Modi, BJP CMs praise Centre's internal security upgrade, `positive response'

As the Centre pointed to increased infiltration attempts from Pakistan and pledged to overcome threats from “dark forces” through coordinated efforts with states, Union Home Minister P Chidambaram and his Ministry came in for praise today from BJP Chief Ministers at a conference on internal security in New Delhi.

It was Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi who set the tone for the meeting when he said the Home Minister and his Ministry had been “swift and positive” in their response to requests from states. Others, including Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, spoke on similar lines.

Modi, who a day earlier had gone hammer and tongs against the Centre over the issue of price rise,

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Sena's black carpet for Rahul in Mumbai today

Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray has directed partymen to show black flags to Rahul Gandhi when he visits Mumbai on Friday in protest against his Mumbai-for-all comment.

The Sena moves have prompted Chief Minister Ashok Chavan to send out a clear warning to “those who try to take the law into their hands”. Making it clear that his government was monitoring every move, he said the police would do whatever is needed to keep the peace.

With the Sena and Congress locked in a war of words over the issue of migrants in Mumbai,

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Free fuel pricing, hike LPG by Rs 100, kerosene by 6: panel

The Kirit Parikh Committee on petroleum pricing, the third such advisory body appointed by the UPA, today suggested that petrol and diesel pricing be taken out of government control. For kerosene and cooking gas, it prescribed a minimum price hike that was economically rationale.

“Price of PDS kerosene needs to be increased by at least Rs 6 per litre so that the share of expenditure on kerosene in the total consumption expenditure of rural households remains at the same level as in 2002 (the year when its prices were last revised),” the committee stated in its report to Petroleum Minister Murli Deora.

Subsequently, the price of kerosene sold through the public distribution system could be raised every year in proportion to the growth in per capita agricultural gross domestic product at nominal price, it said.

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Theatres buckle to Sena threat, Shah Rukh Khan posters off

Multiplexes and single-screen theatres in Mumbai have taken off posters and hoardings of Shah Rukh Khan’s My name is Khan following an order by the Shiv Sena. Cinema managements declined to come on record, but their fear of violence by Sainiks was apparent Tuesday, and there appeared to be some doubt over the film’s release, scheduled for February 12.

The Sena is angry with Khan for backing the participation of Pakistani cricketers in the IPL. Sainiks gheraoed SRK’s home in suburban Bandra Sunday, and have been ripping the film’s posters at several places in Mumbai and Navi Mumbai.

“We can’t release the film and put our audience under threat unless the matter is resolved,” said

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He fired ONGC's ambition, and then achieved it

Subir Raha, arguably the most influential former chairman of any government-run company, died of cancer today. He was 62.

The word “big” became synonymous with Raha’s style big acquisitions, big investments and big jamborees.

Soon after taking over as chairman of state-run Oil and Natural Gas Corp, he pushed its overseas arm ONGC Videsh to invest what was then India’s biggest overseas investment $670 million in a producing field in strife-torn Sudan when others feared to tread there.

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Now RSS says Mumbai for all Indians, Sena disagrees

After Sachin Tendulkar and Mukesh Ambani, the RSS has now opposed the Shiv Sena’s and Raj Thackeray’s Mumbai-for-Marathis line. The criticism drew a sharp reaction from the Sena today, giving the impression of war within the Parivar.

Speaking in Guwahati yesterday, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat came out in support of north Indians facing attacks in Mumbai. “Mumbai is for all Indians,” Bhagwat said. “Whole of India is for all Indians and all Indians can earn livelihood anywhere in India.”

“Language, caste, sub-castes, groups, tribes can be different, but all are sons of India,” the RSS chief said, adding that “this is a misconception that employment has decreased at our place (Maharashtra) because of migrants...

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Missing link in probe: Headley's `African associate' in Mumbai

While the two women who were frequently spotted with David Headley during his nine visits to India a 30-year-old Moroccan and 28-year-old Mumbai hotel employee have since been identified, Indian agencies are still trying to trace an African national who has been described as a “close associate” of the Lashkar-e-Toiba operative.

The identity of the African, sources told The Indian Express, remains a key missing link in the probe which, by now, has involved questioning scores of individuals across the country and scrutiny of hundreds of telephone numbers, call details and emails.

While a mention of the mysterious African associate came after questioning a Headley contact, the link resurfaced once text messages sent by Rahul Bhatt to Headley from the phone left behind in the suitcase were scrutinized.

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