Sunday, January 3, 1999

• PM rules out probe

Samata crisis blows over
PATNA, Jan 2 — The crisis in the Samata Party’s Bihar unit appears to have been defused with senior leader and Lok Sabha member Shakuni Chaudhury mending fences with the state leadership.

Jaya for probe into Bhagwat’s sack
CHENNAI, Jan 2 — AIADMK leader Jayalalitha today regretted the “unceremonious” dismissal of Admiral Vishnu Bhagwat as the Chief of Naval Staff, and demanded a full-fledged inquiry by an independent forum of retired Chiefs of Staff to find out whether the charges levelled against him were genuine.

2 more chapels demolished
AHMEDABAD, Jan 2 — In a fresh outbreak of violence, two chapels were demolished and set ablaze by unidentified assailants at Kasadbari and Natyanuvat villages in the trouble-torn Dangs district of south Gujarat late last night.

Army alert in Karnataka area
BANGALORE, Jan 2 — The Karnataka Government has put the Army on the alert even as one more person succumbed to bullet injuries taking the toll to seven in the violence in Suratkal and other areas in Dakshina Kannada district in coastal Karnataka today.

Two Kashmiri militants held

Prof Sen for right to basic education
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, Jan 2 — Nobel laureate Prof Amartya Sen today said a constitutional amendment was required for making basic education a fundamental right in India.

"As far as I am concerned, I think despite a Supreme Court verdict on education there is arguably a strong legal and constitutional case to make education a fundamental right", Prof Sen said while participating in a public hearing on elementary education organised by voluntary organisations here today.

Disagreeing with the Education Secretary, Mr P.R. Dasgupta, who said in the light of the apex court ruling there was "no need" for making education a fundamental right, Prof Sen said that given the type of political situation the amendments would give necessary social pressure and boost for the uplift of education.

Prof Sen said that the quality of a country’s human resources is primarily determined by the importance accorded to fundamental education in the country .

Expressing concern about the lack of schools in India, Prof Sen said the primary prerequisite for education is that a school must be available to all children. The absence of school is an important reason for low levels of schooling among many communities, as observed in the cases of children from quarries and brick-kilns in Uttar Pradesh, he added.

Moreover, admission to problems and mere presence of a school with a reasonable distance does not mean that it is accessible to everyone who wants to attend, Prof Sen pointed out.

The Education Secretary, Mr Dasgupta, said the government has prepared a scheme to set up exclusive girls schools where apart from free tuition, ancillary, recreational and sports facilities would be provided.

To highlight the realisation of the fundamental right to education people from different strata of the society expressed their views on the issue. Among others, parents, children, senior citizens, construction workers, quarry and brick-kiln workers spoke on their experiences gathered over a period of time.

The public hearing was addressed among others by students, school drop outs and parents from slum areas and remote parts of states like Gujarat, Haryana, Bihar and Meghalaya.

The panellists on the public hearing included former Chairman of University Grants Commission, Prof Yashpal, Member, National Commission for Women, Ms Sayeeda Ahmed, Supreme Court Advocate Kapila Hingorani and well known journalist Bharat Dogra.

Earlier, releasing a report called "Public Report on Basic Education in India" published by the Oxford University Press, Prof Sen said that since education is a labour-intensive activity and does not require any machinery or huge capital investments, even the poorer countries can provide fundamental education at cheaper costs if extensive effort made for it by the government and the public.

"The issue of basic education is central to the development of the country and the right of schooling should be made a fundamental right of every child which would give boost to elementary education programme and also replace social evils like child labour," Prof Sen said.

Put Gujarat Govt on watch: Cong
Congress panel meets President

NEW DELHI, Jan 2 (PTI) — The Congress today urged President K.R. Narayanan to direct the Central Government to issue a "clear and unambiguous" warning to the Keshubhai Patel Government in Gujarat and put it on watch in the wake of "breakdown" of law and order and failure to protect the minorities.

A four-member Congress delegation led by Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Manmohan Singh, met the President and drew his attention to the growing incidence of violence and attacks on minority communities in Gujarat maintaining that the state government was clearly guilty of failing to fulfil its minimum constitutional duties to protect minorities.

"Therefore, in view of the breakdown of the law and order situation in Gujarat, the Congress demands that the Central Government issue a clear and unambiguous warning to the state government and put it on watch.

"The flow of aggressive statements and destructive actions must stop immediately. The state government must commit itself to a specific action plan to prevent such events from recurring", the delegation said in a memorandum submitted to the President.

It said these were not isolated or stray incidents but appeared to be a well-planned campaign by the VHP, the Bajrang Dal and other allied organisations to instil fear in the minds of minority communities.

The memorandum said provocative statements continued to be made and belligerent postures continue to be taken with impunity by office-bearers of some organisations of the Sangh parivar.

"In spite of the assurances given by the Prime Minister and Chief Minister, there has been no let-up in the campaign to whip communal passions and fervour", it said.

It said the party was deeply concerned that the rights of minority communities guaranteed by the Constitution were now under "systematic and sustained" attack and "neither the Central nor the state government is taking stern measures to uphold the Constitution both in its letter and spirit".
The Congress was also convinced that the state government had "neither the willingness nor the capacity to uphold the secular ideal that forms the bedrock of our Constitution", the memorandum said.

Senior party leaders Pranab Mukherjee, Ahmed Patel and Meira Kumar were part of the delegation.

Soon after meeting the President for 30 minutes, Mr Manmohan Singh told reporters that it was for the Centre to discuss with the state government as to what steps should be taken to control the situation.

Asked if the party would demand dismissal of the state government following these incidents, he said there were stages for imposition of President’s rule.

George sad over Bhagwat’s sack

NEW DELHI, Jan 2 (PTI) — Defence Minister George Fernandes has said he was feeling "miserable and sad" for having had to sack Naval chief Admiral Vishnu Bhagwat who, he felt, was "crossing all limits".

"I must confess, it wasn’t a pleasant task. I am feeling miserable and sad for this action. But there was no option. I spoke to Admiral Bhagwat on a number of occasions. I felt he was crossing all limits", he said in an interview to news weekly ‘India Today’.

Mr Fernandes said he requested the sacked admiral to correct himself but he would not listen. He was refusing to comply with government orders and even defying the Cabinet. "The Cabinet’s decisions can be questioned only by Parliament and none else".

Asked why the issue could not be sorted out through a dialogue with Admiral Bhagwat, the minister said he wanted to adopt that course and the Admiral had a free access to him.

"But he (Bhagwat) wanted things to be done his own way. He was so defiant that a dialogue with him was almost impossible after a point of time", he said, adding it was evident that if any government decision was not acceptable to him he would indulge in defiance.

"No government could succumb to the pressure of an individual. The choice was between chaos and discipline. And we chose to enforce discipline", Mr Fernandes said.

To a question, Mr Fernandes denied the sacking could lead to a tussle between bureaucracy and forces saying the country’s defence forces liked discipline at all levels. In fact, he said, the government’s efforts to enforce discipline would be welcomed by all.

Moreover, he said, Admiral Bhagwat was threatening his own colleagues with court martial. There was a lot of resentment against his actions and the Defence Ministry was getting a large number of complaints about his functioning.

Asked why Defence Secretary Ajit Kumar was transferred, he said everyone in the government felt that in the given circumstances it would be proper to shift him as well.

About objections of the dismissed Naval chief against selection of a deputy, Mr Fernandes said all decisions were taken according to rules and procedures.

"No one can be allowed to enjoy a veto power in a parliamentary democracy. In fact, in the affidavit that Admiral Bhagwat himself had filed in 1990, he had stated that the Cabinet was supreme".

About accusations that he had taken the decision under communal pressure, Mr Fernandes said "if George is communal, then I am afraid there is no secularist left in this country. The charge is ridiculous and it reflects the level of frustration".

Meanwhile, Vice-Admiral Harinder Singh, Fortress Commander in Andamans, whose appointment as Deputy Naval chief had triggered the fight between Admiral Bhagwat and the government, has said "whatever decision the government of India has taken, it has done so in its wisdom.

He denied he had taken any help from the Akali Dal and said he had nothing against Bhagwat’s wife, Niloufer.

Admiral's sack: PM rules out probe

CHENNAI, Jan 2 (PTI) — Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee tonight ruled out any inquiry into the episode leading to the dismissal of naval chief Admiral Vishnu Bhagwat.

"There is no need for any inquiry’’, he told newsmen at the Meenambakkam airport after his arrival from Bangalore.

Asked for his comments on the Tamil Nadu Government’s stand that it had the right to constitute special courts to try corruption charges against former Chief Minister and AIADMK supremo Jayalalitha and her colleagues, Mr Vajpayee refused to comment saying that the matter was sub-judice.

When a newsman drew his attention to the BJP President Kushabhau Thakre’s remarks today that price rise was one of the reasons for the debacle of the BJP in the just concluded assembly elections in four states, the Prime Minister said Mr Thakre is the President of the party and he has not blamed the government for the debacle".

Mr Vajpayee arrived from Bangalore here tonight. Human Resources Development Minister Dr Murli Manohar Joshi accompanied him.

He was received at the airport, among others, by the State Governor, Justice (retd) Fathima Beevi, Chief Minister M Karunanidhi, Union Ministers, Dalit Ezhilmalai, Kadambur Janardanam and Vazhapadi Ramamoorthy, MDMK leader Vaiko, and PMK leader, Dr Ramadoss.

Delhi police claims Sharma-Dawood nexus

NEW DELHI, Jan 2 (PTI) — The Delhi Police has said there is sufficient evidence to show controversial politician Romesh Sharma’s link with Dubai-based Don Dawood Ibrahim and his having taken help of Dawood henchman Abu Salem for extortion of money and grabbing of properties.

The police in two separate charge sheets filed before two city magistrates today and earlier this week alleged that Mr Sharma had taken help of Salem in grabbing a house at Lajpat Nagar in south Delhi in August last year and in extorting Rs 50 lakh from a city businessman.

The police claimed that during the course of investigation it had procured audio-cassettes containing telephonic threats by Salem to a Chirag Delhi house owner Ramesh Mallik asking him to sell his bungalow.

Salem had told Mr Mallik that his man would come to him for settling the deal and it was Romesh Sharma who subsequently met him on August 20 last year. Mr Mallik’s number was kept under observation by the police.

In the other charge sheet police alleged that Sharma and Salem had extorted Rs 50 lakh from city businessman Vinay Singh, owner of Luckey Exports, to whom threats were held out by them over telephone in a hotel at Ahmedabad in October.

The charge sheets further alleged Sharma and Salem had also threatened some members of Reliance Industries to extort large amount of money.

The police said, "There is sufficient evidence to prove that Sharma and Salem had reached into an agreement and conspired to extort huge amount of money from big businessmen in India".

The magistrates taking cognisance of the charge sheets asked the jail authorities to produce Sharma before them on January 14 and 16.

The police, in one of the charge sheets, requested the court to issue non-bailable arrest warrant against Salem.

Sharma facing 15 cases, is lodged in high security Tihar Jail since his arrest by a joint team of the CBI, Delhi Police and Income Tax Authorities on October 20.

With the two new charge sheets, prosecuting agencies had charge-sheeted him in five of the cases, including violation of Arms Act, Excise Act and Wild Life Act.

However, Chief Metropolitan Magistrate R.K. Gauba today granted bail to Sharma in a passport act violation case in which he had allegedly helped Dawood’s mother Amina Bi flee India after 1993 Mumbai serial bomb blasts by arranging a passport for her.

Hike in traffic penalties
From Our Correspondent

NEW DELHI, Jan 2 — The traffic wing of the Delhi police today recommended hiking of penalties for violation of traffic rules from Rs 500 to Rs 1000. The Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic), Mr Mukund S. Upadhye said.

He said that at present maximum fine for jumping a red light and driving without helmet was Rs 100 and Rs 300 for subsequent offences. The proposal had come twice before the authorities concerned but it could not be passed due to certain reasons.

The DCP also impressed upon the Delhi Government to restore the power of disqualification of a person from holding a driving licence with the Assistant Commissioners of Police as there was an immediate need for putting some sort of check on the erratic drivers, especially heavy vehicles.

He said that imposing fines only affected the owner of the vehicle and not the driver. The power of cancellation of driving licence would act as a deterrent for drivers. The powers should be given to police officers to punch the driving licences in all compounding cases as in majority of the cases the general public prefers to pay the fine at the spot. This would help the traffic police in invoking enhanced punishment for various traffic offences and will instil a sense of discipline among the motorists which was completely lacking now.

The strength of the Traffic Wing was inadequate and was based on the assessment done in 1988, the DCP said.

He requested for 5459 personnel, which included 3978 constables, 796 head constables, 159 Assistant Sub Inspectors and 255 Sub-Inspectors to meet the demands of the wing.

Elephants starve following SC fiat

AGARTALA, Jan 2 (PTI) — Tripura’s professional elephant owners are now struggling to save their animals from starvation with restrictions placed on the movement of timber.

With a Supreme Court order banning the movement of timber in the northeast, it is not possible for the owners to maintain the elephants, says Rupendra Pal of Sonamura village of West Tripura district.

He has placed two advertisements in local newspapers seeking customers for his lone elephant but he is yet to get a positive response. “I went to give an advertisement in an English paper, so that some one from another state buys my elephant,” Rupendra says.

About 100 elephants engaged in carrying logs from different terrains and deep forests have been rendered idle and their owners, finding it difficult to feed them, are asking the Forest Department to buy them.

The state government had requested the Union Forest and the Environment Ministry to move the Supreme Court to reconsider the ban in view of the “economic dislocation” it had caused to the entire region.

“The ban is continuing and we have not received any information from the Centre, state Forest Minister Narayan Rupini said.

According to Rupendra, his elephant was earning about Rs 1,000 per day getting work for more than 20 days in the month.

With an expenditure of about Rs 4,000 per month for his upkeep, it is not possible for Rupendra to meet the expenditure now. “Although the elephant earned a lot for us, how long can I feed it without any money,” says Rupendra in tears. “Even then, I have been feeding the animal for more than one and half years”.

Interestingly, some owners marched their elephants in a unique procession in Kailasahar — the district headquarters town of North Tripura — with placards dangling around their trunks appealing for jobs last year. “We are jobless, give us jobs. We are hungry, give us food”, the placards read.

It is not only elephant owners who are threatened. An estimated 20,000 families who were used to earn their living by collecting timber and bamboo for making incense sticks are also out of job because of the court order.

The state discontinued supply of bamboo products for making agarbatti immediately after the apex court order while various cooperative societies have stopped purchasing bamboo products from rural craftsmen.

The Forest Minister, however, said although the elephants were in trouble, he had not received reports of any starvation death in the state.

According to the DFO (Research), Mr C. Krishnan, Tripura — once the natural habitat of hundreds of forest elephants — is fast becoming a forbidden land for them owing to heavy influx of settlers, poaching and terrorist movement.

Asiatic elephants were found in the state in large numbers at one time but now only a few small herds remain. These are also keen on migrating to Chittagong Hills of Bangladesh for survival.

Mr Krishnan says large herds comprising 25 to 30 elephants were found till the 70s but there is hardly any such group with more than 10 to 12 elephants now.

The present pachyderm population in the state is difficult to ascertain as the state Forest Department has been unable to undertake any survey due to insurgency, he said.

Samata crisis blows over

PATNA, Jan 2 (PTI) — The crisis in the Samata Party’s Bihar unit appears to have been defused with senior leader and Lok Sabha member Shakuni Chaudhury mending fences with the state leadership.

“I have no grudge against party state President Raghunath Jha ... differences between me and Jha have been sorted out”, Mr Chaudhury said today.

He said Mr Jha had already disowned the reported allegation that Mr Chaudhury was responsible for the state Samata President’s defeat in the November byelection to the Sheohar assembly seat.

“I had taken a stand against Mr Jha after the publication of the allegation ... now when he (Jha) blames the state machinery for being responsible for his defeat, I have nothing against him”, the MP from Khagaria said.

He said he had also invited the state party President to participate in the kisan-mazdoor sammelan organised by him at the miller school ground here on Monday.

Mr Chaudhury said the party’s national President, Mr George Fernandes, Congress leader Rajesh Pilot, Janata Dal leader Ramvilas Paswan will address the proposed conference.

Mr Chaudhury also denied allegations that he was trying to engineer a split in the party following his differences with a section of senior Samata leaders.

“I am one of the founders of the Samata Party ... and shall continue to work for strengthening the organisation”, he said.

Mr Chaudhury had last month demanded the resignation of Mr Jha after the latter lost the byelection from Sheohar.

Jaya for probe into Bhagwat’s sack

CHENNAI, Jan 2 —(PTI) AIADMK leader Jayalalitha today regretted the “unceremonious” dismissal of Admiral Vishnu Bhagwat as the Chief of Naval Staff, and demanded a full-fledged inquiry by an independent forum of retired Chiefs of Staff to find out whether the charges levelled against him were genuine.

In a statement here, she urged the Prime Minister to reveal the reasons behind the official stance that Admiral Bhagwat’s continuance as Naval Chief was a danger to national security.

Ms Jayalalitha said it was difficult to believe that an officer who was appointed to the highest post in the Navy in September, 1996, could have got this distinction if he had indeed been guilty of the charge.

The Admiral had got the reputation of being a strategic thinker, who was responsible for both the strategic defence review as well as long-term planning perspective.

His successor Admiral Sushil Kumar had mentioned Admiral Bhagwat’s contributions in preparing the nation for the new era of cyber war and the age of information technology as a force multiplier, she said.

Ms Jayalalitha said given his record of four decades of service to the nation during which he saw action in Goa and Bangladesh, Admiral Bhagwat should have been given an opportunity to explain himself before an independent commission. In case, his continuance on the post was a danger to national security, he should have been given a show-cause before the punitive action was taken, she said.

Ms Jayalalitha said the 1957 Navy Act clearly stated how a Deputy Chief of Naval Staff should get selected. After reading reports of remarks made by the Defence Ministry’s candidate, it was clear that Admiral Bhagwat might have had a good reason to refuse to accept this officer, she claimed.

If it was true that the first action of the new Naval Chief was to approve this officer as the Deputy Chief, it added weight to the charge that personalities and not policies were behind admiral Bhagwat’s “unseemly” dismissal, she said.

Making a reference to ISRO espionage case, Ms Jayalalitha alleged that top scientists working on the cryogenic engine programme were “framed in the cooked-up” case and the engine’s development programme suffered a set-back by years.

2 more chapels demolished

AHMEDABAD, Jan 2 (PTI) — In a fresh outbreak of violence, two chapels were demolished and set ablaze by unidentified assailants at Kasadbari and Natyanuvat villages in the trouble-torn Dangs district of south Gujarat late last night.

The police said about 50 persons attacked the chapels, demolished them and set them on fire. However, no one was injured in the attacks. Following the incident, members of the Christian community lodged complaint with the Ahwa police this afternoon.

Meanwhile, Hindu Shiv Sena city unit chief Sanjay Amar Kumar Brahmbhatt was arrested by the police for issuing threats to shopkeepers of posh C.G. Road here today.

Sanjay has been threatening the shopkeepers of dire consequences if they did not have their billboards written in Hindi or Gujarati in place of English, the police said.

Army alert in Karnataka area

BANGALORE, Jan 2 (UNI) — The Karnataka Government has put the Army on the alert even as one more person succumbed to bullet injuries taking the toll to seven in the violence in Suratkal and other areas in Dakshina Kannada district in coastal Karnataka today.

Highly placed sources told UNI here this evening that the Army has been kept in readiness.

Meanwhile, the toll in the violence in Suratkal and other areas in Dakshina Kannada district of Karnataka rose to seven with one more person succumbing to bullet injuries even as the trouble hit areas were limping back to normalcy.

The situation was almost near normal and no fresh incidents had been reported since last night, Director General of Police T. Srinivasulu, who is camping in the port city of Mangalore, told UNI over telephone this afternoon.

He said curfew was relaxed for about six hours till 1p.m. today and no incidents were reported during that period. Even in the port city, where prohibitory orders were in force, no incidents had been reported.

Mr Srinivasulu said one of the injured succumbed to bullet wounds, taking the toll in police firing to three. Four had died of stab wounds.

Adequate police force had been deployed in the troubled areas and they were not taking any chances, he added.

He said 21 persons had been arrested in connection with the incidents and nearly 75 had been taken into preventive custody.

The trouble started in Suratkal on Wednesday last over alleged police indifference to an eve-teasing incident involving members of two communities. Later the trouble spread and the police had to resort to firing.

Two Kashmiri militants held
From Our Correspondent

NEW DELHI, Jan 2 — The Delhi police arrested two Kashmiri militants of the Hizbullah outfit from near the Jama Masjid in the walled city yesterday. The militants were identified as Bashir Ahmed Billo and Mohammad Ashraf, alias Gola.

They came to the capital following orders of Guk Shah, chief of the outfit to commit militant activities in Delhi on Republic Day, the police said.

External Malayalam bulletin
NEW DELHI: Keralites living abroad, particularly in West-Asia will soon be getting news from India in their mother tongue as the All India Radio (AIR) is all set to launch an external service bulletin in Malayalam. “AIR will launch the external service bulletin in Malayalam within 40 days,” the Chief Executive Officer of Prasar Bharati, Mr O.P. Kejriwal, said here on Friday. — PTI

3 killed in house collapse
BIJAPUR: A woman, her daughter and her grandson were killed in a house collapse at Murnal village in Bagalkot district on Friday, the police said. The cause of the incident was not known immediately, it said. — PTI

Congmen block traffic
NASIK: Congress workers staged a rasta roko at Niphad and Manmad, demanding the lifting of ban on onion export and remunerative prices for them as prices of the commodity continued to crash for the past week. Vehicular traffic on the busy Nasik-Aurangabad highway was affected as hundreds of farmers and Congressmen squatted on the road on Friday and staged a rasta roko. They also warned that if the Centre did not lift the ban on onion export they would launch a railway roko agitation. — PTI

Former CM awarded
AGARTALA: Former Tripura Chief Minister Dasarath Deb and eminent Bangladeshi writer Shantanu Kaiser have been selected for the Advita Malla Burman Memorial Award this year. Chief Minister Manik Sarkar handed over the award to the late politician’s wife at a simple ceremony at Chandanmura in West Tripura district on Friday. The award carries a citation and Rs 10,000 in cash. — PTI

‘Declare’ forest wildlife sanctuary
GUWAHATI: The Appropriate Technology Mission, Assam, a voluntary organisation, has demanded that the Kakoijana reserve forest in Bongaigaon district of Assam be declared a wildlife sanctuary. According to the organisation, illegal poaching, felling of trees, quarrying of rocks and lack of awareness among the local people about the importance and significance of the rarest and highly endangered wildlife species residing in the Kakoijana reserve forest have virtually threatened the existence of the forest and the creatures who inhabit its 2000 hectares area. — UNI

Kerala Assembly session
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala Cabinet has decided to recommend to the Governor to summon the State Assembly for its next session from January 28, Chief Minister E.K. Nayanar said here on Saturday. Mr Nayanar said the Cabinet also decided to give rubber cooperatives (RUBCO) a handling charge of 50 paise per kilo for procuring 50,000 tonnes of rubber. Earlier the handling charge were 40 paise per kilo. The Superintendents of medical college hospitals would be given more financial powers so that they could take decisions on expenditure up to Rs 50,000 instead of the present Rs 20,000 — PTI

Sonia called to take part in yatra
NEW DELHI: Congress president Sonia Gandhi has been invited to participate in the Deg Tegh Fateh Sarbans Dani Sharda Yatra. According to the convener of tercentenary celebration of the Khalsa Panth, Mr Jagmeet Singh Brar, the Deg Tegh Fateh yatra will commence on January 14 at Muktsar. “Besides Mrs Sonia Gandhi, we have extended invitation to each and every party and requested everyone to participate irrespective of their faith,” Mr Brar said. He pointed out that hectic preparations have been on for the past three months for the yatra which will start at the annual Maghi fair at Muktsar and culminate at Anandpur Sahib. Those who have been invited for the yatra include the Delhi Chief Minister, Mrs Sheila Dikshit and the Rajasthan Chief Minister, Mr Ashok Gehlot. — TNS