnage in the year 2002 when the BJP was in power.

Interestingly, the former superstar sees no contradiction in his actions. ON one hand his family cosied up with Samajwadi Party and his wife Jaya remains in Rajya Sabha, or even praising Uttar Pradesh government for its law-and-order when Mulayam Singh was at the helm.

The controversy over migrants' arrival in Mumbai has again shown Bachchan in poor light. Whenever he needs to promote his film or get a tax waiver for movie, he finds nothing wrong in cosying up with anybody--from Mulayam to Modi.

In fact, Amitabhs's lack of conviction on any of the issues has been a big letdown for his fans. Though he has earned fame for acting in Hindi movies, he has never dared to utter a word for Hindi speakers.

One may dislike it but Bachchan has no qualms in submitting himself to anybody for sake of personal benefits. Bal Thackeray's role in Mumbai riots and his indictment in Justice BN Sri Krishna Commission report or later the ignominous disenfranchisement are commonly known but Bachchan flaunts his relationship with Thackeray.

The angry man who had inspired generations, has failed to live up to the expectations of millions of fans. Far from being a statesman, he hasn't been able to speak up like a prominent citizen.

He may quote his father, late Harivansh Rai Bachchan's poems, but the fact is that Amitabh has failed not only his fans but also himself. It's time the legendary star did some serious introspection.

TIH Bureau

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Sangh Vs Shiv Sena: Uddhav Thackeray hits out at RSS, dares it to propogate Hindi in South India

Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray on Monday said that RSS should stay away from the ongoing row over imposing Marathi in Maharashtra. "Where was Sangh during Mumbai riots?", he questioned.

Thackeray said that Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) shouldn't speak for Hindi or the North Indians living in Maharashtra, and dared the Sangh to do the same in Southern India.

"RSS should rather go to South Indian states and propogate Hindi in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Padesh and Karnataka", said Thackeray whose stong stand on the issue of Hindi-Marathi conflict has come as a surprise.

It is also the first sign of a rift among the Sangh Parivar. Though Shiv Sena has not been a direct product of RSS, it has been ideologically close to the umbrella organisation.

However, RSS leader Ram Madhav's statement that Sangh workers would protect North Indians living in Mumbai, has irked the Sena. Bal Thackeray has already targeted actors Shahrukh Khan, Amir Khan and industrialist Mukesh Ambani over the issue.

While MNS leader Raj Thackeray has been lying low over the issue, Shiv Sena has taken a lead over the ongoing conflict as it felt that the party was losing its grip over the Marathi Manoos.

TIH Bureau

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