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SC seeks Centre’s reply to EC proposal on ads EC clubs W. Bengal with Bihar, causes uproar Capt challenges Badal
to debate on all issues Notification for 4th phase of polling Decks were cleared for nomination process for the fourth phase of Lok Sabha elections on May 5 covering 83 constituencies in seven states with the issuance of a presidential notification.
NDA promises to continue dialogue with Pakistan The NDA virtually unveiled its foreign policy through its election manifesto today. The 36-page manifesto promised to continue the dialogue process with Pakistan for a lasting solution to all outstanding issues, including Jammu and Kashmir, broaden ties with the USA and China, consolidating India’s strategic partnership with Russia and intensifying efforts for securing permanent membership of the UN Security Council.
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India acquiring N-technology from Israel, suspects journal India, Russia to strengthen counter-terror cooperation Nuclear Suppliers Group meets Indian officials India will now have a dialogue with the Nuclear Suppliers Group on a regular basis. This was decided after a delegation of NSG Troika comprising the Czech Republic, Republic of Korea and Sweden had an official meeting here yesterday, the foreign office said in a statement today. New twist to Nobel Prize theft case The mysterious disappearance of a Tagore expert from Bangladesh and his return with multiple injuries has given a new twist to the scandalous Nobel theft case being probed by the CBI.
SC notices
to IIMs in
fee case Don’t mix religion with education: SC Delhi police official held
for forgery An Assistant Commissioner of Police has been arrested on charges of forgery and cheating by the crime branch of the Delhi Police. Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) B.K. Gupta told UNI today that Mr Lakhvinder Singh Brar was arrested in connection with forging documents of a property on Mathura Road in South Delhi.
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SC seeks Centre’s reply to EC proposal on ads New Delhi, April 8 The court, which had on Monday banned all such advertisements which offended “morality, decency and religious susceptibility” of viewers, including the surrogate advertisements, today sought the Centre’s response regarding the infrastructural support to the EC to enable it to monitor the political advertisements in the run-up to the elections. A Bench of the Chief Justice, Mr V.N. Khare, Mr Justice S.B. Sinha and Mr Justice S.H. Kapadia directed Attorney-General Soli J. Sorabjee to submit an affidavit on behalf of the Centre by April 12 to clarify its stand on the proposal. EC counsel, placing an affidavit of the commission before the Bench, spelt out the details of its proposal, saying that only registered parties and contesting candidates would be permitted to issue poll-related advertisements on TV and cable networks but no network would be permitted to carry the advertisements without a clearance certificate from the commission. When the Attorney-General expressed reservations over certain aspects of the proposals, the Chief Justice said: “At least they have come up with some proposals let us examine them.” The commission in its proposal said a particular advertisements approved by it would be shown on the TV network for 48 hours specified for each phase of the poll and the dates of the period during which the prohibition on telecast would apply, would be notified accordingly. The party or a candidate would have to submit the cassette of the advertisements seven days in advance with its transcript for clearance to the EC, which would reserve its right to accept it or reject it by examining the content, the EC counsel told the court. The party and the candidate would also have to furnish the details of the expenditure incurred on the preparation of the advertisement and that the payment to the advertising agency was made through cheque. These aspects would be examined by a committee to be set up in each state under the Chief Electoral Officer with a Joint Chief Electoral Officer and an expert on electonic advertisements as its members. The TV channels and cable networks would have to keep the record of each advertisement for 45 days after the declaration of the results, the commission said. Since it did not have the infrastructure, including staff, to monitor the advertisements, the EC counsel said it needed financial assistance from the government apart from logistic support. The counsel said: “Political parties cannot fire over the shoulders of TV channels and cable operators for their rights.” They should come forward whether they were concerned about the issue or not but not a single party had come forward to discuss the issue, he said. The court made it clear that if the EC and the government failed to arrive at an understanding on the monitoring mechanism by April 12 when the hearing would resume, it would issue the required direction. |
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EC clubs W. Bengal with Bihar, causes uproar Kolkata, April 8 The EC’s special observer appointed for West Bengal, Mr Afzal Amanullah, now in the city, said they considered Bihar and West Bengal on a par so far as the law and order situation was concerned. The EC is, however, determined to organise peaceful, and fair elections in the states, he said, adding that re-polling would be ordered in any booth from where any complaint of booth-capturing, rigging or false voting was received. The CPM and other Left parties which were already aggrieved at the EC’s sudden decision of divesting three senior IPS officers of their involvement in election work and transferring them from their respective districts, have got agitated at the EC’s “allegations”. The CPM general secretary, Mr Anil Biswas, said Mr Amanullah himself had acted partisan by making fabricated charges, similar to what the BJP and the Trinamool Congress had been making. He said in the past neither Mr T.N. Seshan nor any other officials of the EC had made such a serious charge against West Bengal where the elections had been free and fair since 1977. The CPIM leader, Mr Jyoti Basu, also criticised the special observer’s allegations. He felt the EC was crossing its limit in exercising the authority sanctioned by law. The Chief Minister, Mr Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, however, refused to make any comment but said he would not give any importance to the statement of the observer. |
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Capt challenges Badal
to debate on all issues New Delhi, April 8 “I am ready for a debate with Badal on national television, anytime, anyday and on any issue”, Capt Amarinder Singh said accusing Mr Badal of shying away from accepting his challenge. “I have challenged Badal earlier. I am doing it again”, he told newspersons. While denying any dissidence in the state Congress over ticket distribution, Capt Amarinder Singh also claimed that the Congress would win at least 11 out of the 13 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab. Charging that SAD was bereft of any positive issues, Capt Singh said: “ They keep talking just about 1984 riots and how Congress was responsible for it”. Exuding confidence that the Congress would do well in the coming Lok Sabha elections in Punjab, the Punjab Chief Minister said : “ While a survey has given us seven seats, I feel, we will get no less than 11 seats”. “Our position is very good as besides the Congress vote, the floating voter is also with us this time”, he said. Referring to the recent public rally of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani, there was hardly any crowd and even at Amritsar, the culmination point of the first phase of Advani’s yatra, there was a very small crowd. Regarding the two senior state party leaders Balbir Singh and Charanjeet Singh Channi joining the Akali Dal and the BSP, the Chief Minister said “Frustration is there when adjustments are made. But our candidates have been assured that no such adjustments would be made from next time.” Capt Singh said the exit of these two leaders would not adversely affect the prospects of the party in the elections. The Congress is a big ocean. People come and go. Any way had Channi waited, the Congress would have adjusted him somewhere”. |
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Notification for 4th phase of polling New Delhi, April 8 The last date for filing of papers will be April 15, while scrutiny will take place the following day. The last date for withdrawal of candidature will be April 19. The states involved are Arunachal Pradesh (both constituencies), Bihar (12 of 40), Jammu and Kashmir (one of six), Madhya Pradesh (12 of 29), Nagaland (lone seat), Rajasthan (all 25) and Uttar Pradesh (30 of 80). Polling in the 14th Lok Sabha elections is to be held in five phases — April 20 (140 seats), April 22 (two seats of Tripura), April 26 (137 seats), May 5 (83 seats) and May 10 (181 seats). The Lok Sabha has 543 elective seats. Simultaneously, elections will be held to four state assemblies — Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Orissa and Sikkim. |
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Assets in crores, but no vehicle! Mumbai, April 8 Mr Joshi has submitted that he owned property worth Rs 92,50,000 in Mumbai and in his native village Nandvi in Raigad district in Konkan region. He has no liabilities and dues and no agriculture land. The affidavit stated that he had cash and bank deposits totalling Rs 23,10,685.58. He has also invested in Rs 33,000 in the UTI US-64 tax free bonds and has company shares including those of Pfizer and Indian Petro Chemicals Ltd worth Rs 6,30,550. Mr Joshi has deposits worth Rs 2,316,120 with Hotel Airport Kohinoor. With Kohinoor Planet Constructions, he has deposited Rs 951,173. His share in ‘Joshi’s Kohinoor Technical Institute’ is Rs 100,000 and ‘Kohinoor Builders’ is Rs 701,611.
— UNI |
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NDA promises to continue dialogue with Pakistan New Delhi, April 8 The 36-page manifesto promised to continue the dialogue process with Pakistan for a lasting solution to all outstanding issues, including Jammu and Kashmir, broaden ties with the USA and China, consolidating India’s strategic partnership with Russia and intensifying efforts for securing permanent membership of the UN Security Council. It said the statement issued at the end of Foreign Secretary-level talks lays out the road map for resumption of dialogue in the coming months. The manifesto said the coalition would further strengthen the SAARC process, implement free trade in South Asia and work towards realising the vision for the South Asian Economic Union with a common currency for the region. It mentioned that the NDA government was “proud” of its foreign policy achievements. Regarding China, the manifesto said the NDA government would expand economic cooperation and continue the dialogue to solve the border dispute. It emphasised on further strengthening the ‘Look East Policy’ to improve Indo-ASEAN relationship, initiate the BIMST-EC (Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Thailand Economic Cooperation) and activate the Mekong-Ganga cooperation initiative, deepen economic cooperation with Koreas and enrich strategic partnership with Japan. The manifesto envisions a multi-polar world order with India as one of the poles. Other salient features of the manifesto’s “India and the World” section are: * Calls for intensifying cooperation with the European Union, central Asian countries, all countries in Africa, Central America, Latin America and Pacific Ocean countries like Australia, Fiji and New Zealand. * Energy security to remain the key objective of India’s foreign policy. * Strategic importance laid on strengthening India’s multi-dimensional links with the diaspora community. |
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India acquiring N-technology from Israel, New Delhi, April 8 The publication, the World Affairs journal, which reflects China’s foreign policy position, says in its recent issue that the USA suspects that India has been acquiring nuclear technology from Israel. The journal has accused India of possibly acquiring nuclear weapons technology clandestinely. It went on to say that since 1977, Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam made frequent secret visits to Israel, culminating in the 1998 nuclear tests. It further speculated that India might be acquiring technology from Israel for its Agni-III missile, and also for production of a miniature nuclear warhead. Another recent report in China’s official newspaper, Guangming Daily, quoted a foreign website to say that Dr Y.S.R. Prasad, a retired Indian nuclear scientist, had assisted Iran’s nuclear establishment. The Tribune understands that while Dr Prasad’s case is correct, it does not signify any skeletons in the Indian nuclear cupboard. Dr Prasad was first an adviser to Iran as an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) representative after his retirement. Later, he was engaged by Iran privately, but not clandestinely. Such positions adopted by the Chinese are not uncharacteristic or new. But why now when the relations between the two countries are said to be warming, and resolution of the Sino-Indian border issue may be in sight? China-watchers here say the reasons are more than one. From the time Iran’s nuclear programme came under the IAEA microscope last year, alarm bells began to ring both in Beijing and Islamabad. The USA, which gave the initial inputs to the IAEA, has long been concerned about a nuclear Iran’s threat to US interests in the region, and to Israel. Chinese nuclear experts were working in Iran not only on the safeguarded nuclear power plant, but on other projects. Experts have drawn a connection between nuclear weapon technology supplied by the father of Pakistan’s bomb, Dr A.Q. Khan, and the presence of Chinese experts. While Iran acquired the technology from or through Pakistan, they wanted Chinese experts, considered superior to their Pakistani counterparts. For the Chinese, it could not have been worse when Libya decided it was better to be sad than sorry. The documents that Tripoli handed over to Washington on its clandestine nuclear programme had Chinese fingerprints, including some written in Chinese characters, detailing step- by-step procedure on assembling a nuclear device. It is interesting to note that the technology transferred to both Iran and Libya were old and for low yield devices, but missile- compatible. This was ideal. Neither country had the aircraft to deliver nuclear bombs, and missile-delivered devices were the requirement for the region for use as terror or blackmail weapons. The discovery of the sources of the Iranian and Libyan programmes provides strong circumstantial, if not clinching, evidence that for years China has been using Pakistan in a cosy arrangement to illegally proliferate technology for weapons of mass destruction (WMD). For China, the policy was more to win political and diplomatic mileage in the Islamic world vis-a-vis the USA, than money. For Pakistan, money played a significant role since the profits were ploughed back into its own WMD programme. In the Pakistan-North Korea nuclear-for-missile deal, China has been the facilitator. Diplomatic observers pointed out that China cannot deny that the transfers and exchanges taking place in C-130 Pakistani cargo aircraft used Chinese territory for overflying and refuelling, especially when the aircraft belonged to Shaheen Airways Company, owned by Dr A.Q. Khan’s Khan Research Laboratories (KRL), Kahuta. Recent Chinese official media reports have been trying to build a succinct defence case for Pakistani proliferation. The plea put forward is that since Pakistan is not a signatory to
the NPT regime, it cannot be held guilty. The Chinese may try to claim, in due course, that it signed the NPT only in 1992 and therefore, its nuclear weapons assistance to Pakistan before that date cannot be held accountable. But that will also be a hazardous argument for China. The most critical and advanced Chinese nuclear technology and equipment were transferred to Pakistan after 1992. In 1995, China supplied 5,000 ring magnets to the KRL. Chinese President Jiang Zemin was confronted by some world leaders on this issue with evidence, and he reportedly admitted to it and promised remedial steps. Chinese efforts to entangle India in proliferation has a devious end. The effort is to project a case that India could be as dangerous as Pakistan. Hence, equal pressure should be exercised on India by the international community (read the USA) to cap, if not roll back, India’s nuclear and missile programme. |
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India, Russia to strengthen counter-terror cooperation New Delhi, April 8 A joint statement issued after a meeting of the India-Russia Joint Working Group on Combating International Terrorism identified the following areas for counter-terrorism operations and strengthening bilateral mechanisms: — Exchange of information and sharing of experience in their fight against international terrorism; — Strengthening cooperation in curbing trafficking in narcotics; — Continuing cooperation to address the threat of terrorist financing; — Extending support for the effective implementation of the UN Security Council’s resolution number 1373 and the work of the Security Council’s Counter Terrorism Committee; and — Continuing consultations on the Comprehensive Convention on Terrorism and the Convention against Acts of Nuclear Terrorism with a view to their
finalisation. Visiting Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Anatoly E. Safonov led his side at the JWG meeting, while the Indian team was headed by Meera Shankar, Additional Secretary (International Security) in the Ministry of External Affairs. |
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Nuclear Suppliers Group meets Indian officials New Delhi, April 8 This was decided after a delegation of NSG Troika comprising the Czech Republic, Republic of Korea and Sweden had an official meeting here yesterday, the foreign office said in a statement today. The meeting was at the NSG’s initiative. The Indian delegation was led by Additional Secretary (International Organisations) in the Ministry of External Affairs, Dr Sheel Kant Sharma and included representative of Department of Atomic Energy. The NSG delegation was led by Ambassador
Chang-beom Cho of the Republic of Korea who is currently chairing the
NSG. |
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New twist to Nobel Prize theft case
Santineketan, April 8 Official sources said here today Kamal, alias Kamaal, who has been regularly visiting Santineketan for the last five years and staying at a local hotel for the last six months, suddenly disappeared from his hotel yesterday evening. Following instructions of CBI sleuths, who had interrogated him and collected his fingerprints earlier, the hotel authorities informed the central and local police about his disappearance. The police launched a search operation to nab him. However, Kamal returned this morning with blood-drenched clothes and injuries on his hands, legs and face. When questioned, he informed the CBI sleuths that the cycle rickshaw in which he was travelling met with an accident resulting in the injuries. He was later admitted to Bolpur Sadar Hospital. On investigation, it was found that no accident had taken place last evening. Meanwhile, CBI officials were collecting the names and addresses of persons, who had stayed at local hotels between March 15 and 27.
— UNI |
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SC notices
to IIMs in fee case New Delhi, April 8 A Bench of Chief Justice V. N. Khare, Mr Justice S. B. Sinha and Mr Justice S. H. Kapadia issued the notice after Additional Solicitor-General Mukul Rohtagi, appearing for the Centre, submitted that except IIM, Ahmedabad, all the other five business schools had agreed to the fee cut decision. The court issued notice on an application filed by the petitioners seeking to implead all the six business schools after the court revived the PIL to examine whether the fee cut decision would affect their autonomy. The Supreme Court said if the petitioners pressed for examination of the fee cut issue apart from the autonomy, then they would have to produce the balance sheets of the IIMs’ finances for the past 10 years. The court, which had earlier approved the fee cut decision, had revived the PIL after the petitioners moved an application to this effect stating that the real motive of the government was to control the management of the institutes. |
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Don’t mix religion with education: SC
New Delhi, April 8 A Bench comprising Justice S Rajendra Babu, Justice AR Lakshmanan and Justice G P Mathur said “too much of this kind of things are happening in this country. It does not matter if the exams is on a Easter Sunday.” When the counsel for the petitioner M P Raju stated that in India no examination is held on Holi or Diwali, the Bench shot back saying “if the authorities fix it on these days, we would not interfere.” The Bench asked the petitioner organisation, Christian Service Society “whether the Christians after becoming doctors would refuse to treat a patient on an Easter Sunday?” Justice Babu said “you will be doing a great service by attending the exams as well as the Mass on Easter Sunday and not by indulging in such kind of litigation.”
— PTI |
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Delhi police official held
for forgery New Delhi, April 8 “The case against ACP Brar is regarding an attempt to grab 1300 square yards of land near a petrol pump on the Mathura Road-Okhla area.” The case began after a complaint was lodged by Mr C.P. Malik on whose name the land was ‘willed’ by his father in 1992. Later, Mr Brar in association with another person, Mr Mukesh Kumar, of Lajpat Nagar area forged the ‘death certificate and ‘will’ of the complainant’s father and ‘transfered’ the land in the name of a Kolkata company. Soon after, Mukesh was arrested following enquiries by the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM), who then revealed of ACP Brar’s involvement in the case.
— UNI |
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World to be free of
polio by year-end New Delhi, April 8 Addressing mediapersons here on Thursday, Mr Thompson, who is also the Chairman of the Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB and Malaria, said: “We are cautiously optimistic that polio will be eradicated from the face of the earth by the end of this year. Only 1000 cases of polio in six countries had been detected this year. |
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JP’s secretary dead Patna, April 8 Bihar Assembly Speaker Sadanand Singh, state legislative council Chairman Jabir Hussain, Chief Minister Rabri Devi and RJD leader Laloo Prasad Yadav condoled his death.
— PTI |
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