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Monday,
June 2, 2003, Chandigarh, India  
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Maya might
curtail tour to save govt RLD MLAs
in Bhopal hotel Taj gets a
breather from Supreme Court
Movement
for temple next month : VHP |
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Advani,
Joshi must quit: CPM
No need
for it: Venkaiah Naidu Excess
tax may be refunded electronically 5 Army
officers booked UN award
for Sulabh chief Apollo
Circus director held
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Maya might curtail tour to save govt Luchnow, June 1 The Chief Minister is in constant touch with party leaders and officials in the wake of the RLD’s withdrawal of support and the Opposition bid to unite, party sources said. “So far her tour is on,” they said adding that as the political situation was fluid, the visit could be curtailed “if necessary”. An indication to this effect also came from senior BJP leader Lalji Tandon, when he said that Ms Mayawati could cut short her visit. The sources admitted that Ms Mayawati’s absence had come as a “blessing in disguise” for the Opposition and apprehend that their attempt to destabilise the government could gather momentum in the next few days. Ms Mayawati’s mere presence instills confidence, both in the official machinery as well as in party circles, they said citing how she had successfully thwarted the previous bid to topple her government when several independent MLAs had withdrawn support to her government. The carrot and stick policy, adopted by the Chief Minister to contain activities to dislodge her government, have paid rich dividends, they maintain. By proceeding against some of those, who opposed the government and had a questionable past, and roping in others with similar backgrounds in her fold, the Chief Minister had punctured the Opposition’s bid last time. There was apprehension in the BSP camp that some of those who had lent support to the government could turn against if “suitable measures” were not taken quickly. With the government left at the mercy of Independents and some splinter groups, MLAs having a dubious past have assumed centrestage. All these MLAs extended support to the Mayawati government and in return the government had put cases against them on the backburner, the sources observed. Meanwhile, the Opposition, buoyed by Congress President Sonia Gandhi’s declaration of unequivocal support, has decided to hold another meeting here in the next few days if no positive response came from the Governor. “If the Governor does not respond to our demand, we will formulate another strategy to exert pressure on him,” Opposition sources here said.
PTI |
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RLD MLAs in Bhopal hotel Bhopal, June 1 Earlier reports had said that these MLAs had left for Hyderabad by train last night. But later on, it was found that they had moved into a local hotel. The MLAs, who were sent to Madhya Pradesh on May 26 amidst threats of being broken away by Ms Mayawati, had been avoiding media since their arrival. The 14-member RLD withdrew support to the Mayawati government on Friday. On Wednesday, five RLD ministers had resigned from the government.
PTI |
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Major fire in Army depot Jaipur, June 1 However, no casualty was reported in the incident. They said the fire started from one shed and spread to all others, destroying almost 70 per cent of the mines and other ammunition. Officials said a Court of Inquiry had been ordered into the cause of the fire.
PTI |
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Taj gets a breather from Supreme Court
New Delhi, June 1 The state government recently gave an undertaking to the court that the area, measuring 89.87 hectares in Shamshabad and Fatehabad, adjoining the monument, would be maintained as a green zone and would not be converted into non-polluting light industrial zone. This undertaking was given through counsel Ajay Agarwal before a Bench comprising Mr Justice M.B. Shah and Mr Justice Arun Kumar, following serious concerns shown by it towards the proposals which would have converted the adjoining areas of the 17th century monument built by Mughal Emperor Shahjehan in the memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal. The court noted in its order that “the state of UP undertakes that area measuring 89.87 hectares in Shamshabad and Fatehabad would be kept as ‘green zone’ as previously notified and would not be converted into non-polluting light industrial zone.” The undertaking further said “competent authority would take immediate steps for the removal of any unauthorised construction at any place within that area.” The state government further agreed that no person, occupying land measuring less than five acres, would be permitted to use the same for any other purpose except for a green park having no construction thereon. “It is particularly stated that persons using that land in the Shamshabad and Fatehabad area would strictly maintain the National Ambient Air Quality Standards, as prescribed by a government notification for sensitive areas,” the court said. While allowing the Kalakriti Complex, proposed by Oswal Traders and Travels Ltd to come up near the Taj, the Bench said of the total area of 89.89 hectares given to the complex, construction could be done only in 10 per cent of the area. Laying down strict green code for the complex, the court said that it would not be allowed to operate any diesel generator sets and it should have provisions for water recycling facility as well as waste water treatment provision.
PTI |
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Movement
for temple next month : VHP Ayodhya, June 1 “Saints and religious leaders will actively participate in ‘raksha sankalp’ (defence pledge) programmes in two lakh villages across the country and ‘raksha sutra’ (defence thread) will be tied on the hands of about two crore Hindus to affirm their pledge to participate in the movement,” the VHP President told reporters. Mr Singhal said all preparations were being made to hold a two-day ‘raksha sankalp sutra’ programme here from June 9 during which saints would be given two crore ‘raksha sutras’ to be distributed in different parts of the country. A photograph of the model of the proposed Ram Janmabhumi temple would also be given to two crore Hindus by VHP teams, he said. Mr Singhal said a meeting of the VHP’s high-powered committee was expected to be held in New Delhi on July 11 to decide the next phase of the movement.
PTI |
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Advani, Joshi must quit: CPM New Delhi, June 1 In a statement issued today, the party said in the context of the CBI filing a supplementary charge sheet in the Special Court at Rae Bareli naming Mr Advani and Mr Joshi as accused in the Babri Masjid demolition case, their continuance in the union ministry was untenable. “They should immediately quit the ministry,” the statement said. But BJP President M. Venkaiah Naidu in Raipur
dismissed the demand. He said no question of morality was involved since in political agitations such cases were registered against people. |
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No need for it: Venkaiah Naidu Raipur, June 1 “Why should anyone resign ? It’s not a case of any moral turpitude”, he said while addressing a press conference here before flagging off the Chhattisgarh BJP’s ‘parivartan yatra’ being organised in the run up to the Assembly elections. “It is a case arising out of a political movement. Several leaders are facing such cases”, he added. The CBI had filed its charge sheet against eight accused — Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani, Union Human Resource Development Minister Murli Manohar Joshi, state BJP chief Vinay Katiyar, Uma Bharti, Vishnu Hari Dalmia, Ashok Singhal, Acharya Giri Raj Kishore and Sadhvi Ritambhara — in the Ayodhya case in a special court at Rai Bareli yesterday. Replying to a question about Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leaders criticism against Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee for his fresh peace initiatives with Pakistan, the BJP President evaded a direct reply saying “one should not get into argument with religious leaders. Ours is a political party. We have our own views on such issues.” Asked about the ongoing controversy in Jharkhand over domicile policy, Mr Naidu said some vested interests were trying to fan trouble in that state over this issue by misinterpreting the party’s stand. “Moreover, the matter is pending before the court of law”, he added.
UNI |
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Excess tax may be refunded electronically
New Delhi, June 1 This move comes close on the heels of the Government deciding to outsource issuance of Permanent Account Number (PAN) to the UTI services so that the work was completed quickly. Official sources told PTI that “electronic” transfer of excess deduction was likely to begin from this fiscal and the Income Tax Department would make mention of bank accounts mandatory for the payees while filing their returns. This would enable the department to send a statement to the RBI so as to transfer the amount directly to the payee’s account. In another move to make simpler rules for the tax payees, the IT department was also planning to nominate certain “registered agents” like Chartered Accountants and consulting firms who would certify the accounts and transfer them online to the Income Tax department. “The basic purpose is to keep the crowd away and render transparent and hassle-free service”, the sources said. The department was also trying to encourage companies, who deduct taxes at sources from their employees, to take the advantages under the existing “Suvidha Scheme”, under which the employer could file the returns on behalf of their employees. Conceding that the “Suvidha Scheme” was yet to pick up momentum, the sources expected to draw positive response from at least 200 companies this year. Peeved over adverse comments on the functioning of the Department in the wake of arrest of IRS officer Anurag Vardhan, the sources said that it was wrong to suggest that the entire department with a workforce of nearly 4,000 officers was corrupt. Trumpeting its goodwork, they said that the department showed a collection of Rs 83,000 crore in the previous financial year as compared to Rs 69,000 crore in 2001-02, a jump of about 19 per cent. “We are gearing up to reach a figure of Rs one lakh crore this year”, they said. For the first time, 20 million returns have been processed and 95 per cent of refunds have been issued, they said adding that as many as 54 lakh PAN numbers have been issued in one year as compared to 25 lakh issued last year, showing an increase of more than 120 per cent. Admitting that there might be “blacksheep” in every organisation, the sources said it was wrong to suggest that the Tax department was “monstrous and money making body”.
PTI |
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5 Army officers booked Indore, June 1 The incident occurred last night on the busy AB Road near the industry house here when an army officer picked up a quarrel with a shop-owner and was joined by other young officers, the police said. When the police intervened, the army officers did not spare them too and later ran away from the spot, they said, adding that an alert was sounded and finally they were detained at the MIG police station.
PTI |
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UN award for Sulabh chief New Delhi, June 1 The prestigious award will be presented to Dr Pathak in Beirut, Lebanon, by Mr Toepfer on a World Environment Day function on June 5, a United Nations press note said here today. Dr Pathak, who was instrumental in developing and popularising the technology of a twin-pit, pour-flush toilet known as Sulabh Shauchalaya, of which one million have been constructed in India, is one of the eight individuals and organisations to receive the honour in 2003. |
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Apollo
Circus director
held Ghaziabad, June 1 They said Ehsan was arrested in Meerut on Friday and a criminal case registered against him. All shows of Apollo Circus in Meerut and Muzaffarnagar have been banned until further notice.
PTI |
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