Silchar (Assam), Apr 13: Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Monday criticized the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) prime ministerial candidate Lal Krishna Advani for releasing the terrorists during Kandahar hijack episode in 1999-2000.

"Even the Parliament was attacked during Advani's tenure as Union Home Minister. The BJP and other communal parties who alleged that Congress encourages division should remember that Congress has never allowed secessionist forces to thrive and will never allow it in future," Sonia Gandhi said while addressing an election rally here.

Shillong, Apr 13: Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Monday said the country needed a strong and stable government to protect and promote secular values and communal harmony.

"The country needs a government that is strong and stable and will protect and promote secular values and communal harmony. Only Congress can give such a government," Sonia Gandhi said while addressing an election rally here.

Gandhi reiterated that the Indo-US nuclear deal would reap the benefit in the long run.

Dhaka - Bangladeshi authorities on Monday deployed over 10,000 lawmen to ensure security for the celebration of the 1416 Bengali New Year Tuesday in the capital Dhaka, officials said. "We will ensure the highest security so that the people can celebrate the day with more enthusiasm," Home Minister Sahara Khatun told reporters visiting the prime celebration venue at the Raman Green, where traditionally tens of thousands of people from all walks of life gather to celebrate Pahela Baishakh, the first day of the Bangladeshi calendar.

Baghdad - Baghdad is not seeking to buy advanced Russian weapons systems, an Iraqi government spokesman said Monday, denying earlier reports. "Iraq does not want to buy heavy, advanced weapons from Russia," spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh told Baghdad's al-Iraqia television Monday.

Any reports to the contrary were "absolutely untrue," al-Dabbagh said, adding that budget cuts and Iraq's current security requirements precluded the purchase of advanced fighter jets or air defence systems.

Shillong, April 13: Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Monday criticized senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Lal Krishan Advani stating that the Kandahar episode and the 2001 Parliament attack had occured when he was the Union Home Minister of the country.

"When Advaniji was the home minister, a terrorist who was captured and kept in jail here was released and escorted as a guest to Afghanistan. The terrorist then went to Pakistan and planned attacks against India, including the attack on our Parliament," she told an election rally at Shillong on Monday.

Kochi, Apr 13: Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi on Monday said that the future of India lies with the youth.

Addressing a press conference in Kochi, Gandhi expressed his firm belief on the power of youth in politics.

"The difference between a young person and an old person is that a young person looks towards the future, okay! An old person looks in the past," said Gandhi.

Speaking to reporters, Gandhi admitted that the lack of youth participation in politics was due to the absence of an appropriate system in the country.