President A P J Abdul Kalam

Low earth orbit ships by 2014, says Kalam

The aeronautical community is ready with a roadmap for a 150 Seater civilian Aircraft as a public – private partnership mode and the R&D and infrastructure build up for the same has to start right away with innovative programme management methodologies, according to President APJ Abdul Kalam.

Participating in an international conference on aerospace, in Hyderabad, the President said ISRO had initiated programmes for a reusable two stage to orbit launch vehicle demonstrator and air breathing propulsion modules. Work has started on the feasibility studies for a manned mission to low earth orbit by 2014.

"DRDO has goals to develop stealth air crafts and long range reusable hypersonic cruise missiles. In the next two decades, I visualize the integration of multiple technologies of supersonic aircraft, missiles and spacecraft to transform into an unmanned supersonic long-range and low radar cross section aircraft replacing manned fighter aircraft," the President said.

The academic institutions and the public and private sector industries have large roles in successful accomplishments of these national initiatives. Particularly the current production activities in aggregate and total systems will move over to industries, he pointed out.

Kalam administers '7-point oath' to students

President A P J Abdul Kalam today administered a 'seven-point oath' to students to work hard to achieve their goals, achieve success and enjoy the success of others and lead a corruption-free life.

Participating in the centenary celebrations of Vivek Vardhini Education Society here, he administered the oath to the students of the educational institution.

The seven-point oath dealt with setting a goal in life and working towards it, working with courage to achieve success in all tasks and enjoy the success of others, keeping oneself, one's home, surroundings, neighbourhood and environment clean, being righteous, leading a corruption-free honest life, lighting the lamp of knowledge, and realising that one's work contributed towards realising the vision of developed India 2020.

Kalam says 'no', Pratibha sibling faces murder charge

President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam declared Friday that he would not seek a second five-year term even as ruling coalition candidate Pratibha Patil was accused of shielding her brother who allegedly killed a man two years ago.

Denying intense speculation that Kalam may break convention and throw his hat into the presidential ring, the Rashtrapati Bhavan announced that the scientist-turned-president had no intention of fighting the July presidential election.

According to informed sources in the presidential palace, Kalam took the decision after "reviewing the situation" in the wake of an appeal from the regional Third Front grouping to him to bid for another term.

Kalam had earlier told the Third Front, or the United National Progressive Alliance (UNPA), that he would be ready to fight the presidential election if there was a "certainty" about his winning.

But on Friday Kalam told former Tamil Nadu chief minister and AIADMK leader J. Jayalitha that he had decided not to contest and that his decision was final.

"Although he appreciated our efforts to muster support for him, he said he would not like to contest again," Jayalalitha told reporters.

Even as Kalam bowed out of what could have been an interesting battle had he contested, United Progressive Alliance (UPA)-Left-Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) nominee Pratibha Patil, who will file her nomination papers Saturday, faced the bizarre charge of protecting her brother who allegedly faces murder charge.

At a meeting organised by the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), a grieving widow, Rajni Patil, told reporters that the brother had in September 2005 killed her husband V.G. Patil in Maharashtra.

Speaking in Hindi, at the residence of Akali Dal leader Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, she said: "Yes, she (Pratibha Patil) had been shielding her brother."

The Congress reacted angrily to the allegation.

"Certain people who were not able to find a proper candidate to match the stature of our candidate are attempting to find allegations against her," party spokesperson Jayanti Natarajan said.

"(Pratibha Patil) does not have any connection with these allegations," she said adding that "the highest office (of president) should not be demeaned" by such allegations.

Lok Jan Shakti chief Ram Vilas Paswan, who on Friday signed Pratibha Patil's nomination papers, branded the accusation against the presidential candidate as "wrong politics".

Jayalalitha's arrival here was seen as a last ditch attempt by the UNPA leaders to persuade Kalam to be in the presidential race.

And with Kalam saying "no" to contest again, the AIADMK leader - who earlier said that her grouping would neither support the UPA nor NDA - said that she and her Third Front colleagues would meet to discuss future strategy.

But she made her bias clear by praising NDA presidential candidate and Vice President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat for agreeing to step down in case Kalam sought another five-year tenure.

The UNPA comprises of eight regional parties such as the Samajwadi Party, Telugu Desam Party, AIADMK and the Indian National Lok Dal.

According to Jayalalitha, statements from some UPA leaders asking Kalam to leave the presidential palace gracefully had hurt him.

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Lalu Prasad, both of who are senior cabinet ministers, had made the comments Thursday.

On Friday, reiterating the UPA's stance on Kalam, Information and Broadcasting Minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi said: "The president is not elected through SMS campaign." He was referring to the campaign carried on by the electronic media about the desirability of having Kalam for a second term.

Spotlight: SMS war on Kalam for Prez

Mobile users have launched an SMS campaign both backing and opposing President Abdul Kalam’s candidature for a second term. Students rallying behind Dr Kalam’s candidature have threatened to go on a token strike on July 10 to express their solidarity with him.

The pro-Kalam message reads: “Students to strike on July 10 for our President Dr Kalam coz’ we need him as the President once again. Support our leader.” A few hours after the message sent by Kalam supporters, believed to be students, flashed on mobile screens, anti-Kalam messages began to come in too opposing the proposal by the newly-formed United National Progressive Alliance (UNPA). The anti-Kalam message sent by an anthropology student affiliated to Students Federation of India (SFI) read: “Is Kalam non-political? Who sold his name to BJP for its secular mask? Why did not he comment on Ramar Sethu? Is he a scientist? Say no to his second term.”The SMS war that has been on for quite sometime after the UNPA made its decision to support Dr Kalam is intensifying by the day.

Madhan, a student of Anna University where Dr Kalam taught, says, “Though I know that the electoral college is made up of MPs and legislators across the country and it is their vote that counts for the presidential election, we keep forwarding the message to fellow students and others only to tell the country that the student community is behind Dr Kalam.” Contradicting his stand, Kannan of the Democratic Youth Federation of India said, “We just wanted to air our feelings against the opinion of a certain section. And so we hve posed some questions.” Nevertheless, the support for Dr Kalam among the youth is increasing. He himself is learnt to have told the UNPA delegation that his email has been jammed with requests asking him to seek a second term.

CPI, CPM say `No` to Kalam’s second term

Like the Congress, the Left parties, CPM and CPI, on Thursday morning rejected the Third Front`s proposal for a second term to President A P J Abdul Kalam. UNPA leaders, however, claimed that the Left is willing to discuss the proposal to back Kalam within their camp.

The CPM`s decision was conveyed by Party General secretary Prakash Karat when a delegation of leaders belonging to United Natinal Progressive Alliance (UNPA) met him this morning and urged him to back the candidature of Kalam in the President`s election.

"Prakash Karat informed the leaders that the CPM has already decided to extend support to the UPA nominee, Pratibha Patil. In view of this, the matter cannot be considered," the CPM said in a statement after UNPA leaders Chandrababu Naidu and Mulayam Singh Yadav and others met him.

Meanwhile, the CPI has also made it clear that there is no question of reconsidering its decision to support Patil. "We have already finalised the nominee. How can we accept their proposal now?," CPI national secretary D Raja told agencies.

Adding to the ongoing drama surrounding the Presidential elections, Telugu Desam Party chief N Chandrababu Naidu earliier claimed that the CPM has agreed to discuss the proposal put forward by the Third Front seeking a second term for President A P J Abdul Kalam.

Talking to reporters after a 30-minute meeting with CPM General Secretary Prakash Karat and Politburo member Sitaram Yechury, Naidu said: "We have told them very clearly that the mood of the nation and will of the people was for a second term to Kalam. He said he will discuss it in the party."

Although CPM leaders felt it was very late, they however have agreed to hold talks over the proposal, the former Andhra CM said.

"Even NDA had decided to support Vice-President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat but said they will discuss it today," he said.

Asserting that the United National Progressive Alliance (UNPA) had no intention to "play politics" on the Prez polls, Naidu reiterated that the alliance was all for a second innings for Kalam as he is the best choice and keeping in sync with the general mood of the country.

The TDP supremo also lashed out at the Congress for attacking the UNPA over its efforts.

"It is not correct. I don`t know why they did that. We are not playing politics. We are working in the interest of the nation," he said.

Apart from Naidu, Samajwadi Party leaders Mulayam Singh Yadav and Amar Singh, INLD chief Om Prakash Chautala, AIADMK representatives Thambidurai, Malaichamy and Maitreyan, MDMK leader Krishnan and AGP chief Brindaban Goswami were also present in the meeting.

Asked whether they were hopeful that CPM would support Kalam, former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav said: " Hum nirash nahi hai " (We are still hopeful).

Asked what would be their future course of action if they do not manage to muster enough support for Kalam, Naidu said it was a hypothetical question.

Asked if they planned to meet Congress president Sonia Gandhi, he said she did not give an appointment on Wednesday and expressed readiness to meet her if she is willing.