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PM takes up turban issue with French Foreign
Minister
Navy to buy French submarines
soon
Pak Human Rights Commission’s damning report on
PoK
Tiwari meets Sonia
Mystery disease hits Western UP districts
DM, 6 SDMs, others suspended |
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Notice to J&K Govt on students’ death
Advani flayed for comments
on temple
BJP for smooth functioning of Parliament
Pawar, experts disagree
on cause of suicides
SC seeks reports on corridor project impact on Taj
SC notice on Bhopal
fund
Woman paraded naked; NCW seeks report
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PM takes up turban issue with
New Delhi, October 28 External Affairs Minister K. Natwar Singh also explained to his French counterpart the religious sentiments of the Sikh community in wearing the turban. National Commission for Minorities Chairman Tarlochan Singh followed up the turban controversy in government-run schools in France with Mr Barnier at a dinner hosted by the French Ambassador last night. Mr Barnier categorically told Mr Tarlochan Singh that France would provide full protection to the Sikh community and there was no anti-Sikh feeling in his country. The Act disallowing children from wearing religious symbols in government-run schools in France cannot be changed or amended as it was adopted after extended and wide debate and discussions. Unfortunately, the Sikh community did not come forward with their views and objections on the proposed Bill at that time. The French Foreign Minister said all students of the Sikh community barring three had been admitted to schools. The problem pertaining to these three students on wearing turbans or patkas will be resolved on his return to France in the next 10 days, Mr Barnier assured. |
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Navy to buy French submarines
soon
New Delhi, October 28 Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Arun Prakash today said the $ 1.5 billion deal to acquire six French Scorpene submarines was “under very close examination at the highest level of the government” Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the ongoing Naval Commanders conference, he said, “We have received assurance that the deal will see the light of the day soon”. However, Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee refused to go into specifics of individual deals and in his interaction with the visiting French Foreign Minister Michel Barnier said the issue of overall defence cooperation between the two countries had figured prominently. Incidentally, the previous NDA Government had almost cleared the Scorpene deal and only the Cabinet Committee on Security had to give a final go ahead for it. Under the deal, India is to build six Scorpene submarines under licence at the Mazagoan docks, with the option of raising the numbers. Scorpene is the one of the most advanced conventional submarine in the world and is armed with upgraded exocet submarine to surface missiles. Addressing the Navy Commanders, the Defence Minister gave an indication that Navy would also be given a go ahead for some other major acquisitions, which may include modern warships and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV). He said Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh had given vital suggestions to strengthen Navy and these were being implemented rapidly. Dr Manmohan Singh, in his interaction with the commanders, had told military planners to get out of neighbourhood threat syndrome and to plan to ensure that India played its due regional role from Horn of Africa to Indian Ocean Rim. At the conference, it was projected that urgent steps were needed to ensure that Indian Naval force levels did not fall to critical levels and to boost up under-sea and surveillance capabilities. The Commanders-in-Chief of the three Naval Commands, Chief of the Integrated Defence Staff, Director General of Coast Guard and Principal staff officers at the Naval headquarters attended the conference, which concluded here today. |
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Pak Human Rights Commission’s
New Delhi, October 28 “While showing a strong commitment to the constitutional struggle, the people do not associate themselves with the violent movement, which the struggle has now become. They concede that foreign elements have damaged the cause of Kashmiris,” says the report, entitled “State of Human Rights in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK)”. The Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), according to
information gathered by the the HRCP team, has a strong presence in the AJK. People continuously feel that they are being watched and monitored. Pro-independence groups and the press particularly remain
under surveillance. Detention and arrests by the intelligence agencies are arbitrary and are not
scrutinised. The AJK High Court has no jurisdiction over people caught by the agencies. Waheed Kiyani and Shaukat Kashmiri are two examples, which have made many other fearful. The people living at the border areas of Kashmir also allege harassment by the agencies. The HRCP mission was unable to visit the Line of Control (LoC). Members of the press complained that their freedom is
restrained. The AJK has no news agency of its own. Three monthly’s, 10 weekly’s and one daily are published from the AJK. The AJK editions of Pakistani national dailies dominate the scene. The government has been accused of using advertisements as an instrument to subdue the hostile press when they criticise government policies. Journalists frequently experience harassment at the hands of intelligence agencies, government and jihadi outfits. The AJK does not have its own textbook board. In primary classes, it follows its own syllabus but in higher classes it goes by Punjab’s curriculum. Students are taught more about Pakistan than about Kashmir. There is no medical college or engineering college in the AJK. The HRCP report was prepared in July 2004 but published earlier this month only. The relationship between Pakistan and the so-called “Azad Jammu and Kashmir” (AJK) has never been clearly defined. This lack of clarity and vague nature of the relationship has affected the autonomy of the government of the state as well as created concerns and confusion about the future of Kashmir, it says. Pakistani officials dominate the Kashmir Council and occupy key decision-making posts in the bureaucracy. The Chief Secretary, the Inspector-General of Police, the Accountant-General and the Finance Secretary, come from Pakistan. Many in the AJK believe that the General Officer Commanding of Pakistan army at Murree has a big say in their affairs. A number of persons told the Commission that Pakistan’s “injustice” was manifest in denial of royalty on hydel generation at Mangla Dam to the AJK. With Pakistan’s bureaucratic and military apparatus dealing with many state affairs, the AJK has a little or highly-restrained autonomy in many key areas, which has serious consequences for government formation and decision-making. There are seven to eight pro-independence parties in the AJK, but the state’s constitution and election laws bar those who subscribe to the idea of an independent state of Jammu and Kashmir from contesting elections. Under the interim Constitution of 1974, civil servants as well as all those elected to Parliament are obliged to take an oath that they will remain loyal to the ideology of accession of Kashmir to Pakistan. Part 7(2) of the Azad Kashmir Constitutional Act of 1974 states that, “No person or political party in the Azad Jammu and Kashmir shall be permitted to propagate against or take part in activities prejudicial or detrimental to the ideology of the state’s accession to Pakistan.” This deliberate exclusion of the pro-independence opinion, held by many people as well as organised political groups, demonstrates lack of respect for dissent, which is more prevalent than is generally acknowledged or admitted. |
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Tiwari meets Sonia
New Delhi, October 28 The veteran Congress leader later hinted at this possibility in an informal chat with presspersons. He said he had told Mrs Gandhi that he was now getting on in age and that he would prefer a job which does not place strain on him. “I am 80 years old now. I would like a job which does not involve too much running around,” added Mr Tiwari. He, however, made it clear that he was not retiring, pointing out that he could now move from a “Congress desk to a non-Congress desk.” Mr Tiwari also met AICC treasurer and Uttaranchal in charge Motilal Vora today. Mr Vora, who is
visiting the state tomorrow, maintained Mr. Tiwari made no mention to him about his wanting a change of responsibility. AICC sources, however, maintained that Mr Tiwari had been sounded out for a gubernatorial post. Mr Tiwari’s proposed appointment will be part of a larger exercise of replacing governors whose terms are ending by this year-end. The states where the tenures of incumbent governors are ending are Maharashtra, West Bengal, Bihar, Uttaranchal, Tamil Nadu, Arunachal
Pradesh, Jharkhand and Orissa. There is already a vacancy in Rajasthan following Mr Madan Lal Khurana’s resignation. Although the list of contenders is lengthy, the front-runners include Mr Buta Singh, Mr Ram Niwas Mirdha, Mr L.P. Sahi, and Ms Kumudbehn Joshi. Mr Bansi
Lal, whose party merged with the Congress only recently, is also in contention. The Congress is keen on
accommodating the Haryana leader ahead of next year’s assembly polls to ensure there is no confrontation with its state leaders.
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Mystery disease hits Western UP districts
Khekhra, (baghpat)i, October 28 Ironically, the so called mysterious disease — Japanese encephalitis — have struck in this sugar bowl of western UP in the green radius of Meerut, Baghpat, Saharanpur and Ghaziabad and mostly to families of unskilled workers toiling in the nearby textile mills. Since 1998, Japanese encephalitis has been hitting children in Yamuna belt of Western UP causing deaths of over 100 children in September-October. The disease, which was first noticed in Japan, Korea and China, about three decades ago, have been eradicated there, but is now causing havoc in this region. Clinically, Japanese encephalitis is a disease spreading among people with mosquitoes being the carrier of the virus. It affects the central nervous system and may lead to death if not attended to quickly. Medico-empirical evidence suggests that the disease primarily afflicts children who complain of extremely high fever accompanied intermittent vomiting — sometimes blood — and severe body ache. Officially, the UP Government maintains, that the death toll is 61. But when The Tribune conducted survey, the toll may well be over 100. And it is still counting. Beneath a stoic exterior, Ali and many of his peers, friends and relatives, hide a tale of helplessness. “My six-year-old daughter, Khurshida, youngest among seven children, complained of fever on October 18, and I took her to doctor, who referred to Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital, Delhi, saying that she was suffering from mental fever, and may not survive. Within hours, she was vomiting blood and complaining of severe pain. Before doctors could do anything, she breathed her last in my hands,” says Ali. And this is not an isolated incident. Fourteen children died here just within three days, between October 18 and 21, in a small locality- Mohalla Prempuri, mostly resided by Muslim families originally hailing from Bihar. The impact of the disease is also beginning to manifest itself in increased migration of workers from the vicinity to other areas to avoid its affliction. Khekhra is a small town in Baghpat district, about 50 km from Delhi, and has its own space in the political sphere of the country as it falls in the constituency of Ajit Singh of the Rashtriya Lok Dal. The town boasts of textile exports worth around Rs 500 crore annually. But due to lack of public health services and drainage, one can see garbage and filth everywhere.Deadly mosquitoes would surround you even in daytime. The Chief Medical Officer of Baghpat, Dr Ramesh Chandra, however, blamed the media for “blowing the death cases out of proportion”. “The disease is quite normal here in this season. Tell me, what can we do if there is no drainage and the people stay in unhygienic conditions,” he said without any hint of apology. Dr Anawar Ahmad, who is running a nursing home in Khekhra, says, “The authorities have failed to take any action though about three months ago, about 10 people had died because of hepatitis viral.The deaths were reported mostly from a nearby village, Mau. Moreover, the cases of malaria have already taken an epidemic proportions causing number of deaths during the past two months.” Death reports were also confirmed from nearby villages, Bara and Abdulpur, due to mysterious virus. Officially, Dr S.K. Arora, Additional Director, Medical Health, Meerut Division, admitted that during the past one week alone, 61 children had died in Western UP including Saharanpur (44), Baghpat (13) and Mujaffarnagar. “We have dispatched medical teams to the affected areas and have ordered mass check ups, awareness camps, fogging and other measures. Medical teams from the National Institute of Communicable Diseases, New Delhi, and the National Institute of Virology have taken blood, urine, water and larva samples.” |
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DM, 6 SDMs, others suspended
Lucknow, October 28 In a drought year the district administration of Lakhimpur Kheri instead of providing succour to the poor and starving diverted foodgrains meant for them to the private rice mills and the open market. This shocking misappropriation came to light when the state government sent six teams to as many tehsils in the districts last month to ascertain facts regarding complaints of irregularities in the distribution of foodgrains among the poor. The report pointed out that not a single grain meant for the poor had reached them or even the ration shops for the past many months. Nothing was amiss in the meticulously prepared records of the distribution of subsidised rice and wheat. The movement of huge stocks and their distribution among the poor beneficiaries had been confirmed and verified at every point by the nexus of corrupt officials including DM S.P. Solanki, SDMs, staff of the godowns, gram pradhans and Lekhpals. |
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Notice to J&K Govt on students’ death
New Delhi, October 28 According to newspaper reports, two students were killed and six were critically injured when a live wire fell on the roof of a school building at Shariefabad, near Zainakote, Srinagar, on October 19. This reportedly caused panic among the 41 students who were taking the final term examination. When they rushed out in panic, two children, Tanvir Ahmad, a kindergarten student, and Mohammad Maqbool, a class III student, came in contact with the live wire and were electrocuted. Six others suffered severe burn injuries and had to be hospitalised. |
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Advani flayed for comments
on temple
New Delhi, October 28 Mr Bharadwaj said the efforts of the BJP leader was to “mix religion with politics”, which did not augur well for the secular politics in the country. |
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BJP for smooth functioning of Parliament
New Delhi, October 28 During an informal meeting at the initiative of Mr Chatterjee at his residence here, the BJP leaders, including former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Leader of the Opposition L.K. Advani, stressed that the BJP was keen to uphond best parliamentary traditions by discussing and debating all issues of national and international importance. Mr Vajpayee, who is also the NDA Chairperson, told Mr Chatterjee that the Opposition was keen that Parliament functions smoothly, BJP sources told The Tribune here. Urging Mr Chatterjee to ensure that the Opposition is given “adequate opportunity” to express its viewpoints on issues of national importance, Mr Advani made it clear that the Opposition cannot be expected to remain silent if there is attempt from the Treasury benches to “bulldoze” it. Mr Advani, who has recently become the BJP President, said the Opposition is keen on debate on various issues of national importance like the Internal Security scenario in the country, especially in the North-East, Repeal of POTA, Telgi Stamp Paper scam, closing of Justice Pukhan Commission which was probing into Tehelka expose, tainted ministers issue, etc. “As the Speaker of the House, we hope you will ensure that there is debate on all prominent issues and we are heard without interruption,” Mr Advani was quoted by sources as saying. |
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Pawar, experts disagree
on cause of suicides
New Delhi, October 28 Talking to reporters on the sidelines of a conference here, Mr Pawar said: “If you look at such incidents which have taken place...these have been due to failure of cotton crop.” It was unfortunate that expensive and spurious insecticides and seeds had been sold to some gullible farmers and this had taken its toll on them, he said. |
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SC seeks reports on corridor project impact on Taj
New Delhi, October 28 The Water and Power Research Station (WPRS), Khadakvasla, and the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) are the other two agencies asked to submit the impact reports by a Bench comprising Ms Justice Ruma Pal, Mr Justice S.B. Sinha and Mr Justice S.H. Kapadia. |
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SC notice on Bhopal
fund
Bhopal, October 28 The problem, according to them, is that the number of the victims, officially accepted now, is five times more than the assumption made at the time of arriving at a settlement with the Union Carbide Corporation in 1989. As per the May 4,1989, order of the Supreme Court, the Bhopal settlement was based on the assumption that about 3000 human lives were lost and about 1,02,000 persons had sustained injuries as a result of the exposure to toxic gases that had emanated from the Union Carbide pesticides, factory in Bhopal. However, the 2003 annual report of the Bhopal Gas Disaster Relief and Rehabilitation Department lists that the total number of cases awarded compensation by the claim courts under the category of death was 15,248 and the number those awarded compensation for injury was 5,54,895. By ordering pro rata disbursement of the remaining amount to them, the Supreme Court has endorsed the government figures of death and injury.
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Woman paraded naked; NCW seeks report
New Delhi, October 28 Seeking an assurance that the guilty would be dealt with strictly and speedily, the NCW has written to the Director-General of Police, Mr B. K.V. Nair. The NCW Chairperson, Dr Poornima Advani, in a statement said the reports of the incident wherein the woman was beaten and paraded naked in Didwara village in connection with an alleged case of sexual harassment, “is an affront to a woman’s dignity”. |
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New Delhi, October 28
