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Wednesday,
March
20, 2002, Chandigarh, India  
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RSS threat draws flak VHP regrets attack on Orissa House Natasha Singh cremated
India refutes Pak charge on church attack Amend contempt law, says Sorabjee |
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Joint sitting on POTO likely on Mar 26 DMK,
AIADMK men clash in RS VP: shila daan has vindicated my stand NORTH INDIA IN PARLIAMENT 50 naval personnel honoured
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RSS threat draws flak New Delhi, March 19 Raising the issue during zero hour, Congress chief whip Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi contended that the resolution adopted to this effect by the RSS Pratinidhi Sabha at Bangalore two days ago violated the Constitution and asked the government to come out with its response. “The Prime Minister cannot remain a passive spectator when the fountainhead of the Sangh Parivar has made such assertions which pose a serious threat to the unity and integrity of the country,” he said. Even as the ruling party members jeered and booed, Mr Dasmunsi demanded an immediate discussion on the issue. He also wanted to know the fate of the notice he had given to the Lok Sabha Secretariat. Deputy Speaker P.M. Sayeed said the business advisory committee would take the decision on how the issue should be taken up in the House. Mr E.A. Ahmed (IUML) said he failed to understand under what authority did the RSS dictate terms to the minorities whose right to life and property had been guaranteed under the Constitution. Mr G.M. Banatwala (Muslim League) sought clarification from the government on the RSS’ Bangalore resolution which, he said, implicitly left security and protection of Muslim minorities in the country with the Sangh Parivar. Meanwhile, leaders of various communities today criticised the BJP-led government for not taking any action against the Sangh Parivar which, they alleged, was giving inflammatory speeches against minorities. At a function organised today by Maulana Asad Madani, the leaders said the Vajpayee government was a mere spectator the “venomous” utterings of the VHP and the RSS. Several leaders, including Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid Syed Ahmed Bukhari, Maulana Asrar ul-Haq of the All-India Muslim Personal Law Board, Mr John Dayal of the All-India Christian Council, Swami Agnivesh, Kuldip Nayar, Romesh Bhandari, Mohammed Shafi Qureshi and Pandit N K Sharma, political advisor to former Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao besides some diplomats were present. |
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VHP regrets attack on Orissa House New Delhi, March 19 In a joint statement here, VHP joint general secretaries Omkar Bhave and Sadanand Kakade condemned the damage caused to the Orissa Assembly and expressed regrets to the people of the state “irrespective of the police provocation which led the VHP members to indulge in damaging public property.” “The VHP repents for the aforesaid acts and appeals to all its members to follow our tradition of maintaining discipline and peace and not to indulge in such acts whatever be the provocation. Such acts are opposed to our cultural values and bring discredit and bad name to the VHP,” they said. However, “putting the record straight”, it said its activists had obtained prior permission to submit a representation to the Chief Minister and Assembly Speaker for expediting the construction of Ram temple at Ayodhya. Meanwhile, the VHP made another move to win public sympathy as some of its activists said they would continue with their agitation as restrictions were still imposed in Ayodhya. The activists, who cancelled their proposed chain fast, said though the Centre had resumed the bus and railway services to Ayodhya, it had not lifted all restrictions. |
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Natasha Singh cremated
New Delhi, March 19 The second autopsy, ordered by the authorities yesterday to rule out any suspicions following conflicting versions on the cause of death, matches with the findings of that of the first autopsy, the sources said. It is on the lines of the first autopsy and confirms that several of her ribs and other bones were broken apparently sustained due to the fall, they said. The sources said Jagat Singh, the estranged husband of the deceased, had been questioned thrice. The body of 31-year old Natasha was found on the first floor of a five-star hotel here on Sunday morning. Meanwhile, the mortal remains of Natasha Singh, were today consigned to the flames as per Hindu rites amidst chanting of hymns. The funeral pyre was lit by her husband Jagat Singh at the Lodhi Road crematorium at 1.30 p.m. Mr Natwar Singh, his family members and Natasha’s parents and brothers — Sharif and Arshad — were present during the funeral. Congress President Sonia Gandhi visited the house of Mr Natwar Singh in Vasant Vihar around noon to express her condolences to the bereaved family. Mr Jyotiraditya Scindia, Mr Jaipal Reddy and fashion designer J.J. Vallaya went to the house to pay their homage. The body was taken to the residence of Mr Natwar Singh after it was handed over to the family this morning by the authorities at Safdarjung Hospital, where two autopsies were conducted to ascertain the cause of death.
PTI, UNI |
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India refutes Pak charge on church attack New Delhi, March 19 In response to another question, Ms Rao rejected the Pakistani suggestions that India had “boxed itself in” on the issue of the list of 20 individuals. “If Pakistan expects improvement in bilateral relations the irreducible minimum that Pakistan has to do is to address itself to the Indian demands,” Ms Rao said. She said India was yet to see a tangible evidence on fall in cross-border infiltration of terrorists and cross-border terrorist activities. India.
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Amend contempt law, says Sorabjee New Delhi, March 19 Delivering the first Rajendra Mathur memorial lecture on “Press, politics and judiciary,” the noted jurist recommended a provision for screening and for the imposition of heavy civil and criminal penalties upon a person who fails to substantiate his allegations. He said the National Commission to review the working of the Constitution recommended such a defence by an appropriate amendment of the Constitution and the law of the Contempt of Courts Act. Referring to the “barrage of criticism unleashed on me by the Press for my legal submissions’’, Mr Sorabjee remarked, “I was a little sceptical and thought the organisers would revoke the invitation but since they believe in freedom of speech and
expression of dissent, here I am.” Mr Sorabjee said the freedom of the Press find no mention in Part II of the Constitution which guaranteed certain fundamental rights. He said the National Commission to review the working of the Constitution has recommended that Freedom of Press be specifically and expressly guaranteed as a Fundamental Right. He said the judiciary and the press appear like natural adversaries and the peculiar love-hate relationship get soured when the courts exercise contempt jurisdiction. Mr Sorabjee clarified that “it is well settled that any person, including the Press is free to criticise a judgment, to comment on it pungently, because the path of criticism is a public way. However, it is an altogether different matter to impute motives to the judges, to accuse them of dishonest or having been swayed by extraneous considerations because by doing so, public confidence in the administration of justice and the institution of the judiciary is impaired.” Information and Broadcasting
Minister Sushma Swaraj released two volumes “Sapnon se Banta Desh” which include a compilation of 132 articles written by Rajendra Mathur. Also present at the function was Mohini Mathur, wife of the late Rajendra Mathur. |
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Joint sitting on POTO likely on Mar 26 New Delhi, March 19 The Congress is understood to have issued a three-line whip to its members in both Houses to be present if such a sitting was held and “defend the party stand”, party sources said. Meanwhile, BJP Parliamentary Party spokesman Vijay Kumar Malhotra said a joint session was likely on March 26 if the Opposition did not allow the Bill to go through the Upper House. The Bill was passed in the Lok Sabha yesterday and faces the likelihood of being rejected in the Upper House where the Opposition enjoys a majority. The government has already made its intentions known that it could go in for a joint sitting to ensure the passage of the Bill replacing POTO which lapses on April 8 if it does not get the nod of the Upper House. |
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DMK,
AIADMK men clash in RS New Delhi, March 19 The trouble began today as soon as Mr Virubi got up to make his special mention. All AIADMK members were on their feet, contending that he should not be allowed to speak on a state subject. The AIADMK members also charged the DMK with supporting terrorists and other such elements. Mr
Virumbi, who was supported by his party colleagues, drew the attention
of the House to press reports quoting a senior state police official
as saying that the telephones of his party functionaries were being
tapped. “This is being done in clear violation of the fundamental
rights of the people,” he said and asked the Centre to ensure that
the state government refrained from doing so. |
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VP: shila daan has vindicated my stand New Delhi, March 19 Deposing as a witness before the Liberhan Ayodhya Commission probing into the sequence that led to the demolition of the disputed structure, Mr V.P. Singh said, “today they (VHP) are not insisting on going to shilanyas site but do something outside, even outside the acquired area. They agreed to give up their insistence to go to shilanyas site for obvious political considerations.” Former Prime Minister told the commission that in 1990 he had made an offer to the VHP for starting construction of temple outside the acquired area but they had declined to accept it as they wanted to topple his government. |
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NORTH INDIA IN PARLIAMENT New Delhi, March 19 In a written reply to a question raised by Mr Pawan Kumar Bansal, the minister said due to delay in the delimitation of constituencies, elections to intermediate and District Panchayats could be held in time while the Gram Panchayat elections were held in January, 1999. Pending elections to these panchayats, the Union Territory of Chandigarh did not devolve powers upon the Panchayati Raj institutions. However, the devolution of powers was now under consideration of the Chandigarh Administration, the minister said. In the pursuance of a resolution adopted in the Conference of Panchayati Raj Ministers of States held in July, 2001 at New Delhi, the UT Administration had been requested to devolve powers to panchayats by the end of March 2002, the minister added. Out of the 18 functions enumerated in the Twelfth Schedule of the Constitution, 12 functions had been transferred to the Municipal Corporation either fully or partially, Minister of State for Home Affairs, Vidyasagar Rao told the Lok Sabha in a written reply. The main reason because of which all these functions have not so far been transferred to the Municipal Corporation was its lack of adequate financial resources, the minister added. At present, among all scheduled operators, only Indian Airlines is operating air services in Himachal Pradesh by Dornier DO-228 aircraft with a seating capacity of 18 passengers, Minister for Civil Aviation Syed Shahnawaz Hussain told the Rajya Sabha in a written reply. There are three flights on the Delhi-Shimla-Kulu-Delhi sector, while the same number of flights operate on the Delhi-Kulu-Delhi and the Delhi-Dharamsala-Delhi sectors. In addition, among the non-scheduled operators, Jagson Airlines is operating flights on the sector Delhi-Kulu-Delhi by DO-228 aircraft with a seating capacity of 28 passengers on seven days on public demand, the minister said. The Centre was aware of the activities of the Pakistan-based militant outfits and foreign-based pro-Khalistan activists during the visit of the Sikh pilgrim jathas from India to Pakistan, Minister of state for Home Affairs Vidyasagar Rao told the Lok Sabha in a written reply. As per reports, the Khalistanis continue to receive encouragement from Pakistan’s ISI and the government was keeping a close watch on the activities of the Khalistan sympathisers. The government has also adopted a coordinated and multi-pronged approach for tackling the activities of militants which includes strengthening of border management to check illegal cross-border activities, gearing up the intelligence machinery, close interaction between agencies of the Centre and the state governments, neutralising plans of militants and anti-national elements by coordinated action, modernisation and upgradation of police and security forces with advanced sophisticated weapons and communication etc, the minister said. |
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50 naval personnel honoured New Delhi, March 19 Nao Sena Medal for gallantry was given to five officers, Nao Sena Medal for devotion to duty to 21 personnel and Vishisht Seva Medal to 46 personnel. ‘Jeevan Rakshak Padak’ for showing courage and promptitude in saving life were awarded to two personnel. Lt V.K. Jain Memorial Gold Medal for 2001 was awarded to Lt Commander Neeraj Uday who designed and fabricated a prototype Solid State GTG Control Circuit while on duty on INS Valsura in January 2000. Capt Ravi Dhir Memorial Gold Medal for enhancement of flight safety was given to sailor Nilesh Vishnu Patil who detected a fault in the D-handle of B Mk 41 parachute on July 17, 2001. He observed that D-handle of the Rip Chord was very difficult to operate and this led to the suspension of all Kiran aircraft flying. Subsequently, experts were summoned to rectify the defect. The awardees of the Nao Sena Medal for gallantry included marine commando (MARCOS) Hakim Singh Tyagi for his valiant action in the Kashmir valley in July 2000 that left five militants dead while two were apprehended. After presenting the awards, Admiral Madhvendra Singh said, “Every country or service must have heroes and also must honour them.” |
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NHRC chief leaves for Gujarat New Delhi, March 19 |
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