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'The CBI is not a firing squad'
'If you think the CBI alone can root out corruption, you are very wrong. We should have a multi-pronged approach.' Prem Chand Sharma, chief of the Central Bureau of Investigation, speaks to Sheela Bhatt.

'If Musharrafsaab says stop the activities, we will not agree'
Indian forces are not in a position to stop us at all times. It is impossible to seal the border,' says Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin.

'Advani, Joshi are creating a hurdle in Vajpayee's way'
Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin tells Chindu Sreedharan that the coming months will see more bloodshed in Kashmir.

'I am very uncomfortable with what happened'
'These kinds of allegations serve the purpose of those who want to divert attention from the main story,' says tehelka.com editor in chief Tarun Tejpal.

'Muslims have lived on empty promises since Independence'
'Muslims need political power. If we form a party, we will show our Hindu brethren that we did it only to secure justice.' Syed Ahmed Bukhari says Indian Muslims should throw their crutches.

'Let the CM order an inquiry. It does not bother me'
'I was not dishonest until I remained with the government, now suddenly I am being branded as corrupt and dishonest.' Dismissed UP minister Naresh Agarwal lashes out at Chief Minister Rajnath Singh.

'I do not regret taking my shirt off in Parliament'
'I wanted to show the nation that the Tamil Nadu government has no respect for MLAs and MPs.' DMK MP V Vetriselvan bares his mind this time.

'Rajasthan can be made drought-proof within five years'
'All that is required is that both bureaucrats and people should be genuinely concerned with the problem,' says Magsaysay award winner Rajendra Singh.

'People change history. We changed geography.'
'In 1984, I left my job to do something in rural India. After all, all the ills of urban India is because the rural scenario is collapsing,' says Magsaysay award winner Rajendra Singh.

'How do you negotiate if you do not trust each other?'
Days before General Pervez Musharraf arrived in Agra, Inder Kumar Gujral had remarked that he was holding a pistol to India's head. He tells Ramesh Menon that he was not wrong.

'Patriarchal societies have always felt the need to control women'
'A scheduled caste girl was sold by her husband to two influential thakurs for Rs 500. They raped her. When she resisted, she was beaten. One of them told her she was just like the thousand or so women he had raped.' Subhasini Ali on the condition of women in India.

'Hindus of Jammu won't migrate'
'People will fight militancy at any cost. Militancy will be given a final burial in Jammu.' Civil Aviation Minister and MP from Jammu Chamanlal Gupta talks to Sheela Bhatt about the killings in his home state.

'Vajpayee should deal with issues practically, not emotionally'
'It was an allegation; it should have been investigated and the prime minister should have proved me wrong,' says Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Nirupam, whose comments about the UTI scam on Monday almost led to Prime Minister Vajpayee's resignation.

'Kargil was a good wake-up call'
'War is never good. But, purely from the point of operational readiness, effectiveness and training, Kargil was a morale booster. Fighting an operation of this nature after so many years brought out our good points, as well as our weaknesses.' General Ved Prakash Malik, (retd) in the concluding part of an exclusive interview.

'Pakistan thought the Indian Army's back was broken'
'I consider Kashmir to be more of a military agenda in Pakistan. It was obvious to us that the Pakistan military had initiated Kargil before the Lahore talks. The question is whether they took political clearance or not.' General Ved Prakash Malik, (retd) in the second part of an exclusive interview.

'Crossing the LoC would have had other implications'
In an exclusive, three-part interview with Chindu Sreedharan and Josy Joseph, General Ved Prakash Malik (retd) -- then chief of army staff -- takes us behind the scenes of the Kargil war, as he discusses the various options faced by the nation, including crossing the Line of Control.

'There were summit wreckers on both sides'
'Everyone recognises the high position that summit wreckers hold within the Indian government and in the hierarchy of the ruling party. It means Pakistan and India have to learn how to deal with the summit wreckers,' says publisher Haroon Hameed.

'The death of people in the Imphal valley did not move the Centre a bit'
'I was angry with the government because those who wield power did not think our problem needed urgent handling. Look at the way they reacted when Karunanidhi was arrested. The whole government came alive in a matter of minutes.' Ratan Thiyam on why he returned the Padma Shri.

'Atalji was on the offensive'
'If General Musharraf thinks he can solve the Kashmir problem through the press, then he is welcome to hold a thousand press meets.' BJP spokesman Narendra Modi on the fallout of the Agra summit.

'Kashmir is the central issue'
'All our problems are related to Kashmir. This cross-border terrorism is also a part of it.' J&K Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah says the issue cannot be resolved in one meeting.

'It is a lose-lose situation if both countries do not resolve their disputes'
Professor Naveed Hasan from the Lahore College of Business Administration, feels liberals on both sides should see the dividends of peace.

'Kashmir will be the last issue to be resolved'
Ashok Kapur, professor of political science at the University of Waterloo, Canada tells Ramesh Menon that a stronger Pakistan is in India's interest.

'Musharraf only has two options -- war or peace'
Hamid Mir, editor of Islamabad daily Ausaf, tells Sheela Bhatt that Kashmir is Musharraf's only obsession.

'Any agreement will be weighed against the memories of Kargil'
'Musharraf has said he would like this occasion to change history.' Dr Rifaat Hussain, chairman, department of defence and strategic studies at the Quaid-i-Azam University in Islamabad, speaks to Ramesh Menon.

'The summit is not a tamasha'
'Vajpayee chose to invite the person who refused to greet him at the Wagah border. This speaks volumes of the strength of the Indian State and democracy,' says Tarun Vijay, editor of the RSS weekly, Panchjanya.

Pakistan should learn to forget Kashmir'
'The only part of Kashmir we can discuss is Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.' Seshadri Chari, editor of the RSS weekly Organiser, discusses the Indo-Pak summit.

'The continuance of Jayalalithaa as CM is an insult to the Constitution'
'Just wait and see what will happen to Jayalalithaa now that she has tortured Karunanidhi.' Union Minister for Environment and Forests T R Baalu takes on the Tamil Nadu chief minister.

'Becoming the home minister has cast a burden on me'
'I have not spoken a word about Ayodhya in the last three years.' Union Home Minister L K Advani on Hindutva and the taste of power.

'Jayalalithaa is afraid of herself'
'Tomorrow, a state government can arrest India's home minister. They can go further. Our judges can be arrested. A ruler must have the spirit of the Constitution in mind,' Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu tells Sheela Bhatt.

'The Khalistan problem is not over'
The self styled president of the so-called Khalistan, Dr Jagjit Singh Chohan is back in India after 21 years. He spoke to Onkar Singh in an exclusive interview.

'We can tell our neighbours there is no danger to anyone'
NSCN (I-M) General Secretary Thuingaleng Muivah, the Naga leader at the centre of the Greater Nagaland movement, discusses the peace talks with the Indian government and the Manipur violence, with Francis Adams. A rediff exclusive!

'Hunting for Veerappan is like looking for a needle in a haystack'
But Tamil Nadu Special Task Force Chief Walter I Dawaram is confident that the brigand will not escape him this time.

'The home minister does not know the ground realities in Assam'
Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi criticises the Centre's extension of the ceasefire with the NSCN (I-M) in the Northeast.

'The government is intolerant to any criticism'
Yubaraj Ghimire, editor of Kantipur, Nepal's largest-selling newspaper, says he was surprised to know that he was charged with treason.

'Four gentlemen sat down for lunch and decided to invite Musharraf'
Former external affairs minister K Natwar Singh fires another salvo.

'Musharraf's performance is one of missed opportunities'
'Musharraf is going to suggest that India keep Jammu, Pakistan keep Azad Kashmir and the Indians give autonomy to the Valley.' Exiled former Pakistan prime minister Benazir Bhutto tells Ramesh Menon that the general comes with too much baggage.

'Monarchy is passing through a crisis of survival'
Professor S D Muni tells Ramesh Menon that the crisis in Nepal could deepen further if King Gyanendra does not act quickly.

'King Gyanendra is not anti-Indian'
'A Nepali cannot be anti-India or anti-Chinese. Both have to be balanced.' Former foreign secretary Romesh Bhandari debunks all conspiracy theories in the royal massacre.

'A military regime is trained to capture, not give away'
'Musharraf may talk about cricket and India may make some concessions. That is the maximum that will happen,' says JNU Professor Kalim Bahadur.

'Talks will depend on the realism displayed by Musharraf'
Leading defence expert K Subrahmanyam tells Ramesh Menon he is not ready to take any bets on the outcome of the Vajpayee-Musharraf talks.

'The crown is a symbol of unity in Nepal'
Professor Tulsi Ram Vaidya, head of the department of history at Kathmandu's Tribhuvan University, on the royal massacre and the future of Nepalese monarchy.

'If North and South Korea could, why can't we talk on Kashmir?'
'Farooq Abdullah has been against the cease-fire... K C Pant was appointed a too late... I hope something comes out of the talks...' Former Union home minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed on the Musharraf-Vajpayee summit.

'Marriage wasn't the cause of the fight'
Former Indian ambassador to Nepal Professor Bimal Prasad on the crisis in Nepal.

'There will be no need to whip up the Ram temple agenda'
BJP President K Jana Krishnamurthy on Manipur, Uttar Pradesh and Brajesh Mishra.

'No force on earth can stop us from achieving a separate Telangana'
Telangana Rashtra Samithi founder K Chandrasekhar Rao speaks to Syed Amin Jafri.

'Electoral information should be available even to a paanwala'
Chief Election Commissioner Dr M S Gill, who retires on June 13, looks back at a tenure spanning three parliamentary, 40-50 assembly and several bye-elections.

'I am not a dictator'
'I have inherited a totally bankrupt state. For the first time in India, a chief minister was denied a ticket by Indian Airlines. They wanted cash.' Kerala Chief Minister A K Antony on the challenges ahead.

'The cease-fire was a big joke'
'Much has been made of the government's withdrawal of the cease-fire. But where was the cease-fire?' says senior Hurriyat leader Abdul Ghani Lone.

'We can never push the agenda of any political party'
'The commission does not propose to tackle any professed policy of the BJP-led or any other government for that matter.' Justice M N Venkatachaliah, head of the Constitution Review Commission, clarifies some perceptions.

'We want the NDA to prepare its own grave'
'We are not interested in pulling down the government. But we think the internal contradictions within the NDA and Sangh Parivar will intensify.' Congress spokesman S Jaipal Reddy takes a measured look at the 11 Congress-ruled states and the post-poll scenario.

'We do not want Manu Sharma to be hanged'
As three key witnesses turn hostile in court, Ajit Lal, father of murder victim Jessica Lal, is undeterred and continues to hope for justice.

'There is no comparison between Jaya and Laloo'
'We have many many legal means to fight the Election Commission,' says Jayalalitha's advisor and AIADMK MP, K Malaisamy.

'Our decision will not be negative'
'K C Pant shows a willingness to talk to Pakistan It is a great move.' Shabir Shah, president of the Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party speaks to Basharat Peer.

'The people's mandate has frightened us'
Former KPCC president Vayalar Ravi, on the post-poll situation and his reservations about K Muralidharan, the new state president.

'The drugs situation in India is not so alarming'
'There is a decline in drug trafficking in India according to the seizure figures. Drugs are going from Afghanistan to Iran, Turkey and Europe. Earlier, the favourite route was through Pakistan and India,' says the director-general of the Narcotics Control Bureau, Gopal Acharya.

'Irresponsible statements by some BJP state-level leaders cost us dearly'
'We don't see any problem with the AGP-BJP alliance, although the BJP will have to curb a lot of loose talk indulged in by some of their senior leaders.' Outgoing CM Prafulla Kumar Mahanta assess the post-poll damage.

'The Centre should declare a cease-fire in Assam'
'I will ask the Centre to follow the same principles as it has done in Nagaland.' Assam chief minister-designate Tarun Gogoi on the challenges ahead.

'The poll results will make the NDA sit up and think'
'Mr Vajpayee first said the results would be a referendum on the government's performance. He now says they should not be any reflection on his government. This is insulting the voter's intelligence.' Congress leader Ambika Soni speaks to Tara Shankar Sahay.

I don't care if astrology is a science or not. Fact is, it works'
'I'm not saying astrology is a complete science. I have not tested it. Frankly, I care a damn.' Astrologer Bejan Daruwalla gives his side of the debate.

'India is a good fit for USA on a geo-political level'
'If India and USA stop communicating with each other on any level, our relationship will start to weaken. Jim Mcdermott, co-chairperson, the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans on Indo-US ties.

'India's reaction has been hasty, premature and over-enthusiastic'
'I cannot see national interest being served in our reaction to the American missile defence system.' Former Army chief General Shankar Roychowdhury (retd) in conversation with Ramesh Menon.

'The BJP can tilt the balance of power in Kerala'
'There will be a time when the BJP will make it alone to the Kerala assembly. That time is not far away,' says state BJP president C K Padmanabhan.

'We see a ghost in everything the CBI does'
'The CBI does not operate in a vacuum. In a highly political society like India, wanting an institution free of political interference is like asking for the moon.' Former Director of the Central Bureau of Investigation R K Raghavan speaks to Ramesh Menon on the first day of his retirement.

'I have become a baniya'
'I am not afraid of militancy. I am only afraid of the daily, mundane work.' Bumbum Das, chief priest of Srinagar's Shankaracharya temple, in an interview.

'Trichy is a good seat for anyone from the BJP'
'Kumaramangalam's goodwill, BJP's infrastructure and my father's name -- these three factors will help me,' says M N Sukumaran Nambiar, BJP candidate for the Trichy Lok Sabha seat.

'I will deal with political pressure if there is any'
'We all know there is a huge volume of work that we have to complete together. The group is full of eminent personalities. They will go about the task well. ' Lt Gen Prakash Mani Tripathi, chairman of the JPC probing the stock market scam speaks to Ramesh Menon.

'The BSF honour has been auctioned'
'We have placed all our eggs in Hasina's basket. What happens if she loses? Will our Bangladesh policy come to an end?' Former BSF director general Prakash Singh rips the Union government.

'BJP will take 3-5 years to mature as a national party'
'The BJP is looked at as a communal party because we do bank on the Hindu vote. But then, we must not forget that Hindus form the majority in this country,' says BJP candidate from Tirupur Lalitha Kumaramangalam.

'I would like to perform a Kalachakra in Tiananmen Square'
'The Chinese think I am a very cunning man. They believe I am colluding with Western powers to split China.' His Holiness The Dalai Lama in an exclusive interview.

'Mamata's EQ is greater than her IQ'
'Conspirators around her have numbed her reasoning power,' says Trinamul Congress leader Ajit Panja.

'Are we to become a laughing stock in South Asia?'
'Has India today reached a point where even a country like Bangladesh has chosen to defy us? This government is no different from its predecessors.' VHP president Vishnu Hari Dalmia lashes out.

'I can become a great politician like my father'
'I was denied a ticket not because I am not able, but because I am the daughter of K Karunakaran.' Padmaja Venugopal, the name that triggered a crisis in the Kerala Congress, speaks.

'India's reaction has been very practical'
'In 1992, Bangladesh assured us that they would not allow anyone to exploit their land against India. But Pakistan continues to operate there.' Former foreign secretary J N Dixit on the Bangladeshi intrusion.

'Those who are against the sexual revolution need not be so worried'
'Sexuality is still not seen as freedom of the psyche and body. It is still surrounded by feelings of shame and guilt.' Psychoanalyst and writer Sudhir Kakar on his understanding of the Indian mind and his latest book, Ecstasy.

'The RSS-BJP cadres are the bomb makers of Kannur'
'We try to be peaceful. But there is a limit to our patience.' CPI-M candidate for Kerala's chief ministership V S Achuthanandan predicts an easy victory for the Left Democratic Front.

'Inviting every Tom, Dick, Harry is useless'
'The Hurriyat Conference is the most important group when it comes to talks. We should invite those who are fighting on the ground, politically or militarily,' says former J&K chief minister Syed Mir Qasim.

'The Indian Army is not a tired army'
'Take the example of Macedonia and Kosovo -- the Western world uses everything in its arsenal to subdue such resistance. Whereas the Indian Army is using minimum force in J&K,' says Lieutenant General John Ranjan Mukherjee, general officer commanding of 15 Corps.

'Why can't American kids have posters of Indian heroes on their walls?'
'I think the time is right to introduce a lot of India to the US market. Whether in fashion or tourism,' says Jacqueline Lundquist, wife of outgoing US ambassador Richard Celeste.

'Karunakaran should forget and forgive'
'He has such impossible demands that it is not easy for the party high command to solve the problem.' Former Kerala Chief Minister A K Antony counters K Karunakaran's attack.

'We got what we deserve'
'We have selected the constituencies which are winnable by the BJP. Don'tbe surprised if we win all 21 seats!' Tamil Nadu BJP President L Ganesan speaks to Shobha Warrier.

'The DMK has sidelined people like me'
'I have been in the party for 47 years, and was asked to stand from a different constituency to accommodate a new entrant. This is like an insult.' Dr M Tamizhkudimagan on why he left the DMK to join J Jayalalitha.

'I will continue to fight'
'I was humiliated when my request for an appointment with the Congress president was turned down. This is the plight of somebody who has put in 68 years with the Congress.' Former Kerala chief minister K Karunakaran, who recently resigned from the CWC, speaks to George Iype.

'We are ready for a cease-fire if GoI is sincere'
'How long can peace last, if you don't solve the issue of Kashmir? It could last for four, five days or a week? If there are sincere steps to solve the issue, then the cease-fire can assist in achieving that,' says Hizb Commander Abdul Majid Dar.

'If there are serious attempts to solve the Kashmir issue -- we will support it'
Special Correspondent Josy Joseph meets J&K's most wanted militant -- the Chief Commander of the Hizbul Mujahideen Abdul Majid Dar -- in his hideout in the Kashmir Valley. A Rediff exclusive.

'Parliament is entitled to know the findings of the CVC on defence deals'
'The government has classified the report as secret and it is for them to take a decision to declassify it.' Central Vigilance Commissioner N Vittal speaks to Ramesh Menon about his findings into all defence purchases after 1989.

'Why should we meet K C Pant?'
Chairman of the All Party Hurriyat Conference Professor Abdul Ghani Bhat says K C Pant's nomination as leader of the Kashmir peace mission doesn't bear much significance.

'Let me leave India. That is all I want'
With no fixed address and perennially on the run, exiled Pakistani poet Aftab Hussain meets Basharat Peer in an underground subway in Delhi.

'We have always campaigned for an increase in the number of H1-Bs'
'Our goal, of course, is to get as many Indian engineers as we can into the Valley.' Liz Kniss, the mayor of Palo Alto, speaks to M D Riti in Bangalore.

'If no middlemen exist, how come we see them crawling out in the film?'
The second part of Tarun Tejpal's interview with Sheela Bhatt.

'Any good story should hurt corrupt people'
'We are not the story. Politicians are trying to make us a story.' Tarun Tejpal, editor-in-chief of tehelka.com takes on his detractors.

'The GSLV will fullfill the last element of Sarabhai's vision'
An exclusive interview with ISRO Chairman Dr K Kasturirangan.

Where have Vajpayee's values gone?
Congress general secretary Ambika Soni demands the resignation of the Vajpayee government and questions the timing of the FIR filed against Sonia Gandhi's private secretary, Vincent George, by the CBI.

'I want to commence my inquiry with an open mind'
'It is a very tough case because it is being watched by the whole nation, and internationally too. It is tough because I have to probe into a new type of investigation.' Justice K Venkatswami, head of the one-man commission of inquiry to probe the Tehelka expose speaks to Shobha Warrier.

'The BJP will continue as a lame-duck government'
'Political parties function differently when in the Opposition. The Congress has its own way of responding and reacting. We are doing it our own way for considered reasons. And sure you do not expect the Congress to imitate?' Senior Congress leader Pranab Mukherjee speaks to Sheela Bhatt.

'The government is trying to subvert the armed forces'
'The government wants to convert the armed forces just as they have converted the IPS and IAS, transferring them every few months and making them into mere rubber stamps.' Admiral Vishnu Bhagwat attacks George Fernandes and the defence establishment.

'Politicians are more honest than bureaucrats'
'The bane of corruption are the bureaucrats. While there are only ten per cent corrupt politicians, ninety per cent of bureaucrats are corrupt.' BJP MP Vijay Goel in defence of himself and fellow parliamentarians.

'The arithmetic is with Atalji. He will complete his term'
'The question is how do we respond now. Did Narasimha Rao resign in the urea scam? Did Rajiv Gandhi resign in the Bofors scam?' BJP General Secretary Narendra Modi speaks to Ramesh Menon.

'Everybody in India collects political donations'
"Some people are seen collecting this money, others are not. Those who are caught have become questionable, while those who have not condone the act," Law Minister Arun Jaitley tells Sheela Bhatt.

'We, as taxpayers, are paying for these kickbacks from our pockets'
There is something weak in the whole system. What's frightening is how the whole decision-making process in the ministry has been vitiated, says former Rajya Sabha MP Jayant K Malhoutra.

'There are no defence deals without middlemen'
'The officer told me he did not know the people he was staying with were defence contractors. This is the man who is second-in-command in the navy. How does anyone react when such people who sensibly, in my opinion, should have been sacked, get promoted?' Former Rajya Sabha MP Jayant K Malhoutra speaks to Savera R Someshwar.

'The scandal is going to affect defence procurement'
"Nobody would now want to take decisions for a long time to come. After the Bofors scandal, the decision-making procedure was totally crippled as the people who were to take decisions stopped taking it. This is the real issue before the country.' Former Army Chief General Shankar Roychowdhury in conversation with Ramesh Menon.

'There is no question of surrendering'
'The RJD government is helpless. What can one do when policemen start behaving like this?' asks Mohammad Shahabuddin, the controversial RJD MP from Bihar.

'No country can claim defence deals are above board'
'Of course, there is a deep-rooted conspiracy behind the tehelka.com tapes,' says acting BJP president Jana Krishnamurthy.

'No amount of money can compensate for what I have lost in my life'
'The NHRC verdict is significant for me because it is another vindication of my innocence. It is a reply to those who still call me a spy,' says ISRO scientist S Nambinarayanan.

'The BJP is not like the Congress'
'There are people in the BJP who are like Congressmen. In the Congress, the leader is corrupt. That situation is not there in the BJP. The whole country will accept that Advani and Vajpayee are above corruption,' says RSS ideologue S Gurumurthy.

'I have no hand in any defence deal'
'Look at the credibility of the tapes and those behind the tapes, the selection of the people they gathered information from.' Former BJP president Bangaru Laxman says he is innocent.

'I will not allow blackmailers to destroy this country'
Jaya Jaitly defends herself in an exclusive interview to Ramesh Menon.

'India's security has been compromised'
'When we have Indian technology, why do we want to enter a deal which will mean the loss of Rs 3,500 crores?' Central Vigilance Commissioner N Vittal in a detailed interview to Sheela Bhatt, his first since the Tehelka tapes became public.

'George, not the type of minister to make money'
'I can't even imagine for a second that he is involved. You don't have to go to Siachen every other month to meet arms dealers!' Union Minister Pramod Mahajan tells Sheela Bhatt.

'Where is the deal?''
'Party functionaries are not government leaders to discuss defence deals,' Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pramod Mahajan tells Sheela Bhatt.

'India has to put its grain surplus into hungry stomachs'
Nobel Laureate Dr Norman Borlaug, father of the Green Revolution, in conversation with Ramananda Sengupta.

'The PMK is dangerous to the country, to democracy, to the people'
'Casteist parties like the PMK are trying to divide the Hindus on the basis of caste.' Dalit Panthers of India chief R Thirumalvalavan in an exclusive.

'The environment is too crucial for the finance minister not to have highlighted it'
'In the second generation of reforms, we need to focus on some sectors where reforms are essential. Like science and technology. We need to ask if we should continue with organisations like ICMR or CSIR. They have been around for decades and someone needs to ask what is it that they have delivered.' Rajendra Pachauri, Director, Tata Energy Research Institute on the Budget.

'You can't abandon principles for a few seats'
'I personally feel some principles and policies should be followed in politics. You just can't abandon principles for a few seats. All these things will be considered by our party leaders when they take a decision,' TNCC president E V K S Elangovan tells Shobha Warrier.

'In politics, rats marry snakes and bulls chase lizards'
'If the impression is that there is only one holy cow, Geelani, let the holy cow only move to Pakistan and get things done.' Hurriyat Chairman Professor Abdul Gani Bhat tells Chindu Sreedharan.

'Doing business with China is not easy, but how have others done it?'
'We need to ask ourselves whether China has really been dithering. The boundary dispute can only be solved if either side is willing to make territorial concessions, or modify the claims that each side makes on the other.' China specialist Ambassador C V Ranganathan on Sino-Indian ties.

'We were never ashamed of our bodily parts, as we were never scared of our gods'
Novelist Kiran Nagarkar, who has just won a Sahitya Akademi award, speaks to Pankaj Upadhay.

'Our alliance with the DMK is a positive one'
'When the PMK joins the AIADMK, it may be advantageous to that front. But when the Puthiya Thamizhagam joins the NDA, that advantage goes.' Dalit leader Dr K Krishnaswamy on the Tamil Nadu assembly election.

'When you are dealing with Kashmir, immediate results cannot be expected'
'I asked the Hurriyat leaders who gave them the authority to represent Kashmir? They cannot represent the Government of India.' Former prime minister I K Gujral on the cease-fire.

'There is nothing exciting about arresting a rich man'
'No one came forward. No one. People said he knows everyone from the prime minister to the home minister... He is in jail. That shows that policemen paisa nahi khaya. No one pressurised us.' Bombay Joint Commissioner of Police D Sivananandan discusses the Bharat Shah case.

'It is an honour for all Indians'
'I am among eight people chosen from all over the world, including Michael Douglas, Luciano Pavarotti, Muhammed Ali, human rights campaigner Anna Cataldi, Enrico Macias, Elie Wiesel and Magic Johnson.' Vijay Amritraj on his appointment as a UN Messenger of Peace.

'Violence is not the Congress hallmark'
Sunil Dutt speaks about his plans to revive the Youth Congress.

'The VHP has responsible leaders'
'Why do you think they will do something which is against the interests of the country?' asks BJP vice-president Jana K Krishnamurthy.

'We swung into action on the first day of the quake itself'
'I have faced criticism not because of lack of any effort on my government's part but because of a wide gap between perception and ground reality.' Gujarat Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel defends himself.

'The Indian Navy is a stabilising force in the region'
'Never before has India staged a maritime event of this nature. The International Fleet Review, accordingly is the high point in our maritime diplomatic effort.' Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Sushil Kumar on the significance of the Review and India's naval aspirations. An exclusive interview with Josy Joseph.

'My officials were asleep while poachers had a field day'
'Five tuskers have been killed and my officials did not do anything about it, despite the fact that they came to know of the poaching as early as December last year.' Uttranchal Chief Minister Nityanand Swami on poaching in the Jim Corbett National Park.

'We are on the edge of destruction. Don't kill anymore of us'
'Just give the people a chance, show them that you are sincere and then the people can themselves rise and say, Stop the gun!' Hashim Qureshi on the excesses in J&K and the urgent need for peace. The concluding part of the interview.

I came here to tell people that this is not the way to ask for freedom'
'80,000 people are in their graves, but Pakistan has not recognised independent Kashmir as the solution. If it accepts that, it must also leave Gilgit, Baltistan and PoK. And Pak doesn't want that.' After 30 years in exile, Hashim Qureshi speaks out. An exclusive interview with Chindu Sreedharan.

'It is the vision of the Kutchis that will recreate Kutch'
'The army did a great job. We are on the top of the situation, but as we cross one challenge, the next challenge looks bigger than the last one. When the paan shops open here, that will give us strength!' Lavendru Mansingh, chief co-ordinator of relief work defends the Gujarat government.

'It requires a lot of courage to fight the government'
'I had solid proof to show that Raghavan was associated with political leaders, especially a leader who was chief minister of Tamil Nadu for five years. None of these allegations were rebutted.' Karnataka DGP C Dinakar on his battle to unseat the CBI director.

'Cease-fire is only for propaganda'
'Why should mujahideen target civilians? What is the justification for them?' asks Hurriyat leader Syed Geelani.

'How can you say what is lacking, when bodies are being pulled out of everywhere'
'The (Indian) Army is terrific. Young officers are working relentlessly amidst these bodies. This is braver than fighting a battle in Jammu & Kashmir.' Colonel Ofi Reich, leader of the Israeli team, on the rescue operation in Kutch.

'We have a fight on our hands. And we have to see it through'
'The Jihadi outfits are trying to create problems in implementing the suspension of combat operations, which is generally called cease-fire. There is no cease-fire as such, but this is what they are up to.' J&K Governor Girish Chandra Saxena in a rare interview.

'If Sikhs or anyone has to remain in Kashmir, they have to fight it out'
'Can you tell me how safe a Hindu is in Delhi? It is a proxy war sponsored by a foreign country. Whenever they desire to do such acts, soft targets are always available.' J&K Inspector General of Police Dr Ashok Bhan defends himself and his men.

'The BJP is trying to rejuvenate itself by the earthquake'
'The Muslims of Kutch are being ignored... When the aid arrives, BJP leaders grab it because the government machinery is with them. No one trusts this government.' Gujarat Opposition leader Amarsinh Chaudhry on the situation in the state.

'We wanted to save as many people'
'We are now operating about 50 to 60 flights during daytime, and about 25 to 30 flights in the night' Group Captain S S Danda on the IAF's rescue and relief efforts.

'I fear areas that are totally devastated will never return to normalcy'
'It was not the relief services that were weak but the magnitude of the calamity that was too much.' Regional Disaster Preparedness delegate of the International Federation of Red Cross Alan Bradbury on measures to minimise casualties in natural disasters.

'Alas we failed to learn much from this disaster'
'We might have learned quite a lot from this earthquake had the region been better instrumented.' United States Geological Survey seismologist David J Wald discusses the Republic Day killer quake.

'External aid has to come through a proper channel'
'It is not proper to say that nothing has been done. A lot of rehabilitation measures have been taken during natural calamities.' Union Agriculture Secretary Bhaskar Baruah -- who is in charge of relief and rehabilitation in Gujarat -- on the relief measures taken by the government.

'Let us first rescue the people. Statistics should come later.'
'We do not want a repeat of Latur when more people lost their lives in the aftershocks than in the original tremor.' Dr S K Srivastav, additional director general, Indian Meteorological Department on the Republic Day earthquake and its aftermath.

'Science can tell you when an earthquake will occur. But what then?'
'One suspects the energy budget accumulated in this region is already reaching rupture point. Therefore, over this decade or the next, it will be foolhardy to exclude the possibility of a major earthquake,' says seismologist Vinod Kumar Gaur.

'Militants never conquer and militants are never conquered'
Baba Amte on his cancelled peace mission to Pakistan, the chance for peace in Jammu & Kashmir and the hope for a better India. A Republic Day Special.

'The BJP is not interested in Kashmiri Pandits'
'The BJP is more concerned about the temple in Ayodhya than the misery and suffering of 350,000 Kashmiri Pandits displaced from the valley,' says Panun Kashmir leader Kamal Hak.

'The ULFA gameplan has backfired'
'ULFA has suffered a serious setback. Many leaders have been killed. Over 2,700 have surrendered in the last three years. We have recovered over ten million rupees in cash that was extorted.' Assam Director General of Police Hare Krishna Deka on the tragedy of Assam.

'The ISI advises ULFA on every movement, every action'
'The ISI advises ULFA on policy, operations, procurement of arms... They give them shelter outside India and give them communication channels.' Luhit Deuri, surrendered ULFA militant on his years as a guerrilla and what brought him back to the world he once forsook.

'We have given a clean chit to herbal fuel'
'Ramar Pillai demonstrated how the fuel was made. After watching him perform the 'miracle,' I was convinced.' S Sampath Kumar, the RSS advocate, on why he will defend the 'inventor' in court.

'The government must be prepared to take the war to the Pakistani side'
'When the Hurriyat leaders regularly get their instructions from the Pakistan high commission in New Delhi, why make such a big drama of visiting Pakistan?' asks J&K Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah.

'The cease-fire is constantly under review'
'It is not because of one odd incident here or there. Reassessment of a particular move is being made continuously.' Union Minister of State for Home I D Swamy discusses the situation in Kashmir.

'Brahmins do not have the right to call themselves Indians'
'Hinduism is basically a spiritual fascist cult. It does not give rights to the lower castes.' Dr Kancha Ilaiah, in a controversial interview.

'I don't think India has to prove it is very friendly to Nepal anymore'
'When they don't find anything to do the Nepalese common man and Nepali politicians raise the Indian bogey. The old horse has been whipped too many times. Ultimately, it will be finished,' says former Nepal PM K P Bhattarai.

'We have fallen into a trap'
Senior Hurriyat Conference leader Abdul Ghani Lone on his illness, Farooq Abdullah's opportunism and the chance for peace in the Valley.

'I find it curious that the violence was so well-organised'
India's Ambassador to Nepal Deb Mukharji discusses last month's anti-Indian riots in the Himalayan kingdom.

'Why impose this secularism on Kashmiris?'
'India needs crutches to survive since its own foundation is so weak.' Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front chairman Yaseen Malik lashes out yet again.

'My brother has never spoken to Shakeel or Dawood'
'Why would Bharat Shah ask for 10, 12 crores from the underworld to make films when he has so much cash himself?' Bipin Shah rises in his brother's defence.

'I'm pleased to be credited as the battering ewe that breached the glass ceiling'
'That I happen to be a woman is not central to the issue; but it can't be forgotten either.' Chokila Iyer, India's first woman foreign secretary, in conversation with Ramananda Sengupta.

'Let the VHP declare a date for the construction and all hell will break loose'
'Are 20 crore Muslims in this country to be taken for granted and their rights trampled upon in so callous a fashion?' asks Syed Shahabuddin, convener of the Babri Masjid Movement Coordination Committee.

'The CPI-M is a party of criminals, not Communists'
'Ask any ordinary Bengali, s/he will tell you the only solution to the present crisis is the Centre's intervention.' BJP MP Vijay Goel on the Garbeta killings in Bengal.

'Musicians can no more be ascetics, but act as role models'
'Today the classical musician has to be another Shah Rukh Khan if he wants to stay in business.' Ustad Zakir Husain on Indian classical music in changing times.

'If Georgesahib doesn't want us, we will go our own way'
'Blackmailing and drama are Nitish Kumar's specialities. He is blackmailing Georgesahib to the detriment of our party.' Samata Party MP Raghunath Jha on the crisis in the party.

'The present regime wants to impose a specific mindset or ideology'
'Obviously, historians are perturbed with the prime minister's interpretation of what was an act of vandalism.' Eminent historian Irfan Habib on the Babri Masjid issue and other historical controversies.

'We are world class'
'In India, the first priority should be education for everyone and the second priority should be quality,' says Vice-Chancellor of the Millennium, Dr A P Kalanidhi.

'Hrithik will have to pay a heavy price'
'He either has to apologise or face the legal consequences.' President of the All India Nepali Bhasha Parishad Rajgopal Bhandari, speaks about his decision to drag the Bollywood star to court.

'How long can we wait for the court verdict?'
'The verdict will never come, so we will go ahead with our programme to build the Ram temple in Ayodhya. It doesn't mean that we will defy the court.' Vishwa Hindu Parishad President Vishnu Hari Dalmia on the Ayodhya impasse.

'Bombay is not a haven for terrorists'
Joint Commissioner of Police D Sivanandan tells A Ganesh Nadar about the arrest of the hijackers's accomplices in Bombay.

'Sometimes the hijackers suddenly appear in my dream'
'We would like to send a message to the terrorists that no matter how hard they try to intimidate us, we will not get intimidated.' Captain Devi Saran -- commander of Flight 814 -- glances back at the crisis that shocked the world.

'I told Raosahib not to trust Vajpayee's word'
'Vajpayee, had told Rao time and again that the kar sevaks would not touch the disputed structure. Rao believed him.' Then home minister S B Chavan takes on the Sangh Parivar on the demolition theory.

'What harm has Christianity done?'
'The Britishers left three structure of power: The government, the bureaucracy and the judiciary. In Gujarat there is one more structure -- the VHP.' Bishop Ezra Sargunam takes the battle for a controversial 'church' in Gujarat to the streets.

'If the BJP cannot solve the J&K problem, no other party can'
Just back after a three week stay in Pakistan, Hurriyat leader Abdul Ghani Lone tells Onkar Singh that the current situation is most conducive to solving the J&K dispute.

'Let the critics say what they want'

NCP chief Sharad Pawar on the PM's remark on the Ram temple in Ayodhya, his current political status and his 60th birthday.

'The PM's statement on the Ram temple has the potential of fanning communalism'
Telugu Desam Party leader in the Lok Sabha Y Yerran Naidu on the prime minister's recent statement on the Ram temple in Ayodhya.

'The ceasefire is no solution to the problem of J&K'
Mirwaiz Omar Farooq tells Onkar Singh that there is no merit in any kind of ceasefire unless accompanied by comprehensive political measures.

'Our fight is against the Indian State, not the Indian people'
Sana Yaima, chairman of the militant UNLF, in an open discussion.

'We have a role in the peace process and would like to play it'
Hurriyat Conference Chairman Abdul Ghani Butt speaks to Onkar Singh about the month-long ceasefire in the Valley and elaborates on the Hurriyat's role in the peace process.

'Most people who have suffered due to Islamism are Muslims'
Daniel Pipes, among the leading experts on Islam and Islamic terrorism in the United States, speaks to Josy Joseph about the Taleban, Pakistan, Osama bin Laden, Kashmir and Islamism.

'Atalji also has a coterie'
'If the prime minister is weak or intellectually not alert, the coterie will ultimately isolate him. They have almost built an opaque wall around him so that he does not get light from any other source,' says former law minister Ram Jethmalani.

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