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Mixed response to bandh call
Protest against Ayodhya attack turns violent
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Ultras were well-trained, motivated Patil gives clean chit to Mulayam govt
Advani claims revival of temple movement
BJP should end protest drive: Sachar
Japanese monk on fast for peace
Family awaits driver’s return
Protesters hold up flight in Indore Connection
error mars Capt’s video-conferencing
Monsoon 2005 is different: Met Dept
Rajiv case: release of 2 Lankans challenged in SC
12 undertrials escape from Tihar jail
3 Babbar Khalsa militants held
Lahore bus: Home Secy to review facilities at Wagah
Experts save Bodh Gaya's holy Buddhist tree
Govt notifies guidelines on syndication
Paswan undergoes angioplasty
Fatwa ‘not binding’ on Imrana
Nod to NH improvement in Punjab
Uplinking policy for TV channels to be reviewed
Cops suspended for liquor smuggling
Cheque bouncing cases: bail for Sunny Deol
Ramdas replaces Rane IPS officer convicted for getting job on false SC certificate
Gautam Goswami’s remand extended
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Mixed response to bandh call Ranchi, July 6 Police reports said a total of 1465 picketers were rounded up throughout the state, including some party leaders. Banks, educational institutions, shops and business establishments were closed in different parts of the state. The bandh evoked a mixed response. Long distance buses were off the road and trains were detained at different stations, as the BJP activists picketed on the railway tracks. Among the long distance trains, Kolkata bound Rajdhani express and Mumbai express were detained at Dhanbad for hours, official reports said. The BJP called the bandh to protest against the terrorist attack in Ramjanambhoomi site at Ayodhya yesterday. In the capital a few people were injured in a group clash between two communities over the observance of the bandh. However, the police brought the situation under control. Police also resorted to mild lathi charge to disperse BJP activists, who led by local MLA C.P. Singh, wanted to forcefully close shops and business establishments. Later a large number of BJP supporters led by state president Yodunath Pandy staged a dharna in protest against police excesses and blamed Senior Superintendent Anurag Gupta for the police action. A Koderma report said that 35 BJP activists were arrested for picketing on the railway track. The bandh paralysed normal life in Dhanbad, Lohardagga and Dumka districts while it
partially affected other districts of the state. In UP, State Principal Secretary (Home) Alok Sinha said there was no report of any untoward incident from anywhere and added that elaborate security arrangements were in place all over the state in view of the bandh. Activists of the BJP, VHP, Bajrang Dal and other allied organisations reportedly took out processions and burnt the effigies of Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf in various areas of Lucknow, Basti, Sant Kabirnagar, Varanasi, Mainpuri, Gorakhpur and Fatehpur districts of the state. In Varanasi, 20 Shiv Sainiks were arrested from Chowk area while they were trying to take out a protest march towards the sensitive Gyanwapi Mosque complex, official sources said. BJP sources, however, claimed that their agitational programme was a success. BJP workers in Karnataka staged demonstrations at all taluk and district headquarters in protest against yesterday’s terrorist attack in Ayodhya. BJP state president Jagadish Shettar told reporters here that the protest call evoked good response and party workers took part in large numbers in the demonstrations in Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Chikmagalur, Shimoga and other parts of the state. In the city, the party workers took out a procession which culminated into a rally. BJP general secretary H.N. Ananth Kumar, Leader of the Opposition in the state assembly B.S. Yediyurappa and Mr Shettar were among the leaders who addressed the rally. Later, a party delegation met Governor T.N. Chaturvedi and submitted a memorandum to President A P J Abdul Kalam.
— PTI, UNI
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Protest against Ayodhya attack turns violent
New Delhi, July 6 The protesters overturned police barricades near Jantar Mantar just as the BJP President, Mr L. K. Advani, arrived to participate in the programme. Even as the police burst several tear gas shells and used water cannons to control the situation, the protesters continued to raise slogans against the attackers. Several BJP leaders, including Mr V. K. Malhotra, Ms Sushma Swaraj, Mr Madanlal Khurana, Mr Harsh Vardhan and Mr Jagdish Mukhi, besides scores of supporters, later courted arrest. Mr Advani, who also faced the brunt of the tear gas shells, was forced to cut short his speech. Addressing the protesters, he said, “The Ram temple will be constructed there. If the Supreme Court gives a favourable verdict, it is good. Otherwise, this will be done after talks between the Hindus and the Muslims.” Braving the rain that lashed the city today, the activists had to run for cover as the police fired tear gas and later used water cannons. Senior BJP leaders were seen with their handkerchiefs clutched to their eyes while standing beside the former Deputy Prime Minister on a pick-up van. Thousands of protesters had gathered to register their protest against the terrorist attack and also seeking the resignation of Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil and UP Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav. |
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Ultras were well-trained, motivated Ayodhya, July 6 Sharing graphic details of the one-and a half hour operation platoon commander of PAC 11 battalion D company Naresh Singh Yadav said that the last man, clearly their commander, was killed in the nick of time just as he was inching towards his target. He had already removed the pin of the high explosive 36 grenade that was to be hurled at the sanctum sanctorum from a distance of 30 metres. The bullet killed him just in the nick of time. The disposal squad later defused the live explosive that he was to hurl which was still in his motionless hand. Describing the slain terrorists as well-trained men with bad intentions, Yadav, relaxing at the PAC camp near the railway station, said that they were well equipped and completely motivated but the heavy firing of the CRPF-PAC combine took them by surprise. The security forces fired approximately 400 rounds, 100 by PAC alone. The thick bush that has grown in the outer cordon with the first rain provided cover to the militants who used it to their advantage crawling on their elbows carefully inching their way to the barricade of the inner cordon. He also confirmed the theory that two of the terrorists had jumped into the complex though the low walls of the residential houses next to the complex. According to Yadav after the explosion in the jeep the terrorists had hurled at least three grenades to widen the gap of the outer cordon. Using smoke grenades to obstruct vision, the remaining terrorists had forced their way inside. The last terrorist to be killed inches away from the inner barricade, was wearing a black baniyan, and appeared to be the leader as he was constantly coaxing the four others to “advance”. Yadav said that he was using foul language to describe the PAC and CRPF. The terrorists were continuously talking to each other during the operation. Hidden in the bushes sound was the only way in which they were tracking each other’s positions. They seemed to have a Punjabi accent said the platoon commander. The CRPF was firing from a higher position from within the inner cordon. This proved to be their disadvantage. It was when the PAC took position from the terrace of a nearby residential building that they got a good “field position”, finally flushing out the militants. Yadav also confirmed that there was another ‘human bomb’ besides the leader. Twentyfour-year-old Himanshu Yadav from the PAC who was injured in the operation yesterday is recovering at a local hospital. The three CRPF personnel were also recovering. They were Sub-Inspector Dharamveer, head constable Santosh and a woman member of the
CRPF. |
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Patil gives clean chit to Mulayam govt Faizabad, July 6 Asserting that there had been no “security lapse”, he said that the operation was a “well coordinated exercise.” The fact that the terrorists were contained in such a short time proves their preparedness. Commenting on intelligence reports, Mr Patil said that they were not to be disclosed to the public. “However, much one is prepared, there is always an element of surprise in a terrorist strike which goes in their favour”. He said that the intent of the terrorists was clearly to forge a communal divide in the country in which they have been frustrated. Calling upon political parties to work in tandem so that divisive forces could not gain an upper hand, Mr Patil said that this was not the time to settle petty scores. He also refused “to speculate” on the outfit behind the blasts as investigations were still on and nothing had been confirmed. Earlier, he spent and hour and a half inside the temple complex understanding the details of Tuesday’s operation and taking stock of the security arrangements. Speaking on identical lines, convener NDA George Fernandes, refused to support the BJP demand for dismissal of the state government on the ground that such incidents “should not be politicised”. After his visit to Ayodhya, Fernandes said that a multi-pronged approach was required to respond to terrorism. Governor T.V. Rajeswar, a former IB chief himself, also brushed aside suggestions of a ‘security lapse’. “They did not manage to force their way into the inner cordon. So we should be happy that they did not succeed”, he said. Clarifying that his visit was not on central instructions, Mr Rajeswar said that he just came to see things for himself. Denying an “intelligence failure”, he, however, asserted that agencies did know about the threat perception in Ayodhya. Meanwhile, the BJP seemed isolated, as its call for a statewide bandh had no impact in the twin cities of Ayodhya and Faizabad. It was the weekly closure day in Ayodhya. Life in Faizabad was also normal as shops opened, children were seen going to school and vehicular traffic was normal. Reports from Lucknow also suggested a lukewarm response to the BJP’s bandh call.
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Advani claims revival of temple movement
New Delhi, July 6 Referring to yesterday’s attack at Ayodhya in which six militants were killed near the disputed Ramjanmabhoomi site, Mr Vajpayee said it had exposed the country’s security and intelligence network. Mr Vajpayee was addressing the BJP workers at a function after planting a sapling on the occasion of the 105th birth anniversary of Dr Syama Prasad
Mookerjee, founder of erstwhile Jana Sangh. Cautioning against any laxity in its vigil, he said a let-up in security could cost the country dearly. The country had to be always prepared to meet all challenges to its security, unity and integrity. The incident was testimony to the fact that the country was still surrounded by dangers, he said and asked the countrymen to stand united. Meanwhile, BJP President L.K. Advani, who spearheaded a protest march organised by Delhi Pradesh BJP here at Jantar Mantar, declared that yesterday’s terrorist attack had revived the Ram Temple movement. “The attack has once again brought to the fore the Ram Temple issue,” Mr Advani, who, barely a month back during his visit to
Pakistan, had called the Babri Mosque demolition an ‘unfortunate’ incident, said addressing BJP workers at the protest rally. Regretting that the temple campaign had been “caught up in legal tangles” for a long time, Mr Advani said “But now we pledge to pursue this campaign vigorously.” |
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BJP should end protest drive: Sachar
New Delhi, July 6 Justice Sachar said here today that the attempt had failed with Pakistan and shades of opinion in that country had unreservedly condemned it. Unfortunately, he said the BJP and the Sangh Parivar seemed to consider the tragic event as an occasion to patch up its own internal differences and to communalise the situation. That alone could explain why it was set on a protest spree in the country. Noting that the Prime Minister had assured all necessary steps were being taken for the security and safety of the temple, he added “as a responsible Opposition, the BJP needs to cooperate to put an end to the protest campaign.” |
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Japanese monk on fast for peace
Ayodhya, July 6 Sitting before a photo of Mahatma Gandhi and a tiny bronze
statue of Buddha, keeps on chanting the chanting the Lotus sutra ‘Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo oblivious to the hustle and bustle of the media and VIP visitors throughout the day. Belonging to the Nipponzan Myooheji organisation, he has been living in Ayodhya for the past three years working towards ‘sarva dharma
sadbhav. He heard the blast at the ashram where he lives and decided to do his bit of penance to preserve the peace of the temple town. He is not the only person trying to keep a semblance of normalcy amidst the chaos. Mahant Gyan Das, head of the All India Akhara Parishad is also worried that the “Ganga- jamuni
tehzeeb” (cosmopolitan culture) of the city should not become a culprit of the terrorist attack. “These terrorist have no religion. Their mission is to spread terror. Yesterday they were quickly checked in a swift operation without much harm. We should be thankful for that.” Charging the BJP of extracting political mileage, the mahant sitting in his akhara next to the Hanuman Garhi said, “they forget that it was during their time that the attack on the heavily guarded Parliament took place.” Blaming the BJP for rupturing the ‘Ganga-
Jamuni’ social fabric of the temple town by pulling down the mosque on December 6 1992, he said that the party did not think about the people of Ayodhya or its economy which survive on the pilgrimage. “If there is trouble devotees keep away badly affecting the economy and people of the city”. Sharing his views is Lalji Bhai Satya Snehi, the ailing mahant of the all-faith temple in the town. The tiny mandir inside the Gujarat Bhavan has marble statues of Ram, Sita, Buddha, Mahavir,
Zorstra, Jesus and a bronze crescent and star representing all major religions. A shopkeeper, Jawahar Prasad Verma, selling religious items,
roli, copper lotas, bhajan cassettes, rosaries- at Katara locality near the makeshift temple, hopes for things to return to normal soon. “Early next month the Sawan mela is to begin. Most of us do our major earning during that time. If tension continues it might spell disaster for petty traders like us”. |
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Family awaits driver’s return
Ayodhya, July 6 A simple freshly white washed house in Qaziyana locality, not far from the makeshift temple in Ayodhya, is where this son of a ex-Army man, lives with his 32-year-old wife Uzma, daughter Hiba and son Usman. Talking to The Tribune his father-in-law Mr Tauhid Ahmad said his daughter was too nervous to speak and he did not know what to tell her. He has no official word regarding his son-in-law. All he has leant about him since yesterday is through the media. No security is visible anywhere near the house, nor has Rehan been allowed to speak to the family. According to Mr Ahmad, his son-in-law left the house between 7 am and 8 am after waiting for his driver. It was at the petrol pump, near the main bus stand at Faizabad, that he probably met the terrorist posing as devotees.
— TNS |
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Protesters hold up flight in Indore
Indore, July 6 Three ‘dargahs’ were damaged allegedly by saffron activists who also detained three trains and gheraoed a police station protesting terror attack in Ayodhya. The police lobbed tear gas shells and resort to lathi charge to bring the situation under control. The BJP-VHP activists damaged the door glasses of the VIP lounge before scaling the airport’s boundary wall to reach the restricted tarmac area and squatted in front of the Jet Airways plane, airport sources said. A handful of police personnel present at the airport could not do much and remained mute spectators, they said.
— PTI
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Connection
error mars Capt’s video-conferencing Chandigarh, July 6 The Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh, could speak to only three
or four of the 17 Deputy Commissioner, he was scheduled to interact with
in the first-ever video-conferencing session in the state. The hyped
inauguration was spoiled by an irritating “error in connection” sign
flashing on the giant screen in the conference room of the Punjab Civil
Secretariat. The supposed hi-tech link seemed to work in fits and
starts. The video images were either missing or the audio was not
audible.
After trying for more than an hour to establish a clear and
continuous link with the Deputy Commissioners, Capt Amarinder Singh was
forced to give up. The only saving grace at the launch function was a
brief 40 to 50 seconds of clear audio-visual interaction between the
Chief Minister and the Deputy Commissioners of Muktsar, Amritsar and
Gurdaspur. The DCs explained that old-age pensions had been disbursed
while there was no risk of floods in the district.
Attempts to establish a connection with other Deputy Commissioners
failed miserably. The DCs could not hear the Chief Minister sitting in
the special conference room at the Secretariat and vice versa.
In another case the DC of Kapurthala managed a 10 or 15-second
conversation but soon his voice faded out.
The Secretary, IT, Punjab, Mr N.S. Kalsi, who was monitoring the
show, blamed the rain. “Something may have gone wrong due the
continuous rain”. He went on to add in Punjabi: “Lagda hai kucch hil
gaya” (something seems to out of place).
Clarifying the lack of proper connectivity to the high-profile
audience, Mr Kalsi said the system was checked yesterday and was working
fine.
The system from the district headquarters to the state capital is
linked through the VSAT (satellite) system via Delhi. The link from
Chandigarh is fed to Delhi and from there it is uplinked to
geo-stationary satellites for further transmission to the district
headquarters, where downloading dish antennas have been provided.
The Chief Minister later told mediapersons that today’s glitch in
connection of the video conferencing should not be seen as a serious
matter. The system was very good. The facility had also been opened on
the fourth floor of the Civil Secretariat for use by officers and would
expedite the decision-making process.
The video-conferencing facility has been established in all districts
of Punjab with direct connections with the state capital. IT has cost Rs
3.60 crore the money being provided by the Union Ministry of
Communication and Information Technology. The recurring cost including
that of using the bandwidth for connectivity, will be borne by the
National Informatics Centre.
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Monsoon 2005 is different: Met Dept
New Delhi, July 6 The monsoon has been on variance this time, it says, adding that the fact it covered the whole country by June 30, almost two weeks ahead of its schedule, has happened only on seven instances in the past 45 years, between 1960 and 2004. In fact, the breaking over of monsoon on June 26 over Delhi, Punjab and Haryana had taken the weathermen by surprise. But the rain fury that has resulted in roads being closed down or even washed away and people loosing their lives was likely to abate after next two to days and by the end of the season the north-west, comprising Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan, Chandigarh, Delhi, Uttranchal and Utter Pradesh, would have experienced near normal rains at 97 per cent of its long-period average
(LPA) with a model error of eight per cent, says the IMD in its long-range forecast update issued today. But for the next 48 hours, it issued a severe weather warning for parts of Punjab, Haryana, Uttranchal, Chandigarh, Himachal Pradesh, west Utter Pradesh and east Rajasthan, predicting heavy to very heavy rains. In its quantitative forecast for the other three homogeneous regions in the country, rainfall is likely to be 95 per cent over the North-East, 102 per cent over the central India and 97 per cent over south peninsula, all with a model error of eight per cent. For the country as a whole, the July rainfall is likely to be 97 per cent of its LPA with a model margin of nine per cent. Using an indigenously developed statistical model, the IMD predicted that monsoon onset over Kerala on June 7 with a model error of three days. This year, the monsoon broke over Kerala on June 5, four days later than its normal date. By June 7, it covered the coastal Karnataka and Goa but there was a lull in its further advancement till June 16. When on June 26, the monsoon became active and progressed over Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana, it took the Met Office by surprise, a fact it admitted in a press conference addressed by Union Minister of State for Science and Technology Kapil Sibal. It was expecting the monsoon to hit Delhi, Punjab and Haryana sometime in the first week of July, as on June 24 it was still near east Utter Pradesh. In fact, the Met Office says the monsoon has been on variance this time as it covered the whole country by June 30, almost two weeks ahead of its schedule. Between 1960 and 2004, there were only seven instances, 1960, 1961, 1975, 1980, 1994, 1996 and 1998, when the monsoon covered the whole country in June itself. But right now it means the rainfall deficiency of 49 per cent recorded till June 22 is more or less made up. |
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Rajiv case: release of 2 Lankans challenged in SC
New Delhi, July 6 The MDMA, which has investigators from various probe agencies and is headed by CBI Director U. S. Mishra, in a special leave petition (SLP) challenged the release of Lingam and Vasanthan, at present lodged in a Sri Lankan refugee camp at Chengalpattu in Tamil Nadu, on the ground that they had "played a key role" in the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi on May 21, 1991. The High Court had ordered their release from the special camp for Sri Lankan refugees on April 25. The two suspects “had played an important role in the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi.... It has come to light during the course of investigation by the Special Investigating Team (SIT) as well as the MDMA that they are closely associated with LTTE,” the SLP contended. The MDMA said since it had been assigned the task of further probing the role of 21 suspects in the Rajiv Gandhi murder in the wake of the report of Jain Commission, which had gone into the conspiracy angle of the case, the release of the duo would affect its investigation. The SLP has sought interim stay on the High Court order stating that the MDMA had been assigned the task of investigation into a Union Government Memorandum of Action Taken (MoAT) as per the Jain Commission Report, which had envisaged the setting of the probe team. However, the names of Lingam and Vasanthan had not been included in the list of 21 suspects, mentioned in the MoAT. But the MDMA claimed that it had come across information which raised suspicion that the two had played an important role in the assassination conspiracy. It claimed that Lingam was in constant touch with main accused Sivarasan, who had committed suicide just before the SIT sleuths could catch him. “Lingam used to hold secret discussions with Sivarasan, who was key accused in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination and other LTTE cadres,” the SLP said, adding that he had received the nine-member killer squad on May 1, 1991, when it reached Tamil Nadu from Sri Lanka. The nine-member squad, headed by Sivarasan, also included “human bomb” Dhanu who had blown herself to kill Rajiv Gandhi at an election rally at Sreeperambudur. The MDMA alleged that Vasanthan had provided logistic support to the assassins, including providing accommodation to them. A Chennai-based special court had sent letters rogatory to the Sri Lankan authorities to investigate their role in the neighbouring country, the SLP said. |
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12 undertrials escape from Tihar jail
New Delhi, July 6 The undertrials were being escorted by Delhi Armed Police personnel to the court inside the jail premises itself when they slipped away from the policemen. A massive hunt had been launched to track them down, said the police sources. The police later claimed that they had apprehended two of them. The undertrials, lodged in Asia’s largest prison, were being escorted by Delhi Armed Police personnel to the court inside the jail premises itself. When one group of policemen were handing them over to another, 12 undertrials managed to given them the slip. While police managed to nab two of them soon, 10 were still on the run. The police officials claimed that they had launched a major combing operation in the area. Besides, additional forces had been deployed at all exit points from the city, claimed the senior police officials. |
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3 Babbar Khalsa militants held
New Delhi, July 6 Bishan Lal, Joginder and Ajit Raj were arrested in Jammu yesterday on the basis of disclosures of Jaspal Singh, the main accused in the bomb blast, police said here today. The trio is believed to be smugglers and suppliers of arms and had allegedly provided explosives and weapons to Jaspal and his associates, the police said. The police said the arrested militants were in direct touch with Satnam Singh, Germany-based mastermind of the blasts. They had allegedly supplied nine consignments, each comprising 10-kg RDX, one AK rifle and four pistols, since January 2004 for militant activities. One person was killed and scores injured on May 22 when Babbar Khalsa activists detonated two bombs in Satyam and Liberty cinema halls in Delhi. |
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Lahore bus: Home Secy to review facilities at Wagah
New Delhi, July 6 In line with this objective of the Centre, Union Home Secretary V.K. Duggal would level for Punjab tomorrow to assess the “infrastructural requirements” at the Wagah-Attari border for the commencement of Amritsar-Lahore bus service. Mr Duggal, who would be reaching Amritsar tomorrow evening would first hold a preliminary meeting with officials of Punjab Government. Next day he would visit Wagah-Attari border to have an on-the-spot assessment of the infrastructural requirements for immigration, customs and other passenger facilities required there before the commencement of the Amritsar-Lahore bus service. This visit of the Union Home Secretary assumed significance, as the second meeting of India-Pakistan technical committee on Amritsar-Lahore Bus service was expected to take place soon. Last meeting of the technical group was held in Islamabad on May 10 and 11. Asked why the government was keen on pursuing CBMs, especially when there were indications about involvement of Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) or Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) in the Ayodhya terror attack, Mr Duggal told The Tribune here today that “any such dastardly act will not be allowed to come in the way of the peace process.” “The policy of the government is that the CBMs jointly announced by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Pakistan President Gen Pervez Musharraf in April 2005 during the latter’s visit to New Delhi, must be pursued sincerely and in a time-bound manner,” Mr Duggal said, adding “My visit to Amritsar is to pursue this policy effectively.” Sources in the Home Ministry said the timing of the Home Secretary’s visit would definitely remove the doubts in the mind of anyone that yesterday’s militant attack in Ayodhya would in any manner hamper the peace process initiated between India and Pakistan. During his visit, the Home Secretary would also review with the Punjab Government officials and other officials concerned about the progress being made in the “Galiara Project” around Golden Temple Complex. Three phases of the five-phase Galiara Project, launched to decongest and beautify the surroundings of the Golden Temple Complex with Centre’s assistance, had been completed and work on the fourth and fifth phases had commenced. “The basic purpose behind this review is to assess the ground-level implementation of the project and ensure that this project is completed as early as possible,” he said. The Centre had released Rs 70 crore for the first three phases of the project and had sanctioned Rs 72 crore for the next two phases, of which Rs 16 crore had already been released, sources said. He would also hold a separate meeting with Punjab Home Secretary A.K. Dubey and Director General of Police S S Virk and other top police and Home Department officials and review the overall law and order situation in the state. This meeting was expected to take note of the recent busting of Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) modules in Delhi. |
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Experts save Bodh Gaya's holy Buddhist tree
Patna, July 6 The 110-year-old Bodhi tree behind the Mahabodhi temple, which grew from the original banyan tree under which the Buddha attained enlightenment, has seen new leaves after three years. "Experts treated the tree for three years using various measures," Anil Kumar Singh, Regional Director at the Agriculture Research Centre here, told IANS. According to scientists at the centre, the tree bore new leaves after three years. The bark has also regained its original colour, which indicates good health. The tree was attacked by milibug disease five years ago. An alarm was raised by the Mahabodhi Temple Management Committee when the leaves started turning black. Thousands of Buddhist pilgrims from across the world carry back leaves from the tree. Following reports in the media in Japan, organisations from the country came forward to help. A study and laboratory tests warned that the tree would die if steps to protect it were not taken immediately. To begin with, the burning of oil lamps near the tree was banned and a lamp house constructed. The water level in the roots was maintained and pesticides were used. According to the scientists, carbon monoxide emitted from the oil lamps lit near the tree had formed a thin layer on its leaves, making photosynthesis difficult. An official of the Mahabodhi Temple, which the Unesco has declared a World Heritage Site, said the Bodhi tree is the sixth regeneration of the original banyan tree. Emperor Asoka, a Hindu who converted to Buddhism, had a railing built around the Mahabodhi tree to protect it. A branch of the tree taken to Sri Lanka continues to flourish in Anuradhapura. A sapling from that tree was brought back to Bodh Gaya, where it is growing.
— IANS |
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Govt notifies guidelines on syndication
New Delhi, July 6 According to a press release issued by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting here today, all registered newspapers (Indian publications) are authorised to make syndication arrangements for sourcing photographs, cartoons, crossword puzzles, articles and features from foreign publications under automatic approval route subject to certain conditions. According to the release, the publishers of all Indian registered newspapers would be required to adhere to these conditions. They would have to ensure that the total material procured and printed in an issue of the Indian publication did not exceed 20 per cent of the total printed space of that issue. Besides, the syndicated material should not include full copy of the editorial page or the front page of the foreign publication. The other conditions enumerated by the government were meant to ensure that the mast head of the content
provider publication was not utilised in the Indian publication and the content provider was given a creditline in the Indian publication. The material procured under syndication
arrangement should have already been published in the content provider publication. The release further stated that any case involving relaxation of any of these conditions would need to be examined by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. If any material was procured under syndication
arrangement beyond these conditions, the Indian publication should obtain prior
approval of the I&B Ministry. The release clarified that the guidelines would not apply in cases where the I&B Ministry had issued its approval/no objection certificate for publication of facsimile edition of a foreign newspaper. |
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Paswan undergoes angioplasty
New Delhi, July 6 The 58-year-old Lok Jan Shakti Party president was moved from Escorts Heart Institute to Max Heart and Vascular Institute on Tuesday night after he decided to go in for an angioplasty and not a bypass surgery. Sources in Escorts Heart Institute said cardiologists are upset over the unethical manner in which Max Heart Institute had taken away the patient to hog the limelight. Sources in Escorts said Mr Paswan was advised a bypass surgery as the angiography showed that one of the arteries was blocked at the origin. “All over the world, the standard treatment in this condition is a bypass surgery. Even the Director of PGI, Chandigarh, Professor K.K. Talwar who is the head of the Cardiology Department, came to Escorts on Tuesday on the request of Mr Paswan’s family and suggested a straightforward surgery. Mr Paswan wanted to avoid surgery at any cost as he would have a busy schedule before the Bihar elections. Doctors at Max gave him the impression that angioplasty would suffice. This is not true as chances of recurrence of heart attack with angioplasty are more. Angioplasty is not good in the larger interest of the patient. They may have helped him tide over the crisis now but who will take responsibility for his health in future?’’ sources at Escorts asked. Dr Ashok Seth, chairman and chief cardiologist of Max Heart and Vascular Institute, told TNS that Mr Paswan was “stable and would need rest for a week”. Dr Seth, who set up the cardiology and angioplasty department at Escorts Heart Institute 17-years-ago, said “Paswan told me that he felt that he would get better treatment at Max. He wanted to be treated by me. The patient’s wish is important”. Asked why Mr Paswan opted for Escorts in preference to Max when he had to be flown into Delhi from Patna on Saturday , Dr Seth said, “Some of Mr Paswan’s family members rang us up and asked for our air ambulance to bring him from Patna. In fact, our air ambulance reached the airport before Escorts team got there. In the larger interest of the patient, we decided not to create confusion and let Escorts team go to Patna to bring him”. |
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Fatwa ‘not binding’ on Imrana
Bangalore, July 6 Addressing a press conference here, its President Ahmedullah Qureshi said the Deobandi Ulema had issued the fatwa based on the Kuran quote ‘’marry not women whom your father’s married.’’ However, given the fact that Imrana was not married to Ali Mohammed (her father-in-law) but forcefully raped, the verdict that ‘’she no longer remains the wife of her husband
Noor-e-ilahi’’ was not binding on her, he reasoned. Condemning the clerics’ verdict as one against Kuran and
Sunnah, he said ‘’such acts of scheming against the principles of Islam and a dishonest approach towards knowledge have been prevalent for a long time.’’ Mr Qureshi appealed to the Union Government to award severe punishment possible under the Indian law to the rapist and make arrangements for Imrana to lead a peaceful life with her husband. Stating that such an unfair punishment had baffled the entire world, he said Islam never permitted such injustice against womenfolk.
— UNI |
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Nod to NH improvement in Punjab
New Delhi, July 6 These include strengthening of the crust in km 115 to 126 of the Patiala-Sangrur-Barnala-Bathinda section of the National Highway-64 at a cost of Rs 478.33 lakh. Besides this, Union Minister of Shipping, Road, Transport and Highways, Mr T.R. Balu, also gave an approval for providing paved shoulders from km 45.08 to 63.50 on the Ludhiana-Ferozepore section of National Highway-95 at a cost of Rs 426.27 lakh. |
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Uplinking policy for TV channels to be reviewed
New Delhi, July 6 The decision was taken at a meeting of the Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh here. Information and Broadcasting Minister S. Jaipal Reddy said the GoM would be constituted by the Prime Minister and would submit its report in a couple of weeks. The GoM will look into issues ranging from foreign investment and grant of permission to foreign channels and news agencies to uplink for one year instead of event-based permission. “The Cabinet decided to refer the uplinking norms to a GoM, which has to submit its report in two weeks,” Mr Reddy said. The I&B Ministry is in favour of a foreign investment ceiling of 26 per cent for TV channels as in the print media. “Let it (foreign investment) include other forms of investments such as foreign institutional investors (FIIs), non-resident Indians etc, as is being done in the case of the print media,” the minister said. The Cabinet also approved a proposal to ratify the UNESCO Convention for Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage. It also agreed to contribute to the “Fund for the Safe-guarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage” at least every two years. |
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Cops suspended for liquor smuggling
Dehra Dun, July 6 The police has also dissolved the SOG to reconstitute it again. Speaking to The Tribune, Mr Gunjyal said the entire SOG has been dismantled after the incident and it would soon be reconstituted. He said the step had been taken since he had come to understand that the SOG was showing signs of involvement in crimes like this. The police had arrested Rahul, a smuggler of illegal liquor, over two weeks ago who had at least eight cases against him in the Dalanwala police station. During interrogation, Rahul revealed the names of the police officials involved in the racket, which included SI Rathore and Constable Nitin Kumar, who took a monthly bribe of Rs 10,000 from him to facilitate liquor smuggling, the police said. The SSP has ordered a probe into the matter and a special team has been constituted for this purpose. The probe team would be required to submit its report in three days. |
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Cheque bouncing cases: bail for Sunny Deol
Indore, July 6 Judicial Magistrates Narendra Jain and M.S. Tomar granted the bail to Sunny Deol on an amount of Rs 25,000 each and a surety of the like amount. Bedi had financed a yet-to-be released film ‘Gandhi’ of Deol, but as the film got delayed and could not be completed, he asked for return of his money. The actor gave him three cheques of nearly Rs 15-16 lakh but all were dishononoured following which Bedi filed the cases, Bedi’s lawyer H.S. Rathore said. Despite various summons, Sunny Deol had not appeared in the courts on earlier dates. The actor appeared today to obtain bail and the court took a tough view against him for non appearance, Mr Rathore said. Sunny Deol arrived
quietly in the court premises along with his lawyer Chandra Shekhar Raikwar.
— PTI |
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Ramdas replaces Rane Mumbai, July 6 2005 Mr Kadam is a legislator from Khed in the Konkan region from where Mr Rane also hails. He has been elected four times and was Minister of State for Food and Civil Supplies from 1996 to 1999 during the Sena -BJP coalition government. |
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IPS officer convicted for getting job on false SC certificate New Delhi, July 6 The CBI, after securing the conviction of Bhatia, said the case against him was registered on October 30, 1986, on the basis of source information. Delhi Chief Metropolitan Magistrate
(CMM) Manoj Jain found Bhatia guilty under Section 420 of the Indian Penal Code after 17-year-long trial proceedings. The CBI had filed chagesheet against him in February 1986, under various provisions of the IPC, accusing him of hatching a criminal conspiracy to obtain the SC certificate, cheating and fraud. But the Court found him guilty of only committing the crime of cheating, the agency said adding that Bhatia is still serving as a police officer in Haryana, holding the rank of an SP. The CMM has fixed July 12 for pronouncing the quantum of punishment to be awarded to the guilty officer. According to the prosecution, the accused who belonged to Bhatia-Rajput community, had entered into criminal conspiracy with certain other persons to obtain a false SC certificate as “Adi
Dharmi” from the office of Deputy Commissioner, Delhi, prior to his appearance in the 1984 civil services exams. On the basis of the same, he appeared in the Civil Services exams in 1984 but remained unsuccessful, but got through the following year and was appointed an IPS officer in 1986, the CBI prosecutor had contended. Prior to this he had failed in his three attempts to get through the civil services exams as general category candidate in 1979, 1980 and 1982, the Prosecution had stated. |
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Gautam Goswami’s remand extended
Patna, July 6 The bureau, which had taken Goswami on remand for five days on July 1, a day after he had surrendered after evading arrest for a month, produced him before designated Vigilance Judge Jitendra Mohan Sharma this afternoon. Mr Sharma extended his judicial remand till July 19. Bureau’s officials said Goswami had not made any startling revelation “but we have sufficient evidence to prove his complicity in the embezzlement of the funds meant for distribution among victims of the 2004 floods.” The court also extended till July 19 the judicial remand of five more accused in the scam, including its alleged kingpin and supplier of relief materials Santosh Kumar Jha, Manager of IDBI (Patna branch) Sanjay Kumar Jha and another bank employee Shailendra Kumar.
— PTI |
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