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Saturday,
February 8, 2003, Chandigarh, India  
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French PM opposed to war Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee welcomes French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin and his wife Anne-Marie Raffarin on their arrival at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on Friday.
— PTI photo Putin again calls PM up PM to inaugurate
CMs’ conference Nod to top officers’ prosecution 12 die as doctors go on strike Foodgrain quota:
Sonia writes to Vajpayee |
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Army orders probe into jawan’s killing Bus passengers molested,
driver shot ’84 riots widows
threaten immolation
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French PM opposed to war New Delhi, February 7 Addressing Indian youth and a distinguished gathering here today, Prime Minister of the French Republic Jean Pierre Raffarin said war is the last resort and ought to be avoided. Responding to a question posed by a young participant during an hour-long interaction titled `India and France: preparing the future together’, the French PM said, “Iraq has the capacity to wage a war. We don’t want destruction. Our objective is to destroy weapons and armaments
there. We have asked for an inspection of Iraq armaments. We know that there are other ways of exerting pressure. We must carry a global vision of the threat of terrorism and not say that certain forms of terrorism are more acceptable than others.” Expressing concern over terrorism in the host country, Mr Raffarin said, “You have to bear the brunt of terrorism. We are very aware of the situation here.” He said France was impressed by India’s efforts to bring about stability and improve its economy. ``That is why India has become a priority in French politics. That is why we are supporting India in the Security Council for a permanent seat.’’ Reading out the initial part of his seven-page speech, Mr Raffarin made several departures. He said the European Union wished to safeguard the maintenance of peace and strengthen international security in conformity with the principles in the United Nations Charter, promote international cooperation, develop and consolidate democracy and ensure respect for human rights and fundamental freedom. Mr Raffarin said France offered facilities for Indian students and urged them not to be scared of the French language. He said that France was making efforts to facilitate installation of enterprise by foreigners. “The financial
aspect is being looked into.” Later in the afternoon, Mr Raffarin and the Delhi Chief Minister, Sheila Dikshit also laid the foundation stone of the new building of Alliance Francaise on Lodhi Road. Meanwhile, Vajpayee said today that India and France may reach an understanding on the $ 2 billion deal during the talks that the Indian leadership would have with its French counterpart. “Talks on this issue are going on. We will discuss this again with the French Prime Minister,” Mr Vajpayee told reporters at the forecourt of the Rashtrapati Bhavan after receiving Mr Raffarin. Asked whether the deal would be clinched during Mr Raffarin’s visit to the Capital, the Prime Minister said “maybe.” |
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Putin again calls PM up New Delhi, February 7 Mr Putin had conveyed a diplomatic message to Pakistan as he had called up Mr Vajpayee minutes before General Musharraf landed in Moscow three days ago. Today’s telephonic conversation lasted 20 minutes. According to sources, such conversations take place between close allies particularly on or before the visits of a third country leader. India is understood to be satisfied with Mr Putin mincing no words in categorically telling General Musharraf that Moscow expected Islamabad to stop cross-border terrorism and dismantle the terrorist infrastructure in that country. |
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PM to inaugurate
CMs’ conference New Delhi, February 7 The conference, to be chaired by Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani, is being organised in the backdrop of changing law and order scenario in the country and the new challenges security forces are faced with. At least 94 actionable recommendations of the Group of Ministers (GoM) on internal security covering constitutional, legal, administrative and organisational aspects would be up for deliberations at the conference, to be held in the Vigyan Bhavan, official sources said here today. The GoM had made these recommendations keeping in view the responsibility of the Central and the state governments for management of internal security, they said, pointing out that the security forces today have to fight on various fronts like terrorism, insurgency and religious fundamentalism. The day-long conference would discuss strategies and dynamics of internal security challenges in the country in all its aspects and dimensions in view of the emerging situation, the sources said. Left-wing extremism, police reforms and modernisation of state police forces would also be discussed. The conference would also be attended by Ministers of Defence and Finance George Fernandes and Jaswant Singh, respectively, Deputy Chairman of Planning Commission K.C. Pant, Secretaries of key central ministries and state police chiefs. |
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Nod to top officers’ prosecution New Delhi, February 7 The CVC has also recommended prosecution of 13 officers including those from Defence and External Affairs ministries, an official release said here today. They include a Deputy Director-General of Doordarshan, three Chief Engineers, a Senior Additional Public Prosecutor in the Delhi Government, a General Manager each of the Department of Telecommunications and ITDC, three Executive Directors of the Steel Authority of India and two of the ONGC, an official release said here today. The release said in pursuance of the commission’s advice, the competent authorities issued sanctions for prosecution of 12 officers - one each from IAS and IPS, four from public sector banks, an assistant commissioner of Central Board of Excise and Customs, a Deputy Secretary in Finance Ministry, a Deputy Superintendent from the Department of Culture and three from the Labour Ministry. The CVC also advised initiation of major penalty proceedings against 273 officers in November and December last year. The CVC added that it also advised imposition of major penalty on 186 officers in November and December. These included a retired IAS officer, two officers of Indian Foreign Service, two IPS officers, one Official Liquidator under the Department of Company Affairs, a Deputy CEO of the Khadi and Village Industries Commission and three Assistant Commissioners from Central Board of Excise and Customs. Based on the commission’s advice, suitable major penalty was imposed on 97 officials. The list included 23 officials from the Railway Ministry, 52 from PSU banks, two from insurance companies, four from the Department of Telecom, two from the Bureau of Indian Standards, two from IGNOU and two from the Shipping Corporation of India. |
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12 die as doctors go on strike Patna, February 7 All government hospitals and most private nursing homes have been closed since Thursday as doctors called for a strike against the kidnapping of Dr Bharat Singh of the Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) late Wednesday. “Twelve patients in casualty and other wards have died in the PMCH but it is normal as usually 10-11 patients die even when doctors are on duty”, a senior health official of the hospital said. The PMCH Superintendent, Dr A.P. Singh, however, said, “Four persons died on Thursday but their deaths have nothing to do with the doctors’ strike”. The relatives of the deceased patients, however, claimed that they died due to lack of medical services as the doctors were on strike. Mr R.K. Kumar, a forest official, said his father-in-law, who had a heart attack, died of lack of medicare as his father-in-law was discharged from the Indira Gandhi Institute of Cardiology even when he was critical. There were reports of casualties in other wards of the PMCH and other public hospitals as even junior doctors were boycotting duties. No new patients were being admitted in the public hospitals and patients were left to the mercy of para-medical staff, relatives said. Relatives with their patients were forced to wait on the streets outside the PMCH as the striking doctors had locked the main gate. The doctors were adamant on their strike as they said they did not trust the police assurance. “All medical colleges and government hospitals including the emergency wards, will remain closed for an indefinite period till the safe recovery of the kidnapped doctor,” the Secretary of Indian Medical Association, Dr Sahjanand Singh, said. |
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Foodgrain quota:
Sonia writes to Vajpayee New Delhi, February 7 “I was astonished to learn, through the media, of your government’s decision to cut the quota of foodgrains for Rajasthan. All along, the state has been pleading for larger allocations. I request you to kindly review the matter at your personal level and restore foodgrain allocations to the state”, Mrs Gandhi said in the letter. Stating that Rajasthan has been reeling under drought for successive years and large parts of its people were facing near starvation-type situation, Mrs Gandhi said the situation called for taking steps for creating more employment opportunities for the people on a priority basis. |
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Army orders probe into jawan’s killing Patna, February 7 “A court of inquiry has been ordered into the circumstances in which soldier Amitesh Sharma was killed”, Brigadier K.P.D. Samanta, Commander of Bihar-Jharkhand-Orissa sub area, said. “As per Army records the deceased was a serving soldier. Had he not been an Army personnel, we would not have given him a military funeral”. Amitesh was killed by the police on Tuesday in an encounter in Paliganj and was later cremated with Army honours. The situation in Paliganj was tense as the Opposition parties, including the BJP and the Lok Janshakti Party, observed a general strike today. |
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Bus passengers molested, driver shot Kolkata, February 7 The robbers stopped the two buses by blocking the highway near Ranaghat, the district headquarters, and shot dead one of the drivers when he resisted early yesterday, police sources said today. The miscreants dragged out the men and tied them to trees before molesting some of the women and looting valuables over four hours, the sources said. The women were molested after being taken to a nearby building at 1.30 am, the sources said. There was no police patrol on the highway. The police said while there was no complaint of rape, that of molestation was lodged by victims. The panic-stricken passengers rushed to villagers of Aismali for help after the robbers left with their loot. The police arrived later.
PTI |
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’84 riots widows
threaten immolation New Delhi, February 7 At a news conference outside Delhi’s Gurdwara Rakab Ganj, the November 1984 Victim Widow Jatha said its members were contemplating the extreme step due to problems of their housing, pension and employment.
UNI |
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‘Probe FCI scam’ New Delhi, February 7 |
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