 |
Monday,
October
13, 2003,
Chandigarh, India  
|
Pak, not India,
in arms race, says PM
India flays US
approach Italy seeks
evidence against Quattrocchi |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Interpol
conference on fugitive criminals Cop killed, 8
injured in blast Swiss cinema
tries out diverse genres SC allows
counselling at Kala Amb engg college
|
|
Pak, not India, in arms race, says PM
New Delhi, October 12 “Whatever steps India has been taking, it is for self-defence. We are not in any arms race with anybody. Those who are themselves acquiring weapons are blaming us,” Mr Vajpayee told reporters here on his return from an eight-day visit to Indonesia and Thailand. He was responding to a question on Pakistan’s President Pervez Musharraf’s recent statement accusing India of triggering off an arms race in South Asia. Asked about the achievements of the NDA government, which has completed four years, Mr Vajpayee remarked in a jocular vein, “Should I reply in four minutes.” “To assess our performance is the job of the people and the media is also involved in it. Four years have passed and that is sufficient. It is itself important that a coalition government has completed four years. “Because there has been a feeling that if at all a coalition government is formed, it will not run for long,” he said. On the allegations levelled by former UP Chief Minister Mayawati against his family members, the Prime Minister merely said, “I have already expressed sadness on that statement.” Refuting opposition charges of government interference in the functioning of the CBI, he categorically stated, “the government does not interfere in the functioning of the CBI.” To a question whether Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Ajit Jogi, who has been chargesheeted by the CBI in a forgery case, should resign, he said, “it is up to his inner conscience and what ideals the Congress wants to establish.” Asked as to how long Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee, who was also present at the airport, would remain a minister without portfolio, Mr Vajpayee quipped, “Jab tak aap sawal poochte rahoge (so long as you keep putting such questions).”
— PTI |
|
On Board PM’s Special Boeing Aircraft, October 12 Talking to reporters on board the Prime Minister’s special Boeing aircraft, External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha said, "We don’t believe in double standards unlike some other countries. They are shedding tears on the situation in Myanmar while dealing with military rulers elsewhere." Asked if he was referring to the USA, Mr Sinha said "Why take names?" He also said India had repeatedly expressed its concern for Myanmar and the situation in that country where pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi was under certain restrictions from the military junta. We have pleaded for her early release.
— UNI |
|
Italy seeks evidence against Quattrocchi New Delhi, October 12 Though Italy has given nothing in writing to this effect, informed sources said it conveyed to the Indian side during recent consultations on finalising the itinerary of Silvio Berlusconi, the Italian Prime Minister, due to visit India in the next few weeks. The Italian suggestion has come as a surprise to the Indian side as Italy is not even willing to confirm the whereabouts of Quattrocchi who had left Malaysia in December last after the CBI has failed to secure his extradition from that country. In the absence of any acknowledgement by Italians that Quattrocchi, who had lived in New Delhi for several years as the representative of an Italian company, is living in Italy, the CBI is unable to even move for his extradition from there. Therefore, Interpol has issued a Red Corner Notice against him at the behest of the CBI. When Quattrocchi was facing extradition proceedings in Malaysia, Berlusconi had spoken to his Malaysian counterpart Mahathir Mohammed who had publicly acknowledged this but maintained that he would not interfere.
— PTI |
|
Interpol conference on fugitive criminals New Delhi, October 12 In addition, the three-day conference, which will be inaugurated by Deputy Prime Minister
L.K. Advani, will focus on issues pertaining to sharing of data bank on criminals and fugitives among member nations and will also discuss the finer nuances of providing legal sanctity to red corner notices. India is expected to press for removing the legal hindrances in the extradition of fugitives wanted in sensational cases such as the Mumbai blasts. During the conference, India, which is represented by the CBI in the Interpol, will be focussing on the extradition of Mumbai blast accused underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, Tiger
Memon, Chhota Shakeel as also Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Maulana Masood
Azhar. |
|
Cop killed, 8
injured in blast Kolkata, October 12 Of the injured policemen who were brought here this morning, the condition of three was stated to be critical. This is for the first time that a police party has been attacked by Maoist rebels in West Bengal from the neighbouring Jharkhand state. This morning, a police party headed by Mr Gautam
Chakraborty, IG (Crime), left for Purulia. So far, 14 persons have been detained in this regard.
— OC |
|
Swiss cinema tries out diverse genres New Delhi, October 12 The 34th International Film Festival of India has provided a window in the reverse direction. It is quite clear that seeped in its multiculturalism, Swiss cinema has carved out a distinctive colour and flavour entirely its own, which draws on a wide array of thematic and style influences. It is as different from the postcard colourfulness as chocolate is from mud. Human emotions being universal, the films mirror values like truth, justice, love and happiness in an understated style. The changes that come about in the lives of persons who shift from one country to another provide a strong theme. In India, Hindi is the overarching language. But multiplicity of languages in Switzerland restricts the audience size of the native film industry. That is why there are generally co-productions with the neighbouring countries. The exposition of Swiss films under the Country Focus segment has been rightly titled "Blurring Boundaries". The programme features five feature films and as many documentaries. The films of eminent directors are absent. In their place are creations of the young generation. The pick of the pack is Denis Rebagalia's "Azzurro", winner of the Swiss cinema award in 2000 and two awards at the Namur French language Film Festival. It tells the story of Giuseppe De Metrio, 75, who has spent 30 years in Geneva as a foreign worker. He returns to his family in Puglia, Italy. His seven-year-old grandchild Carla is blind and the family anxiously awaits the restoration of her sight through a cornea transplant. Giuseppe brings Carla back to Switzerland, but this 48-hour trip becomes a journey which the duo had never dreamt of. On the other hand, the hero of "Burning in the Wind" has fled to Italian-speaking Switzerland from his home in eastern Europe. He works in a watch-making factory and impatiently awaits the arrival of Line, a woman created by his imagination. The mad love affair becomes a taut drama when Line actually arrives, materialising from his past life. The other Swiss feature films on show are "A Little Colour", and 'Utopia Blues'.
*** In 'Cinema of the World' section, a lot was expected from the Palestinian film "The Olive Harvest" screened today, but it proved to be a love triangle of the insipid kind routinely dished out by Mumbai cinema. The presence of ever-expanding Israeli colonies is all-pervasive but is not directly related to the storyline. The focus is more on the secret love that heroine Raeda has with her childhood friend, Taher. But since he is only promising marriage and not committing himself, she is distraught. In comes Taher's elder brother Mazen, freed after many years in an Israeli prison. The brothers struggle to win over Raeda's heart. The promise that the storyline holds is never redeemed. And horror of horrors, the sound system failed during the screening for several minutes.
*** The film that fulfilled the expectations was a Canadian entry, "Madame Brouette", made in French and set in a Senegalese shantytown. It has been directed by artist, painter, writer and musician Moussa Sene Absa and won the Special Jury Award at Paris. It has been to 15 festivals so far, including Montreal, Burkina Faso, Milan African film festival, New York, Karlovy Vary and Berlin. The film explores the frustration of abused wives who finally stand up to their domineering husbands. The heroine Mati (Rokhaya Niang in a memorable role) becomes a metaphor for women's struggle everywhere. |
|
SC allows counselling at Kala Amb engg college New Delhi, October 12 A Bench comprising Mr Justice K G Balakrishnan and Mr Justice P V Reddi gave the direction to this effect while disposing of an application by the IITT College of Engineering, seeking a direction to the Himachal Government and the university to grant it permission for counselling of students. “On completion of the proceedings relating to the affiliation, the state and the university shall take steps for counselling to select students for this academic year,” the court said after IITT’s counsel A M Singhvi gave a firm commitment that the ownership of the land of the college complex would soon be transferred in the name of its management. The affiliation of the college had been in a dispute after the All-India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) had pointed out various infrastructural deficiencies in the college and the apex court in an order passed on May 9 and had directed it to remove them. The college recently had moved an application stating that it had complied with directions given by the court and sought direction to the state and the university to permit it to start the admission process for the current session. The counsel for the college also assured the court that any other deficiency pointed out by the state government and the university would also be removed within two weeks. Additional Solicitor General Mukul Rohtagi, appearing for the AICTE, had informed the Bench that the college, despite court’s direction, had failed to transfer the land in the name of college management and its ownership still stood in the name of some other person. Himachal Pradesh’s Additional Advocate General J S Attri and the counsel for the university had submitted that apart from the ownership of the land, the college still lacked certain other infrastructural facilities necessary for the smooth functioning of an engineering institute. However, Mr Singhvi said “The college will satisfy the authorities regarding the compliance of the directions given out by the state as well as the university.” As per the AICTE rules, ownership of land in the name of college is a basic requirement for granting affiliation and recognition to an institute of this nature. The college had said that the land at present was in the name of its life chairman and steps were being taken to transfer it in the name of the management. |
 |
| Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir | Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs | Nation | Editorial | | Business | Sport | World | Mailbag | Chandigarh Tribune | Ludhiana Tribune 50 years of Independence | Tercentenary Celebrations | | 123 Years of Trust | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
In video (
Switzerland's scenic beauty has been the staple backdrop of Bollywood films. The curiosity generated by the Indian film units which land there regularly saw an Indian summer programme being held at Locarno in 2000 where 30 films made during the past 25 years were presented before a receptive audience.