Summary: 15to 21 May 2010

National Summary:
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) criticized government for delaying parliament attack convict Afzal Guru’s execution party also accuses government to being soft for home grown terrorists. Advani criticized government for not implementing Sachar Commission’s recommendations. 63% Indians feel Congress supremo has more influential than the PM. There is, however, some strong support for the PM with a vast majority giving his work at the top thumbs up. As many as 70% Indians reported "satisfied" with his performance and only 38% said there will be a change at the top before elections scheduled for 2014. The survey, commissioned by a news channel.
The All-India Ulema Mashaikh Board announced that they would vote for a government whether at the Centre or in the state that works for its welfare and listens to its demand for giving them fair representation in the functioning of Muslim organizations. The board wanted Bhagalpur (Bihar) and Sultanpur, Gonda, Kanpur and Ferozabad in UP to be declared as “minority-concentrated districts”. Board asked for immediate passage of the Women’s Reservation Bill, the board also advocated for fair representation to Muslim women.
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) on Friday submitted in the Supreme Court the final report on the results of its investigation into the role of 63 persons, including Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, in the Gulberg Society massacre case.
After fatwas by Darul Uloom Deoband that it was un-Islamic for women to work in close proximity to men in offices and for her family to accept her earnings, an Islamic seminary has said that education for Muslim girls was not only important, but also mandatory. "Education is mandatory for every Muslim, whether male or female," Maulana Khalid Rasheed Farangi Mahali of Darul Uloom Farangi Mahal said in a fatwa while quoting the Hadees and Sharia
The newly appointed Uttar Pradesh BJP President Surya Pratap Shahi visited the disputed site and vowed to construct a Ram temple there, saying it was a something related to the faith of crores of Hindus.
In a significant development, Punjab authorities have brought to the notice of the Central agencies and also officials of the ministry of home affairs that the communication between khalistanis and Naxalites is increasing in the state.
Naxal leaders refused home minister P Chidambaram fresh offer to hold talks if they "suspend" violence even for just 72 hours. The offer was dismissed by Naxal leader Ramanna who said in Bastar district in Chhattisgarh, "we cannot give up our weapons".
Naxals struck again in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada district, blowing up a bus and killing at least 36 people, including 12 Special Police Officers (SPOs). At least 14 people were injured.
A total of 880 persons have been killed during last three years in naxal insurgency, who included 356 police personnel, 118 Special Police Officers (SPOs) and home guards, 391 civilians and 15 government servants.
India sought comprehensive reform of international financial institutions to enable enhanced capital flows and infrastructure investment in developing markets, which it said will strengthen recovery from the worst global economic crisis since 1945.
China asked India not to discriminate against Chinese companies and ensure a fair and transparent investment environment to all.
India’s rupee completed its worst week since 1995 as tumbling stocks worldwide fueled concern the debt crisis in Europe will undermine the global economic recovery. The rupee’s 5.5 percent loss since April 30, the second- worst performance among Asian currencies, more than erased its gains during the first four months of 2010.
India’s benchmark stock index fell, on course for its worst month since January, as Europe’s sovereign debt crisis and rising U.S. jobless claims prompted investors to withdraw funds from riskier assets. Sterlite Industries (India) Ltd., the largest copper producer, dropped 1.6 percent as metal prices tumbled. Wipro Ltd., India’s third-largest software-services provider, declined to the lowest in two weeks.
In a bid to step up strategic ties with the Gulf, India on Tuesday decided to expand its bilateral military cooperation with Oman in fields ranging from maritime security and anti-piracy measures to joint training and combat exercises.
The death toll from a powerful cyclone that slammed into southeastern India, toppling power lines and triggering landslides, has climbed to 23, a top official said. The storm plunged a large swath of coastal Andhra Pradesh state into darkness when it hit Thursday packing winds of 60 miles (100 kilometers) per hour. The storm made landfall near Bapatla, about 250 miles (400 kilometers) southeast of Hyderabad, and waves as high as 9 feet (3 meters) lashed the coast. Even before the cyclone hit, some parts of the state had received up to 1 foot (32 centimeters) of rain. Officials said at least 23 people have died since Wednesday. At least 55 fishermen were reported missing, although authorities had ordered fishing vessels to stay in port. State welfare agencies evacuated more than 50,000 people from low-lying villages ahead of the storm.
More than three years after the blasts on the India-Pakistan Samjhauta Express as it passed through Haryana, CBI Director Ashwani Kumar indicated that the agency was looking at similarities in the blasts on the train with the ones in Ajmer and Mecca Masjid in Hyderabad. “The link between Mecca Masjid, Samjhauta and Ajmer blasts is that the bombs had the same arming devices and these were procured from Indore,” Ashwani Kumar told.
Regional Summary:
Ending three weeks of impasse in Jharkhand, the BJP on Tuesday announced a rotational plan for the state: BJP with its allies, JMM and All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU), will share power for 28 months each with the BJP having the first shot at power.
Ruling out any political understanding with Mayawati-led BSP, Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday hinted that Congress may go it alone in the 2012 assembly polls in the state.
West Bengal chief minister Mr Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee rejected Trinamool Congress' demand for advancing 2011 Assembly elections in the state, saying it was only the state government which could make a recommendation in the matter.
Jewellers in Ahmedabad reported a good business on Sunday on the occasion of Akshaya Tritiya considered auspicious to bring home wealth as gold sale crossed the Rs 20-crore mark.