Saturday, August 8, 1998
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N A T I O N |
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spotlight today's calendar |
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Cong, JD, CPI seek Joshi's
sack |
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SC’s no to quash FIR
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Sukh Ram’s plea
dismissed |
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Cong, JD, CPI seek Joshi's sack NEW DELHI, Aug 7 — The Congress Working Committee tonight demanded the resignation of the Maharashtra Chief Minister, Mr Manohar Joshi, in the wake of the findings of the Justice Srikrishna Commission on Mumbai riots. The CWC, which met here this evening, decided to send a delegation of senior leaders to the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, shortly to impress upon him the "gravity of the situation and the necessity for him to take urgent and speedy action." Briefing media on the deliberations, senior Congress leader, Mr Sharad Pawar, said the party expects the Prime Minister to take up with the Maharashtra Chief Minister the issue of resignation and action against those named in the report. The CWC, he said, noted with great anguish the decision of the Shiv Sena-BJP government in Maharashtra to outrightly reject the report on the grounds that are totally alien to the principles and the ideals enshrined in the Constitution of India. It is for the first time in our country that any government is taking a political decision on the basis of religious denomination in discharging its responsibility. The Congress party cannot accept this proposition,’’ the CWC resolved. The Maharashtra government had rejected the report on the grounds that it favours Muslims and against the Hindus. Praising Justice Srikrishna, it said he dealt with the subject in a ‘’commendable and restrained manner’’ with a highly sensitive matter and gave clear findings fixing responsibilities for acts of commission and omissions on different people. ‘’The present Shiv Sena-BJP government is clearly identified in this respect,’’ the CWC said. It said resignation of Mr Joshi is the first step and action based on the findings of the report against all persons involved should be taken expeditiously. To a question about the role of Mr Sudhakarrao Naik, the then Chief Minister of Congress government in Maharasthra, Mr Pawar said, the fact that there had been delay in dealing with the situation had to be accepted. He, however, said there was no move to take disciplinary action against Mr Naik. The CWC also appealed to the people specially those of Mumbai to excercise ‘’utmost restraint and caution so that mischievous elements do not get any opportunity to create communal tension and discord.’’ The Bharatiya Janata Party today defended the Maharashtra government’s decision to reject some of the recommendations of the Srikrishna Commission report. The Communist Party of India (CPI) demanded the resignation of the state government saying that its rejection of the report has only “exposed its guilt”. The CPI said popular protest should be organised to force the government to accept the findings of the commission and punish the guilty. The Janata Dal, too, asked for stern action against all those indicted by the commission and immediate dismissal of the Shiv Sena-BJP government in Maharashtra. Earlier, the BJP general secretary, Mr M. Venkaiah Naidu, said that the state government has the constitutional right to disagree or reject the findings of the commission. The Maharashtra government, after a detailed and careful study, has exercised its right to reject certain conclusions of the Srikrishna Commission report, Mr Naidu said adding that the report “does not take a comprehensive view of all the factors of the riots”. Attacking the Congress, Mr
Naidu said that it cannot absolve itself from
responsibility of Mumbai riots. “If the Congress
does it, then the state government can also do it”,
Mr Naidu said adding that no political party should try
to take political advantage of the findings of the
commission. “That is why, we have decided to leave
the matter to the state government and the party’s
state unit”, he said. |
SC’s no to quash FIR against Mayawati NEW DELHI, Aug 7 (PTI) — The Supreme Court today refused to quash a corruption case against former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati and dismissed her plea for anticipatory bail saying that there was no merit in the case. A Division Bench, comprising Mr Justice M. Srinivasan and Mr Justice S. Rajendra Babu said “we do not find any merit in the special leave petition (SLP).” Ms Mayawati had moved the Supreme Court in appeal against a July 17 order of the Delhi High Court which vacated stay on her anticipatory bail and rejected her petition for quashing of the case, registered by the CBI. The CBI had registered the case for alleged irregularities in the purchase of fire-fighting floating pumps worth over Rs 4 crore during her tenure as UP Chief Minister. However, the apex court said “if the petitioner is arrested in this case, her bail application shall be considered by the Magistrate concerned on the same day.” “If the court rejects the application, the order will be kept in abeyance for a period of 10 days to enable her to get appropriate relief from the high court”, the bench said. Besides Ms Mayawati, the CBI had filed the case against nine others for allegedly committing offences under Section 120-B (conspiracy), 420 (cheating) of the Indian Penal Code and various sections of the prevention of corruption act for their alleged role in the deal. The agency had alleged that the former Chief Minister had purchased the floating pumps at an exorbitant price and violated laid down norms and guidelines while placing an order with M/s Fire Challenger at Chennai, whose proprietor was the president of the Tamil Nadu unit of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP). It alleged that an amount
of Rs 2.49 lakh was paid for each pump while its actual
price was about Rs 57,000. An order for 300 pumps at a
total cost of Rs 5.35 crore was placed with the said
company under a scheme for starting fire services in
rural areas of UP in August 1995. |
US Nagar issue: Khurana
hopeful of solution NEW DELHI, Aug 7 — The Parliamentary Affairs Minister Madan Lal Khurana, one of the main architects of the Akali Dal-BJP alliance, today asserted that differences with "our ally" on the inclusion of Udham Singh Nagar would be resolved "amicably". Talking to media, Mr Khurana said that the Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal was expected to visit New Delhi in a day or two and then the issue would be discussed. Stating that he personally felt "anguish and pain" at the Shiromani Akali Dal’s (SAD) threat to withdraw support, Mr Khurana said that he considered his success in bringing the SAD to the BJP fold as the most major achievement of his 40 years of political life. He said the Haryana Lok Dal had come into the fold thanks to the efforts of Mr Badal. The Minister, in a pensive mood, said that he did not consider the BJP-SAD alliance as a mere tie-up but a deep bond of unity, friendship and understanding. He said that after Operation Bluestar, he had taken it as personal mission to forge deep ties between the Punjabis and other people. The result of his year-long efforts were there all to see, Mr Khurana said adding that because he felt personally involved,he had been meeting SAD leaders to find a solution. Meanwhile,
former Union Minister B.S. Ramoowalia said that his stand
on Udham Singh Nagar’s exclusion from the proposed
Uttaranchal state had been vindicated with the reported
decision of the Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) to withdraw
support to the BJP coalition on the issue. Hardwar’s inclusion opposed LUCKNOW, Aug 7 (PTI) — Close on the heels of the Shiromani Akali Dal’s threat to pull out of the BJP-led government over the inclusion of Udham Singh Nagar in Uttaranchal, two coalition partners in the Kalyan Singh Government have raised their voice against inclusion of Hardwar in the proposed state. Two major partners in the Kalyan Singh Ministry, the Loktantrik Congress and the Jantantrik BSP, have opposed the draft bill prepared by the central government for including Hardwar district in the proposed Uttaranchal state. The state Energy Minister and the Loktantrik Congress leader Naresh Agarwal has openly criticised the draft bill and stated that his party would oppose the move to include Hardwar in the proposed hill state. The inclusion of Udham Singh Nagar and Hardwar will be an undemocratic and anti-people step,” SP president Mulayam Singh Yadav said here today. People of the two districts differed sharply with other parts of the proposed hill state in language, culture and traditions, he claimed in a statement. Stating that the SP was in
favour of the hill state, Mr Yadav, however, said,
“People of these two districts must not be forcibly
pushed into the new state.” |
No high-rise threat: Navy NEW DELHI, Aug 7 — Almost a year after the Vice-Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Sushil Kumar had sought resources to acquire almost 800 sq feet of land next to the Mobile Missile Coastal Battery (MMCB) complex in Worli, the Navy has declared the same complex as insignificant. While seeking more than Rs 1 crore for the acquisition of the piece of land next to the MMCB, the Vice- Admiral in his letter to the Defence Secretary had also declared that the complex, “ had been established to meet the threat to Mumbai, especially from the North-Western (Pakistan) sector”. He had further said that the complex was, “an operational requirement. It was also tactically necessary to position the missile battery at Worli. It cannot be relocated....”. However Naval Headquarters in its report to the Ministry of Defence in regard to the coming up of high rise buildings close to the complex, has declared that it was insignificant and old. It has further pointed out that due to the construction of the high rise buildings bang opposite the MMCB complex at Worli, which were also overlooking the Naval dockyard, there was no security threat of any kind to the complex. What was intriguing was that Naval Headquarters had also declared that Commander S. Sharma, Commanding Officer of INS Trata, of which the MMCB complex was also a part, was not in the know of the real picture before he raised the issue with the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai to stop the construction of the high rise buildings. The Ministry of Defence had sought a detailed report over the coming up of the buildings in close vicinity of the MMCB complex with the basic idea of pinpointing responsibility for the granting of permission for their construction. The details had been sought after media reports had pointed out that the buildings were now being considered as a security risk by the Navy itself after it had initially granted permission for their construction. The residential complex was being considered to be a hindrance for naval exercises. According to sources the Comptroller and Auditor-General (CAG) of India had also sought details in this regard and was also wanting to inquire into the various aspects of the permission being granted for the construction of the buildings. Opposition to the construction of the buildings had come from Commander S. Sharma last year. Pointing to the security risk posed by the two buildings, the Commanding Officer had written to the Municipal Corporation, Greater Mumbai, to stop the construction. The genesis of the present controversy goes back to the letter (No. WK/3758-111) signed by Captain Yadav, Command Works Officer, on behalf of Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command, on February 1, 1995. It read, “approval of Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Bombay, is hereby accorded for construction work for following as per FSI (Floor Space Index): Plot No 1 of Scheme 52 of Worli Estate.” There was a similar letter of approval (WK/3033-111/26, dated January 31, 1994) for the other building. The matter lay buried till the time, Commander S. Sharma took over as Commanding Officer of INS Trata and wrote to the Municipal Corporation, Greater Mumbai on May 15, 1997. In its response the Municipal Corporation wrote back that necessary approval from the Headquarters Western Naval Command had already been obtained for the proposed buildings. It further said since, “ we have not heard from your office , it is presumed that there is no objection to permit the said proposed work”. Following a
directive from the Ministry of Defence, a team of Defence
Estate Officers had also inspected the site and had
subsequently reported that the buildings under
construction were a security risk. |
Sukh Ram’s plea dismissed NEW DELHI, Aug 7 (PTI) — A Delhi court today refused to drop proceedings against former Union Minister Sukh Ram in a disproportionate assets case on the ground that the CBI did not obtain sanction from “appropriate authority” necessary in view of the Supreme Court ruling in JMM MPs’ bribery case. Dismissing his plea, Special Judge Ajit Bharihoke said “as the cognisance in the case was taken much before the Supreme Court judgment in JMM MPs bribery case, I hold it (cognisance) perfect and legal”. Sukh Ram had moved the court on April 30 last saying “there was no proper sanction from the appropriate authority as required under Section 19 of the Prevention of Corruption Act for prosecuting him.” The CBI alleged that during his tenure as member of Parliament and Union Minister between June 1991 and August 1996, Sukh Ram had amassed property disproportionate to his known sources of income by abusing his official position. Sukh Ram had sought the
relief as he was an MP during the said period and the
prosecution should have taken sanction of the Lok Sabha
Speaker before filing the charge sheet. |
Suicide after killing colleague,
says autopsy NEW DELHI, Aug 7 — The report of the second autopsy conducted at the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) has proved that Rajiv Raja, a Production Assistant of Zee TV, consumed poison after sexually assaulting and killing his colleague, Monica Malik, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mr R.S. Ghumman said. The report makes it clear that organic phosphorous poison was taken some time after Rajiv had drunk alcohol. The police has now ruled out any possibility of a third person being involved in the incident. The bodies of Rajiv and Monica, who worked as Production Assistants in Zee television, were found in the latter’s car in his garage in INA colony, South Delhi, on Wednesday morning. The first autopsy of Rajiv was also conducted at the AIIMS while that of Monica was conducted in Safdarjung Hospital. The post-mortem report of Rajiv Raja said he died due to the lethal combination of organic phosphorous compound and liquor. The report states that he was heavily drunk. Monica, however, was smothered. The report further states that the cause of her death was asphyxia. There were marks on her neck which created the suspicion that she might have been strangled. Before being murdered Monica was sexually assaulted, the report stated. Monica was a resident of 51 Raja Garden. She had left her house saying she was going for night duty at her office. Rajiv started consuming liquor around 9 p.m. on Tuesday and died 1.30 a.m. The vomit found in the car and outside was of Rajiv. The officer said a note
found in the pocket of Rajiv written by Monica stated:
“Although I was not fond of you till a few days
back. But since then my feelings for you have changed.
Now I do not want to lose you”. This ruled out any
foul play on the part of Monica, the officer said. |
Govt not to contest Biswas’ exoneration NEW DELHI, Aug 7 (PTI) — The Centre is not considering challenging in the Supreme Court exoneration of the CBI Joint Director, Mr U.N. Biswas, by the Calcutta High Court on the issue of seeking Army’s assistance for executing the arrest warrant against former Bihar Chief Minister Laloo Prasad Yadav in the fodder scam case last year, official sources said today. However, the Centre might contest the direction of the Patna High Court that the CBI should report progress in the case to a monitoring Bench of the court alone, though it had not yet taken a final view in the matter, they said. The Patna High Court has taken up monitoring of the investigation of the case which is being tried in a designated court. The Samata Party, an ally of the ruling coalition at the Centre, has threatened to review its support if the Centre went in appeal against exoneration of Biswas by the Calcutta High Court, saying that such a move would amount to giving protection to the scamsters. A demand for filing a special leave petition in the apex court against the Calcutta High Court verdict was raised by Rashtirya Janata Dal members and some others in the just concluded budget session. The deadline for filing such an appeal is August 12. Mr Biswas had sought Army’s help for executing the warrant of arrest against Yadav on July 30 last year on a verbal direction of the Patna High Court and was severely criticised for this by some Opposition parties particularly the ruling RJD in Bihar. Following this, the Centre had constituted the Durai Commission to go into the issue. The commission reportedly found Biswas and two others guilty of seeking Army’s help by surpassing the laid down procedure for the purpose. After getting a direction from the CBI headquarters for executing the arrest warrant, Biswas had asked local CBI officers to get in touch with the Patna High Court when they reported that the situation was volatile and they were feeling insecure in arresting Yadav from the chief minister’s official residence. The officials then
approached the high court early in the morning and on its
verbal direction sought the Army’s assistance which
was, however, declined by senior officers of Danapur
cantonment. |
Cabinet clears support prices NEW DELHI, Aug 7 (PTI) — The cabinet today approved minimum support prices (MSP) for the 1998-99 kharif season for various crops including paddy, oilseeds and cotton. The MSP would be effective from October 1, an official spokesman announced here. For Paddy, an MSP of Rs 440 per quintal has been approved for common variety and Rs 470 for reclassified fine and superfine varieties under grade A. The increase for both varieties this season is Rs 25 as compared to the last kharif season. The highest increase in MSP has been for cotton ranging from Rs 110 to Rs 120 per quintal. While the F-414 and H-777 varieties would be Rs 1440 per quintal that of H-4 variety would be Rs 1650 per quintal. For oilseeds the rise in MSP ranges from Rs 35 to Rs 60. While MSP for groundnut-in-shell has been raised to Rs 1040, for sunflower it is up to Rs 1060 per quintal. The increase in MSP for coarse grains — jowar, bajra , maize and ragi — ranges between Rs 40 and Rs 50. The approved increase in
MSP for arhar (tur), urad, and moong is Rs 960 per
quintal, an increase of Rs 60 per quintal as compared to
previous kharif season. |
Conviction in dowry case upheld NEW DELHI, Aug 7 — The Supreme Court has upheld the conviction of a husband and exonerated the mother-in-law in a dowry death case from Sonepat in Haryana. The court upheld the judgement and order of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, which had reversed the acquittal order of the Sessions Judge, Sonepat, and dismissed the appeal of the husband. The deceased had been married to the accused seven years ago and bore a son for him. She died of asphyxia caused by smothering. He was convicted under Section 304-B and sentenced to 10 years rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 5000. Mr Justice S.P. Kurdukar delivering the judgement of the Bench, which included Mr Justice G.T. Nanavati, found that the evidence of the father, mother of the deceased and the person who intervened in the case consistent and sufficient to prove the guilt of the accused husband. The deceased Sumitra,
daughter of Suraj Bhan, a teacher, was married to the
accused Prem Singh on June 24, 1988. After the marriage
she went to her parent’s house and complained to her
father and mother Phool Devi. Her father expressed his
helplessness in meeting dowry demands of her in-laws. |
| In
brief Noise-free bus Tigon’s
longevity Release of 470
birds ordered INSA pulled up |
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