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Friday,
February 14, 2003, Chandigarh, India  
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BJP wants coalition to stay in UP PM colluding with VHP, accuses Cong HC lifts ban on Togadia’s entry |
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Disabled employee can’t be sacked: SC
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Advani to write analysis of politics
Anti-terror treaty with
S. Arabia soon Gang rivalry claims 7 lives BDL, France to develop missiles Delimitation panel to meet on Feb 25
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BJP wants coalition to stay in UP New Delhi, February 13 “Supporting the BSP in Uttar Pradesh was a political decision and the BJP central leadership favours continuance of the coalition arrangement with Chief Minister Mayawati. We have been telling our people in UP that we have to run this coalition and there is no doubt in our mind in this regard,” Mr Naidu observed in an exclusive interview here today. It is in this context that the BJP chief has summoned 10-15 leaders of the UP BJP unit tomorrow evening to assess first hand what he describes as the “grassroots reality of today. We have to study and review the prevailing situation in depth” and Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani “will guide us.” Mr Naidu said the BJP made a political pact with the BSP but this has not percolated down fully leading to BJP leaders and workers in Uttar Pradesh having their own grievances. He regretted that “we have not been able to evolve a systematic mechanism to deal with such situations. That is the crux of the problem.” After intense parleys with the UP BJP leaders, Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, Mr Advani and Mr Naidu will be meeting Ms Mayawati on Saturday in an effort to iron out the differences. Even though there is no love lost between the BJP and the BSP, Mr Naidu recalled that public opinion in Uttar Pradesh favoured providing “one more trial” in forging a coalition government. “It is in that light we decided to support the BSP.” At the same time, the BJP president said for running the BSP-BJP coalition smoothly and positively, there must be consultations before decisions are announced. It is imperative for a give and take approach and to have mutual respect for each other. He expressed confidence that after the BJP leaders meeting with Ms Mayawati, an arrangement will be evolved for regular consultations to sort out issues. He had no doubt that the UP BJP leaders will respond positively to the thinking of the party’s central leadership. The BJP being a national party and not a regional or local one, it had to take note of the overall interests of the country and Uttar Pradesh while striking a balance. “I think my leaders in Uttar Pradesh will be able to appreciate it.” On the Ayodhya issue and VHP’s threats of launching a peoples’ movement if the undisputed territory is not handed over by the evening of February 23 for constructing the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, Mr Naidu said the Vajpayee government cannot work on deadlines set by organisations. He maintained that the BJP’s stand is very clear. Everyone must abide by the rule of law if efforts to resolve the issue through negotiations fail. “We will make our VHP friends understand that in a democracy you have to go by the Constitution and the rule of law.” He did not think the VHP’s ultimatum is going to affect or have any bearing on the upcoming assembly elections in Himachal Pradesh or in the Northeast. As regards the assembly elections in Himachal Pradesh, Mr Naidu said “our poll plank is going to be “tez vikas aur suraksha (speedy development and security).” After having witnessed the Congress misrule for 47 years, people should assess the BJP rule over the last five years and come to a conclusion. Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee has been more than kind to Himachal Pradesh. “I want to tell the people: ‘kendra mein Atal, Himachal mein Dhumal (Atal at the Centre, Dhumal in HP).” Mr Naidu sought full mandate for the BJP in the states going to the polls this year like Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chattisgarh and Delhi for speedy development and greater cohesion between the Centre and the states. |
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PM colluding with VHP, accuses Cong New Delhi, February 13 Congress chief spokesman Jaipal Reddy said that both the BJP-led government and the VHP were “coordinating” their efforts. The goals of BJP and the VHP were identical, he said. He said that the VHP wanted both the acquired land and the disputed land and the BJP was interested in facilitating the process. Mr Reddy said that the strategy of the BJP and its affiliates like the VHP and RSS had always been to advance their core communal agenda. “What the Vajpayee government has done now is part of the same strategy. We are opposed to any attempt by the government to undermine the rule of law,” he said. Asked about the response of NDA allies to the issue, he said that the allies had become dependents on the BJP and could not be defenders of secularism within the NDA. Asked if the Congress had any plan to go to court on the Ayodhya issue, he said that there was no such proposal. “We have full faith in the Supreme court,” he said. To a question Mr Reddy said that all
Opposition parties had been invited to the dinner being hosted by Congress President Sonia Gandhi on the eve of Budget session of Parliament to evolve a coordinated strategy for the session. |
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HC lifts ban on Togadia’s entry Bangalore, February 13 Mr Justice K. Sreedhar Rao, while passing the order, put a rider that Togadia should not indulge in any derogatory references to any religion and community and should not hurt their feelings at the public meeting “Hindu Samajotsava” in Mangalore, the district’s headquarters. The Additional District Magistrate had slapped the ban on Togadia, who is the VHP International General Secretary, for a period of 15 days from February 7. Noting that the district administration had earlier given consent to holding the function, in which Togadia was scheduled to participate, the Judge observed that denying permission at the eleventh hour may have adverse effect. “Public cause may suffer,” the Judge observed. Counsel for the government, opposing Togadia’s petition challenging the order argued that Togadia made a highly inflammatory speech during his recent visit to Chikmagalur, and his presence in Mangalore would lead to breach of peace. But the Judge wanted to know if Togadia’s speech in Chikmagalur had any fall out in terms of communal riot, for which the government counsel submitted that such a situation was averted because of swift administrative action.
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Disabled employee can’t be sacked: SC New Delhi, February 13 The court added that in fact the government was under an obligation to adjust such an employee against a post where his services could be utilised keeping in view his disability. In case no such post was available, a supernumerary post should be created to accommodate such an employee, the court said. A Bench comprising Mr Justice Shivaraj V. Patil and Mr Arijit Paysat handed down the ruling on an appeal by one Kunal Singh. The appeal was directed against the Himachal Pradesh High Court dismissing his petition against the termination of his services on the ground of disability. Kunal Singh was employed as a constable with the Special Security Bureau (SSB) at Kullu in HP. He sustained an injury in his leg, while on duty which developed into a gangrene. As a result his leg had to be amputated. The SSB invalidated him from the service on this plea .
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‘Lagaan’ wins seven national awards
New Delhi, February 13 President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, in his first interaction with the film world since assuming office, gave away the main awards at a function this evening at the tastefully decorated Vigyan Bhavan in the presence of Information and Broadcasting Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad and Director of Film Festivals Deepak Sandhu. Mainstream Bollywood cinema, which has already hit the bull’s eye overseas, proved its resilience in a major way, bagging as many as 13 of the 34 awards. Bhuvan’s eleven of ‘Lagaan’ under the captainship of Ashutosh Gowariker continued its victory march with seven awards, despite having failed to woo uncle Oscar. ‘Chandni Bar’ was named for four awards including one for actress Tabu and ‘Dil Chahata Hai’ by Farhan Akhtar received two. While Kannada film ‘Dweepa’ by the renowned Girish Kasaravalli was named the Best Film of 2001, the well known B. Lenin was chosen best director for his film ‘Ooruku Nooruper’ which also won the best Tamil film award. The Best Actor award went to talented Murali for the Malayalam ‘Neythukaran’, while Tabu shared the award with Shobhana for her role in the English film ‘Mitr - My Friend’ directed by actress Revathy which was named best English film and also bagged the best editing award for Beena Paul. ‘Sonal’ (Hindi-English) by renowned Prakash Jha for the Films Division bagged the best non-feature film award, while senior filmmaker Buddhadeb Das Gupta got the best director award for Bengali film ‘Jorasanko Thakurbari’. The best books on cinema are ‘Asomiya Chalachitrar Chha-Pohar’ by Apurba Sarma and ‘Moulik Marathi Chitrageete’ by Gangadhar Mahambare while Hindi journalist Vinod Anupam won the best critic award. The jury made a special mention of English critic
C.S. Venkateswaran. ‘Lagaan’ produced by actor Aamir Khan received awards for the Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment, best music by
A.R. Rehman, best male singer Udit Narayan for the song ‘Mitwa’, best lyrics ‘Radha Kaise Na Jale’and ‘Ghanan Ghanan’ by renowned Javed
Akhtar, best audiography by H. Sridhar and Nakul Kamte, best art direction Nitin Chandrakant Desai, costume design by Oscar awardee Bhanu
Athaiya, and for choreography by Raju Khan in the song ‘Ghanan Ghanan’. ‘Chandni Bar’ received four awards including Best Actress for
Tabu, Best Supporting actors for Atul Kulkarni and Ananya Khare, and the award for best film on social issues. Udit Narayan also got the best singer award for ‘Jaane kyun log pyaar karte hain’ in ‘Dil Chahata Hai’ directed by Farhan Akhtar which has been named best Hindi film in the regional category. Buddhadeb
Dasgupta, who was named best director for his non-feature ‘Jorasanko Thakurbari’ on the Tagore family, also achieved another milestone by becoming the only filmmaker to have two films in the Indian panorama - one feature (‘Manda Meyer Upakhyan’) and the non-feature ‘Jorasanko Thakurbari’. The Films Division bagged as many as five awards in the non-feature section and the National Film Development Corporation had three winners. A student film ‘Chaitra’ by Kranti Kanade for the Film and Television Institute of India bagged as many as three awards. Mr K.S. Sethumadhavan chaired the feature film jury, K.K. Kapil headed the non-feature jury and Bharat Gopy chaired the book jury. Film critic
K.N.T. Sastry, who has earlier bagged the Best Film Critic Award, has been named for the Indira Gandhi Award for Best First Film of a Director for the Telugu film ‘Tiladaanam’. The feature ‘Bub’ by Jyoti Swarup has become the first Kashmiri film to get the Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration. Both films have been produced by the National Film Development Corporation. Sadhana Sargam gets the best female singer award for the Tamil song ‘Paatu Cholli’ in the film ‘Udayageethavin Azhahi’. P. Shwetha gets the best child star award for the film ‘Kutty’, in Tamil, which also gets a special jury award for the director Janaki
Viswanathan. The other language-wise awards are: Bengali - ‘Hemantar Pakki’ by Urmi Chakraborty (for
NFDC), Kannada - ‘Atithi’ by P. Seshadhri, Malayalam - ‘Dany’ by T. V.
Chandran, Oriya - ‘Maguni Ra Shagada’ by Prafulla Mohanty (for
NFDC), Telugu - ‘Show’ by Neelakantha who also bags the screenplay award. The jury has made a special mention of directors Mg. Dilip Doley and Narayan Seal for the film ‘Panoi-Jongki’ in the Miri dialect. The other technical awards for feature films are: cinematography —
H.M. Ramachandra Halkere for the Kannada ‘Dweepa’, and special effects — M. J. Raju for the Tamil ‘Aalavandaan’. Among the shorts, Vinod Sukumaran bags the award for the best first non-feature for ‘Diary of a Housewife’ in Malayalam, while the Marathi film ‘Chaitra’ by Kranti Kanade of the Film and Television Insitute of India gets the best short fiction award.
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Advani to write analysis of politics New Delhi, February 13 “I have been wanting to share my experiences in public life but time is a big constraint for me...However, if I find time I would write an analysis of political developments since 1947,” Mr Advani told journalists yesterday on his way to New Delhi from
Dharamsala, by a private aircraft, after launching BJP’s formal election campaign for the February 26 Assembly poll in Himachal Pradesh. The septuagenarian leader, said he had received a couple of offers for writing his biography or even an autobiography but could not decide on it so far due to paucity of time. “I have not yet made up my mind,” Mr Advani said holding a book titled ‘A Passion for Books’ - a book lover’s treasury of stories, essays, humour, lore and lists on collecting, reading, borrowing, lending, caring for and appreciating books. The Deputy Prime Minister preferred to write an analysis of political developments in the country rather than his biography. “Biography would mean more of my personal life, including my days in Karachi, but my idea is to write an analysis of political developments in the country since Independence.” |
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Anti-terror treaty with
S. Arabia soon New Delhi, February 13 The issue was discussed between Saudi Interior Minister Prince Naif bin Abdulaziz and Civil Aviation Minister Shahnawaz Hussain at Mecca yesterday, where the latter has gone to attend the annual Haj pilgrimage. “I had a meeting with the Prince at Mecca yesterday for almost two hours. I also extended an invitation to him on behalf of Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani to visit India, which he accepted in principle,” Mr Hussain told newspersons from Jeddah on phone today. He said he had also spoken to Mr Advani about his meeting. He said the two countries were in agreement over countering the growing threat of terrorism and also agreed to come together for the purpose. During the meeting, the Saudi Minister noted India’s “significant role in regional and world affairs” and spoke of the historic and traditional ties between the two nations. Saudi Arabia valued these ties and was anxious to enhance them, he said. In context of the prevailing regional and international situation, the Saudi leader, who is also the chairman of the Supreme Haj Council, stressed the importance of cooperation and dialogue between the two countries in the areas of security. |
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Gang rivalry claims 7 lives Patna, February 13 Armed men of a criminal gang sprayed bullets on villagers killing seven low caste labourers late Wednesday night in two villages of Nawada district. The police have recovered five bodies and sent them for a post-mortem, examination officials said. The killings were triggered by gang rivalry over a dispute on contract of sand in the area, official sources said. The police have launched a manhunt to nab the culprits. No arrests have, however, been made so far. |
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BDL, France to develop missiles New Delhi, February 13 A release issued by the EADS here today said that a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to this effect was recently signed by BDL with MBDA, a part of Europe’s largest aerospace company, the EADS, at the conclusion of Aero India 2003, held at Bangalore recently. The MoU was signed in the presence of French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin and Minister of State for Defence O Rajagopal and Secretary to the Ministry of Defence, Government of India, N.S. Sisodia, the release said. |
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Delimitation panel to meet on Feb 25 New Delhi, February 13 The commission, which held a meeting with associate members here, could not reach any consensus due to disagreement between the members of both parties, sources said. The meeting was attended among others by MPs from Delhi and some MLAs who are associate members of the commission. When asked, BJP sources said the party was not in favour of changes in the allocation of the Assembly constituencies as it would affect the candidate who nursed the areas for long.
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