Ajmal enemy of Assam: Minister

GUWAHATI: Labelling AIUDF chief Badruddin Ajmal as the "enemy of Assam", state minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday asserted that he is an extremist in protecting Indian and the Assamese culture.

Accusing Ajmal of tr ying to do something alien to Assamese culture, Sarma, the North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) convenor, said he will talk about politics of identity till the Lok Sabha MP and opposition leader is in the political scene. Ajmal, Lok Sabha member from Dhubri heads AIUDF which has 14 MLAs. AIUDF has teamed up with Congress and four other political parties to form a Grand Alliance against the ruling BJP in the upcoming state polls. "Yes, I am an extremist in protecting Indian culture and Assamese culture in this land. If anybody has given me this title, kindly convey my regards and thanks to them," Sarma told reporters.

KABUL: At least 30 Taliban militants were killed as their explosive device went off prematurely inside a mosque in Afghanistan's Balkh province, an Army official said. According to the spokesman, a group of Taliban insurgents were receiving training in Qalta village of the restive Dawlatabad district on how to make explosive devices and roadside bombs when an IED went off suddenly, killing the 30 militants on the spot, six of them foreign nationals, reports Xinhua news agency.