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July 22, 2002, Chandigarh, India
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PEOPLE'S VOICE New Delhi, July 21 “How can we ensure that the water and electricity crisis will blow over after the bandh? Where is the empirical evidence that bandhs and protest marches can solve a problem that can be fixed rationally? The bandh is only going to add to our woes. There will be traffic snarls and unnecessary worries. Surely, we could do without that,” pointed out Indraneel
Roychoudhuri, a Website designer. There are many who dismiss tomorrow’s bandh as a “mere political gimmick”. Said R. Sharma, a writer: “With the appearance of Khurana on the radar screen, both the BJP a well as the Capital are in a mode of agitational politics. Tomorrow’s bandh call is a demonstration of the same”. Even though the Delhi BJP has exempted public transport, schools and other essential services from the purview of tomorrow’s protest against the ineptitude of the Congress-led Delhi government, a majority of Delhiites are apprehensive about the form of protest which not only causes tension among the parents of school-going children but also contributes to tremendous wastage of national resources, a senior government official said. “ Why can’t political parties think of some other form of protest rather than disrupting the normal lives of the people? Asked one such resident who claimed that he has had several bad experiences during the earlier bandhs over the years. While the Delhi BJP president has claimed that the bandh will be peaceful, it would be difficult for him to control the lumpen elements. Tension has already mounted with Khurana alerting the Delhi Police that he has apprehensions that the Congress workers may try to “create trouble in order to give a bad name to his party”. Meanwhile, the police said that adequate precautionary measures had been taken to ensure that the bandh passes off peacefully. Pickets would be set up in the politically sensitive areas and mobile patrolling intensified to prevent any trouble. While most of the markets in the Capital are normally closed on Monday, several traders associations have backed the bandh and opted to down shutters tomorrow. “ The problem is going to be in places where the volunteers force the shopkeepers to pull down their shutters”, a police officer said. The police have also sought the help of leaders of the Delhi BJP to keep a close watch on the situation and restrain those trying to create trouble. |
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Sheila serves defamation notice on Khurana New Delhi, July 21 The legal notice alleged that Mr Khurana, in letters to Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani, the Delhi Lt Governor and to Ms Dikshit, and at a press conference on July 20, had made defamatory remarks, among other things, alleging that K K Malhotra, who was recently convicted in the Coomar Narain spy case, had been appointed to the PMO at the behest of Ms Dikshit and her father-in-law, late Umashankar Dikshit, who had served as a Union Home Minister. Ms Dikshit refuted all charges levelled by Mr Khurana in his letters dated July 19 and at the Press conference and said that his statements were “false, scurrilous and factually erroneous”.
The Delhi chief minister had earlier said that she had financially helped Malhotra’s family on humanitarian grounds The notice, served through her counsel Rahul Sharma, and copies of which were made available to the Press today, demanded an apology from Mr Khurana in major newspapers and on TV news channels within three days. She also asked for token damages of Rs 101, failing which she would initiate legal action against him. |
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Groups clash in gurdwara over
langar New Delhi, July 21 The injured were taken to a nearby hospital and discharged after first-aid. No one was seriously hurt. The police said that cross cases of rioting had been registered and investigations were continuing. Nobody has been arrested so far. A police picket has also been stationed outside the gurdwara to prevent further brawls. According to the police, the first clash occurred around 2.15 p.m. when a group led by Tarwinder Singh Marwah, Congress MLA from Jangpura, objected to the serving of ‘langar’ by the other group of Iqbal Singh, president of the Bala Sahib Management Committee Union. There was an exchange of hot words which soon escalated into a free-for-all with the two groups using bricks and stones, stocked there for the construction on the premises. A large number of devotees who were having ‘langar’, fled in panic. The police were summoned which separated the groups. Among the injured were Inderjeet Singh, alias Bunty, Manmohan Singh, both Marwah’s brothers, Paramjit Singh, alias Sweety, brother-in-law of Marwah and Surjeet Singh, brother of Iqbal Singh. The second clash occurred a couple of hours later, around 4 p.m. when the supporters of the two groups reassembled there on hearing the news of the earlier fracas. The police said that the leaders and their supporters had been rounded up and taken to the Sunlight Colony Police post as further investigations were on. The two groups had clashed earlier also, about a month and a half ago on the same issue. The elders of the community have also been summoned to bring about a rapprochement between the groups. |
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Wildlife racket: Peacock found tied in bag Meerut, July 21 The officials caught the trio after raiding a place in Shastri Nagar locality here while the leader of the gang escaped. Divisional Forest Officer R P Bharti told the ‘NCR Tribune’ that he got a tip-off in the morning that some protected wildlife species had been kept in confinement in a house No. 269/6, Shastri Nagar. He called a meeting of the officials and constituted a team to raid the premises. The team, led by sub-divisional officer G S Saxena, comprised SDO S P Gupta, Range Officer Sudhakar Mishra, Inspector Iqbal Khan and two constables. They raided the premises and recovered a peacock and a rare breed of tortoise. The house was thoroughly searched. Three persons were detained by the forests officials as keeping the National Bird is prohibited by the law. However, the gang leader Rakesh escaped. The Divisional Forests Officer said that a case under Sections 43 and 39 of Wildlife Protection Act 1972 had been registered against them. It meant a maximum 3 years’ imprisonment and a fine up to Rs 25,000, Efforts were also on to nab the main culprit. On further interrogation, the culprits said that they had been keeping the protected species for long. Mr Bharti said that the department was also probing whether there had been others involved in the case. The residents of the area also said that the arrested persons had been engaged in the trade for long and they even used to eat the meat of this protected bird. The bird with chopped feathers was kept in a specially built area in Shastri Nagar. While two other birds were already disposed of in the morning. It seemed the gang had its operations in several states. The prospective buyers of the bird were also detained in the raid. They are from a village near
Kharkhauda. |
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Zeroing in on schoolgirls New Delhi, July 21 The 52-episode tele-serial shot by director Raj Purohit is based on the different emotions and activities of girls. It goes on to capture their attitude towards parents, teachers and the glamorous world around them. The serial also focuses on the influence that the western world has on kids and how it shapes their lives and outlook. Adolescence and the pangs of growing up, their fancies or fears or plain curiosity for the opposite sex have all been highlighted by the film-maker. The serial is based on the students of class XI, when they are free from the shackles of board exams and are relatively in a carefree mood. The vulnerability of these youngsters has been portrayed along with their dreams, desires and feelings of making it big. Themes such as failures, friendships, enmity and emotions are carefully packed into the serial. Shot in the Capital’s Don
Bosco, the serial goes through the various school activities like sports, dances and picnics. For many viewers, ‘School, School’ will be a trip down memory lane. Producer, director Raj Purohit started his career assisting Vidhu Vinod Chopra during the making of ‘1942-A Love Story’. Having worked with Shekhar Kapoor, Purohit is currently producing a film on the problems faced by the youth. His close association with the two production houses inspired him to work on schoolchildren. |
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Rewari police take lid off highway dacoity Rewari, July 21 The police have seized the entire property valued around Rs 40 lakh as well as the truck (DL 1G B 2538) which had been forcibly taken away by the suspects at gunpoint. The Gurgaon police, meanwhile, claimed to have arrested two members of the gang involved in dacoity. Besides, the Gurgaon and Rewari police have now jointly launched a hunt to trace the remaining members of the gang, said Mr Hanif Quereshi, SP, Rewari. According to the police, the truck of the Jaipur Golden Transport Company was carrying bales of cloth valued around Rs 40 lakh from Bhiwandi (Mumbai) to Okhla market in Delhi. When the truck reached Shahpur (Jaipur district), more than half a dozen persons boarded the truck after taking a lift from the driver. The occupants had reportedly told the driver that they wanted to go to Delhi. When the truck reached the railway crossing, they forced the driver to stop. The miscreants pushed the truck driver and the cleaner out the vehicle and threw them both into the canal with hands and legs tied by strings. It is further reported that they brought the truck to Pinagwa, a small town of the Mewat region near Gurgaon, where they unloaded some of the cloth bales in their rented accommodation. They then took the truck to another place, but it developed a mechanical snag and had to be abandoned. The criminals fled the place immediately. In the meantime, the canal police of Rewari district also joined the Gurgaon district police. A joint operation was now on to nab the remaining culprits. Earlier, the Bawal Police registered a case under Section 395 (dacoity) of the IPC as well as under the Arms Act. |
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45 ‘chaupals’ to be renovated in
villages New Delhi, July 21 This was announced by the Delhi Urban Development and Health Minister, Dr A. K. Walia, while laying the foundation stone of a ‘chaupal’ at Bhagtan Mohalla of Ghaunda in East Delhi today. The Development and Civil Supplies Minister, Mr Haroon Yusuf, was the chief guest while the area MLA, Mr Bhishma Sharma, was the guest of honour on the occasion and the veteran leader of the village, Mr Chander Singh, presided. Dr Walia informed that this 35-year-old ‘chaupal’ would be reconstructed by the Irrigation and Flood Control Department of the Government of Delhi. This two-storeyed chaupal would cost the exchequer about Rs 14 lakh and be ready within the next six months. The Urban Development Minister said that the previous BJP government had started the construction of just two community centres in the trans-Yamuna area in its five-year tenure, while the present government was planning to construct 25 such centres. Of these, 13 centres had already been dedicated to public use while 12 others were under various stages of construction. Dr Walia informed that a service lane would be constructed along the pushta road to facilitate the movement of traffic. Besides, the development of a lake and a park had also been planned on the banks of the Yamuna near Ghaunda. The construction of Wazirabad bridge would also be started this year, he added. Highlighting the importance of ‘chaupals’ for villagers, Mr Yusuf said that while important decisions of the country were being taken in Parliament, decisions of the villages were taken in ‘chaupals’. As such, a ‘chaupal’ is a parliament house for the villagers. The Delhi Government was committed to the all-round development of the villages and money would not be a hurdle for the cause, he added. |
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VHP flays J&K autonomy
demand Rohtak, July 21 He also clarified that the VHP had not demanded trifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir on communal lines but it was advocating its reorganisation for some “solid” reasons in the larger national interests. He demanded that the elections in the troubled state should be held only after completion of the reorganisation process. The VHP secretary also demanded the sacking of the Farooq Abdullah government to ensure free and fair poll. Dr Jain was speaking at a ‘Meet the Press’ programme organised by Press Club here today. Replying to a question, Dr Jain said that if the government was reluctant to review its stand on the issue of reorganisation of Jammu and Kashmir, all Hindu organisations, including the RSS and VHP, would not only oppose it but would contest elections under the banner of the Jammu and Kashmir Punargathan Morcha. He said that the demand of state’s reorganisation had nothing to do with communilisation. He also claimed that the newly formed morcha had started garnering support from the Muslim community of the Jammu region. Dr Jain said that organisations like the VHP, Bajrang Dal and RSS extended their support to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) only in the national interest and they were not bound to back the party always. Dr Jain accused the Fraooq Abdullah family of pursuing the hidden agenda of the terrorist groups by demanding more autonomy for Jammu and Kashmir, which already enjoyed a special status vis-a-vis the other states. Arguing for the reorganisation of the state, Dr Jain said that it was also necessary for eradicating the existing regional imbalances the state. He stated that almost 80 per cent of the revenue of the troubled state was generated in Jammu whereas this region got only 20 per cent of it for development works. The rest of the amount was spent in Kashmir valley. |
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16 cases settled by Lok Adalat at Palika Bazar New Delhi, July 21 The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), under the aegis of the Delhi Legal Services Authority, organised a Lok Adalat at Palika Bazar to dispose of cases pending in various courts. The Additional District and Sessions Judge, Tis Hazari, Mr R. K. Gauba, settled 16 cases. Seven of them pertained to the commercial department. |
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Sangma against foreigner as PM Rohtak, July 21 Talking to newsmen here on Saturday afternoon, Mr Sangma said he quit the Congress and dissociated himself from the Constitution Review Commission on the same issue. He said there is no constitutional hitch for a person of foreign origin to be the Prime Minister of India. He said he wanted to make certain provisions in the Constitution in this regard, which were not accepted by the Constitution Review Commission, and subsequently he dissociated himself from the commission. He supported Mr Sushil Kumar Shinde for the post of Vice-President on the ground of ‘merit’ and clarified that the NCP had favoured Mr A. P. J. Abdul Kalam for the presidentship on the same ground. |
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Ballabgarh trader stabbed to death Faridabad, July 21 The protestors lifted the blockade only after the intervention of senior administration officials who promised to nab the culprits and step up security in the market. Hundreds of residents of Ballabgarh town took part in the funeral of the trader, identified as Vinod Kumar, a resident of Punjabi Mohalla. Vinod had been running a wholesale business and had his shop in the main market. It is learnt that at about 10 pm, as he was about to close shop, three youths accosted him. They brandished knives and asked him to hand over the cash kept in the safe. As the middle-aged Vinod resisted their attempt and tried to raise an alarm, the robbers attacked him with knives. He was stabbed more than 25 times and fell on the ground. Bleeding profusely, he became unconscious. As there was nobody to help him, the assailants took out Rs 2.5 lakh and fled. As the victim did not reach home, his relatives came to know of the murder and reached the spot. He was taken to Escorts Hospital where the doctors declared him ‘brought dead’. The crime sparked protest by the trading community who kept the shutters down and staged a dharna on the highway. Several shopkeepers and residents who joined the dharna, described the law and order situation as ‘worse’ and asked the government to take proper action. |
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Four thieves nabbed, 11 cases
solved New Delhi, July 21 The police had received complaints that a number of theft had taken place in Keshav Puram area where the suspects broke open the tool cabins of scooters and stole money and valuables. The police laid a trap near Punjab National Bank branch in Keshav Puram. The team saw Vinod Kumar moving in a suspicious manner near the bank and questioned him. During questioning, he disclosed that he had neither an account nor come there for any transaction. He further disclosed that he, along with his accomplices, would keep a watch on customers who drew cash from the bank and follow them. On getting a chance, they would break open the tool cabins of their scooters and steal whatever cash and other things kept in them, the police said.
Chain snatchers held The Uttam Nagar police arrested four youths, including two minors, on the charge of robbery and chain snatching on Saturday. The suspects, Chand Dahiya, Jeetender alias Jeetu and two minors, whose names were not disclosed by the police, were residents of Uttam Nagar. They reportedly snatched a gold chain of Sunita while she was purchasing some things from the market. The gold chain was recovered from the suspects, the police said.
16 cellphones seized A number of mobile phones were recovered from the possession of two pickpockets who were arrested by the Moti Nagar police. The pickpockets, Nitin and Surender, were arrested on Saturday during an ongoing drive against pickpockets operating in buses. The duo was armed with knives. During interrogation, they admitted to pickpocketing in moving buses on Najafgarh Road and stealing mobile phones. A total of 16 mobile phones, one gold chain and some imitation jewellery worth Rs 50,000 were seized from them, the police said.
Auto thieves caught The police worked out an auto theft case of Kanjhawala, Bawana, and arrested four persons — Kuldeep, Harish, Kuljeet and Mukesh. The police seized two motorcycles, one scooter, cash and gold chain from their possession. These vehicles were lifted in the first week of this month. They were reportedly involved in a series of auto thefts. They used to strike during the night, the police said. |
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Two held with 150 kg
beef Faridabad, July 21 In another incident, the police arrested a youth in connection with preparing fake registration certificate of a two-wheeler. It is alleged that the accused, identified as Rajesh, had been using a stolen motorcycle and had fake registration number, which he had prepared himself.
Woman commits suicide A middle-aged woman of Chawla Colony of Ballabgarh town committed suicide by consuming a poisonous substance last night. She died in the hospital this morning. The reason behind the suicide is unknown. In other incidents, two motorcycles were stolen from two different places in the town in the past 48 hours. While one mobike belonged to one Bijender of Dayalpur village, the other was owned by one Pradipta of Sector 46 here. |
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Smart office keyboard that minimises use of mouse and makes work
easier Jupiter Infosys, one of the largest distributors of International IT brands, has launched Frontech Gold Smart Office Keyboard. Smart office keyboard is a new concept that minimises the use of mouse and extracts maximum result at the minimum possible effort as well as time. The keyboard comes with hot keys features, enabling one touch access for commands like Forward, Backward, Cut, Copy, Paste, Scroll device and other keys and making work easier and simpler. ASPIRIN-BASED DISPRIN Reckitt Benckiser has announced that its aspirin-based OTC analgesic brand, Disprin, is being introduced and is now available in the market. This aspirin variant of Disprin has enjoyed nearly three decades of trust by patients in the treatment of common aches and pains. The product offers the consumer fast relief from pain through its unique proposition of solubility. The company had announced the withdrawal of Disprin a year ago. It has received several requests from consumers, the trade and doctors for its reintroduction. COOL DURRIES F& F has launched cool durries with the purpose to add a distinct touch of class to their homes and offices. Made with a special material, these durries are acknowledged as the coolest flooring idea. Spread them in your bedroom, drawing room, in your office or wherever you want to create a cool soothing and comfortable ambience. The best thing about these dhurries is that they look just like carpets and in summer you can easily replace your carpets with these cool options. DESIGNER OFFICE CHAIRS Haworth, the manufacturer of office seating worldwide, has introduced its Improv and Comforto range of chairs in India. The chairs have been ergonomically designed, keeping in mind the health problems that can result from long and increasing working hours. The family of chairs by Haworth addresses not only the seating needs but also the aesthetic needs of corporations. These chairs are available in various colours to match a wide range of interior designs of offices. SLEEK
FAN Usha International has added a sleek and stylish fan to its range of ceiling fans – the new Optima. This beautifully crafted fan has a unique styling, which gives it a superior look and a decorative option with gold flanges on the blades and a gold ring on the motor, and is sure to add a touch of style to any décor. Equipped with pre-greased, superior ball bearings, the fans guarantee noiseless and trouble-free operation. The automatic winding ensures consistent quality and greater reliability. HAZEL FOODS Hazel foods has diversified into spices and processed foods market after having established its brand, Hazel, in the institutional market with dry fruits. Since antiquity, spices have been considered the queen of gourmet. Its flavour and taste of processed foods. There is no better way to explore the flavour of Indian spices, experiences from the ancient times have discovered the rich heritage. India is known as the home of spices and is among the major exporters of this commodity. DRAPERY RODS Vista Levolor, the interior fashions with its vast range of window dressing accessories, has now introduced two new designs in its Ferrona range of drapery rods. Its varied range of world class items for window treatment is designed to create the effect of ethereal beauty. Ferona drapery rods are for people who are looking for oriental and fashionable concepts in interior fashions. The Sun and Spear finial designs, reminiscent of early days, are made of cast iron alloy and are available in antique-lacquered finish matching with the rod section. WALLET
OF TOMMORROW Bulchee, the premier leather accessories brand, has launched their new collection of leather accessories – a wide range of wallets including passport wallet, key keepers and even handy coin purses. All crafted from the finest of leather, carefully selected from over 40 tanneries worldwide. To create the classics of tomorrow, Bulchee products are crafted with an uncompromising approach to quality, with an eye on intricate details. The new line launched comprises of the Classique range, Palmellato range and the Euroline each in distinctive finish. CLEANERS
GALORE Clorox, a leading manufacturer of household products in the USA, is known as a worldwide producer and marketer of household cleaners and other products, with sales totalling $4 billion in more than 100 countries. The company manufactures and markets household products and products for institutional markets, both domestic and international. Its brands now available in the Indian markets are Clorox Liquid Bleach, 409 Carpet Cleaner, Soft Scrub Cleanser, Disinfecting Wipes, Liquid Plumr, SOS soap pads and Ultra Clorox 2. These are being distributed and marketed all over India by Optimum Marketing Metrics Pvt Ltd. DIGITAL MAILING SYSTEM HCL infosystems, India’s leading information-enabling company, is set to venture into the mailroom business in India. The company has launched world class mailing systems from Pritney Bowes, Office Right the Digital Mail Finisher and Post Perfect, the digital franking system. Pitney Bowes Limited, the multi-billion dollar Fortune 500 company is a global provider of integrated mail, messaging and document management solutions. HCL Infosystems, in tie-up with Pitney Bowes, will leverage the convergence between office automation, IT and telecommunication through its product and service offerings. CLASSIC WATCH & JEWELLERY Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton (LVMH), the world’s leading luxury product group, launches its watch and jewellery division in New Delhi. Representing some of the world’s largest and oldest luxury brands, LVMH plans to introduce TAG Heuer, the leading prestigious sports watch brand, Swiss avant-garde since 1860 and Christian Dior, the fashion-inspired Swiss-made timepiece from the house of Dior to the Indian market. “LVMH prides itself in respecting culture and tradition. We have a history in pioneering new and emerging markets,” said Antonio Belloni, CEO of LVMH group. |
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