Iran calling

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad8217;s Indian visit and the gas pipeline have prompted comment in almost...

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad8217;s Indian visit and the gas pipeline have prompted comment in almost all newspapers. Delhi-based Hindustan Express, in an editorial on April 29 said, 8220;Ahmadinejad8217;s visit is a historic one in that his initiative has succeeded in making the US mission to keep India and Pakistan away from Iran, and particularly killing the gas pipeline project, unsuccessful. Popular pressure on the Indian government will grow with this initiative of the Iranian president and whether the UPA government remains in power or any other government takes over in New Delhi, it would not dare to back out from this project8221;.

Delhi-based Daily Milap writes that a cordial relationship with India can bring many benefits to Iran on the international stage. 8220;It would not be a costly bargain even if some economic concessions are to be given.8221; It says it is essential for India to lay emphasis on cooperation with Iran to contain terrorism. 8220;Iran8217;s contacts and policy stance can be very effective in this regard,8221; it adds.

Jamaat-e-Islami8217;s biweekly Daawat says April 28 that 8220;it seems the government of India is now resisting the pressure of the NATO countries against Iran. At least the statement given by External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee in this connection gives this impression8221;. Patna and Ranchi-based Qaumi Tanzeem has hailed Pranab Mukherjee8217;s strong statement in an editorial entitled 8216;America Should Confine itself to its Limits8217; April 26. Rahnuma-e-Deccan of Hyderabad has welcomed the 8216;near certainty8217; of the fruition of the gas pipeline project. But in an editorial on May 1 it has taken a critical view of the reservations expressed by 8220;officials like Indian Foreign Secretary, Shiv Shankar Menon, who are friends of the US,8221; with regard to the commercial viability of the project and the question of 8220;provision of security.8221; 8220;It would be better if our prime minister gives a clarification about the government8217;s position in this regard, as President Ahmadinejad has already done,8221; the editorial says.

No reservations

The politics of the Women8217;s Reservation Bill has understandably been the subject of editorial comment. 8220;An assessment of the determination and intention of political parties on this issue can be had from the fact that the bill has been presented in the Lok Sabha four times since 1996, but the result has been along expected lines dhaak ke teen paat, and now again its outcome would not be different from the past experience,8221; writes Rashtriya Sahara in an editorial entitled, 8216;Politics of Women8217;s Reservation8217; May 6. It seems neither any home work with regard to any changes in the bill has been done, nor has there been any consensus even among UPA allies, it observes.

Behind the wall

The camera is stripping citizens living behind walls8217; Faseel bund shehriyon ko camera barehna kar raha hai runs the banner headline of Hamara Samaj April 25. This news report is about cameras installed by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi to 8220;keep an eye on illegal construction8221; in the walled city area of Delhi. Citizens of areas around Jama Masjid are enraged at the pictures of interiors of dwellings in the area flashed by high range 3-D cameras and watched on ten screens put up in the City Zone Office of the Corporation.

The Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid, Maulana Ahmad Bukhari, has described it as 8220;a conspiracy to unveil Muslim women.8221; Union Minister Kapil Sibal, whose electoral constituency is Chandni Chowk, says it is to locate the 8220;illegal constructions and activities8221; in the area and 8220;take action against erring persons.8221; According to the newspaper report, the walled city is the only area of the capital where such cameras have been installed. 8220;No one has dared to install such cameras in any other locality.8221; One of the three cameras installed on top of Gate 2 of Jama Masjid has reportedly been 8220;made unoperational by the Shahi Imam.8221; The other two cameras are taking photographs of objects upto a distance of 5 km during daytime and 2 km at night, according to the newspaper report. 8220;The goings-on inside the rooms of homes with glass windows can be clearly seen on the screen8221;, claims the reporter. There are plans of installing another five to seven cameras in the area, according to the report.