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India rejected on Wednesday a suggestion by Britain that security in South Asia was linked to the Kashmir dispute, and urged nations to act against states which sponsor terrorism.

“When the foreign secretary of the UK visited us he shared his perceptions about the situations, and I equally told him and all the interlocutors that this is your perception,” Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee told reporters.

“We do not share with it,” he said.

British Foreign Secretary David Miliband said last week he did not believe Pakistan’s government directed the November attacks in Mumbai that killed 179 people, and showed no support for India’s demand for extradition of the accused.

He also said stability in South Asia was linked to resolution of the dispute over Kashmir, which both India and Pakistan claim in full but rule only in part.

Miliband’s comments were seen as embarrassing the Indian government and highlighting a chasm between New Delhi and some of its key Western allies, which think there may not be enough evidence to implicate the Pakistani state.

India says Pakistan militants that carried out that attack must have had the support of some state agencies.

But what has alarmed India the most was Miliband’s comment on Kashmir, cause of two wars with Pakistan.

India, analysts say, is worried Miliband’s comments signalled a broader Western strategy that sees resolution of the dispute as crucial to bringing stability to Pakistan and Afghanistan.

India sees Kashmir as a bilateral issue and dismisses any outside influence.

Reiterating India’s frustration at Pakistan’s failure to act against the militant group India blames for the Mumbai raids, Mukherjee urged the international community to act fast.

“It is high time for international community to recognise that such recalcitrant states must be brought to discipline by resorting to various international mechanisms,” he told a regional security conference in New Delhi on Wednesday.

India has provided Pakistan data from satellite phones used by the attackers and what it describes as the confession of a surviving gunman, part of a dossier of what it calls evidence.

Islamabad, which denies any state involvement in the attacks, has said it would look at the “information” India had provided.

Besides demanding extradition of the accused, India also wants Pakistan to destroy what it says are militant camps.

“Slumdog Millionaire” is not perfect, director Danny Boyle said on Wednesday, adding no filmmaker could capture the essence of a bustling city like Mumbai in a single project. The cast and crew of the Oscar hopeful are in India in the run-up to the Indian premiere of the critically acclaimed film, a rags-to-riches story of a boy from a Mumbai slum competing on a TV gameshow. “I have to admit, absolutely admit, that it’s not perfect. I don’t think any filmmaker can ever capture that city,” the British director said at a press conference in New Delhi. “It’s an extraordinary city with all its extremes. You hope to capture bits of it if you can. That’s what we tried to do.” “Slumdog Millionaire” came under fire from parts of the Indian media, who accused Boyle of romanticising slums and peddling begging rackets, prostitution and crime as “Indian exotica”. The film has sparked a debate on whether such “poverty porn” reinforces Western stereotypes about the country, though Boyle said he was trying to capture Mumbai’s “lust for life”. “Slumdog Millionaire” swept the Golden Globe awards this month, landing four honours including best drama, and earned 11 nominations at Britain’s BAFTA awards. Boyle, known for his unconventional story-telling in films like “Trainspotting”, said it was his “bedrock” of realism that helped him make “Slumdog”. “We’ve lost the ability to tell extremes within conventional realistic stories with believable everyday characters,” the 52-year-old filmmaker said, adding that is what he had tried to achieve in “Slumdog”. Boyle said he would love to return to Mumbai some day to direct a “really dark thriller”. “It’s got that landscape really and it’s not obviously architecture so much — it’s more its people.” “Slumdog Millionaire” opens in Indian cinemas on Friday, a day after this year’s Oscar nominations are revealed. But Boyle said he wasn’t thinking of the Academy Awards just yet. “We keep our fingers crossed. But even if we drop off the edge of a cliff tomorrow, that’s fine,” he said.

 “We have done way beyond we could have ever imagined.”

Asserting that all the “culprits” behind the Mumbai attacks “must be apprehended”, Pakistan on Sunday said Indian investigators will “be more than welcomed” to help in its probe into the terror strikes. 

Interior Ministry chief Rehman Malik also said anyone found to be involved in the “heinous” attacks would be prosecuted under the country’s anti-terror laws. 

Malik’s comments came a day after he acknowledged that the evidence about Mumbai terror attacks given to Pakistan by India contained “leads and good clues”. 
“All the culprits (involved in the Mumbai attacks) must be apprehended. Who will support such acts?” he told reporters in Lahore today after a meeting to brief opposition PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif and his brother, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, about Pakistan’s probe. 

Earlier, during an interview with Geo News channel, Malik said Pakistan’s investigations into the Mumbai attacks are being conducted under the country’s laws and the government will not accept any foreign pressure in this regard. 
He said no assistance would be sought from foreign countries though Indian investigators will “be more than welcomed” to help in the probe. 
“Pakistan is very open and the inquiry officers have been bestowed with full powers to fulfil their task,” Malik said. 

India should reciprocate Pakistan’s gestures in the same spirit and allow Pakistani investigators to travel to the neighbouring country, he indicated. The Pakistani inquiry “cannot proceed without the provision of legally tangible evidence”, he remarked. 

If anyone is found to be involved in the “heinous” attacks, the person would be prosecuted under Pakistan’s Anti-Terrorism Act, the interior ministry chief said. 

Malik also told the channel that if India persisted with its demand for the extradition of Pakistani nationals allegedly linked to the Mumbai attacks, Pakistan would seek the handing over of persons involved in the 2007 bombing of the Samjhauta Express train. 

After reports appeared in Indian media suggesting a possible link of the Malegaon blast accused with the train attack, political leaders here have been saying that the government should seek the extradition of Indian nationals, including Col S K Purohit, for the bombing of the cross-border train that killed nearly 70 people, including Pakistanis. 

“If the Indian demand for handing over the accused in the Mumbai attacks persisted, then the accused of the Samjhauta Express case might be asked for” by Pakistan, Malik said. 

Replying to a question about Indian fears of Talibanisation of the region, he urged Indian authorities to share their findings in this regard with Pakistan and cooperate with it in its bid to exterminate terrorism and extremism from South Asia. 
He also said Pakistan is part of the world community and a member of various international forums and is thus bound to fulfil its international obligations. 

Malik told the media in Lahore that action had also been taken against outlawed groups like the Jamaat-ud-Dawah by the provincial government of Punjab. 
“Don’t forget, (the Jamaat’s headquarters at) Muridke is in Punjab (and) major action has been taken by the government of Punjab,” he said. 

Malik said he would meet leaders of other political parties soon to brief them on Pakistan’s probe into the Mumbai attacks. 

The government will issue an ordinance to create 12 new central universities, it was announced here Friday. 

‘This is being done because the bill to create the universities could not be passed in parliament -,’ Home Minister P. Chidambaram said here Friday.

He was briefing reporters after a cabinet meeting presided over by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

The new universities will be established in Bihar, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Orissa, Punjab, Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu, Chidambaram said.

In addition, the Dr. Harisingh Gour Vishwavidyalaya at Sagar in Madhya Pradesh, the Guru Ghasidas Vishwavidyalaya at Bilaspur in Chhattisgarh and the Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University at Srinagar in Uttarakhand would be converted into central universities, the minister said.

These institutions currently function as state universities.

‘The proposed ordinance would contain all the provisions of the Central Universities Bill, 2008 pending in the Lok Sabha, with such changes as may be necessary to implement the accepted recommendations of the parliamentary standing committee, which include, among others, dropping of the conversion of Goa University into a central university,’ Chidambaram said. 

The conversion of Goa University was included in the bill on a specific request of the state government. 

‘However, the state government subsequently said the issue had been discussed by the various segments of the society in the state and their elected representatives, including members of parliament, and they had come to the conclusion that conversion of Goa University would not be in the interest of the state,’ the minister pointed out.

Men’s tennis has moved swiftly from one dominant player to two, then the Big Three and now the Big Four, making this year’s Australian Open the least predictable in recent history.

World number one Rafael Nadal is seeded top, Novak Djokovic is defending champion but Britain’s Andy Murray is some bookies’ favourite, rankling three-time winner Roger Federer.

“Murray’s the favourite? Good for him, but it doesn’t help him a lot,” said the Swiss.

Federer heads into the season’s opening Grand Slam without the top seeding for the first time since 2004 but encouraged by his US Open win in September.

The Swiss also lifted the Kooyong Classic trophy on Saturday as he goes in search of Grand Slam title number 14, which would equal the record set by Pete Sampras.

“I’m playing well, I’m feeling well,” he said. “It’s going to be interesting. I think it’s an interesting year ahead of us. That’s why I’m excited.”

However, Federer has already lost twice this year to Murray, whose red-hot form is raising genuine hopes that he may be about to end Britain’s 73-year wait for a Grand Slam title.

Murray has also smashed past Nadal and defended his Qatar Open title in a rip-roaring start to the year after dominating the latter part of last season.

“I’m going into each match confident, not as many nerves,” Murray said.

“In the past I’ve been a little bit erratic with my performances. I feel like now I’ve sort of become more consistent. That’s made a big difference.”

Murray’s physical fragility may be a worry in the 128-man draw, often played in brutal heat, after a back problem flared during the Doha semis. He was also a first-round loser last year to eventual runner-up Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

“I feel good going into the Australian Open but after what happened last year I don’t want to get too carried away,” he said.

Meanwhile, Nadal has made a slow start to the only season he has begun as world number one, going down to the in-form Gael Monfils in Doha after his loss to Murray at an exhibition event.

The Spaniard, who took an extended break at the end of last year with chronic knee tendinitis, admits he is lacking match practice as he looks to improve on last year’s semi-final appearance.

“You never know, no? Hopefully yes,” he said, when asked if he was ready for the Open. “But I was two months out of competition, so maybe I need a few more matches to get my rhythm.”

Djokovic is breathing down Federer’s neck for the second ranking but also has made an unedifying start to the season.

The Serb blamed a change of racquet after losing to Ernests Gulbis in Doha, and was then ousted in the Sydney International semis by Finland’s Jarkko Nieminen.

“(My game’s) not 100 percent, but it’s getting there,” Djokovic said.

Sixth-ranked Tsonga dazzled Melbourne with his run to the final last year, but his build-up has been hit by a back injury which forced him out of the Sydney International.

Czech player Radek Stepanek is buoyed by his Brisbane International win over Spaniard Fernando Verdasco, while Marin Cilic was victorious in Chennai and ex-number one Lleyton Hewitt may be a dangerous floater on home soil.

Federer opens his campaign on Monday against Andreas Seppi while Djokovic is playing Andrea Stoppini. On Tuesday, Nadal faces Christophe Rochus and Murray plays Andrei Pave

Lucknow, Jan 17: Even before actor Sanjay Dutt has spoken as a ‘politician’, he has already become a hit among masses. Sanjay Dutt, who will contest the upcoming Lok Sabha polls from Lucknow constituency on a Samajwadi Party ticket, on Saturday received an overwhelming response from the crowd gathered outside the Lucknow airport when he arrived in the city for his first political rally.  In a unique gesture to connect with the masses, Sanjay was seen riding a bicycle while leading the rally. People in huge numbers turned out on the streets of Lucknow in support of Sanjay Dutt.  The actor-turned-politician is being accompanied by wife Manyatta and Bhojpuri superstar Manoj Tewari in his first ever political rally.  While addressing the media and the people, Sanjay said that he was in Lucknow to serve the people and was determined to help them out.  Meanwhile, his wife Manyatta also made her presence felt by saying that she too sees a lot of hope and ambition for the people of Lucknow.  There were also reports that some protestors planned to give the actor a hard time during his first political rally in the constituency as several hoardings targeting Dutt for his conviction in the 1993 Mumbai blasts case for illicitly keeping arms have been put up in the city. “Lucknow is our heaven, we do not want AK-47,” was seen written on hoardings at quite a few well-known places in the city ahead of Dutt’s roadshow.  The 49-year-old Dutt was sentenced to six-year imprisonment after being convicted under the Arms Act for possessing illegal weapons in connection with 1993 Mumbai blasts case. He was granted bail after he filed an appeal against the verdict of the TADA court.  Yesterday, while announcing his nomination, Dutt said that he has forgiven his sister and Congress MP Priya Dutt.  “Priya has denied having said anything against me. Even if she has said something against me, I forgive her as she is my kid sister,” Sanjay, flanked by SP leader Amar Singh, told reporters at his suburban Bandra residence here.  Asserting that he was no longer an accused under the anti-terror law TADA, Sanjay said he was only charged under the Arms Act and the media should keep this difference in mind while reporting about him.  Sanjay had been mum on his intentions of jumping into the electoral fray despite SP announcing him as its candidate from Lucknow. Asked last week about his reaction, he had said “Not now”.  Priya had also objected to Sanjay contesting elections on a SP ticket, saying the Dutts have a “Congress family”.  Maintaining that there was no fight within the family over his entering the political arena, Sanjay said the Dutts have always supported the Gandhi family.  Going a step further, Amar Singh said if Sonia Gandhi wants to give Sanjay the poll ticket, “we will step back and still support him”.  “There is no legal hurdle in Sanjay’s contesting the polls,” Singh said.  “Even if there are some issues, they will be sorted out. The court has so far not made any observations,” he said.  Sanjay cited cricketer-turned politician Navjot Singh Sidhu’s case, saying “if Sidhu, who faced murder charge, can contest, why can’t I”?  Clarifying reports about Sanjay’s wife Manyata being a candidate in case Sanjay was unable to contest, Singh said she was never a candidate.

London, Jan 16: Lakshar-e-Toiba (LeT), the Pakistan-based terror group blamed for the Mumbai attacks, will not give up terrorism if the Kashmir problem were to be solved tomorrow, a senior British MP said Friday. 

“Will Laskhar-e-Toiba then go back to driving taxis? Of course they won’t. They have tasted violence,” said Stephen Pound of the ruling Labour Party. 

Pound, former chairman of Labour Friends of India, a parliamentary lobby, was speaking after British Foreign Secretary Thursday upset New Delhi by claiming India needed to resolve the Kashmir dispute in order to combat LeT. 

Miliband made his comments while criticising the War on Terror, saying “the best antidote to the terrorist threat in the long term is cooperation.” 

But Pound, who was a member of a parliamentary select committee on Northern Ireland during the province’s trouble years, said there were important differences that should be kept in mind. 

“We must remember that the Provisional IRA had a political wing, specifically for political negotiations. They talked to you,” Pound said. 

“India is much closer to the Line of Control that we (Britain) are. Kargil happened not too long ago. If I were the Indian minister of defence, I’d want other countries to keep quiet about the subject.” 

The British MP, who was in India this week, said an offer by the Pakistan leadership to share intelligence with New Delhi would have been more “impressive’ had it come from the country’s spy agency. 

“The overwhelming source of information about terrorists in Pakistan is the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). The government of Pakistani saying it [making the offer] is not as impressive as the director of ISI saying it,” Pound said. 

IANS