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NDA undecided on
pact with Jayalalithaa
Sonia meets
Ajit for alliance |
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India gives list
of rebel camps to B’desh Jogi moves HC in
cash-for-MLAs scam Governors get
option for name in poll rolls
Sops not to woo
voters, claims BJP SC notice to RBI
on ex gratia Court exempts
Joshi, Uma from appearance
RPF men held for
letting out genuine stamp papers
NCC a cohesive
force, says Shekhawat
Fix dates for
Sikh jatha’s departure, Centre urged
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NDA undecided on pact with Jayalalithaa New Delhi, January 9 Talking to mediapersons after a party meeting, he said all members of the NDA were prepared in case Lok Sabha elections were held early. Asked about the possibility of an alliance with the AIADMK given DMK’s tie-up with the Congress, he said the NDA had not taken any decision so far. “No steps have been initiated for an alliance with the AIADMK and no talks have been held with the party supremo J. Jayalalithaa. But nothing can be said about future,’’ he added. Mr Fernandes said he was keen on Mr Ram Vilas Paswan joining the party and had initiated talks in that regard. Asked about his recent meeting with the Samajwadi Party supremo and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav, he said the discussions centered around the ideals set by eminent socialist leader Ram Manohar Lohia. He declined to comment on Mr Yadav's request to him to leave the BJP-led NDA before uniting socialists. Attacking the Congress, he said it was the party which had caused “maximum damage” to the country. On whether the country faced a bigger threat from the Congress or from communal forces, he said the Congress was a greater threat. Mr Fernandes said New Delhi wanted a permanent ceasefire with Pakistan and lauded Mr Vajpayee's role in the peace initiative. He welcomed the appeal by Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama asking Hindus and Muslims to arrive at an amicable settlement of the Ayodhya issue. |
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Sonia meets Ajit for alliance New Delhi, January 9 Today, she invited Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) leader Ajit Singh for tea at her residence and is tipped to meet Sharad Pawar of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) early next week to carry forward the process of forging an alliance of secular parties. When it does materialise, it will be Ms.Gandhi’s first one-to-one meeting with Mr Pawar after he left the Congress to protest the issue of her foreign origin. Ms Gandhi told mediapersons today that the talks on alliances had begun on a positive note with Dr Manmohan Singh’s talks with the DMK chief M.Karunanidhi. “We have to take matters from there,” she stated, adding that in addition to her meeting with Mr Ajit Singh, she would also be talking to NCP leader Sharad Pawar. Busy with building alliances, Ms Gandhi indicated that there would not be any major revamp in the party organisation since the Lok Sabha elections are round the corner. “There will be a few changes....not a major exercise,” she added. The 30-minute meeting with Mr Ajit Singh was described by both camps as a “preliminary discussion” given the fact that the situation in the electorally crucial state of Uttar Pradesh is extremely hazy. Indications are that Mr Singh would prefer to continue with his tie-up with the Samajwadi Party (SP) which, according to his strategists, would prove more beneficial. It is also significant that the Congress president met the RLD leader on the eve of her three-day tour of Western UP, which is Mr Ajit Singh’s home turf. The meeting was not only meant to assess whether Mr Ajit would be willing to join the proposed secular front but also to remove any misconception about Ms Gandhi’s tour to his homeground. It is learnt that Mr Ahmed Patel, Congress president’s political secretary, had met Mr Ajit Singh a few days ago and informed him about Ms Gandhi’s tour to western UP. Congress sources disclosed that Ms Gandhi could meet Mr Pawar next week who would be in Delhi for the January 14 meeting of the NCP’s working committee, which is slated to discuss electoral alliances for the impending Lok Sabha
poll. There are serious divisions within the NCP on this issue with Mr P.A.Sangma strongly opposing any tie-up with the Congress. The NCP’s Maharashtra unit, on the other hand, wants to continue its alliance with the Congress as it realises that a
division of votes would only end up benefiting the BJP-Shiv Sena combine. The BJP did attempt to bring Mr Pawar into the NDA fold ,but this was shot down by the Shiv Sena. |
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India gives list of rebel camps to B’desh
New Delhi, January 9 The BDR chief, Major-Gen Mohammad Jahangir Alam Choudhary, told his Indian counterpart, Mr Ajay Raj Sharma, that it was India that had been pushing Bengali-speaking Indians into Bangladesh. However, Mr Sharma described the accusation as baseless. “There is no reason why we should push any Indian into Bangladesh. The charge has no basis,” Mr Sharma said. On the question of anti-India terrorist training camps being run in Bangladesh, Mr Sharma told reporters that the BDR chief assured him that his country would try to locate insurgent camps believed to be operating on its soil and take necessary action. Mr Sharma also handed over a list of 194 insurgent camps to Major-General Choudhary. Mr Sharma said a list of 155 camps was earlier submitted to Bangladesh, but Dhaka had responded by saying that the information was incorrect. With the submission of a fresh list of 194 camps, Bangladesh has again assured to look into it. He said they also discussed joint patrolling of borders, the problem of trans-border crimes like kidnapping of tea garden officials and culprits taking shelter in Bangladesh. After Bhutan’s action against ULFA and other insurgent groups operating from that country, India has been urging other neighbours to take similar actions against groups operating from their territories. Mr Sharma said the BSF also gave Bangladesh a list of militants believed to be sheltering in that country and were assured that action would be taken against them. Major-General Choudhary said Bangladesh had also handed over to India a list of 39 anti-Bangladesh insurgent camps operating from its territory and were assured of necessary action by India. The talks between the BSF and the Bangladesh Rifles began here on January 6. Mr Sharma and Major-General Choudhary said they would meet again in April.  |
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Jogi moves HC in cash-for-MLAs scam
Bilaspur, January 9 The petition came up for hearing in the court of Mr Justice Lal Chand Bhadoo, who directed issuance of notices to the union government, the CBI, the Chhattisgarh Government and the state’s Anti-Corruption Bureau and fixed the next date of hearing for January 28. In his petition, the former Chief Minister prayed for quashing the FIR lodged by BJP leader Mr Virendra Pandey against him by a writ of certiorari or any other appropriate direction. He also prayed for a direction to the CBI and other respondents for not taking action or steps in the
investigation of the offence.
— UNI |
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Governors get option for name in poll rolls Kolkata, January 9 The President, the Vice-President, the Chief Justice and the Central Ministers, whose offices are in New Delhi but have their names in the electoral roles of their respective states, can now change their names in the voters’ list of New Delhi. This is the first time that the Election Commission is offering an opportunity to
the VVIPs and other dignitaries, holding different high offices, to change their names in the voters’ list of their choices. According to the Chief Election Commissioner, Mr J.S. Lyngdoh, such opportunities is being given to the persons in high offices following request from several dignitaries holding offices in New Delhi. Mr B.Bandopadhyya, Chief Electoral Officer West Bengal, said soon after receiving an intimation from the Election Commission, he had conveyed to the State Governor, Mr Viren J Shah, the three union ministers from the state, Mr Tapan Sikhdar, Mr Satyabarata Mukherjee and Ms Mamata Banerjee and the officials hailing from other states. The final electoral rolls will
be published on January 20. Mr Bandopadhyya said the people in the state also had been given an opportunity to include or rectify their names immediately so that the final electoral role could have an updated |
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Fine-tune poll machinery, EC tells CEOs
New Delhi, January 9 The day-long meeting saw Chief Election Commissioner J M Lyngdoh stress the need to quicken the process of revision of electoral rolls and increase the percentage of photo-identity cards to the electorate, EC sources said. While the final publication of electoral rolls in the country was likely between January 20 and March 7, nearly 69 per cent of the electorate had already been covered by the photo-identity cards. Emphasis was also laid on the use of electronic voting machines (EVMs) fully in the General Election, the sources said. The meeting assumes significance in view of speculation of preponing the General Election by the ruling NDA coalition at the Centre by a few months. A meeting of NDA leaders has authorised Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to decide on the timing of the elections. A final decision is likely at the BJP’s National Executive meet at Hyderabad from Sunday.
— PTI |
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Sops not to woo voters, claims BJP New Delhi, January 9 Welcoming the relief measures, party spokesman Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said that these were “revolutionery steps” taken for the betterment of lives of crores of middle-class
persons, farmers, labourers and other sections. The relief measures announced by way of relaxation in taxes and duties in income tax, Information technology, agriculture and other fields were testimony to the fact that the Central Government earnestly wanted to pass on the dividends of economic reforms to the common man, Mr Naqvi told newspersons. Ridiculing the Congress for making ‘confused’ reactions on the sops, Mr Naqvi said it was ‘feel depressed’ factor in the Congress camp that was preventing it from accepting these
positive measure. “This mentality of the Congress will leave it high and dry in the times to come,” he commented. He said the announcement of social cover worth Rs 37 crore for the unorganised labour sector, deserved all kudos and has been welcomed by various sections. |
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SC notice to RBI on ex gratia New Delhi, January 9 A Bench comprising Mr Justice Shivaraj V. Patil and Mr Justice D.M. Dharmadhikari directed the RBI to furnish the details by February 11, while seeking reply from the Madhya Pradesh Government on setting up of a “advisory committee” of doctors to monitor the medical facilities being given to gas victims in seven state government hospitals. Thirty-six gas victims, lead by Abdul Samad Khan, in their application alleged that out of Rs 1,360, which was a balance with the RBI as on March 31, 2002, nearly Rs 885 crore had “disappeared”, leaving only Rs 475.76 crore. This fact has not been “denied” by the Union Government in its counter affidavit, which was filed earlier. According to a letter by the RBI, written to the Centre on March 25, 2003, the balance amount was only Rs 475.76 crore, they said. “The difference between a balance of Rs 1,360 crore and Rs 475.76 crore is huge and raises considerable doubts about the veracity of these figures,” counsel for victims S. Murlidhar said. The amount of Rs 1,360 crore was deposited with the RBI for payment to over 16,000 victims whose claims were not settled even after 19 years of the tragedy, he said. On another application by the Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Udyog Sangathan (BGPMUS), the court sought reply from the MP Government on three aspects — setting up of advisory panel to monitor the health problems of victims, continuing of research about the ill affect of the deadly gas on human beings and arrangement of additional finances to improve the medical facilities in all seven hospitals. The court also summoned a representative of the Indian Council of Medical Research, which was assigned the job of research, on the next date of hearing to know about the work done by it. |
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Court exempts Joshi, Uma from appearance Rae Bareli, January 9 The counsel of the seven accused submitted an application in the court of Special Magistrate Vinod Kumar Singh, seeking exemption from personal appearance for today, which the court granted. The seven leaders had moved the Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court against the special CBI court’s decision to frame of charges against them in the Babri Masjid demolition case. The High Court had stayed the proceedings in the special court till further orders.
— PTI |
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RPF men held for letting out genuine stamp papers Mumbai, January 9 CBI investigators arrested four Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel, including a retired official who helped Telgi steal genuine stamp papers from the India Security Press at Nashik. Those arrested are Inspector V.R. Joshi, Sub-Inspector P.S. Dhake, constable B.S. More and retired head constable B.R. Virk. So far seven persons, including RPF Commandant R.P. Pawar, have been arrested for having links with Telgi. The accused allegedly helped Telgi pilfer government stamps and stamp papers dispatched by the India Security Press to various states governments and treasuries from the railway godowns between 1997 and 2000. Telgi and his associates regularly pilfered other documents like revenue stamps, National Savings Certificates, Postal Orders, Kisan Vikas Patras and income tax refund orders. |
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Vaghela goes ahead with meeting
Ahmedabad, January 9 The meeting was on at about the same time when a beleagured Mr Vaghela called on party President Sonia Gandhi in New Delhi to explain his position over the controversial issue, party sources said. AICC General Secretary in charge of Gujarat Vilasrao Deshmukh had yesterday faxed a letter from New Delhi to the GPCC office here, copies of which were distributed to the press, directing Mr Vaghela to stop the Dal activities. Mr Vaghela had all along insisted that he had received no written directive to disband the Dal and that he was going to New Delhi to invite Ms Gandhi to the outfit’s programme on January 29. The former Chief Minister had also claimed that he had taken permission from “whosoever” mattered in the Congress before floating the outfit. Mr Vaghela floated the Shakti Dal on November 29, 2003, claiming it would take on the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and the Bajrang Dal and man polling booths during elections. So far, Mr Vaghela’s supporters have claimed that nearly one lakh volunteers had been enrolled in the outfit, which plans to hold a rally in Ahmedabad on January 29, the eve of Mahatma Gandhi’s death anniversary, with 50,000 volunteers marching to protest the BJP’s government’s ‘anti-people’ policies.
— UNI |
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NCC a cohesive force, says Shekhawat New Delhi, January 9 Inaugurating the NCC Republic Day Camp at Delhi Cantonment, he said it was the nursery of future citizens, where tomorrow’s leaders were groomed. The NCC by drawing youth from schools and colleges spread throughout the country had been able to mould them into united and disciplined citizens. The NCC has lived up to its motto “Unity and Discipline”, Mr Shekhawat said. The Vice-President said it was not just a conglomeration of students from all over the country, but a glorious organisation that gave to our cadets a unique identity of being an Indian youth. Through discipline, courage and social service, the NCC cadets represented the finest values of our society, he said. Over 1,800 cadets from all over the country are taking part in the annual camp. |
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Fix dates for Sikh jatha’s departure, Centre urged New Delhi, January 9 In a letter to the External Affairs Minister, Mr Yashwant Singh, he said: “Since the ice has been broken and the atmosphere is cordial, the visit of Sikh delegation may be finalised at an early date.” A Sikh delegation led by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee President, Mr Gurcharn Singh Tohra, is expected to visit Pakistan to hold talks on the contentious PSGPC issue. |
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Salman told to attend next hearing Jodhpur, January 9 Chief Judicial Magistrate Salim Malik yesterday ordered Khan, who was exempted from personal appearance, to remain present in the court for the next hearing. The court observed since the case was in a “maturity stage,” the accused should make a personal appearance on the next hearing date. Three prosecution witnesses also deposed before the court yesterday. Khan is facing trial in three cases of poaching and another case under the Arms Act.
— PTI |
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Congress president Sonia Gandhi is continuing with her efforts to build bridges with all political parties opposed to the ruling NDA.
Today, she invited Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) leader Ajit Singh for tea at her residence and is tipped to meet Sharad Pawar of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) early next week to carry forward the process of forging an alliance of secular parties.
In video: Differences on illegal immigration continue between India,
Bangladesh.
(
Bilaspur, January 9
Vice-President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat yesterday said the NCC was one of the greatest cohesive forces of the country and that its commitment to train the youth was most creditable.