Sunday, December 13, 1998
|
N A T I O N |
|
| weather n
spotlight today's calendar |
 |
 |
|
|
CPP poll: 44 MPs in fray NEW DELHI, Dec 12 — As many as 44 MPs will battle it out for the four posts of office-bearers and 21 seats on the executive committee of the Congress Parliamentary Party, for which the elections are on December 15. Law panel draft for Bill to check corruption NEW DELHI, Dec 12 — The Law Commission today made public its proposed legislation on forfeiture of ill-gotten wealth and property of public servants in view of the failure of other laws to check corruption. Dikshit’s promise to Sikhs New Delhi, Dec 12 — The Delhi Chief Minister, Ms Sheila Dikshit has promised to resolve all pending matters and problems faced by Sikh community at the earliest. |
 |
|
|
Protest against Dilip Kumar MUMBAI, Dec 12 — Shiv Sena activists led by party MLA Shrikant Sarmalkar today staged a noisy demonstration outside the bungalow of thespian Dilip Kumar here protesting against his support for the controversial film "Fire". Prices
have come down, claims CM DD,
AIR staff call off agitation
TRC
questions AIADMK stand Mid-term
elections possible: Minister Amjad
Khan to launch website on arts Govt
to file appeal against HC order Cash,
copper looted from factory Gowda
refutes reports on farmers’ party More
battalions of CRPF planned RLM
MPs threaten dharna in LS BJP
MPs deplored for “apology” Shukla’s
charge baseless: Kalyan |
||||||
 |
|||||||
CPP poll: 44 MPs in fray NEW DELHI, Dec 12 (PTI) — As many as 44 MPs will battle it out for the four posts of office-bearers and 21 seats on the executive committee of the Congress Parliamentary Party, elections for which are scheduled for December 15. While there would be a straight contest for the post of treasurer between Santosh Bagrodia and Rajubhai Parpar, three Rajya Sabha MPs — Seva Dal chief Suresh Pachouri, former Kerala PCC chief Vayalar Ravi and Khan Gufran Zahidi — are in the fray for the lone post of secretary. The seven Lok Sabha MPs in the fray for the two posts of joint secretary are Pawan Singh Ghatowar, Ravi Mallu, K.H. Muniappa, Suryakanta Patil, K.S. Rao, Sambasiva Rao and T. Subbarami Reddy. Their names figured in the list of candidates released by returning officer Ram Niwas Mirdha after the withdrawal ended today. As many as 22 Lok Sabha and 10 Rajya Sabha MPs are left in the fray for the 14 and seven executive posts from the respective houses. Meanwhile, party sources
said that party president Sonia Gandhi, who is also the
CPP leader, has made it clear that she would not
interfere in the polls. |
Law panel draft for Bill to check corruption NEW DELHI, Dec 12 (PTI) — The Law Commission today made public its proposed legislation on forfeiture of ill-gotten wealth and property of public servants including ministers and MPs in view of the failure of other laws to check corruption. Titled as ‘Corrupt Public Servants Forfeiture of Property Act, 1999,’ the proposal has already got approval of the Central Vigilance Commissioner (CVC), who would be the competent authority under the act, Commission chairman B.P. Jeevan Reddy told reporters here. The Justice Reddy said to safeguard constitutional validity of the act, it was drafted on the line of Smugglers, Foreign Exchange Manupulators (Forfeiture of Property) Act (SAFEMA), 1976, which was upheld by a nine-judge Constitution Bench of Supreme Court in 1994. He said the proposal was being circulated among political parties, officials, noted public personalities, National Human Rights Commission chairman and others to get feedback. "Within a month from today, the commission will analyse the feedback and send a concrete recommendation to government for enaction of such a legislation," Mr Justice Reddy said. Under the Act, the CVC and other Commissioners could give a notice to the public servant seeking an affidavit on the means of acquisition of property as well as those held by him in the name of his relatives and friends, he said and added failure to authenticate the means of acquisition would result in its forfeiture. Mr Justice Reddy said, "corruption has been severely affecting country’s economy, security and administration. To weed out this dreaded disease from public life, we need a bitter medicine." He said the act, if enacted, would be made applicable retrospectively to help authorities get hold of those properties amassed by the public servants in past. The act provides an appeal to the high court only after the CVC has passed a final order, the Law Commission chairman said. The 27-page proposed legislation has 27 Sections and gives a wider meaning to the relatives and associates of the public servants. Mr Justice Reddy said the working paper on the legislation was being released to the media to get reaction from public and to examine them and incorporate them in the final recommendation. The meaning of public servant would include all employees of central government and central government undertakings, all present and past ministers, members of Parliament and the persons termed public servant under the Prevention of Corruption Act, he said. Asked as to what was the
chance that the recommendation would result in enactment
of a legislation, Mr Justice Reddy said, "this is an
important measure seriously affecting people in power.
They will not enact a law unless public pressure is built
for it." |
CJI for quick and inexpensive justice NEW DELHI, Dec 12 (PTI) — Chief Justice of India A.S. Anand today said that the common man’s faith in the justice delivery system had been eroded due to astounding cost of litigation, unnerving delays and a heavy backlog of cases. "The basic drawbacks of justice delivery institutions are access, backlog of cases, cost and delay", Mr Justice Anand said while inaugurating a conference on "disputes resolution" here. "We have not, so far, succeeded in developing an effective mechanism for pre-trial settlement of legal disputes with the result that there is heavy inflow of all sorts of civil, commercial and criminal matters into the courts", he said. "The inadequate judge strength vis-a-vis population in this country adds to the woes of judicial institutions and parties who have been wronged find it difficult to get judicial orders in time thereby undermining the importance of legal rights and obligations", he said. "People want justice, pure and unpolluted, and they have every right to receive the same", Mr Justice Anand said adding "comprehensive steps are required for providing quick and inexpensive justice to people". Mr Justice Anand lauded the role of lok adalats, which settled over 66 lakh court cases up to March this year, and emphasised on alternative dispute resolution methods. Mr Justice Anand said the lok adalat experiment in the country was an "astounding success" and proved to be "inexpensive and quick". "Its (lok adalats) relevance and effectiveness in providing speedy and inexpensive justice to litigants has withstood the test of time and a large segment of litigants now look up to lok adalats for conciliatory settlement of their disputes", he said. The Chief Justice said lok adalats had been given a statutory base under the Legal Services Authority Act and acquired the force of decree of a civil court. "We are also giving a serious thought to the possibility of establishing permanent and continuous lok adalats in different government departments so that legal issues pertaining to these departments are settled by way of conciliation", the Chief Justice said. Mr Justice Anand appreciated the work of the standing committee of senior officers to resolve inter-departmental disputes saying "this has resulted in settlement of a large number of disputes which otherwise would have burdened the courts". The Chief Justice said that lengthy and cumbersome court trials could hamper foreign investment in the country. "It is, therefore, of utmost importance that commercial disputes, particularly international, are resolved quickly through alternative dispute resolution mechanism," Mr Justice Anand said. He said keeping this in view the country has replaced the Law of Arbitration, 1940, with Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996, which gives wide ranging powers to arbitrators. The 1996 act has introduced for the first time "process of conciliation" to make the dispensation through arbitration more comprehensive and meaningful. Business has overtaken
politics in international relations and many developed
economies were keen to have business relations with
India. |
Dikshit’s promise to Sikhs New Delhi, Dec 12 — The Delhi Chief Minister, Ms Sheila Dikshit has promised to resolve all pending matters and problems faced by Sikh community at the earliest. The community has come to the Congress fold after a long gap and Ms Dikshit has given due representation to the community by giving Finance portfolio to Vishnu Garden MLA, Mr Mahinder Singh Saathi in her six-member Cabinet. The Congress won four Sikh dominated Assembly segments, while the Bharatiya Janata Party managed to retain one seat with the outgoing Delhi Industry Minister, Mr Harsharan Singh Balli, retaining the Hari Nagar seat with a slender margin of 617 votes. The Congress won the Vishnu Garden (Mahinder Singh Saathi), Gandhi Nagar (Arvinder Singh Lovely), Jangpura (Talwinder Singh Marwah), and Tilak Nagar (Jaspal Singh) Assembly segment. Resounding victory of the Congress in the Sikh dominated Assembly segments was despite the fact that senior Akali leaders, including the Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, and the Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Mr Madan Lal Khurana, known as an architect of the SAD-BJP alliance, toured the constituencies to woo the voters in their favour. Ms Dikshit said steps would be taken to give Punjabi the status of a second language in Delhi. Enough representation to the Sikhs would be given in various boards, corporations and committees and steps to resolve the land dispute over the gurdwara at Majnu Ka Tila taken. On the compulsory wearing of helmet by pillion riders including women, which the community claims violates tenets of Sikhism, the Delhi Chief Minister said the Congress government would first ascertain the official position with relation to the High Court order and then act on it. After being victorious the MLAs of the community have not forgotten the issues facing the Sikhs. Mr Saathi informed delegates of the National Akali Dal that the government had postponed the date for preparing the summary rolls for the elections to the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee to January 10. Other Sikh legislators-designate of party have articulated their commitment to the cause of the minorities while they condemned the 1984 anti-Sikh riots as a “black spot” in the history of India. Delhi Finance Minister Saathi said that his party in its manifesto had affirmed support to all minorities. “As and when the party comes up with plans or policies as to the issue of 1984 riots, it would be made public”, he said. However, Congress legislator-designate from Tilak Nagar seat, Jaspal Singh, said the Congress had a clear policy in respect of those found guilty in the 1984 riots cases. Whosoever is convicted in the killing of Sikhs, the Congress will never come in the way of the execution of the verdict, he said. Undoubtedly, the riots had been a “black spot” in the history of India and those who commissioned the crime must not be left unpunished, he said. “In fact, we will work for the cause of all minorities as they reposed confidence in the Congress party following Mrs Sonia Gandhi’s apology”, Mr Jaspal Singh said. Mr Talvinder Singh Marwah, Congress legislator designate from Jangpura constituency said he condemned the riots and would take up the matter of providing speedy compensation and allotment of houses to its victims. “Many cases as regards to compensation are lying pending. I would like to see to it that they are disposed of as soon as possible”, he said. Both parties, the Congress and the BJP in their manifestos spelt out the community-specific measures it would take if voted to power. For the parties attracting the Sikh voters appeared to be a major issue and both parties have pledged to take action against the culprits of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. The Congress manifesto, committed itself to taking “appropriate action” against all those found guilty in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. The Bharatiya Janata Party, on the other hand, promised that the 1984 riot victims will be given enhanced compensation soon and the culprits of the 1984 riots will be brought to book. The Congress manifesto promised to accord official status or official use for specified purpose in administration, education and information to Urdu and Punjabi and encourage schools to arrange teaching in different languages. All linguistic groups would be ensured facilities on the lines of Urdu, Hindi, Sanskrit, Punjabi and Sindhi languages, it added. The BJP promised that Punjabi would be given the status of the second language. “Punjabi language teachers will be recruited as per their requirement and the vacant posts of the Punjabi teachers will be filled”, the manifesto stated. Mr Badal and the BJP leaders repeatedly emphasised that the Congress president, Mrs Sonia Gandhi’s “apology” for the 1984 anti-Sikh riots was an election “gimmick”. They also highlighted the presence of three Congressmen Mr Sajjan Kumar, Mr Jagdish Tytler and Mr HKL Bhagat, allegedly involved in the riots, in the Congress party campaign committee. The poll results, however,
indicated that the electorate had other issues in mind
before casting the ballot. However, a BJP leader opined
that only time will tell whether price rise or the
Congress party’s poll promises moved the Sikh voters
to cast their franchise in favour of the party. |
Protest against Dilip Kumar MUMBAI, Dec 12 (PTI) — Shiv Sena activists led by party MLA Shrikant Sarmalkar today staged a noisy demonstration outside the bungalow of thespian Dilip Kumar here protesting against his support for the controversial film "Fire". The police said nearly 60 activists shouted slogans outside the bungalow at Bandra in north west Mumbai sarcastically describing Dilip Kumar as the "ideal leader" and "we want leaders like him". They were protesting against Dilip Kumar for joining Deepa Mehta, director of the film "Fire" in filing a petition before the Supreme Court seeking protection for screening of the movie. Sena activists had last week disrupted screening of the film at theatres in Mumbai and Delhi. "Dilip Kumar was away from home when the sainiks held an hour-long demonstration starting around noon shouting slogans against him," an aide of the veteran actor told PTI. "They also tried to get into the bungalow but the security guards stopped them", he added. Sena sources, however, said the activists had demonstrated in a democratic way shouting sarcastic slogans like "Dilip Kumar zindabad, neta kaisa ho — Dilip Kumar jaisa ho". Earlier they took out a morcha donning shorts after discarding their shirts and trousers to register their protest. Twentyfive activists were
arrested after the demonstration near Suburban Khar for
violating orders banning assembly of five or more persons
and later released. Counter protest outside Advani's house NEW DELHI, Dec 12 (UNI) — Over 200 artistes, writers and film personalities, including Ms Shabana Azmi and Mr Javed Akhtar, today held a silent candlelight protest outside Home Minister L.K. Advani’s residence here as a sequel to the Shiv Sainiks’ demonstration at the house of Dilip Kumar in Mumbai. The protesters, under the banner of Sahmat, a cultural organisation, submitted a memorandum to the Home Minister demanding that the "authorities desist from encouraging and instigating the violence in word and deed." "They said the licence for hooliganism that this regime has provided to its favoured few should be immediately revoked, and cultural activity in all its dimensions given an assurance of the security that is its due.’’
|
Prices have come down, claims CM New Delhi, Dec 12 — The Congress government in Delhi has been able to bring down prices of essential commodities within nine days of coming to power, Delhi Chief Minister, Ms Sheila Dikshit, claimed here today. “It is fairly satisfactory that within one week of our government prices of commodities have come down. This I attribute to combination of some persuasion, cooperation from all concerned and taking of stern actions wherever necessary,” she said in her first interaction with reporters after assuming office at a function organised by the Delhi Journalists Union. “I and my team is deeply committed to finding solution to people’s problems who have reposed so much faith in us,” she said, however, adding “the price of dal (pulses) was a matter of concern.” Asking citizens to bear this “little time of ‘kathinayee’ (hardship)”, the Chief Minister said “here too unlike past artificial hike will not be allowed. Maintaining that government would continue to keep “strict vigilance” on prices, Mrs Dikshit said “to further ease the price of onions, NAFED has been asked not to procure onion from Delhi mandi (market) and rather procure from Nasik and Rajasthan”. “Delhi government has decided to help NAFED in transportation on this,” she said. Criticising the previous BJP government for mishandling the situation leading price spiral, she said Delhi witnessed a price rise of 24 per cent when the national level inflation was only 16 per cent. On controversies over import of onion by the BJP government leaving financial implication of Rs 12 crore, Ms Dikshit said “all matters are being examined, we have no business to hound for anyone and if necessary inquiry could be ordered.” On law and order situation, she said it was a Central subject and her government would contribute its best in improving the situation. She said in her recent meeting with Lt Governor Vijai Kapoor and top police officials, “it was highlighted that at times even security guards of private agencies are found partners in crime.” Ms Dikshit appealed to people to appreciate the importance of keeping police posted whenever they employ new domestic servants. “Delhi is not just a state. It is the national capital and our national pride. There, when it comes to take care of the city it ought to be beyond and above party politics,” she said. Delhi Chief Minister said
one way of resolving multi-pronged problems confronting
the city was to encourage coming up of as many satellite
cities, adding “look the way NOIDA has come
up.” |
DD, AIR staff call off agitation NEW DELHI, Dec 12 (PTI) — The three-day old strike by programme staff of Doordarshan and All India Radio (AIR) was called off after a meeting with Information and Broadcasting Minister Pramod Mahajan here tonight. Prasar Bharati CEO O.P. Kejriwal told PTI the Minister, who met a delegation of the Programme Staff Association (PSA), assured them that their demand on pay parity with engineering staff and promotion will be looked into "sympathetically". Meanwhile, regional and international services of Doordarshan (DD) were today hit due to 48-hour-long strike by its engineering and technical staff. DD sources said there was no transmission of regional services in some centres, especially in the south while in some regions these were partly affected. International teletext, Internet services and programmes based on recordings which needed technical back-ups, were almost closed down, sources said adding that some regional centres were telecasting Channel-I and channel-II programmes. They said news programmes on channel-I and channel-II, however, were going on as usual throughout the country as the strike did not have much impact on their functioning in New Delhi, the main controlling centre. All India Radio (AIR)
Deputy Director M.D. Gaikwad said only 15 per cent of its
programmes, mainly based on "spoken words" were
affected. |
Now time for Geminid showers CALCUTTA, Dec 12 (UNI) — After the Leonid showers, it is now time for Geminid showers, the last of its kind this year to be visible tomorrow night. According to Prof R. Subramanium, Director of M.P. Birla Planetarium here, while the Leonid showers had originated in the direction of Leo, the Geminid showers would emerge from the direction of the Gemini constellation. He said these were another sort of shooting stars and differed from other Geminids in their density and movement at a relatively lower speed thus enabling the observers to view the meteor-streaks for a longer time. He said the peak of the
showers might be visible any time after about 10 p.m.
tomorrow, the rate being 40 to 50 an hour. The showers
would also be active for a couple of nights after the
peak but at a lesser rate. |
TRC questions AIADMK stand CHENNAI, Dec 12 (PTI) — Union Petroleum Minister and Tamizhaga Rajiv Congress (TRC) president Vazhapadi K. Ramamurthy today questioned the propriety of the AIADMK continuing in the Vajpayee government after having supported a general strike yesterday against the government’s policies. At a press conference here, Mr Ramamurthy wondered how a ruling coalition member could accept the Opposition’s “hypocritical accusation” that the present government was responsible for the economic and industrial recession, and still continue to be in the government. “If an ally agrees with the accusation, it should disassociate itself from the government,” he said. The TRC, which was part of the AIADMK-led front in Tamil Nadu until a few days ago when Ms Jayalalitha declared that it no longer existed, would continue to support the BJP, even if the government fell and it would not be part of any attempts to form an alternative government led by the Congress, he said. On the disbandment of the front, Mr Ramamurthy said it was Ms Jayalalitha’s “unilateral decision”. However, he said the party would continue to be friendly with the AIADMK, echoing similar sentiments expressed by the Pattali Makkal Katchi. Mr Ramamurthy said if the AIADMK had the right to disband the front, the TRC had an equal right to say that it was also snapping ties with the AIADMK. But he said the TRC was still open to reviving the alliance for the next election. He said “Dravidian” parties had traditionally fought elections since 1967 only by forging alliances, and it was wrong on the part of Ms Jayalalitha to weaken her party by ousting its allies. On Ms Jayalalitha’s lengthy statement yesterday detailing her role in forging the alliance and deciding the Cabinet composition, he wondered why she had not mentioned in it the fact that she had tried to have an alliance with the Tamil Maanila Congress (TMC) before she struck a deal with the BJP. Asked whether she was moving close to the Congress, he said there was talk in New Delhi circles that Congressman Mani Shankar Aiyar had called on her in Hyderabad recently. However, he was not sure whether Mr Aiyar met her as an emissary of AICC chief Sonia Gandhi. Asked if Ms Jayalalitha was opposed to his holding the Petroleum Ministry, Mr Ramamurthy said if she wanted it he was willing to surrender the portfolio immediately so that the Prime Minister could allocate it to the AIADMK. However, the fact was that till today she had not asked for the ministry. On Ms Jayalalitha’s
charge that the MDMK, the PMK and the TRC had brought
about the front’s end by “charting their own
path”, Mr Ramamurthy said these parties had done
nothing wrong, as they were only affirming their support
to the BJP — a stand that was no different from that
of Ms Jayalalitha. |
Mid-term elections possible: Minister CHENNAI, Dec 12 (UNI) — Union Petroleum Minister and Tamizhaga Rajiv Congress (TRC) President Vazhapadi K. Ramamurthy today said mid-term poll to the Lok Sabha has emerged as a possibility with the spectre of instability hovering over the country. Addressing a press conference here, he said the ball was now in the Congress court. If the BJP’s allies such as the AIADMK withdrew their support to the Vajpayee government, the BJP-led ministry could fall provided the Congress was also ready to pull it down, he added. However, a new government could last only a few weeks before mid-term poll were ordered, he felt. Even if the AIADMK, which had disbanded the front led by it in Tamil Nadu, withdrew support to the BJP-led government, his party would continue to support the BJP, he added. The TRC considered the BJP no more communal, he said. Mr Ramamurthy disclosed that Ms Jayalalitha had wanted to withdraw support to the Vajpayee government on August 13 last and expressed the same view at the meeting of leaders of the AIADMK-led front at her Poes Garden residence on that day. However, the PMK, the MDMK and the TRC had prevailed upon her to defer the decision to August 16, hoping to buy time and persuade her not to withdraw support, since the withdrawal of support would embarrass the Prime Minister at the time of unfurling the National Tricolour on August 15. The other parties had subsequently made public their support to the Vajpayee government even if Ms Jayalalitha withdrew support, he added. Ms Jayalalitha, who had convened a meeting of the front leaders on August 16, had subsequently cancelled the meeting, he recalled. Stating that the
AIADMK-led front had campaigned for a stable government
led by an able Prime Minister during the elections, he
said it would be a negation of the people’s mandate
to pull down the Vajpayee government. |
Amjad Khan to launch website on
arts NEW DELHI, Dec 12 — Information on artistes of Delhi will be available on a comprehensive website to be launched by sarod maestro Ustad Amjad Ali Khan here on Monday. The website (http://www. artindia.net) will offer information under various categories including music, dance, drama, auditoria, press, critics, yoga, medicine, studios for audio recording, lights, cultural institutions, books on dance and music, impresarios, names and addresses of gurus of various art forms and calendar of events. Mr G.S. Rajan, composer, flutist and a programme officer with the Sangeet Natak Akademi who has conceived this site, says that it took him a year to compile information on Delhi. “I dreamt of having a comprehensive site with complete listings of Indian musicians, dancers, visual artists, etc., and information on various arts. I registered www.artindia. net and started compiling information.” Mr Rajan proposes to extend the base to Chennai, Calcutta, Mumbai, Bangalore and other cities and towns once he has completed the categories for Delhi. He says, “The site is not one hundred per cent comprehensive nor does it contain complete listings. This is only a first step in a long journey but I am confident that it will soon become an authentic site on Indian performing arts.’’ The site also offers a brief write-up on all performing arts including odissi, kathak, bharata natyam, mohiniattam and modern dance and chau. Rajan’s wife, Anjana
Thapalyal, a trained bharata natyam dancer has taken
pains to give a succinct introduction to various dance
forms. |
Govt to file appeal against HC order NEW DELHI, Dec 12 (PTI) — The government will appeal against the Delhi High Court order quashing the appointment of Lt-Gen H.R.S. Kalkat as General-Officer-Commanding (GOC) Eastern Command, Solicitor-General (SG) Santosh Hegde said today. “I have issued instructions to appeal against the single judge order before a Division Bench of the high court by Monday itself,” Mr Hegde told PTI. Mr Justice Vijendra Jain yesterday quashed Gen Kalkat’s appointment as GOC, Eastern Command, and directed Army headquarters to appoint Lt-Gen Kadyan in his place as the latter was “wrongly superseded” in April this year. While allowing a petition by Gen Kadyan challenging appointment of Lt-Gen Kalkat as GOC, Mr Justice Jain held that the promotion was “contrary” to laid down criteria. The court did not agree with the contention of Army headquarters that General Kadyan had less experience as corps commander as compared to General Kalkat. The court said Defence Ministry records showed that he was even ignored for promotion as Lt-Gen in 1996 despite having an excellent track record. The court took exception to the Army headquarters’ contention that Lt-Gen Kalkat was promoted due to his better experience as corps commander though Kadyan was senior. The court said after perusing the records of the Defence Ministry, it was found that Lt-Gen Kadyan had positive recommendations in his annual confidential report (ACR) prepared by the Army headquarters in February and was also the senior-most officer eligible for the appointment.T he court said he fulfilled
the basic criterion of seniority, fitness and having
experience of dealing with the situations in north-east,
especially in Assam and Nagaland. |
Cash, copper looted from factory NEW DELHI, Dec 12 — The spate of crime continued in the Capital, a day after the law and order situation was reviewed by the Delhi Chief Minister, Mrs Sheila Dikshit, Lt Governor, Mr Vijai Kapoor, and the Delhi Police Commissioner, Mr V.N. Singh. The cases reported since last night include the looting of a factory in Mongolpuri after tying up 15 labourers and Rs 5 lakh from the Civil Lines area. Over 5 tonne of high quality industrial copper and Rs 80,000 were taken away from Govind Metal Works, Mongolpuri, early this morning. At about 3 am, seven armed men barged in the factory located in Rithala village and took 15 workers sleeping inside by surprise. The dacoits then tied up all of them and began looting the factory. According to North-West police district officials, while a few dacoits stood around the labourers, others dumped copper scrap — weighing about 5 tonne — into 40 gunny bags. The owner of the unit claimed that Rs 50,000 to Rs 80,000 in cash was also found missing from the office. The Mongolpuri dacoity was preceded last evening by a snatching incident in Paschim Vihar. A man was deprived of his jacket containing Rs 50,000 in the pockets by three men. According to the police, Vijay Kumar was returning home from DDA market Paschim Vihar with Rs 50,000 in his jacket pockets, three men — two on a scooter and one in an autorickshaw — waylaid him and took away his jacket. A case of snatching has been registered, the police said. It was clear that the three men knew that Vijay was carrying the money in his jacket since it was their target. In the third case, unidentified persons robbed two employees of a metal supplier of Rs 5 lakh in the Civil Lines area while they were returning after collecting payments from Loni Road. According to the police, Suraj and Pradeep working with Vipin Kakkar, a Sadar Bazar businessman dealing in metal, were robbed of Rs 5 lakh. Vipin had reportedly told them to collect the money from a party in Loni Road in Ghaziabad. After collecting the money, the two came to Sadar Bazar at 9.30 pm to give it to Vipin. As they reached the Hindu Rao Hospital, they were accosted by certain persons who deprived them of their scooters at knife point. The two managed to alert police personnel at a nearby picket. When they returned to the spot of the incident, they found the scooter abandoned. he police said while the
scooter was found intact, the dickey was found open and
the money missing. |
Gowda refutes reports on farmers’ party BANGALORE, Dec 12 (UNI) — Former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda today asserted that his meeting with Congress President Sonia Gandhi was only a courtesy call. Addressing a crowded press conference here, he said only the media was attaching political significance to it. Even the All-India Congress Committee had dismissed the meeting as a courtesy call, he pointed out. Refuting reports about his breaking away from the Janata Dal and floating his own farmers’ party, Mr Gowda described it as “media creation” and said he would strive to strengthen the Janata Dal. He would tour the state and the country after the current Parliament session, he added. The reports of launching the farmers’ party were aimed at weakening the Janata Dal. The Dal would continue, he said. Asked whether he would intervene to find a solution to the dissidence in the ruling Janata Dal in the state, Mr Gowda said it would not be fair for him to do so. If his services were sought, he would definitely do so, he added. He parried a question on the delay in finding a solution, saying “I will not raise my fingers on the issue”. Mr Gowda also declined to comment on the reported deadline set by Chief Minister J.H. Patel to find a solution to the issue. Mr Gowda launched a broadside against his bete noire and Union Commerce Minister Ramakrishna Hegde and threatened to launch an agitation if the new special import licence policy allowing unbridled import of china silk was not withdrawn. “There is no question of compromise and the policy should be withdrawn. Otherwise, we will launch an agitation after the Parliament session”, Mr Gowda said he also mounted a scathing attack on the fertiliser policy of the Union Government. He said if the silk import
was allowed it would be sold at Rs 1040 a kg against Rs
1400 to Rs 1600 being earned by farmers now. The farmers
in India, especially in Karnataka, would be affected by
the new policy. Even some of the Bharatiya Janata Party
members of Parliament have petitioned to the Prime
Minister against the policy, he added. |
More battalions of CRPF planned TEKANPUR (Madhya Pradesh), Dec 12 (PTI) — The Centre is planning to augment the strength of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) to relieve the overworked Border Security Force (BSF) from internal security duties and counter-insurgency operations, Union Home Secretary B.P. Singh said here today. “BSF personnel are working under tremendous pressure owing to their deployment in counter-insurgency operations and internal security duties. We plan to focus on its assigned task of border security,” Mr Singh told reporters here. Mr Singh, who was here to take the salute at the passing out parade of Assistant Commandants at the BSF Academy, said the government was also considering a request for raising 12 additional BSF battalions. “We plan to raise more battalions of both BSF and CRPF but the exact number will depend on the finances available.” BSF Director-General E.N. Ram Mohan said earlier in Delhi that the force was short of about 23,000 personnel. “This will also
ensure uniformity in the contents and timings of the
examination which are now held separately,” he said. |
RLM MPs threaten dharna in LS NEW DELHI, Dec 12 (PTI) — Samajwadi Party MP Daroga Prasad Saroj today said that RLM members would hold a dharna in the well of Lok Sabha on Monday if Speaker GMC Balayogi did not take any action against Trinamool Congress MP Mamata Banerjee for "misbehaving" with him in the House yesterday and demanded institution of a case against her under the SC/ST Act. "We will sit on dharna in the well of the House till action is taken against Banerjee," Saroj told reporters and said RLM members had already decided not to allow the House to function till such a step was taken. He demanded disciplinary action against her and institution of a case under the SC/ST Act as she had insulted him by calling him a Dalit, Harijan and Scheduled Caste. Deploring the manner, in which Ms Banerjee had pulled his sweater to prevent him from going towards the Speaker’s podium, Saroj displayed at the press conference his torn kurta, vest and pullover. The SP member refuted the allegation levelled by Ms Banerjee that he had kicked her. "Had I done so, all the women grappling with me would have fallen down," he said, and asked if women could behave in such a manner without reservation, what would be their behaviour if they were given 33 per cent quota in the Lok Sabha and state Assemblies. To a question, he said he
had not received any communication, so far, on the notice
of Breach of Privilege given against her to the Speaker
demanding termination of her membership. |
BJP MPs deplored for “apology” RANCHI, Dec 12 (PTI) — Two pro-Jharkhand outfits today criticised 12 BJP MPs from south Bihar, who had tendered an “apology” to Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee over their threat to resign if the Bihar Reorganisation Bill was not tabled during the ongoing Parliament session. The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (Soren) and the Jharkhand People’s Party (JPP) said the move had “exposed BJP’s flippant attitude” to the statehood cause. JMM (S) spokesman Rajendra Mehta said apart from exposing the BJP’s “non-serious attitude” to the Vananchal Jharkhand issue, the apology of the BJP MPs just a day after their threat to resign en-bloc from the Lok Sabha if the introduction of the Vananchal Bill was deferred, “speaks volumes about their meek stand over the issue.” “This gesture by the BJP MPs proves their ineffectuality at a time when most pro-Jharkhand parties of the region are adopting measures to mount pressure on the Centre to introduce the Vananchal Bill during the ongoing winter session of Parliament,” he said. JPP president Vinod Bhagat termed the move as “impotent” adding that it would cost them dearly in the next elections. “A party which promised to initiate concrete legislative steps to speed up creation of a separate Jharkhand/Vananchal state if elected to power, should not have backtracked on the issue in this manner,” Mr Bhagat added. Mr Mehta also criticised
the BJP MPs for keeping “mum” when Samata Party
MP Prabhnath Singh opposed the Vananchal Bill in the Lok
Sabha recently. |
Shukla’s charge baseless: Kalyan AGRA, Dec 12 (PTI) — Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Kalyan Singh has described as “baseless” the allegation of the sacked state Minister for Education Ravindra Shukla that the Kalpa Yojna, under which the rendition of Vande Mataram and Saraswati Vandana were made compulsory in government schools, had his approval. “The yojna was finalised on September 5 only and hence there is no question of it being approved on June 6. The fact was that Mr Shukla was trying to cover up his own misdeeds,” Mr Kalyan Singh said. He told reporters last evening at Kheria airport that Mr Shukla’s dismissal was not because of the Vande Mataram and Saraswati Vandana issue, but “because of the many irregularities and wrongs committed by him,”. He said Vande Mataram and Saraswati Vandana were constitutionally legal but they had not been included in the Kalpa Yojna as claimed by Mr Shukla. The scheme had to get the
approval of the Chief Minister after the necessary legal,
financial and other sanctions. All this had not been
obtained by Mr Shukla, Mr Kalyan Singh said. |
| H |
|
||
| Research on ageing TIRUPATI: The United Nations has constituted an international committee to look into the status and needs of the elderly and formulate an agenda for research on ageing in the 21st century. UN Expert Consultative Committee chairman Gary Andrews said this here on Friday while delivering the valedictory address at the short-term international training programme organised by the Centre for Research on Ageing Department of Psychology, Sri Venkateswara University. Dr Gary said Prof P.V. Ramamurthi, coordinator of the training programme and Emeritus Professor in the Department of Psychology, is a member of the committee. The committee would have its first meeting at Vienna in the first week of February next year. — UNI Cultural show by prisoners Child welfare
award for Champa Stamp on Baba
Raghav Das 4 killed in bus
mishap Film Fair from Jan
11 Naxal hacked to
death |
 |
 |
| Punjab
| Haryana | Himachal Pradesh | Jammu & Kashmir | Chandigarh | | Editorial | Business | Sport | | Mailbag | Spotlight | World | 50 years of Independence | Weather | | Search | Subscribe | Archive | Suggestion | Home | E-mail | |
