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Monday,
November 18, 2002, Chandigarh, India  
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Rebellion
in BJP over berth Trinamool
to remain in NDA Opposition
taunts apologetic Jaya Goa CM
checkmates Oppn again
Witness
protection law suggested |
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AICC
flays drought relief package 75
foreign films to be shown at Mumbai IFF Film
actor Bundela attacked BJD
re-elects Sethi as LS leader Oppressor
turns angel 16
coaches of goods train derailed Heritage
project for children
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Rebellion in BJP over berth Lucknow, November 17 The venue for the meeting is not yet clear but the legislators, who have been deprived of ministerial berth, claim that over 24 legislators are expected to take part in the meeting. Senior BJP legislator Ganga Bux Singh, who had dashed off an angry letter to the state president of the BJP, Mr Vinay Katiyar, over the selection of ministers said in a democratic party, all legislators could voice their grievances. The meeting is likely to take an ominous turn if senior legislators like Mr Harish Chand Srivastava, who was the Finance Minister in last BJP government, and Mr N.K.S. Gaur, former Higher Education and Cane Development, Minister, decide to take part in the meeting. Though it is not clear whether or not they will take part, but their meeting with Mr Ganga Bux Singh two days ago has given credence to the belief that the rebels enjoy their tacit support. Mr Katiyar has played down this meeting as a formal get-together of some legislators after Dasehra. “I and Urban Development Minister Lalji Tandon had met the Chief Minister and when she had agreed to induct two-three more persons into her ministry there is no question of any heart-burning now,” he told The Tribune today on telephone. The in charge of UP affairs, Mr Kalraj Mishra too claimed that there was no bad blood among the legislators over the constitution of the Cabinet. “Right candidates will find place in the Cabinet soon,” he added. The BJP rebels are not ready to take the words of party leaders at face value. One of the rebels told presspersons that the Chief Minister should announce when she would induct more ministers and the party leaders should declare who would find a place in the ministry this time. The bone of contention among the legislators is that many first-timers have been given a Cabinet rank or the rank of Minister of State with independent charge. Mr Laloo Singh, who was minister of State in the last government, had refused to take oath as he was refused promotion while Ms Amita Singh, a first-timer, was given a higher rank. “The party should clarify what formula it had used to distribute ministries. Till we are convinced we will not drop the idea of holding a meeting”, a rebel legislator said. |
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Trinamool
to remain in NDA Kolkata, November 17 The Trinamool Congress chief, Ms Mamata Banerjee, however, said the decision had been taken at the request of the NDA Chairman, Mr George Fernandes, who had come forward with a fresh proposal for holding talks with the Prime Minister for reconsidering the bi-furcation of the Eastern Railways. Mr Fernandes had phoned me personally twice requesting me to come to Delhi and hold talks with the Prime Minister on the bi-furcation issue when we were busy at our meeting last night, claimed Ms Banerjee. Trinamool Congress MPs, led by Ms Banerjee are leaving for Delhi today to hold talks with Mr Vajpayee and Mr Fernandes regarding the bi-furcation of the Eastern Railway. They will also attend the winter session of the Lok Sabha, sitting along the Treasury Bench, which begins from tomorrow. The newly appointed state BJP chief, Mr Tathagata Roy, welcomed the decision. He had already approached Ms Banerjee for jointly contesting the forthcoming panchayat elections in Bengal against the CPM. The CPM and the Congress leadership in the state, however, bantered at the TMC’s decision to remain a partner of the NDA. She had no other option, remarked the former
WBPCC (I) President, Mr Somen Mitra, adding that they were not at all bothered whether Ms Banerjee was in the NDA or not since she was no longer any factor in the Bengal politics. The rebel MP, Mr Sudip Bandopadhyya, was present after his conspicuous absence in the past two important meetings. He welcomed the party’s decision to remain in the NDA. Another rebel leader, Mr Ajit Kumar Panja, now in New Delhi, had issued a statement yesterday, requesting Ms Banerjee not to “leave the NDA”, adding that it would be a suicidal step for the party. Mr Bandopadhayya said he had requested Ms Banerjee to join the Union Cabinet alone, which would help the party to work more effectively in Bengal. Both, Mr Bandopadhyya and Mr Panja, suggested that the TMC should jointly fight the forthcoming panchayat elections in Bengal against the CPM and the Congress.
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Opposition
taunts apologetic Jaya Chennai, November 17 The DMK leader, Mr M. Karunanidhi, recalled that Ms Jayalalithaa had once called the Cauvery River Authority a “toothless” body, and said people of the state were aware of her contradictory stance on the issue from the beginning. That was why his party had been critical of the functioning of the AIADMK government. The TNCC working president, Mr E.V.K.S. Elangovan, said Ms Jayalalithaa had “messed up” the issue and her action, which the Supreme Court had disapproved, had damaged the reputation of the state. The PMK leader, Dr S. Ramadoss, said the Chief Minister could have avoided embarrassment if only she had convened an all-party meeting before “unilaterally” writing a letter to the Prime Minister. He hoped that at least in future she would take the other parties into confidence. The BJP secretary, Mr L. Ganesan, welcoming the Supreme Court’s advice, said the state government should use the opportunity to find a solution to the dispute. |
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Goa CM checkmates Oppn again Panjim, November 17 D’Souza, better
known in Goa as Dr Willy, was believed to have been offered a governorship soon after Mr Parrikar was elected Chief Minister in June. But Dr D’Souza is said to have opted for Maharashtra and that was promptly refused. Not counting the elections in between Mr Parrikar has been the Chief Minister for just over two years and he’s as smooth as they come when it comes to checkmating the Congress. He may have bragged about not being sure of what kind of majority (simple or two-thirds) he would win at the poll but just scraped through by the skin of his teeth, 17 votes to the Congress 16. But he worked through outsiders and backed candidates like Anastasio Monserate and Micky Pacheco (both from the United Goan Democratic Party) to break the Congress stronghold in the South. These two were treated like untouchables when in the Congress. Mr Parrikar has also become wiser after his first stint as Chief Minister when he roped in as many as he could into the BJP, a strategy he probably picked up from Congressmen Luizinho Faleiro who at one time had as many as 26 men in his party. But Mr Parrikar was saddled with perennial defectors like Ravi Naik, Suresh Paulekar, Sheikh Hassan, Ramakant Khalap and Sanjay Bandekar in his first stint. This time around he has however decided to gain their support from outside and stick to his time-tested hard-core RSS incumbents. Mr Parrikar may have a strong Saraswat Brahmin base but he is capable of cutting across party lines and caste distinctions to approach any candidate. That is his strong point and for him the 40 MLAs are like pawns on a chess board. Like the old fox Dr Willy he is equally at home with the Opposition, in this case the Congress and his favourites are Mr Somnath Zuarkar and veteran Mr Harish Zantiye. It is a complex game that Mr Parrikar is playing but one thing he should fear is complacency but in all this he aided by a divided Congress which has always been its own worst enemy. And the last decades has proved to be worst for Goa where corruption has become a way of life. Parrikar in that respect is much better. In fact, he has imbued an element of hope after the corruption spree. |
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Witness
protection law suggested New Delhi, November 17 The two-day seminar, organised jointly by the National Institute of Criminology and Forensic Science (NICFS) and the CBI, concluded that many witnesses turn hostile and retract from their statement as they are influenced, intimidated or pressurised, resulting in fall of many cases in the court. Therefore, there should be proper law to protect the witnesses and the law in this regard could be framed on the pattern of laws that exist in many developed nations. Briefing newspersons after the seminar, CBI Director P.C. Sharma said there was also consensus that the Supreme Court’s direction in the Vineet Narain case that the authority concerned should be given sanction for prosecution of public servants in corruption cases within three months should be made mandatory. Some of the other recommendations included, undue importance should not be given to minor technical flaws and archaic procedures during trial, investigating teams should have the benefit of consulting experts wherever necessary, similar to the protection available in law for the accused to defend himself, legal protection should also be available for victims of crime, use of modern technology in trial like tape-recording of statement of witnesses, videographing of the trap, training for Judges to keep pace with new changes and technology and setting up of adequate special courts to try corruption cases. Supreme Court Judge Justice Arjit Pasayat, who delivered the valedictory address also emphasised on protection to witnesses. “Unfortunately we do not have a witness protection system which results in fall of several cases in the courts,” Mr Justice Pasayat said. |
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AICC flays drought relief package New Delhi, November 17 The Chairman of the Kisan and Khet Mazdoor Department of the AICC Dr Balram Jakhar, said the relief package was “nothing more than an illusion just to wipe the tears of farmers and was too little and too late”. “The Prime Minister’s announcement of postponing the recovery of loans and interest touches only a fringe of problems as only a fraction of farmers take institutional loans. A much larger package of relief is needed to cover the farmers who do not take institutional loans,” Dr Jakhar said in a statement issued here today. He said the decision of the government to allow the Finance Ministry to decide on the management of funds “later on” defeated the very purpose of the announcement as it would further delay the process. |
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75 foreign films to be shown at Mumbai IFF Mumbai, November 17 The festival will be inaugurated by Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh with the screening of Hungarian film “Taking Sides” directed by Istvan Szabo, who will also be the chief guest at the function, Mr Govind Swarup, Secretary, Cultural Affairs, told reporters yesterday. “Taking Sides,” that will have its Indian premiere at IFF (Mumbai), was screened at the final day of the Berlin International Festival, 2002. Besides, seven countries — Kazakhstan, Croatia, New Zealand, Tunisia, South Africa, Vietnam and Slovenia — will participate for the first time. In addition to this, the Lifetime Achievement Award will be conferred upon veteran film-maker Hirshikesh Mukherjee, while the award for contribution to Indian cinema for over 25 years would be presented to actor Om Puri, Swarup said, adding that the Kodak Award for technical excellence would be presented to V.
Babasaheb, who was cinematographer of the Hindi classic, “Ganga Jamuna.”
PTI |
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Film actor Bundela attacked Bhopal, November 17 The protesters were engaged at what they called an inglorious portrayal of Hindu gods and goddesses in his film. After the premiere was over, Bundela was talking to mediapersons in the compound of the theatre when about 40 persons pounced on him and started hitting him here and there. According to eyewitnesses, Bundela’s assailants supported a saffron headgear and were shouting that he had insulted the gods and goddesses of the Hindus. No policemen were present when Bundela was attacked. By the time the police arrived, after being informed by the manager of the cinema hall, Bundela was whisked away by a friend to the hospital for his check up. |
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BJD re-elects Sethi as LS leader New Delhi, November 17 “We have decided unanimously that in the Rajya Sabha the leader of the BJD will be Mr
B.J. Panda and the whip will be Mr Vir Bhadra Singh. Mr Arjun Sethi is the BJD leader in the Lok Sabha and also the leader of the parliamentary party while Mr Brij Kishore Tripathy will be the whip and Mr Padmanabh Behra the secretary in the Lok Sabha,” Orissa Chief Minister and President of the BJD Naveen Patnaik told newspersons here. Mr Patnaik had expelled three Lok Sabha MPs — Jagannath
Mullick, Prabhat Samantaray and Kumudini Patnaik. The expelled leaders had revolted against the party high command and elected Prasanna Acharya as their leader in place of Mr Sethi. Mr Patnaik said they continued to remain BJD members in the Lok Sabha. |
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Oppressor
turns angel Patna, November 17 Interestingly, the victim is also ready to marry the rapist. The railway police of Chhapra station said the Special Service Bureau (SSB) arrested the Army jawan. On Wednesday, when Dalwinder Singh came to his senses he felt guilty and offered to marry the victim. He told scribes that his family was also likely to accept the marriage. He said he would lose his job and the victim her peace if the marriage did not take place. The victim when asked by the scribes was very unwilling to divulge more information of her whereabouts and family. He told scribes that his family was also likely to accept the marriage. He said he would lose his job and the victim her peace if the marriage did not take place. The victim when asked by the scribes was very unwilling to divulge more information of her whereabouts and family. |
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16 coaches of goods train derailed Gwalior, November 17 The down track was badly damaged and it would take one or two days to restore it, official sources said. Traffic on the up track was likely to be restored within six hours, they added.
UNI |
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Heritage
project for children Dehra Dun, November 17 The programme began with a slide show by Mr A.S. Negi, Managing Director of the Corporation on the rich natural heritage and diversity of the region. Later, the orientation session of the programme provided an opportunity for the students to interact with wildlife professionals. |
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In video: The NDA
meets in New Delhi ahead of the winter session of Parliament. (
