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Thursday,
June 7, 2001, Chandigarh, India  
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Ex-minister, 4 Shiv Sainiks get bail
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BJP chief effects changes in team Cong seeks probe into firing
Tehelka probe begins BJP counters Chinese statement on Agni-II Revive cases
against Advani, Joshi: petition UP industrialist
kidnapped Pant meets Jaya BJP against special
session of Delhi House ‘Wah India’ tenders apology Man chops
off wife’s hand
Mumbai, June 6 “I have read newspaper reports and it gives a good feeling... India has always been in favour of stopping unwarranted propaganda against each other and this statement is a first step towards friendship,” he told reporters at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Airport here. He reiterated that India was open for a discussion on all issues with Pakistan, including Jammu and Kashmir, provided the talks were within the parameters of the Simla Agreement and Lahore Declaration. Speaking at a religious conference yesterday, General Musharraf had asked clergymen to refrain from making statements against India as such statements and actions went against the interests of Pakistan. On the forthcoming meeting with the Pakistani General, he said: “Pehle rann ke maidan mein mile the, ab shanti ke niwas mein milenge (Earlier we had met on the battlefield, now we will meet in the house of peace).” Mr Vajpayee said his cabinet would be expanded before the monsoon session of Parliament, starting on July 23. On the Enron imbroglio, he indicated that the Central Government was unlikely to purchase electricity from the US energy major as its cost was too high. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee said today that he would soon convene a meeting of the Chief Ministers of Maharashtra and Karnataka to resolve the vexed boundary dispute between the two states. “I regret that no discussion could be held with the Chief Ministers, but soon a meeting will be convened in this regard”, Mr Vajpayee, who arrived here for his knee joint replacement surgery, told reporters at the airport. Earlier, Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh had urged the Prime Minister to convene a meeting to sort out the issue amicably. Mr Vajpayee vowed to safeguard labour interests while his government carried forward economic reforms in the country. The Prime Minister said the Centre was in constant touch with different trade union organisations regarding reforms and expressed confidence that various irksome issues could be resolved through these parleys.
PTI, UNI |
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Ex-minister, 4 Shiv Sainiks get bail Mumbai, June 6 In response to summons issued by Metropolitan Magistrate Yousuf Zai, Kirtikar, sitting MLA from suburban Malad, appeared before the court this morning along with sena MLA Nandkumar Kale, corporator Ravindra Waikar and two shakha pramukhs (heads of Shiv Sena’s branches) Shridhar Khade and Raghunath Kadam. The magistrate granted them bail on personal bond of Rs 1,000 each even as a huge crowd of party activists raised slogans outside the court against Deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal and his government for filing charge sheets against Shiv Sena leaders. Two BJP activists, Lalta Prasad and Kashinath Gaokar, who were also charged with same offences in this case, however, did not appear in response to summons issued against them. PTI |
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Jaya warms up to SP, Left New Delhi, June 6 “It (People’s Front) is making slow and steady progress. There is plenty of time and there is no hitch in our relations with it,” Ms Jayalalitha told newspersons after an over 30-minute meeting with CPI General Secretary A B Bardhan at the party headquarters here. It was her first meeting with the Left leaders after the Assembly poll, in which her party registered a landslide victory. Ms Jayalalitha said her relations with the CPM and the CPI had been “very cordial both at the political and personal levels”. She said since CPM General Secretary Harkishan Singh Surjeet was out of station she would speak to him on phone. On the creation of a third alternative, she said “we want it to come up”, but replied in the negative when asked whether she had gone through the Common Minimum Programme of the People’s Front. To this, Mr Bardhan said the front would send her the programme shortly. “Nothing is going to come in the way of our relations with the CPI and CPM,” Ms Jayalalitha said. Mr Bardhan said Jayalalitha made it clear in the meeting that there was “no question” of her joining the NDA. She described media reports to this effect as “mischievous” and said she would, however, have to deal with the Vajpayee government at the Centre, the CPI leader added. To a pointed question about her party’s alliance with the Congress in Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry, the AIADMK Chief said “alliances are made at the time of elections. Now there is no alliance with any party.” Mr Bardhan later said issues relating to sandalwood smuggler Veerappan, banning of certain fundamentalist organisations in Tamil Nadu, Cauvery and drinking water and agricultural prices of items like copra and tea and illegal price-rigging operations being conducted by a cement ‘cartels’ were discussed. “We wanted to know what she planned to do about these issues. She said though she had just taken over the reins of the state, the issues were important and needed to be tackled,” he said. The AIADMK leader, who called on the President and the Prime Minister here yesterday, met Union Home Minister L.K. Advani earlier today. She also announced today that Tamil Nadu and Karnataka would soon launch a joint operation to nab forest brigand Veerappan with the assistance of the Home Ministry, today. Home Minister L.K. Advani has “promised that any assistance required by us will be given immediately” to help arrest the sandalwood smuggler, she told reporters after meeting Mr Advani here. |
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BJP chief effects changes in team New Delhi, June 6 Reconstituting his team for the first time after taking over from Mr Bangaru Laxman, BJP President K. Jana Krishnamurthy appointed Mr Sunil Shastri and Mrs Maya Singh as the party spokespersons. The President described the changes in the team and work allocation as “minor”. Mr Narendra Modi has been retained as the General Secretary and will continue to be the party spokesman. Vice-Presidents, Pyarelal Khandelwal and Sanghapriya Gautam will be general secretaries, while Mr Ramdas Agarwal has been made the Vice-President. Mr Khandelwal will be in charge of elections, Mr Sunil Shastri media, publicity, parliament coordination and publications, while Mrs Maya Singh has been asked to handle headquarters. The post of the office secretary has been abolished and the incumbent, Dr Ram Kripal Sinha, made Secretary, publications. In other changes former Delhi Chief Minister Madan Lal Khurana has been made Vice-President and in charge of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Gujarat. Mr Verma will handle the party morchas also. Party Treasurer Ved Prakash Goyal has been retained with the responsibilities of handling the affairs of the key states of Karnataka, Maharashtra and Goa, where the party had high stakes. Former President Kushabhau Thakre will be prabhari, in charge of the party affairs in Uttar Pradesh and Uttaranchal where the elections are due later this year or early next year. He will also handle the Delhi affairs. Mr Ramdas Agarwal will look after “ajeevan sahayog nidhi”, a fund created to bring transparency in fund collections following the Tehelka exposure. Mr V. Ramarao who was incharge of Tamil Nadu in Mr Laxman’s team, has been elevated to the post of a Vice-President with charge of Kerala, Lakshdweep, Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry. Former Delhi unit President Om Prakash Kohli has not only been made a Secretary but also has been made in charge of Rajasthan, Haryana, Chandigarh, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab. Vice-Presidents Gopinath Munde and Karia Munde have also been made in charge of the rest of the frontal organisations. |
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Cong seeks probe into firing New Delhi, June 6 Referring to the incident in Lucknow where a man was killed allegedly in police firing, Congress spokesman Anand Sharma said it was “not a case of sudden, accidental firing.” Mr Sharma alleged that the police had killed the person who had resisted its bid to kidnap a woman from outside a religious place. He said the party leaders including the UPCC chief Mr S.P. Jaiswal, and Mr Subodh Kant Sahay, were camping in Lucknow but were not being allowed to visit the site of incidence. The only reports coming are from the administration and local residents, he claimed. LUCKNOW: Amid conflicting reports on the police action near a mosque here yesterday, a youth succumbed to his injuries in a hospital on Wednesday. District Magistrate, Mr Jeevesh Nandan, said the youth succumbed to bullet injuries at Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee met Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Rajnath Singh this morning and sought details about the clash in Lucknow yesterday in which one person was killed and 30 injured. The Prime Minister, who later left for Mumbai for his knee operation, expressed concern over the incident during his meeting with Mr Rajnath Singh. At least 30 persons were injured in Lucknow yesterday, some of them seriously, in heavy brickbatting by an agitated mob which also set afire many vehicles at several places in the old city after a youth was killed allegedly by some policemen near Teela Wali Masjid in the Chowk Kotwali area in the wee hours. |
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Tehelka probe begins New Delhi, June 6 “The importance of the Commission cannot be overemphasised. It was set up not for political
expedience, but to address the allegations....There will be no reluctance on the part of the government in furnishing documents except in cases where imperatives of national security will dictate otherwise,” said the Attorney General, Mr Soli. J. Sorabjee, appearing before the commission. He said “those indulging in wrong doing should be dealt with, but it is also necessary that the cloud of
suspicion based on surmises is removed and harmful rumours are killed.” The commission, which has been viewing the edited and unedited Tehelka tapes, informed that it has issued notices to former Defence Minister George Fernandes,
National Security Adviser Brajesh Mishra, former Minister Hiren Pathak, Samata Party leader Srinivas Prasad, Suresh Nanda and Yogendra Narayan. They have been asked to file their replies in their personal capacity within a week. The commission had earlier issued notices to 29 persons, including former BJP President Bangaru Laxman, Samata Party President Ms Jaya Jaitly and senior Army officials. On the request of counsel of former BJP President, the commission fixed June 11 as the date for all those who wanted to view the videotapes before filing their replies. Justice Venkataswami refused to give the copies of the tapes and added that the copies of the transcripts would be made available on payment. The day-to-day hearing of the commission will begin on July 2. None of the 29 persons to whom the commission had issued notices appeared in person. The security at the Vigyan Bhavan annexe was tight as the Delhi police had arrested six persons linked to the ISI last month and had claimed to have foiled their plans to kill the tehekla.com Editor Tarun Tejpal. The counsel for the commission Gopal Subramaniam said though the government had filed certain affidavits, they are not sufficient. It should give detailed affidavit relating to the information sought by the commission so that work of the panel could be expedited. The commission also sought from the government the tapes given by the website to the Army for inquiry purpose after the counsel for the Tehelka said he had no objection if the tapes were handed over to the panel. The commission has formulated some regulations, 34 in all, with some sub-regulations, were to streamline the procedure and working of the commission which was looking into the sensitive matter of corruption in defence deals. |
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BJP counters Chinese statement on Agni-II New Delhi, June 6 “The comments of the Chinese Foreign Ministry are not quite valid,” BJP President K. Jana Krishnamurthy told newspersons here. “Every country has its own assessment of threat perception and the defence of our country requires a steady development of missile technology and deployment of missiles with different ranges.” Mr Krishnamurthy said the military cooperation between China and Pakistan had serious ramifications for India’s security. The assistance received by Pakistan from China in the nuclear field and the supply of missiles had forced India to make adequate preparation to counter Pakistan’s capabilities, he added. Meanwhile, the BJP today asked the Centre to issue an ordinance for amending the Essential Commodities Act, which was impeding the free movement of foodgrains causing problems to million of farmers. Urging political parties, especially the Congress, to facilitate the amendment in the larger interest of farmers, Mr Krishnamurthi also asked the NDA government to prepare for renegotiating the Agreement on World Trade Oragnisation (WTO) for which negotiations would begin from November. |
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Revive cases
against Advani, Joshi: petition New Delhi, June 6 The petition was filed by Mohammed Aslam, who claims that on his application the apex court had initiated contempt proceedings against the then Chief Minister Kalyan Singh in 1992, through advocate O.P. Sharma.
PTI |
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UP industrialist
kidnapped Lucknow, June 6 According to a Home Department spokesman, the safari suit clad kidnappers, four in number, came to Mr Jhunjhunwala’s residence in a car posing themselves as officers of the Special Task Force (STF). They told him to accompany them in connection with some interrogation. At the time of kidnapping, the victim Sanjay, 25 years, was about to leave for the railway station to board the New Delhi-bound Shatabdi Express. The spokesman said there was no demand of ransom or any call from the abductors so far.
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Pant meets Jaya New Delhi, June 6 Mr Pant conveyed this to newly appointed Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu J. Jayalalitha who has sought banning of certain subversive organisations operating in her state. This was the first meeting between Ms Jayalalitha and Mr Pant after she took over the reins of the state. Later, Mr Pant told mediapersons that he had briefed her about his visit to Jammu and Kashmir, besides discussing her views in the capacity of being the president of a political party. During the meeting, which lasted nearly half-an-hour, Mr Pant told Ms Jayalalitha that the sentiment in the state was considerably for the restoration of peace, official sources said.
PTI |
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BJP against special
session of Delhi House New Delhi, June 6 The Chief Minister, Ms Sheila Dikshit, has called the Assembly session to discuss the Virendra Prakash Committee report, which has called for the bifurcation of the Delhi’s Municipal Corporation, for better administration. The Leader of Opposition in Delhi Assembly, Mr Jagdish Mukhi, said the acceptance of the Committee’s recommendations would result in the MCD becoming financially unviable. |
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‘Wah India’ tenders apology New Delhi, June 6 “Wah India” Editor Madhu Trehan, publisher Rahul Mishra and three journalists in their apologies said “We have the greatest regard for the judiciary and hold the institution in the highest esteem.” “We fully realise the critical importance of the judicial institutions under our
Constitution. They further said they did not realise that the article could be regarded as derogatory to the judiciary. Man chops off wife’s hand New Delhi, June
6 Bindu (32), wife of Budhi Bahadur, had been bitten by a snake on Monday and had not been feeling well since then. Budhi claimed that he saw Jesus Christ in his dreams last night and was told that if he cuts the part of the body where the snake had bitten, his wife would be all right. Budhi Bahadur, a resident of Nepal residing in a Lal Kuan jhuggi in Sangam Vihar, chopped off the right hand of his wife. Bindu has been lying unconscious at the AIIMS. A case has been registered against him. However, Budhi has not been arrested as there would be nobody to feed his five children and take care of his wife, the police said.
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Ajit Jogi takes daughter’s remains to Raipur Indore, June 6 Anusha had committed suicide at Mr Jogi’s official residence on May 12 last year while Jogi was busy with the Congress President Sonia Gandhi’s rally. It is alleged that the family had a difference of opinion over the choice of Anusha’s groom after which she took the extreme step.
PTI |
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A day of hoax
bomb calls New Delhi, June 6 |
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86 human scalps found Siliguri, June 6
Mongia new CJ of Guwahati HC Guwahati, June 6 Senior judges, police and civil officials were present on the occasion in the Durbar Hall. The ceremony was also attended by the acting Chief Justice, Mr H.K. Sema.
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