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Decision on Nano tomorrow
PM’s praise for Bush draws flak
Bombs found near Dharwad
Legal aid to suspects |
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Nanavati report
Lal Chowk Chalo : Life in valley interrupted
National Amity award for Khushwant Singh
Exhibition on Bhagat Singh
Revisiting trauma of Partition
Portrait of Vikram Batra in South Block
Additional para-military forces rushed to Kandhamal
Seven Harkat militants shot
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Decision on Nano tomorrow
Kolkata, September 26 Chief secretary AK Deb today received a fax message from the Tata Industries head office in Mumbai in which it was stated the Tata Motors management would like to meet the state government on Sunday to discuss about the company’s stand at Singur. Works on the project has been halted since August 26 in the face of intimidations by agitating farmers. Chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee requested Ratan Tata yesterday not to shelve the project at Singur and shift it elsewhere but to restart work without delay. He assured adequate protection to the Tata Motors properties and employees at Singur. It was not known if Ratan Tata himself would attend the meeting. But it was certain that Ravi Kant, Tata Motors MD, would convey to the Chief Minister about the company’s conditions for re-starting work at Singur. Both Ratan Tata and Ravi Kant have already told the Chief Minister and industries minister Nirupam Sen they will not run the company under police protection. Mamata Banerjee today said the Tatas were welcome to restart work at Singur “in 600 acres and return the remaining 300 acres to the farmers”. Mamata was addressing a public meeting at Singur in front of the Nano plant. She said the Tatas should sort out problems with the state government and the Chief Minister should honour the “agreement” signed at Raj Bhavan at the initiative of Governor Gopal Krishna Gandhi. Tata Motors yesterday took steps for dismantling the plant and shifting the engineering equipment and other material from Singur to Panthnagar in Uttaranchal from where it now plans to roll out the car in October-November this year. Construction companies engaged in civil and technical works at the Nano plant have been told to remove their equipment.
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PM’s praise for Bush draws flak
New Delhi, September 26 Hard put to defend the PM, embarrassed Congress leaders were fumbling for words as political parties from both the left and the right slammed Manmohan Singh for remarks which, they said, are “unbecoming” of his office and a clear case of sycophancy. Even the otherwise voluble AICC media department chairperson Veerappa Moily was at a loss for words when grilled by persistent mediapersons on the party’s reaction to the PM’s controversial remark. “India doesn’t believe in hate culture...we believe in love culture,” observed a flustered Moily who said there was nothing wrong with the PM’s statement. Other Congress leaders attributed it to nothing more than diplomatic niceties. However, Congress members privately admitted that the PM’s remarks were uncalled for and could have been avoided. They were particularly worried about how such remarks would be received by the minorities who have a deep dislike for Bush for waging war against Iraq and his pronouncements on “Islamic terrorism”. The Congress, on the other hand, has always spoken up for the Arab world and was instrumental in the passage of a resolution in Parliament condemning the US war on Iraq. “There was no need for him to have said this...the PM could have instead focused on relations between the two countries,” said a senior UP Congress leader. He said the party will have a tough task on hand if the opposition decides to propagate this issue. The uneasiness in the Congress can be traced to a longstanding suspicion about “US hegemony” among the party’s “left of centre” old guard which is also not comfortable with the growing proximity between India and the US. The opposition, on the other hand, used this opportunity to hit out at the PM. While the BJP advised the PM not be carried away by Bush’s charm, the Left parties told Manmohan Singh that the US President’s popularity has dipped rapidly in his own country when he made such a remark.
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Hubli, September 26 A red alert have been sounded in the city and nearby areas. On information by villagers, SP Prakash, along with an additional police force and a dog squad rushed to the site. A bomb disposal squad has left Bangalore for Dharwad. A number of SIMI activists have been arrested in Dharwad district for their suspected ''anti-national'' activities and all of them were lodged in Belgaum Hindalaga Jail. A report from Mumbai said two persons, including a child, suffered minor injuries in an explosion at Dharavi in north central Mumbai today. At 1330 hours, a boy tried to open a small box at his residence, which exploded in his face, injuring the two persons. Both have been admitted to Sion Hospital. The police is yet to ascertain what that article was. A bomb disposal squad is investigating the matter.— UNI
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Legal aid to suspects
New Delhi, September 26 Hasan has been in the line of fire of the BJP, which accused him of using government money to defend terrorists. The BJP has been gunning for Hasan ever since he announced the decision to provide legal help to the two students picked up last week by the local police. The students — Shakeel Ahmed and Zia Ul Rahman — are suspected to have links with the serial blasts that rocked the Capital on September 13. Cornered from all quarters, Hasan today went to the HRD minister seeking his support and came out with plenty of it. NHRC notice
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) today issued a notice to Delhi police in the case involving the recent encounter in Jamia Nagar, on the complaint of an NGO, Real Cause
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Nanavati report
New Delhi, September 26 A Bench headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan, however, issued notice to the state government on the petition filed by People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), which had also sought a stay on the report being tabled in the Assembly but their plea proved to be late. The court posted the next hearing in the case for October 13.
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Lal Chowk Chalo : Life in valley interrupted
Marriages and other social events are being pre-poned or postponed as people here anticipate big trouble on October 6. On this day, separatist leaders have given a call for “Lal Chowk Chalo” to demand the right to self-determination for “azadi.” Lal Chowk is a historical place and the central point of the city. It is a popular venue for political dharnas, demonstrations and rallies. It has also witnessed numerous militant attacks. Recently, some people hoisted Pakistani flags here. The separatist leaders are once again back on their feet and have started flexing muscles after the recent flareup between Jammu and the Kashmir valley over the Amarnath Yatra land row agitation. They are now busy in converting their “azadi” agitation into a “civil disobedience” movement. Besides eagerly waiting for Id, which is likely to be either on October 1 or 2, the people are counting days for October 6 dharnas and demonstrators. Fearing clashes between cadres of separatist parties and the security forces on October 6 and on successive days, many families have decided to avoid this day for weddings and other important social functions. As a safety measure, these events are now being pre-poned or postponed to save guests from being caught in the “cross-fire.” Although marriages are generally not fixed for Id, some have reportedly been rescheduled for the festival day. “This shows that the people are tense and they do not want to take chances with important family functions, such as weddings,” said a bank official, adding that the people were worried that clashes with security agencies and curfew in the city might continue for days after October 6. Before the beginning of the Ramzan days, the coordination committee of the separatist parties had prepared a calendar of “protest events.” Earlier, it had given a “Lal Chowk Chalo” call for August 25. But it was postponed to October 6 in view of the Ramzan days. Many people, especially daily-wager earners, have started storing rations and essential items as they are apprehensive that the clashes between the demonstrators and the police in various parts of the city may continue for several days. The authorities are keeping fingers crossed as the coordination committee of the Hurriyat (freedom) parties is upbeat about the October 6 demonstration at Lal Chowk. The dharnas and demonstrations at this chowk generally lead to violent clashes with the security forces. Knowing that after Id the people will be in form to participate in the demonstration, the authorities are also gearing up to handle the situation. The city is likely to be put under rigorous curfew on October 6 and top Hurriyat leaders arrested before that. Meanwhile, the common man is getting tired of regular bandhs, dharnas, processions, demonstrations and clashes with the security agencies. The educational institutions are running behind schedule because of long closures; the students are finding extremely difficult to cope up with the syllabi. Schools now open on Sundays and other holidays. Business has also suffered a lot due to the valley being shut so many times on one pretext or the other.
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National Amity award for Khushwant Singh
New Delhi, September 26 Former recipients of the award include Maulana Wahiduddin Khan, Farooq Abdullah, Nani A. Palkhivala, Jathedar Jiwan Singh Umrangal and Nirmala Deshpande. The foundation was founded in December 1984 in the aftermath of the assassination of the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Its founder members were Avtar Singh Dhingra, P.L. Joseph, Nawabazada Aimaduddin Ahmed Khan and Virendar Mohan Trehan. The foundation has been propagating the message of national integration, and has held more than 400 functions all over the country and abroad.
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Exhibition on Bhagat Singh
New Delhi, September 26 The exhibition will showcase rare and unique objects and documents provided by The Tribune and other organisations, recreating the trial of Shaheed Bhagat Singh by the British regime and the era of pre-Independence India. Work was going at a frenetic pace at the museum this evening with its entire staff and those of a private agency hired to assist in organising the event giving the final touches to the arrangements. Noorul Hoda, curator of the museum, said the exhibits would include an array of original artifacts, objects, documents, files, letters, digital posters, audio-visual material and dioramas. The event was aimed at creating awareness among the people about the socio-political and economic condition that prevailed at that time and more importantly the justice delivery system. Further, it would promote the tendency to preserve, protect and respect the hard earned freedom, officials said. The exhibition was to be held coinciding with the centenary celebrations of the freedom fighter which concluded in March this year, but was delayed because of the difficulties in getting documents from Pakistan. The visitors to the exhibition can have a glimpse of the files, jail diary, judgment files, jail register, FIR, bomb shells, contemporary newspapers, clothes, books, watches and shoes collected from Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh Museum (Khatkar Kalan), Punjab Police Academy Museum (Phillaur), Punjab and Haryana High Court Museum, National Portrait Gallery, Dwarkadass Library, National Archives of India and others.
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Revisiting trauma of Partition
New Delhi, September 26 The book eloquently describes the soul and spirit of Delhi and Karachi in a heart-rending manner. The book is about the trauma that transformed the subcontinent into a new metamorphosed place and narration of intensely original tales of devastating losses and mass tribulation. Releasing the book at IIC here last evening, Pakistan’s Deputy High Commissioner Afrasaib Khattak said, “Both Pakistan and India are important countries. Their diplomats are doing their bit on the front of strengthening bilateral ties, and cultural initiatives like this can go a long way in paving a faster route to harmony.” On the occasion, both authors remembered their childhood memories and associations to their parental homes as well as their adopted cities, Delhi and Karachi, which have played a large role in bilateral ties of India and Pakistan as well. “The memories that I hold of Karachi are life-long. One thing that makes me visit Pakistan again and again is the bonding that the people from both sides share intrinsically,” said Kuldip Nayar, a veteran journalist who migrated from Karachi to Delhi when he was 24. An emotional Nayar added that “this book would remind everybody about the significance of roots in one’s life.” Noorani, a prolific writer and humourist, said the present generation of both countries had a totally different attitude towards each other as they no longer carry the baggage of Partition. Expressing hope, he said, “Steps have already been taken towards bridging gaps that exist between the two nations and the restoration of democracy in Pakistan would help step up the ongoing peace process. Hopefully, this book would do an addition to the process.” On Kashmir, the Pakistani envoy said, “There is an element of distrust that still permeates in the minds of the people on both sides. Nonetheless, this feeling is gradually dissipating, and people to people contact ought to be promoted, which can strike the strongest equation which governments merely cannot do.” This book, the fourth by Roli Books under its Cross-Border Talks series, brilliantly chronicled not just the narratives of the life of two individuals, but very successfully gives a whole new dimension to the bilateral relations between India and Pakistan.
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Portrait of Vikram Batra in South Block
New Delhi, September 26 Batra hails from Palampur in Himachal Pradesh. A bust of Batra has already been installed by the DAV Management at DAV College in Chandigarh, his alma mater. The portraits mounted today include Captain Vikram Batra, Lieut Manoj Kumar Pandey, havildar Sanjay Kumar and havildar Yogendra Yadav, all awarded the nation’s highest gallantry award during the 1999 Kargil conflict. Also joining the rare honour will be the portrait of Captain Bana Singh, who cleared an enemy intrusion in the Siachen Glacier in June 1987. Major R. Parameswaran, who died fighting the LTTE in Sri Lanka in November 1987, and the legendary 1971 Indo-Pak war hero Lieut Arun Khetarpal are the other two PVCs whose portraits now adorn the elite corridor. The portraits have been done by Aarti Zaveri.
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Additional para-military forces rushed to Kandhamal
Phulbani (Orissa), September 26 “As many as seven companies of para-military forces were rushed for deployment in troubled areas of the district to strengthen security and prevent further flare up”, District Collector Krishan Kumar said. However, force mobilisation to strengthen vulnerable areas became tough as miscreants blocked a large number of roads by felling trees and putting boulders, he said. — PTI
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Seven Harkat militants shot
Guwahati, September 26 Acting on a tip-off, personnel from Jat Regiment from 21 Mountain Division of the Army laid ‘multiple ambush’ in and around Bashbari area where the Huji militants were suspected to be taking shelter in Boraibari village. On seeing the armymen, the terrorists hiding inside the forest hurled a grenade. In retaliation, the Army gunned down all seven terrorists in the group in ensuing exchange of fire. The encounter lasted for about 25 minutes.
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Rlys to transport relief material for free Lotus plays havoc in TN Dilip Kumar hospitalised Mountain development
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