Thursday, November 12, 1998

SAD to campaign for BJP
NEW DELHI, Nov 11 — Senior leaders of the Shiromani Akali Dal, including the Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, are to campaign for the BJP in the assembly elections.

Farmers’ rights top priority: Chautala
NEW DELHI, November 11— Mr Om Prakash Chautala, working president of the Indian National Lok Dal, commanded the attention of a sizeable audience at public meetings at Kanjhawala, Najafgarh and Mahipalpur here today.

Children from Poonch meet Army chief
NEW DELHI, Nov 11 — Forty members of the sojourn “Chashma To Chishti” from Loran village of Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir were greeted by General V.P. Malik, Chief of the Army Staff, at the Army Battle Honours Mess here today.

Meham shadow on Delhi
From Shubhabrata Bhattacharya
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, Nov 11 — Coming close on the heels of the sensational Romesh Sharma case, the killing of the Samata Party candidate from the Nangloi assembly constituency, Ved Singh alias Laloo Pehlwan, and his supporter, Ishwar Singh, in the dead of night yesterday, has highlighted the growing nexus between the political-criminal mafia and the land mafia and its ominous shadow over the National Capital.

The parents of the deceased, who was an active member of the BJP till last week, said when peeved at not being granted a party ticket he, at first, announced his candidature as an Independent and later was adopted by BJP’s national ally, Samata Party. The parents have alleged that the family of former Delhi Chief Minister, Mr Sahib Singh Verma, was involved in the heinous crime.

Mr Sahib Singh Verma has denied any links with the criminals. However, when he went to the hospital where the body was kept, agitated supporters of deceased Laloo Pehlwan manhandled Mr Verma. When Mr Verma tried to pacify the 50-odd crowd, two members from the public took off their chappals and aimed it at the former Chief Minister, who decided to withdraw from the scene thereafter.

According to the deceased’s father, Chaudhary Bhim Singh, the former Chief Minister’s brothers — Azad Singh and Attar Singh — had threatened Laloo Pehlwan just a day before the incident. "Attar Singh came to my house yesterday and threatened my son to withdraw his nomination or face dire consequences", Bhim Singh told media.

Interestingly, Laloo Pehlwan was a key witness in last year’s killing of his friend, Dewender alias Kala Pehlwan, who had been allegedly shot dead by the former Chief Minister’s nephew, Neeraj, and one Pawan in a case involving rivalry in the real estate business earlier this year.

The connections of the deceased and the very fact that he was an active member of a political party and was later adopted by yet another political party which is an alliance partner in the Centre’s ruling coalition throws light on the alarming rise of criminality in political circles, cutting across party lines.

The deceased had cases under Sections 307 (attempt to murder), 448 (trespass) and 506 (criminal intimidation) registered against him. This is the first time in the history of Delhi that a candidate has been killed in the elections. Laloo Pehlwan was part of the gang of the deceased Kishan Pehlwan who was killed sometime back in a gang warfare.

Political circles recall last year’s killing of a real estate don, Harish Arora, in Mehrauli. Arora, who was a BJP activist at the time of his death, had begun his political career in the Congress and had been close to a Union Minister from the National Capital area.

The Congress, while reacting to the death of the Samata Party candidate in Nangloi, alleged that with the BJP having reached an electoral alliance with Om Prakash Chautala’s Indian National Lok Dal for the November 25 poll, there was apprehension of "Meham type" violence both in Delhi and Rajasthan.

The killing of Laloo Pehlwan has shocked Delhi’s political circles. The shadow of Meham is certainly cast over Delhi.

SAD to campaign for BJP
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, Nov 11 — Senior leaders of the Shiromani Akali Dal, including the Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, are to campaign for the BJP in the assembly elections.

The party secretary general, Mr Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, said here today that the SAD’s move to opt out the assembly poll in Delhi and Rajasthan was aimed at defeating the Congress.

Mr Dhindsa said the SAD had decided to extend full support to the BJP and its leaders would campaign as per the programmes chalked out by its alliance partner.

"Had we remained in the fray, then the SAD would not have been able to concentrate in the constituencies other than those it was contesting," he said adding this would have resulted in the Congress drawing benefit.

He said though the SAD had difference with the BJP on some issues, its main political rival was the Congress.

Farmers’ rights top priority: Chautala
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, November 11— Mr Om Prakash Chautala, working president of the Indian National Lok Dal, commanded the attention of a sizeable audience at public meetings at Kanjhawala, Najafgarh and Mahipalpur here today.

Mr Chautala’s party has formed an alliance with the BJP for the Delhi Assembly poll.

The party has fielded Pritam Singh Daggar, Surat Singh Yadav and Hem Chandra Bhatt from Najafgarh, Mahipalpur and the reserved constituency of Bawana, respectively.

Leader of the Opposition in the Haryana Assembly, Mr Chautala was greeted with garlands, turban and a show of hands on the first day of his campaigning. At a public meeting in front of Sant Baba Haridas Mandir in Jharoda Kalan, villagers handed over Rs 11,000 to Mr Chautala as a token of support.

Mr Chautala told the TNS said that the INLD wanted to contest 12 seats in Delhi but managed to get only three seats.

Mr Chautala said while the Delhi Chief Minister, Ms Sushma Swaraj, and her predecessor, Mr Sahib Singh Verma, had started campaigning in favour of the INLD candidates, their party would also seek the support for the BJP candidates.

He said Mr Devi Lal would start campaigning two or three days before the election.

Addressing a public meeting in Tikri Kalan in Najafgarh, Mr Chautala said his party would ensure that the farm sector was recognised as an industry. He said that he would not rest till the farmers were given their rights.

Mr Chautala described his party as "pro-farmer and pro-labour". He assured the villagers that the INLD would come up to their expectations.

Congress ‘playing communal card’
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, Nov 11 — The BJP today attacked the Congress President, Mrs Sonia Gandhi, for playing the communal card and likened her to those “who would love to see India balkanised”.

The BJP General Secretary, Mr M. Venkaiah Naidu said: “The Congress President has also mocked at the BJP’s commitment to India as one nation. Obviously, like many in the West, the Congress President does not believe that this is one nation. Like others who would love to see India balkanised, the Congress President subscribes to the multi-nation theory which is far more dangerous than Mohammad Ali Jinnah’s two-nation theory”, Mr Naidu said.

Continuing in the same vein, Mr Naidu said that while on the one hand, Mrs Sonia Gandhi was shedding “crocodile tears” for priests and nuns who, according to her, have been subjected to unspeakable atrocities, on the other hand she has rewarded those guilty of these atrocities by a Congress ticket in Jhabua district in Madhya Pradesh.

“According to the Congress President, priests and nuns have been subjected to unspeakable atrocities.The Congress President was referring to the rape of nuns”. Mr Naidu asked “if priests and nuns have been subjected to unspeakable atrocities by Congressmen in a state ruled by the Congress, how is the BJP responsible for it?”.

“The rapists of Jhabua were all Congressmen and the man who provided these Congress criminals with shelter (he acted in the best Congress tradition of sheltering criminals who loot, rape and riot), one Jamm Singh Amaliyar, has been awarded with a Congress ticket to contest Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections from Pethalwad”, Mr Naidu claimed.

“Actually, the Congress is a past master of vote bank politics and appealing to the communal elements. In the past, it has sought to influence minority votes by suggesting that the government should pay salaries to Imams and introducing a Bill to give reservations to so called Dalit Christians which would have adversely affected the interests of Dalits”, Mr Naidu said.

The Congress President has also criticised the invocation of Saraswati Vandana, scorning the fact that Saraswati Vandana embodies India’s cultural personality and lies at the core of India’s civilisational consciousness. this is in keeping with the Congress history of belittling Vande Mataram to appease fundamentalists”, the BJP leader said.

It’s T-72 S versus T-90
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, Nov 11 — Hectic lobbying is on between the two Russian Government-owned firms for the sale of tanks to India.

According to sources the two Russian firms, Prom Export, representing T-72 S tanks and the Rosvoorrouzhenie, representing T-90 tanks have been lobbying hard to push through their product especially as an Indian Defence Ministry team is due to visit the country for the purchase of defence equipment. The deal for the purchase of tanks is likely to be finalised during the visit later this month.

While the hunt for procuring the third generation tanks has been underway for a long time, India is likely to take a decision in favour of one of the Russia-made tanks soon. This is especially as the requirement for tanks is immediate for the country with the indigenously developed Arjun tanks not being able to fulfil the current deficiencies.

While the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has been able to develop the MBT Arjun but it has apparently not proved up to the expectations of the Indian Army during trials. The tank has been produced in a limited series and unable to fill the present void prevailing in the armoury.

Sources say that representatives of both Russian firms are apparently working hard to convince officials of the Defence Ministry to take a decision in their favour. While earlier the choice had been in favour of T-72 S tanks, the Ministry of Defence suddenly turned around to go in for the much more expensive T-90 tanks.

The decision in favour for the purchase of T-90 tanks is being taken as they are not only known to be much lighter but have all latest features like the thermal imaging sides and laser warning systems. However, the tanks are almost three times more expensive than T-72 S tanks.

Incidentally, the sources say that there is a debate underway within the Army and the Defence Ministry on which of the two tanks is to be purchased. While T-72 S is an improved version of the T-72 tanks which are already with India, T-90 tanks are one from the latest range from Russia and are much lighter in comparison to the earlier version with the Army. It is also capable of fighting a war in nuclear scenario.

However, the cost of this later version of tanks is being considered to be much more than what was expected. On the other hand there is also a feeling that since India already has T-72 tanks, its improved version with other latest features will be of advantage to it. The Russian firm wanting to sell T-72 S is also ready to install all those features available in T-90 in their tanks also for the same price. These features will make even T-72 S tanks capable of fighting a war in the nuclear scenario.

Besides, the officials say T-90 has also not undergone extensive user trials in India. This, they say, can prove to be a problem as the weather in Russia is much different from that in India. There is apparently an understanding between India and Russia that all equipment to be bought will be allowed to undergo user trials in India rather than in Russia.

Reports say the initial offer was made by a state-owned Russian firm Promexport for T-72 S tanks. However, later another state-owned Russian firm Rosvoorouzhenie made the offer for T-90 tanks, which although is known to be superior to T-72 S but, according to reports, has not been undertaken for mass production even in Russia.

According to reports, the Russian firm offering to sell T-90 tanks will also have to specially put up the production line for the order as this version has also been produced in a limited series by the company. The cost for the setting up of this production line will also apparently be passed on to India. The offer for T-90 tanks was made during the tenure of Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav as the Defence Minister.

Army official say while T-90 tanks have not undergone user trials by Indian experts T-72 S tanks have passed those tests. The choice is likely to be made for the former as the force is not sure whether the latter version will be new vehicles or the overhauled used vehicles, which were also in possession of the Russian Army. In the past Indian Army has been supplied with tanks with overhauled engines.

Children from Poonch meet Army chief
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, Nov 11 — Forty members of the sojourn “Chashma To Chishti” from Loran village of Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir were greeted by General V.P. Malik, Chief of the Army Staff, at the Army Battle Honours Mess here today.

General and Mrs V.P. Malik spent more than one hour with these young boys hailing from remote villages situated on the foothills of Pir Panel ranges. Most of them had come out of their villages for the first time with very limited exposure to the outside world.

For them every step beyond Poonch was a new experience and they shared the same in details with General and Mrs Malik. Later General Malik presented them gifts.

Selected from local schools the boys belong to 14-18 age group and represent cross section of population living in the remote areas. They are accompanied by two teachers. The sojourn has been planned with the hope that they act as young ambassadors to spread nationalistic feelings and witness themselves the life outside Jammu and Kashmir.

The sojourn forms part of the events organised to mark the historic 50th year of “Poonch Link Up by the Indian Army in the year 1948” and has been planned by one of the Punjab Regiments deployed in the Poonch Rajouri sector.

The team will be flagged off for Ajmer by Major-General S.K. Awasthy GOC Delhi area and Colonel of Punjab Regiment, on Thursday. They also plan to visit Jaipur and Agra before returning to Poonch on November 20.

Ex-minister escapes bid on life
HYDERABAD: A Congress leader and former Andhra Pradesh Minister, Mr G Nagi Reddy, narrowly escaped a bid on his life during a bomb attack which killed one of his relatives and injured three others in Anantapur district on Tuesday night. According to the police, Mr Reddy, along with his supporters, left for Dharmavaram in the faction-ridden Rayalaseema district by jeep when the assailants hurled bombs at them leading to the death of G Srinivasa Reddy. One of the accused was arrested immediately after the incident. — PTI

House delegation to visit Russia
NEW DELHI: Lok Sabha Speaker GMC Balayogi will lead an inter-parliamentary delegation to Russia from November 12 to 17. The delegation will meet Prime Minister Yevgeny Primakov besides other high-level government officials. The highlight of the visit will be the Speaker’s address to the plenary session of the State Duma (Russian Parliament). The team will also visit St Petersburg. — PTI

Film star Raju on censor panel
HYDERABAD: A BJP MP and film star U Krishnam Raju has been nominated to Hyderabad advisory panel of the recently reconstituted Central Board of Film Certification. Other members of the panel, having a two years term, include film stars Naresh, Ranganath, Giribabu and comedian Kota Srinivasa Rao, who joined the BJP on the eve of Lok Sabha elections, a press note said here on Wednesday. Noted environmentalists and former film star Amla Akkineni, veteran star Vijaya Nirmala, renowned poet J Bapu Reddy and writers Vakati Panduranga Rao, Vasa Prabhavathi and Pothikuchi Sambasiva Rao also found place on the 56-member panel, the press note added. — PTI

No-confidence notice served
PANAJI: The BJP, a four-member group in the 40 member Goa Assembly has served a notice of no-confidence motion against Mr Tomazinho Cardozo, the state Assembly Speaker. The winter session of the Goa Assembly will commence on December 2. The BJP, which is at present supporting the Wilfred D’Souza coalition government comprising the Goa Rajiv Congress and the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) from outside has decided to raise various issues in the House including the indifference of the government. — UNI

Rs 70 cr from ticket defaulters
NEW DELHI: Railways realised nearly Rs 70 crore from ticket checking during the first half of the current financial year. During this period, more than 54 lakh persons were detected travelling without ticket or with improper tickets. The number of such persons touched 43 lakh during the first half of 1997-98 with railways realising Rs 53.51 crore. Railways got more than Rs 11 crore from ticket checking during September this year. During this month, more than eight lakh ticketless travellers were detected which is nearly 2 lakh more than their number recorded in September 1997, according to an official release here. — PTI

2 Bodo militants killed
GUWAHATI: Two suspected National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) militants were killed and three others seriously injured in a grenade explosion at the Christian basti area of the city on Wednesday. Official sources said that some unknown miscreants lobbed hand grenades at the house where the suspected militants were taking shelter, killing two of them on the spot and injuring three others. The police suspect it to be a case of intra-gang rivalry. The assailants escaped immediately after the incident. — PTI