Sunday, April 18, 1999

• Kalyan govt ‘next target’
• Victory for Jaya, says AIADMK

Events before the fall
NEW DELHI, April 17 — Following is the chronology of tumultuous events leading to the fall of the Vajpayee-led coalition government.

Curfew in Bokaro
DHANBAD, April 17 — An indefinite curfew was clamped in the industrial township of Bokaro and Chas in the wake of arson and violence during the Shiv Sena-sponsored bandh today to protest against the rape of a teenaged girl two weeks ago.

Cong man held for kidnapping scribe
NAGAON (Assam), April 17 — Former Congress minister and member of Assam assembly Rashidul Haque was arrested today for his alleged involvement in the kidnapping of a journalist, official sources said here.

Badal lauds global participation
NEW DELHI, April 17 - The Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, while lauding the massive participation of international community in the tercentenary celebrations of birth of Khalsa at Anandpur Sahib, said this gesture had given a clear message of the need for peaceful and harmonious living in the world as a single large family, free from conflicts.

Bihar Assembly adjourned
PATNA, April 17 — The Bihar Assembly was today adjourned amid noisy scenes with vociferous BJP members storming into the well of the House in protest against the demand by an independent MLA for the arrest of Samata Party Lok Sabha member Prabhu Nath Singh.

Govt can spend till May
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, April 17 — Fall of the Vajpayee Government, even before Parliament could pass the Union Budget for 1999-2000, is unlikely to cause financial emergency as the Government has already secured a Vote-on-Account to keep the Government going till the end of May.

Senior Congress leader, Arjun Singh, gave an indication to this effect when he said that his party would ensure that there was no financial stalemate in the country. He said the Congress Working Committee would discuss the fate of the Budget and decide on an appropriate measure to avoid any financial emergency.

The Finance Minister, Mr Yashwant Sinha, too said that it was for the new Government to decide the Union Budget presented by him in February.

He said it was for the new Government to decide whether to go in for another Vote-on-Account or decide to pass the Budget with certain modifications.

Constitutional expert, Ashwani Kumar said knowing the sagacity and wisdom of the President, Mr K.R. Narayanan, he was unlikely to delay the formation of a new Government and whichever Government came to power would have enough time to push through the Budget with minor modifications.

Though the presentation of a new Budget was very much within the rights of a new Government, knowing the time it takes for the exercise, it is unlikely that the new Government would try such a venture, a senior industry official said.

Any problem on the Budget front is likely to arise only in the event of the failure of any party to form a Government and elections being called. In this case the President can direct the caretaker government to seek another Vote-on-Account for two months or even more till elections are completed.

The period covered by Vote-on-Account, the purpose of which is to keep the Government functioning pending the voting of final supply of funds, is generally two months but in election years it can be taken for longer periods.

As a convention Vote-on-Account is treated as a formal affair and passed by the Lok Sabha without discussion.

Kalyan govt ‘next target’

NEW DELHI, April 17 (UNI) — Emboldened by the ouster of the Vajpayee government at the Centre, the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party today trained their guns at the BJP-led coalition government in Uttar Pradesh saying the Kalyan Singh ministry’s days are numbered.

SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav visualised the fall of the Kalyan Singh government in the near future "under its own weight’’ while BSP Vice-President Mayawati also echoed similar sentiments and said the Kalyan Singh government had no moral right to continue.

Rashtriya Loktantric Morcha spokesperson Amar Singh admitted at a press conference that their (secular parties) next target was the Kalyan Singh government which had "messed up’’ the UP state affairs badly and there were internal dissensions in the ruling coalition there.

"The reflection of the Central government’s fate will tell on the Uttar Pradesh Government also and the work is already on,’’ Mr Amar Singh said.

PM defends bus trip to Lahore

NEW DELHI, April 17 (PTI) — The Prime Minister Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee on Friday defended his historic Lahore bus trip after the Pokhran nuclear tests, saying that the events were “the two sides of the same coin.”

Referring to the Opposition charge that the May’s Pokhran blasts and the bus trip represented a conflict of interests in the policies of his government, Mr Vajpayee, replying to a marathon discussion on the confidence motion, said seeking friendship would not be credible unless one stood on a firm footing.

He also defended his government’s policy of minimum nuclear deterrence saying the world history was witness to its effectiveness. Humanity has not witnessed a global conflict since the World War-II because of such deterrence.

Mr Vajpayee said India had acquired the nuclear capability but assured the world that it would not be making first use of the weapons nor use it against the country which did not possess that.

Refuting the charge of acting under the international pressures, the Prime Minister said his Government did face such pressures but never yielded to them.

He took the Congress to task accusing it of having yielded to external pressures to abandon nuclear tests despite all arrangements for this being in place.

Curfew in Bokaro

DHANBAD, April 17 (UNI) — An indefinite curfew was clamped in the industrial township of Bokaro and Chas in the wake of arson and violence during the Shiv Sena-sponsored bandh today to protest against the rape of a teenaged girl two weeks ago.

Official reports which reached here said that curfew was imposed in the town this forenoon to pre-empt escalation of violence as agitators clashed with the police and set ablaze several vehicles, including a Maruti Gypsy belonging to a deputy superintendent of police.

DSP Nagendra Prasad Singh and four other policemen were injured following stone-pelting by irate agitators.

Police fired four rounds in the air to quell the riotous mob that attacked government vehicles and looted shops in Chas and sector one market of Bokaro city. No one was injured in the firing.

The rampaging mob set ablaze a South Bengal State Transport Corporation bus near Chas check post. Besides, a dozen shops were also looted.

One additional company of the Rapid Action Force along with two companies of the Bihar Military Police have been pressed into service. One company of the RAF and one of CISF were already deployed.

Cong man held for kidnapping scribe

NAGAON (Assam), April 17 (PTI) — Former Congress minister and member of Assam assembly Rashidul Haque was arrested today for his alleged involvement in the kidnapping of a journalist, official sources said here.

Mr Haque, also the president of the Nagaon District Congress Committee, was arrested for his alleged connection in the kidnapping of the local correspondent of Hindi Sentinel Baidyanath Sahni.

The correspondent was later released and the police has registered a case against Mr Haque.

Meanwhile, Mr Haque too filed a case against Mr Sahni alleging that the journalist demanded money from him.

Mr Sahni was taken into police custody but later released.

Nagaon Chief Judicial Magistrate H. Barua rejected the bail petition of Haque and asked for the case diary.

Major fire in Delhi bazaar

NEW DELHI, April 17 (UNI) — Millions worth of properties were gutted in a major fire that broke out in Sadar Bazaar of central Delhi tonight.

The fire started at 9 p.m. in the busy Chappal Bazaar in Sadar Bazaar was still ablaze at midnight, said fire brigade sources here.

The fire started from the basement of a building. A portion of the building also collapsed.

However, there was no report of any casualties.

More than 45 fire engines were extinguishing the fire.

The approach road to the locality is very narrow, so the fire engines were finding it difficult to reach the place.

The fire brigade authorities had sought the help of other agencies to douse the fire.

Victory for Jaya, says AIADMK

NEW DELHI, April 17 (PTI) — The AIADMK today claimed victory over the fall of Vajpayee government and said it all happened due to the efforts of its leader Ms J Jayalalitha.

“This is a victory for the efforts of Ms Jayalalitha.”

The AIADMK leader, Mr S.R. Muthiah, told reporters outside Maurya Sheraton Hotel, where the AIADMK leader has been camping since Monday after withdrawal of the party’s support to the Vajpayee government.

Mr Muthiah said the party would decide its future course of action after a meeting of all its MPs.

Badal lauds global participation
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, April 17 - The Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, while lauding the massive participation of international community in the tercentenary celebrations of birth of Khalsa at Anandpur Sahib, said this gesture had given a clear message of the need for peaceful and harmonious living in the world as a single large family, free from conflicts.

Addressing a luncheon meeting here today, in which 52-member Pakistani delegation was present, Mr Badal said the visit of people from different countries facilitated information and cultural flow.

The visits of ‘jathas’ and high dignitaries from different parts of the globe to Anandpur Sahib had gone a long way in strengthening ties of friendship between people of Punjab and other countries.

While addressing the SAD Delhi unit and DSGMC members, the Punjab Chief Minister expressed gratitude to “Delhi sangat” for painting the whole Anandpur Sahib as “white” besides contributing in many other ways.

Mr Badal stated that no hard cash donations were received from any quarter for these celebrations. However, the sangat has rendered the seva in kind in different ways. He said the voluntary efforts had played a significant role in making these celebrations a success.

The Punjab Chief Minister said the celebrations remained purely of religious nature giving emphasis on the propagation of the philosophy of Guru Gobind Singh and “panj pyaras”.

The SAD General Secretary Mr Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, criticised some people for politicising the celebrations at parallel function at Anandpur Sahib and vitiating the atmosphere with provocative and inciting slogans.

The party General Secretary and MP, Mr Balwinder Singh Bhunder, said participation of 70 lakh people and peaceful accomplishment of the celebrations at Anandpur Sahib had given strength to the forces of peace, human brotherhood and mutual trust.

Among others who addressed the gathering included SAD Delhi unit chief Avatar Singh Hit, DSGMC president Jaswant Singh Sethi.

Events before the fall

NEW DELHI, April 17 (PTI) — Following is the chronology of tumultuous events leading to the fall of the Vajpayee-led coalition government:

March 15, 1998: Mr Vajpayee appointed Prime Minister after the general elections.

March 19: Mr Vajpayee sworn in as Prime Minister along with his Cabinet.

March 28: Mr Vajpayee wins a vote of confidence, but uneasy relationship begins with AIADMK, a partner in the government, with its leader Jayalalitha raising demand after demand including the dismissal of the DMK government.

April 7: AIADMK nominee in the Vajpayee ministry Sedapatti R. Muthiah chargesheeted in a corruption case.

April 9: Muthiah resigns from the Union Ministry.

April 13: the AIADMK reiterates demand for the dismissal of DMK government.

May 5: Mr Vajpayee rules out invoking art. 356 in TN.

May 20: AIADMK presses for DMK govt’s dismissal.

May 23: Union Minister of State and AIADMK nominee R.K. Kumar resigns from the Cabinet.

June 20: Jayalalitha charges the BJP with attempts to split AIADMK and alleges that BJP and DMK had entered into secret understanding.

June 23: Jayalalitha charges Mr Advani with ‘selective amnesia’ with regard to the promise to dismiss the DMK government.

July 5: Mr Fernandes meets Jaya, pacifies her. AIADMK says issue-based support to Mr Vajpayee ministry would continue.

Sept 15: Jaya boycotts Mr Vajpayee meeting in Chennai, organises a parallel rally at Tiruchirapalli.

Oct 9: Jaya hosts a tea party to coalition partners in Delhi.

Nov 30, : AIADMK announces continuation of support to Vajpayee ministry at the coordination committing meeting in Delhi.

Mar 27, 1999: Jaya raises the Vishnu Bhagwat issue, demands that Mr Fernandes be shifted to less sensitive post.

Mar 28: Jaya endorses Congress demand for a JPC probe into the Vishnu Bhagwat issue;

— the same day, Sonia Gandhi and Jaya meet at Subramanian Swamy’s famous tea party in New Delhi.

Mar 31: Parliamentary Affairs Minister Rangarajan Kumaramangalam criticises Jayalalitha for flouting the coalition norms and demands resignation of AIADMK ministers.

April : The AIADMK wants clarification from the Prime Minister on Kumaramangalam’s statement, says it is ready to withdraw its ministers if Mr Vajpayee so desires.

April 3: AIADMK general council authorises Jaya to take appropriate action on forming of a new alliance.

April 5: the BJP announces withdrawal of AIADMK nominees from the ministry.

April 9: AIADMK withdraws from co-ordination committee.

April 12: Jaya leaves for the all important political meeting to New Delhi.

April 14: Jaya hands over letter of withdrawal of support to the President.

— President asks Mr Vajpayee to seek a vote of confidence in the Lok Sabha.

April 15: Mr Vajpayee moves a motion of confidence in the Lok Sabha in his 13-month-old ministry.

April 17: Mr Vajpayee loses confidence vote by the narrowest margin of one, the balance being tilted in opposition favour by the controversial vote of Orissa Chief Giridhar Gamang who is yet to resign from the Lok Sabha.

Bihar Assembly adjourned

PATNA, April 17 (PTI) — The Bihar Assembly was today adjourned amid noisy scenes with vociferous BJP members storming into the well of the House in protest against the demand by an independent MLA for the arrest of Samata Party Lok Sabha member Prabhu Nath Singh.

An Independent MLA, Mr Tarkeshwar Singh, raised the issue during zero hour alleging that the Samata Party MP was wanted in connection with a criminal case at Hazaribagh.

Demanding immediate arrest of Prabhunath Singh, the independent MLA charged the MP with having levelled “unseemly and absurd” allegations against the Congress President, Ms Sonia Gandhi, while participating in a debate on confidence motion moved by the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, in the Lok Sabha yesterday.

BJP members strongly opposed the MLA’s demand and said the matter could not be discussed in the Assembly as Prabhu Nath Singh was a member of the Lok Sabha.

Delhi railway station gets award
NEW DELHI: The General Manager, Northern Railways, Mr S.P. Mehta, yesterday presented awards to 132 Northern Railway personnel for meritorious service during 1998-99. While the Delhi main station received the station cleanliness award and Haridwar was the runners-up, Bikaner division got the shield for the best division as well as safety shield, a Northern Railway release stated. The awards are given every year during the Railway week (April 10-16) celebrated to commemorate the running of the first train between Boribandar and Thane on April 16, 1853. This week was the 44th railway week. — TNS

‘BBC got permission legally’
JAIPUR: The permission granted to the BBC by the Rajasthan Government to shoot a film at Ranthambore National Park (RNP) was not illegal, Minister of State for Forest and Wildlife Bhagraj Choudhary on Friday assured the state Assembly. Replying to a two-hour debate on a call attention motion moved by two Congress members and one of the BJP, he said the permission was granted by a competent authority under the Wildlife Conservation and Protection Act, 1972, vide Sections 28 and 12. As per the agreement, permission has been granted from January 21 to June 30 this year and the BBC would provide two copies of the shot film, both in Hindi and English, free of charge and also gift the Gypsy being used for the shoot to the Forest Department. — PTI