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Saturday,
January 5, 2002, Chandigarh, India   
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BJP’s
plea to VHP on deadline UTTARANCHAL
ELECTIONS Dismantle
terrorist networks in Pak: Fernandes India
ready for any exigency: Sinha VHP for
stern action against Pak HC
quashes Digvijay’s award |
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BSP
undergoing image change Dalai
Lama stresses on value education Tehelka
tape may have been doctored: expert Jessica
case: take voice sample, CFSL told Prof
Satish Dhawan dies R-Day
tickets from Jan 7 Dilip
Kumar gets bail in land-grab case N. Rly
to run special train
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BJP’s plea to VHP
on deadline New Delhi, January 4 “The Prime Minister has right to make an appeal and we extend our support to it,” BJP spokesman Sunil Shastri told newspersons here. Today’s statement from the BJP assumes great significance as the VHP which has been maintaining a hard posture on the Ayodhya issue cannot ignore the ruling party and at the same time it cannot come down from its stand without a face saver before the elections. The VHP had been maintaining that Mr Vajpayee had given it an assurance that the Ayodhya imbroglio would be resolved by March 12 and threatened to go ahead with the construction of the temple if the impediments were not removed by that date. Meanwhile, maintaining that the party’s main poll plank in Uttar Pradesh would be “good governance” of the BJP during the five-year tenure and not the Ayodhya issue, Mr Shastri said: “Efforts are on to resolve the issue through dialogue before March 12.” He, however, hastened to add if there was no solution through a dialogue, the court was there to give the verdict. Mr Shastri refused to spell out with whom the Vajpayee government was holding negotiations to resolve the vexed and communally-sensitive Ayodhya issue. “The efforts are on. It is difficult for me to say who and which group is talking.” The BJP’s central election committee will hold its first meeting in Delhi either on January 15 or 16 to finalise the list of candidates for UP, Uttaranchal, Punjab and Manipur. The meeting has been delayed by a week as Union Home Minister L.K. Advani will be away to the USA. The party high command has, asked the election committees of these four states to hold meetings and send the final list of candidates for approval by January 10. |
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UTTARANCHAL
ELECTIONS Dehra Dun, January 4 Although BJP has an upper hand in the overall political situation that is prevailing in the state at present, certain issues like the change in leadership just before the elections, inclusion of Hardwar and Udham Singh Nagar, districts in the new state, mismanagement in the rehabilitation of Tehri dam oustees, demand of Gairsen as permanent capital area failure of the government to get assets transferred from Uttar Pradesh may caste a shadow on the future aspects of the party. The Congress has a traditional support base in Uttaranchal but it is suffering from factionalism. Stalwarts like Mr N.D. Tiwari, Mr Satpal Mahajan, state unit president Harish Rawat and Mr Vijay Bahuguna have so far not been able to sit together to chalk out plans for the elections, giving an impression of disunity. It does not seem like the lesser known regional parties like the Uttarakhand Kranti Dal (UKD), Uttarakhand Jan Vikas Party (UJVP), Uttarakhand Janwadi Party (UJP), Uttarakhand Lok Vahini (ULV), Mahila Manch and the CPI would be able to join hands to form a third front. The BSP has so far been keeping itself away from these parties. The BJP, although suffering from the anti-incumbency factor, seems to be sitting comfortably. “ There is no choice before voters but the BJP. The Congress is suffering from factionalism while the regional parties have failed to draw a consensus on the third front. The Samajwadi Party and the BSP have a very little say in the state except Hardwar district”, claimed Mr Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, Finance Minister of Uttaranchal. The BJP has a well-organised network. All frontal organisations are active while the Congress has not been able to form its frontal units like the Youth Congress, NSUI and Sewa Dal. State President of Congress Harish Rawat, a former MP has failed to constitute these units. The Congress committed another blunder by demanding applications from party leaders seeking ticket along with a fee of Rs 1,000 per application. More than 970 applications were received and a sum of little less than Rs 10 lakh was collected. It is a historical fact that the Congress culture of deciding about ticket is at the mercy of the national party President. Mr Rawat’s blunder may heavily cost the party as ticket losers may create dissidence. According to Ms Indira Hriyadesh, leader of the Congress Legislature Party in the Uttaranchal Vidhan Sabha, “ the BJP has cheated people on all counts and its internal factionalism came to fore with the replacement of the Chief Minister just before the elections within a year. This has damaged the image of the BJP. Congress leaders argue that people want change but the BJP is confident of getting majority on the issues of formation of the new state, development works initiated during the past year, welfare schemes introduced for defence persons (serving as well as retired) and their families, putting the state on the right track by obtaining special economic category status within six months of its formation etc. “Making Uttaranchal a model state is on the top of the party agenda”, says Mr Nishank. |
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Dismantle
terrorist networks in Pak: Fernandes New Delhi, January 4 Mr Fernandes said this in an interview to the Far Eastern Economic Review while disagreeing with a suggestion that India could be pushing for “too much and too fast” for Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf to take action against the terrorists. To a question whether India should give General Musharraf more leeway, Mr Fernandes said would mean New Delhi allowing more people to be killed on its side.
PTI |
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India ready for any exigency: Sinha Ranchi, January 4 “We are ready for any exigency,” Mr Sinha said while addressing a gathering here after inaugurating the Alliance Air flight services between Kolkata and Ranchi. Admitting that tension prevailed along the border, he said efforts were, however, being made to avert the war, but if such a situation prevailed, the country’s defence sector would not suffer paucity of funds. Mr Sinha said the coming Budget would have adequate provision to ensure the nation’s security.
UNI |
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VHP for stern action against Pak Hyderabad, January 4 Addressing a press conference here, he said “if diplomatic measures have no effect, then we should go in for direct action’’. Asked if a war between the two countries was imminent, Mr Singhal said “there are lot of chances for a war’’. Lauding Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee for having taken stern steps in building up diplomatic pressure on Pakistan President Gen Pervez Musharraf to dismantle the training camps of Pakistan-based terrorist organisations LeT and JeM, which were responsible for cross-border terrorism and the attack on Parliament, he said: “We do not know what steps he is going to take’’. JAIPUR: The VHP would postpone its programme of construction of a temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya, scheduled anytime after March 12 next, in the event any Indo-Pak war, VHP state president Jagannath Gupta said here on Friday.
PTI |
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HC quashes Digvijay’s award Bhopal, January 4 Mr Digvijay Singh had in his 10-page award given on August 28, 2000, observed that the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947, was not applicable to the sacked daily wage workers and he, as the arbitrator, had no jurisdiction to give an award on the issue. Justice Arun Mishra of the MP High Court, at Jabalpur, allowed the petition of the Centre for Trade Unions challenging the award and ruled that the case of the daily wage earners come under the purview of the Industrial Disputes Act 1947, and that they could move the labour court if they wanted. The state government had, in 2000, sacked an estimated 28,000 daily wage workers employed by various departments. Congress MLA from Mahidpur (Ujjain district) Kalpana Parulekar had launched a virulent agitation in protest against the government move. Following this, Congress President Sonia Gandhi called both Ms Parulekar and the Chief Minister to Delhi and asked them to sort out the problem. The two then met in the presence of Prabha Rao, then AICC General Secretary in charge of Madhya Pradesh affairs. It was agreed at the meeting that Mr Digvijay Singh himself would be appointed arbitrator under Section 10 of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 to decide on the issue of reinstatement of the sacked daily wage workers. The award was to be given within 30 days. On return to Bhopal, Mr Digvijay Singh started dilly-dallying. The two were again summoned to Delhi where Mr Digvijay Singh was sternly asked to resolve the problem. At his request, the period of 30 days was extended to 45 days. The notification, under the provisions of the Industrial Disputes Act 1947, was published in the Madhya Pradesh gazette on July 13, 2000, with the following terms of reference: (i) if the termination of service of the daily wage workers appointed by various departments after December 31, 1988 was improper or illegal? and (ii) if yes, are these workers entitled to receive full wages from the date of termination to the date of reinstatement? |
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BSP undergoing image change Jalalabad, January 4 Addressing a press conference here yesterday, he said, “The BSP was not against any individual or particular caste. The BSP was against a particular ideology which make the poor poorer and the rich richer and also helped to spread casteism”. He said that the BSP had adopted Guru Gobind Singh’s dictum “manas ki jaat sabhe eke pehchanio. |
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Dalai Lama stresses on value education New Delhi, January 4 He added that to complement education it was essential to introduce children to basic values of humanity like compassion, honesty and respect. His Holiness drew attention to the fact that human beings were superior to all other living forms by virtue of their intelligence, which comes from education and to enhance the quality of that education one must imbibe it with values. His message of spreading peace was carried forward by Dr Karan Singh, Member of Parliament and former Chairperson of NCERT. Addressing the gathering he drew attention to the Tibetan freedom struggle. He said the objective of education was to build bridges and not walls. To enhance the quality of education in the country the NCERT has attempted to integrate value education into the school curriculum. In pursuance of this goal a National Resource Centre for Value Education has been set up. It will develop plans, programmes and activities for value-orientation of school education and serve as a reference library of educational materials related to the subject. The Director of NCERT, Dr Rajput, assured the gathering that NCERT would continue to contribute to the overall improvement of education in the country and it would help shape the future of society. |
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Tehelka tape may have been doctored: expert
New Delhi, January 4 Deposing before the Venkatswami Commission, probing the alleged corruption in defence deals, Mr Kartic said the sub-titles shown in the video examined by him did not match with what the audio was trying to say. Responding to a cross-examination by counsel of the notices including Buffalo Network, owners of the portal, he said there were edit points even in the middle of conversation and video and audio were not honest to each other. He, however, admitted that he had little theoretical knowledge of the field including that of “audio engineering” and his analysis was based on-hands on experience.
PTI |
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Jessica
case: take voice sample, CFSL told
New Delhi, January 4 Additional Sessions Judge
R.L. Chugh issued summons to the CFSL directing to send an expert on December 10 to take the voice sample of Ashok Dutt and get it compared with his earlier voice taped by the police. The court last month allowed an application filed by the prosecution seeking the voice sample of Dutt after he denied having given some clues about one of the accused, Ravinder Krishan Sudan, alias
Titu, a fugitive, while the police had taped his conversation with him. The prosecution claims that during investigation, on May 10, 1999, Dutt was made to talk to Titu in USA by the police after Titu allegedly left the country along with the weapon used in the crime by prime accused Manu Sharma. The police also claims that they have recorded the conversation between the accused and the witness regarding the weapon. Special Public Prosecutor
S.K. Saxena made submissions before the court that the voice would be recorded in the court room and in the presence of investigating officer of the case and the defence counsel. Meanwhile, three more prosecution witnesses — Niranjan Ram, Mangal Singh and Rakesh Atri — were declared hostile as they retracted from their earlier statement given to the police. The prosecution’s allegation is that in order to save prime accused Sidharth
Vashist, alias Manu Sharma, son of former Union Minister Venod Sharma, his uncle Shyam Sunder Sharma sent the weapon of offence through his friend
Titu, an NRI to the USA by a Gulf Air flight on May 4, 1999. UNI |
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Prof Satish Dhawan dies Bangalore, January 4 He was 81. He is survived by his wife and three children. Professor Dhawan became Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in 1972 and spearheaded the Indian space programme to an impressive level of maturity, ISRO sources said. He also held the post of Chairman, Space Commission and Secretary in the Department of Space. He joined the Indian Institute of Science in 1951 and became its Director in 1962. Born on September 25, 1920, Professor Dhawan graduated from Panjab University and took a degree in mathematics and physics, MA in English literature and BE in mechanical engineering.
PTI |
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R-Day tickets from Jan 7 New Delhi, January 4 Although the parade is to be a short one this year because of the defence deployment on the border, several people are still expected to watch the spectacle. Reserved enclosure tickets will cost Rs 200 and Rs 100. The unreserved tickets costing Rs 50 and Rs 10 will be up for sale at the
Ashok, Lodhi and Janpath hotels and the State Bank of Patiala branches in various parts of the city. For the Beating the Retreat Ceremony, the tickets will be available for Rs 20 and Rs 10. Tickets will also be sold at North Block and South Block, Appu
Ghar, Jantar Mantar, Boat Club, India Gate and Parliament House from 10 am to 5.30 pm. |
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Dilip Kumar
gets bail in
land-grab case Nashik, January 4 Appearing with his brother Ahsan Khan, Dilip Kumar, citing health problems, appealed to the judge to grant him permission for not attending the hearing personally, scheduled for January 7. The actor’s application was accepted by Chief Judicial Magistrate S. V. Deshpande
yesterday. Meerabai Borate, a relative of late freedom fighter Shivram Borate, had registered a criminal case against the actor and three others for land-grabbing.
UNI |
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N. Rly to run special train New Delhi, January 4 A press note issued by the Northern Railway said here today that the special train, 474 D, with 18 second sleeper class coaches and two luggage vans would leave Amritsar at 3.30 pm on January 7 and reach Mumbai Central at 10.35 pm the next day. |
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