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| Tuesday,
April 17, 2001, Chandigarh, India   
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Karunakaran sticks to his guns Thiruvananthapuram, April 16 A day after the AICC conceded three more assembly seats to his group, senior Congress leader K. Karunakaran deferred withdrawing his resignation from the CWC. Tipnis demands higher force level
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| EC seeks forces from Punjab, Haryana New Delhi, April 16 To augment the availability of security forces for the smooth conduct of the ensuing Assembly poll in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and Pondicherry, the Election Commission (EC) has requested the Chief Ministers of Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka to provide security personnel. Clashes mark electioneering Abhishek booked for ‘beating up’ lensmen Parliament pays tributes to Devi Lal |
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CJI’s land deals: Centre refuses probe Nitish honours 91
railway men Special
teams to check car thefts
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Karunakaran sticks to his guns Thiruvananthapuram, April 16 Talking to reporters here today, Mr Karunakaran said though he was not fully satisfied with the AICC decision, he was happy that the principles for which he stood had been accepted. “It is not yet time. I have explained to you the circumstances under which I resigned from the CWC. They (the high command) should know what led me to resign”, the veteran leader said. He, however, gave indications that he would consider taking back his resignation if the Congress President appealed to him. “I have always stood with the leadership. There is no question of defying the Congress President if she asks me to do something”, Mr Karunakaran replied to persistent queries from the reporters. Mr Karunakaran, who saw merit in the three additional seats given to his group and the nominees chosen for them, wanted all factions of the Congress to work for the victory of the United Democratic Front (UDF) cashing in on the deep resentment against the ruling LDF. Asked whether his raising a banner of revolt would not have been interpreted as defying the high command, he said “I did not raise the banner of revolt but only expressed my views democratically.” About his daughter Padmaja’s candidature being cold-shouldered, Mr Karunakaran said “It is time that the whispering campaign that my fight is for a family member is stopped.” He said he still stuck to his position that no one should project himself as the chief ministerial candidate of the UDF.
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Tipnis demands higher force level New Delhi, April 16 While briefing the Defence Minister, Mr Jaswant Singh during the bi-annual commanders’ conference of the IAF, the Chief of Air Staff projected the higher force level requirements, which he said was important to maintain an effective deterrence in the present security environment. The Air Chief also highlighted the urgent requirement of operational and ground infrastructure upgradation. He said, keeping in view the high cost of replacement, greater interaction with PSUs and private sector was being pursued for accelarating the process of indigenisation. The Defence Minister, Mr Jaswant Singh, endorsed the requirement of expediting the process of decision-making in defence related matters. He assured full support to the IAF to meet all its operational requirements. The Chief of the Air Staff also presented trophies to various commands for implementing the Hindi language policy as also the Chief of Air Staff trophy for best sportsman to Sgt Anil Kumar to Training Command. |
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EC seeks forces from Punjab, Haryana New Delhi, April 16 “We have requested the Chief Ministers of Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka to provide security forces for the poll process,” the Chief Election Commissioner, Dr M.S. Gill, told newsmen after a full commission meeting here today. The Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) also said that the commission would review the security scenario in the four states and the union territory going to the polls on May 10 with the Home Ministry officials tomorrow. Expressing serious concern over the situation in Darjeeling, where an indefinite bandh is in force, Dr Gill asked political parties to ensure free and fair poll in the state. “We are little concerned about the situation in Darjeeling where there is a bandh (on) for many days,” Dr Gill said. All political parties must take steps to ensure a free and fair poll, Dr Gill said that the Chief Electoral Officer has been asked to review the arrangements and report back to the commission. “The commission is determined to have a free and fair poll in the State (West Bengal),” he said. The commission has also decided to appoint an additional poll observer in Kasargode, Kannur and Calicut districts of Kerala which reported violence in the recent past, he said. The Congress had recently demanded adequate paramilitary forces in the three districts to ensure peaceful polling in these districts which witnessed violence during the previous polls. Meanwhile, bowing to the commission’s directive, the Kerala Government has transferred as many as 80 Returning Officers and Assistant Returning Officers in the State. The commission has also called a meeting with senior Union Home Ministry officials tomorrow to discuss effective deployment of central forces during the elections. The commission also reviewed the security arrangements for the safe keeping of the electronic voting machines (EVMs) to be used extensively in the assembly elections. The EVMs to be used by the Election Commission in the May 10 assembly poll are tamper-proof and allegations regarding their efficacy are baseless, the commission said. The software used in the machines was of fixed programme nature, which was fused into the processor and was effectively unalterable, EC sources said here today. The EVMs have been manufactured for the commission by the public sector undertaking Bharat Electronics Ltd. and Electronics Commission of India Ltd. As far as the procedure for the preparation and setting up of the EVMs and their storage and safety during polls was concerned, the commission had issued detailed instructions to the Chief Electoral Officers and made them personally responsible for their safe keeping, they added. While the polling in Tamil Nadu, Pondicherry, West Bengal and Kerala would be fully electronic, the EVMs would be used in five constituencies of Assam. A committee of experts set up by the Centre in April, 1990, comprising Prof P.V.Indiresan, Dr C Rao Kasarbada and Prof Sampath had given a unanimous report that these machines could not be tampered with, the sources said. |
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Clashes mark electioneering Kolkata, April 16 Yesterday, as reported in The Tribune earlier, the joint poll-campaign of Congress and the Trinamool Congress was formally kicked off at Shyam Bazar, north Kolkata, near Netaji Subhas Bose statue by Ms Mamata Banerjee and Mr Pranab Mukherjee. The Left Front’s campaign, however, was launched last month at maidan by the former Prime Minister, Mr V.P. Singh. According to official records, during the past fortnight at least 50 persons had been killed in political clashes in the districts and about 12 others in and around Kolkata in which firearms, daggers and other lethal weapons were freely used. In most cases, the ruling CPM and the Trinamool Congress were involved. In some cases, however, SUCI, once a partner of the United Front and the Naxalites had clashes with the CPM. West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer, Sabyachasi Sen expressed concern at the spurt in political clashes on the eve of the elections. He appealed to all political parties to maintain peace and normalcy for ensuring a free and fair poll. Mr Sen said the home ministry had agreed to deploy 170 companies of central forces in the state for maintaining peace and normalcy during the poll. But he would ask for more BSF forces for deployment in the border districts to prevent exodus from Bangladesh and other countries. Chief Secretary Manish Gupta said he had already directed the SPs and the district magistrates to launch massive drive to unearth firearms, which most of the political parties, were now possessing. He admitted that huge stock of sophisticated firearms has been smuggled into the state from Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan and went into the hands of criminals, political leaders and other. Mr Gupta said the police had recently unearthed a huge stock of illegal firearms, which were being smuggled from Bihar and UP for selling to different political parties in the state. He said the police had been alerted against any further smuggling of firearms from the neighbouring states. The CEO said as per the Intelligence Department report some 200 constituencies of the 294 had been identified as sensitive where special armed forces would be deployed during the poll. The most vulnerable places are located in Midnapore, Birbhum, Bankura and Hoogly districts where recently there was an outbreak of armed clashes between the CPM and the TMC over supremacy in controlling the areas. In the clashes, the firearms were freely used, killing some 100 persons, including women and children. The CEO said the Chief Election Commissioner, Mr M.S. Gill, would be visiting the state soon to personally look into the arrangements made for ensuring a free and fair poll. However, his date of visit was not finalised. Earlier, the CEC had a plan to visit Kolkata last week, which did not materialise. |
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Abhishek booked for ‘beating up’ lensmen New Delhi, April 16 It has also arrested a unit member of the film involved in the violence. A senior police official told UNI that they had arrested Tanya, a unit member of the film “Bas Itna Sa Khwab Hai” during the shooting of which the incident occurred. She had been charged with ‘directing unit assistants to beat up a photographer’, who was trying to take her snaps while she was controlling the crowd. However, Tanya was let off after she submitted a bail bond. The police had also gone to the hotel where Abhishek was staying to record his statement, but had to return empty-handed as he was not there. Mr G.L. Mehta, the in charge of the Parliament Street police station, where the FIR was lodged said, “If Abhishek does not make himself available for questioning, we will file complaints (of journalists) in the court and seek summons against him.” Meanwhile, the police has launched an investigation into the incident after registering an FIR on the complaint of Indian Express photo journalist Mustafa Qureshi and freelancer Umesh Puri under Sections 323 (causing minor injuries) and 341 (manhandling) of the IPC. However, both the offences are bailable. Meanwhile, sources close to Abhishek Bachchan said the star was still in the Capital and would leave for Mumbai only after recording his statement. In the incident yesterday the two photo journalists had sustained minor injuries and their equipments damaged by the film unit members, for which they had to be taken to a hospital for medical aid.
UNI Sanjay Dutt gets court’s nod Mumbai, April 16 The designated judge, Mr Pramod Kode, also allowed Dutt to visit the USA to meet his minor daughter.
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Encroachment on
Indian diplomat’s house removed New Delhi, April 16 “Encroachment has been cleared and the property of the Indian Government secured,” an External Affairs Ministry spokesman said here today. An officer of the Indian High Commission will visit Karachi to assess damage done to the property. The Indian Government has requested the Pakistani authorities to initiate criminal proceedings against the persons, responsible for the tresspass. The Pakistani Government should ensure that there is no such vandalism in future,” the spokesman added. The Council-General’s residence in the heart of the city was rented out by a Pakistani citizen after he made a false claim that he had obtained the Indian Government’s authorisation.
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Parliament pays tributes to Devi Lal New Delhi, April 16 Both Houses observed a two-minute silence in the memory of the octogenarian leader, who was also the sitting member of the Rajya Sabha, before being adjourned for the day. As soon as the Lok Sabha reassembled after a three-week break, Speaker G.M.C. Balayogi read out the obituary references to the departed kisan leader. He described him as a veteran freedom fighter and an eminent parliamentarian, who had, always been in the forefront for the farmers cause. In the Rajya Sabha, Chairman Krishan Kant described Mr Devi Lal as a veteran freedom fighter, who was an able administrator and a champion of the downtrodden and the farmers. Mr Kant said, “Devi Lal was the leader of masses, reverently called ‘Tau’ by his followers.” He was the Opposition leader of the united Punjab Assembly in 1960s, Member of Parliament twice in the seventh and ninth Lok Sabha and became the Deputy Prime Minister in early 1990s”. He also recalled that the departed leader had been the Chief Minister of Haryana twice before becoming the Deputy Prime Minister. Paying tributes to Mr Devi Lal, the Lok Sabha Speaker said he joined the freedom struggle at an early age of 15 responding to the call of Mahatma Gandhi. He actively participated in the Civil Disobedience and Quit India movements. The Speaker told the packed Lok Sabha, which included Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, Home Minister L.K. Advani and their Cabinet colleagues, Leader of the Opposition, Mrs Sonia Gandhi, and the leaders of other political parties that Devi Lal would be remembered for his contribution. The House also condoled the death of Jagdish Bhattacharyya who was the member of the Fifth Lok Sabha and died in Kolkata on March 9 at the age of 87. |
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CJI’s land deals: Centre refuses probe New Delhi, April 16 Terming that such an inquiry would be “subversive of judicial independence”, Law Minister Arun Jaitley today wrote to Mr Bhushan saying all the allegations made by him (Mr Bhushan) had earlier been looked into and adjudicated by the courts. Mr Bhushan had demanded an inquiry referring several court documents in this regard to Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee on March 13. However, he made those documents public on the ground that the Prime Minister did not respond. Referring to Mr Bhushan’s letter to the Prime Minister, Mr Jaitley said “the subject matter of the issues raised in your letter relates to judicial orders and judicial proceedings.”
PTI |
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Nitish honours
91 railway men New Delhi, April 16 Speaking at the award presentation function to mark the culmination of the 46th railway week celebrations, Mr Kumar said he sensed compartmentalisation during his previous term of a year and a half. “Growing compartmentalisation is not good. I appeal to you with folded hands to avoid departmentalisation at your level so that the image of the organisation remains intact. Railway employees should work together to promote issues of common interest”. Mr Kumar honoured 91 railway men of different cadres for their outstanding performance. He also awarded shields to different zonal railways for excellence in functioning. The Central Railway bagged five shields, including the coveted Govind Vallab Pant shield, for overall outstanding performance. The minister suggested several ways of rejuvenating railways including an aggressive approach to marketing, tapping non-traditional sources of revenue generation, curtailing expenditure where possible, fulfilling its social obligation and ensuring passenger satisfaction. |
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Special teams to
check car thefts New Delhi, April 16 The police will maintain a list of vehicles of ministers and other dignitories to ensure that these vehicles will not be stolen. This decision was taken after the busting of a gang of car thieves from the Capital on April 13, police sources said. This was very well connected gang of thieves in which a Panchkula-based member of the Indian National Lok Dal and a Director on the board of Haryana Tourism Corporation, Surinder Garg, was also allegedly involved. Besides, Amit Bhushan, D.K. Singla and Rajesh Gautam were also arrested. Amit Bhushan falsely claimed to be relative of a Congress MP. With their arrest, the Police recovered nine cars from Delhi, Chandigarh, and Punjab. |
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SPIC case: Jaya gets 4 weeks New Delhi, April 16 While admitting the SLP for February 16, the court has directed the special court to go ahead with the trial but not to pronounce the judgement without the apex court’s prior permission.
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Shanti Desai is
Delhi Mayor New Delhi April 16 |
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