M A I N   N E W S

CWC to approach President
Gujarat circular on RSS

NEW DELHI, Jan 15 (PTI) — The Congress Working Committee (CWC) today decided to approach President K.R. Narayanan to seek his intervention on the issue of the controversial circular issued by the Gujarat Government lifting the ban on state government employees for participating in RSS activities. A decision to this effect was taken by the CWC at its meeting held today. It was presided by the party President, Mrs Sonia Gandhi, party spokesman, Ajit Jogi told reporters.

Condemning the action of the Gujarat Government, the CWC wanted it to withdraw the circular forthwith.

It also urged the Centre to issue necessary directives to the Gujarat Government to withdraw the circular and in case of non-compliance, should take ‘’appropriate measures’’ against the state government.

The party has also decided to launch an agitational programme all over the country against the decision until the circular is withdrawn.

TNS adds: The CWC also took stock of the situation in the states going to the polls next month. The Congress today swore to be guided by the Pachmarhi declaration by going it alone in the forthcoming elections to the Assemblies of Bihar, Orissa and Haryana keeping doors open for some adjustments.

Senior party leader, Pranab Mukherjee told mediapersons after the meeting that the Congress could have local adjustments and hinted at talks being held with the Jharkhand parties in Bihar and Orissa and Ajit Singh’s Lok Dal in Haryana.

Mr Mukherjee also said the party was not enthusiastic about entering into a tie-up with the Bahujan Samaj Party in Haryana. The party also appeared lukewarm to the idea of having any pact with the Haryana Vikas Party while it was not averse to induct members from the party into its fold.

In answer to a question Mr Mukherjee made it clear that party’s relations with Mr Laloo Prasad Yadav would not have a dampening effect on its prospects in Bihar. The Congress, he said was pursuing an independent line be in the case of corruption charges against Mr Yadav or espousing the cause of a separate Jharkhand state.

However, the only exception the Congress was making was in Manipur, where talks were on for an alliance with the Manipur Peoples Party.

The CWC decided that the party’s Central Election Committee will meet here from January 18 to 21 to finalise the list of candidates for the Assembly elections and also byelections in other states.

According to sources, CWC members expressed the view that new faces should be fielded in the forthcoming elections.

The Congress would project the problems of governance and lack of development in states going to the polls barring Orissa where it has been in power. “We will project the positive aspect in Orissa”, he said.

The CWC also expressed concern over deterioration in law and order situation in Jammu and Kashmir and decided to have a detailed discussion on the situation in Kashmir shortly.

The meeting also urged the party President to constitute a committee to examine all aspects of the Uttar Pradesh Government Public Religious Buildings and Property Bill, 2000.

Uma Bharati submits resignation

BHOPAL, Jan 15 (UNI, PTI) — Union Minister of State for Tourism Uma Bharati today said she had faxed her resignation to Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, giving a new turn to the controversy involving alleged beating of the Bharatiya Janata Party corporators here on Thursday.

A report from New Delhi said the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, had invited Ms Bharati to discuss the developments in Bhopal, a senior official in the PM’s Office said.

She was expected to come here and meet Mr Vajpayee in a day or two, he said.

Her announcement came in the wake of one-day BJP-sponsored bandh in the state capital to protest against the assault.

The bandh evoked a mixed response and passed off peacefully barring minor incidents of stone throwing and an attempt to set a tempo-taxi on fire, the police said.

Ms Uma Bharati, who represents Bhopal constituency in the Lok Sabha, said she had decided to resign as, being a Union Minister, she was unable to perform certain duties towards the people of Bhopal.

“I am bound to safeguard the interest of people of Bhopal”, she said adding she could not come on the roads in her

capacity as the Union Minister of State.

She evaded question as to whether she would remain firm to her decision to resign from the ministry saying that it was up to the Prime Minister.

She said in her resignation letter she had referred to the Madhya Pradesh government’s failure in regard to the bashing up of the BJP corporators. Besides, the way the Chairman of Bhopal Municipal Council was elected was totally unconstitutional, she alleged.

Besides, Ms Uma Bharati said she had other reasons to decide to resign from the Vajpayee ministry to make herself free to agitate.

“I would like to personally look into the circumstances leading to the killing of Madhya Pradesh Transport Minister Lakhiram Kavre at his native village Sonpuri last month,” she said alleging that the Minister’s murder had wrongly been given the colour of Naxalite violence.

Similarly, the alleged beating of BJP legislator Vijay Shah had also called her attention. Finally, she said she was also keen on the incident of alleged suicide or murder of a hostel girl in the premises of Barkatullah University Bhopal.

“Incidents occur one by one and I was in dilemma how to react keeping the dignity of a minister”, she said.

Demanding criminal cases against those involved in beating of corporators, she said cases under Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Atrocity Act be registered against those who had beaten up a Scheduled Caste corporator.

When asked why she preferred not to talk to Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijay Singh despite his initiative in this regard, Ms Uma Bharati said former member of Parliament and senior party leader Kailash Sarang had discussed the issue with the Chief Minister who refused to accept any of the demands, including transfer of the District Collector, criminal cases against those involved in the alleged manhandling of BJP corporators and cancellation of election process.

“What was the use of my talking to the Chief Minister then”, she quipped.

To the Chief Minister’s statement that the BJP should seek judicial remedy if it was not satisfied with the election process adopted, Ms Uma Bharati said the question of going to the court did not arise as the process remained incomplete.

To a question, she clarified that she did not demand imposition of President’s rule in the state.

She told PTI soon after sending her resignation to the Prime Minister that she was feeling “very suffocated as a minister” since she was “unable to take part in protests” against a number of incidents that had taken place in Madhya Pradesh under the chief ministership of Mr Digvijay singh.

Meanwhile, the state unit of the BJP decided to extend the agitation throughout the state from Monday to press for its demands.