India: Last week ( 20- 26 Feb 2010)

National Summary:
The Bharatiya Janata Party has opposed reservation for Scheduled Cast Muslims and Christians recommended in the Ranganath Mishra Commission on reservation for minorities, party said this would be contrary to the religious teachings of the minorities. According to party stance, the Christian and Islamic faiths do not recognise the existence of caste in their communities. Party leaders described the move as a “conspiracy” to divide the country.
Sushma Swaraj on Tuesday formally took over as the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, replacing senior BJP leader L K Advani.
The Union Cabinet on Thursday cleared the women's reservation bill after a long wait of 14 years, according to which 33% of all seats in Parliament and state assemblies being reserved for women. All major parties in Parliament as the Congress, BJP and the Left have pledged support to it so it is now possible to make amendment in constitution to reserved women’ 33% share in legislature.
The Indian Election Commission informed the Supreme Court that wearing a burqa by a Muslim woman was a mere religious custom, and not an integral part of Islam. In its response to a special leave petition to restrain it from publishing photographs of veil clad Muslim women in the electoral rolls, the Commission said: “Article 25 of the Constitution does not confer unfettered rights to religious practice, but merely protects the essential or integral practice of any religion.”
The Shiv Sena has criticised new BJP chief Nitin Gadkari for asking Muslims to give the disputed plot of land for the Ram temple and promising to help build a mosque elsewhere. According to Sena seeking permission from Muslims is an insult to the hundreds of karsevaks who laid down their lives during the Ram Mandir agitation”.
Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram said Intellectual support to Maoists and Naxals along with lack of trained policemen cause difficulties in encountering insurgency. He said government wants 72 days ceasefire to negotiate with insurgents’ demands. Responding to Chidambaram’s proposal the Maoists offered a conditional ceasefire, asking the government to halt its offensive for 72 days and involve mediators for talks. Maoist leader Kishenji, in a statement to some regional TV channels in West Bengal, said if state and central police forces ceased operations against them, his group would reciprocate.
The pre-budget Economic Survey (2009-10), presented by finance minister Pranab Mukherjee in Parliament predicted that India would be able to attain a high nine per cent growth in 2011-12 on the way to becoming world's fastest growing economy in four years. The document, which assesses the state of the economy, warned that high food prices would rise further over next few months.
Army Chief General Deepak Kapoor denied the media reports of occupation" of Indian territory by Chinese troops. India and China will conduct their first-ever joint Air Force exercise in 2012. Air Chief Marshal P V Naik has said that initial planning for the war game has started but the venue for the exercise as well as its scope is yet undecided.
Indo-Pak foreign secretaries’ talks proved a failure as both countries did not show any leniency on their respective stands. India wanted to focus on terrorism while Pakistan was willing to bring Kashmir and water dispute on table. Pakistan wants to resume composite dialogue but India is not interested in this proposal yet.
At least nine Indians were among 17 people killed as Taliban suicide bombers carried out a series of attacks in the heart of Kabul, targeting Indian interests in Afghanistan. The Indians, who died in the incident, include two army officers, government officials, an ITBP. Five other army officers were also injured in the attack.
M.F. Husain a well known Indian artist, who has been under attack from Hindu fundamentalists for his paintings of Hindu goddesses and has been living in Dubai and London, has been given Qatar nationality.
The United Nations narcotics watchdog, International Narcotics Control Board (INCB), has blamed India for the rising drug abuse in its neighbourhood, particularly in Bangladesh and Bhutan. Worse, the UN agency says India is the primary source of injectible drugs such as pethidine and morphine widely abused in these countries.
While India's robust growth over the past few years has helped it reduce the income gap with developed countries, the country still lags far behind in terms of its ranking in human development and gender development index. The Economic Survey has emphasised that much needs to be done to reduce disparities between men and women. Gender development index is currently at 0.594 with India ranking 114 out of 155 countries.
Regional Summary:
Punjab farmers are very enthusiastic to explore the vast barren tracts of land in Africa for agriculture prospects as some African countries opening up farming activities to Indian farmers, the peasants. The Confederation of Indian Industries (CII), Punjab Chapter, has recommended the state government for action. The report says there exist huge opportunities for farmers to adopt agriculture in Africa. It says Chinese farmers have been already showing interest in rice cultivation in that continent and India should also grab the opportunities. “Though Africa is considered politically volatile, there are nations like Tanzania, Ghana and Zimbabwe that are desperately looking for enterprising farmers who can help them cultivate their land for the rising demand of food.
Unresolved Telangana issue is a cause of continues tension in the region. Osmania University is now the epicenter of clashes and demonstrations. University Students are furious over delaying tactics of centre to resolve the issue.
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray says land under irrigation in the state should be given only to Marathi people. Raj, who had been in the forefront of a campaign against North Indians last year, wants an Ordinance which will deny a non-Maharashtrian possession of any land under irrigation in the state. Citing example of neighbouring Karnataka, Raj said, "My party members would pursue the matter with the state government to pass an ordinance like the one in Karnataka."
Five deaths due to swine flu were reported from Gujarat.