Tibet issue: China buying time
DHARAMSALA Nov 7 — Reacting to the Chinese demand, urging the Dalai Lama to renounce his claim of total independence, the Secretary of the Tibetan Youth Congress, Mr Pema Lhundop, yesterday said that the Chinese had been adopting delaying tactics to find a solution to the Tibetan issue.

Dhumal government "not ignoring" Dalits
SHIMLA, Nov 7 — Mr Randhir Sharma, Vice-Chairman of the State Small Savings Advisory Board and secretary of the state unit of the BJP, has refuted the allegation of the Congress leader, Mr Gangu Ram Musafir, that the Dhumal government was ignoring the Dalits and backwards classes and charged him with fanning casteism in the state.

HPU raises upper age for girls
SHIMLA, Nov 7 — The upper age limit for admission of girls to undergraduate courses in Himachal Pradesh has been raised to 25 years.

Man kills grandma
DHARAMSALA, Nov 7 — In a fit of madness, a 36 year old man, Hardyal Singh, killed his grandmother and injured some other persons in Sadu Baragran village, under Kangra police station, today.

Tibet issue: China buying time
Tribune News Service

DHARAMSALA Nov 7 — Reacting to the Chinese demand, urging the Dalai Lama to renounce his claim of total independence, the Secretary of the Tibetan Youth Congress, Mr Pema Lhundop, yesterday said that the Chinese had been adopting delaying tactics to find a solution to the Tibetan issue. "They are just counting the years in the life of the Dalai Lama, as they are aware, that the Tibetan issue would die with his death," he stated.

He said the TYC would oppose any move to compromise on the demand for total independence. "We are confident and have full faith in the Dalai Lama that he will not overlook the sentiments of the Tibetan people, as a majority of them are for total independence." He said the TYC had stood for total independence and it would not accept if this political status was altered.

Mr Pema said, talks must be held without any precondition and somewhere outside China. "If at all the Dalai Lama has to go to China on a pilgrimage, we demand that the United Nations must ensure his safety, as the Tibetans do not trust the Chinese," he said. Reacting to the refusal of China to let the Dalai Lama go on a pilgrimage to China, he said the Chinese authorities knew that if he went there, the international community would compel the Chinese authorities to meet him.

"Moreover, even if the Dalai Lama decides to go to China, either for talks or for a pilgrimage, the Tibetans living in Dharamsala, will block his way to prevent him from going to China, as they do not wish to take chances with the Chinese," he disclosed. He added that the people had similarly surrounded his palace in Lhasa on March 10, 1959, when the Chinese had invited him to a show, without any aides.

On the issue of the refusal of China to recognise the Tibetan government-in-exile, the TYC leader said, even those Tibetans who were living in Tibet, considered the exiled government, the legitimate one. "Since the Dalai Lama, along with all his ministers came to India in 1959, so how can the autonomous government in Tibet be the legitimate one," he contested.

Meanwhile, the Minister for Information and International Relations in the Tibetan Government, Mr T.C. Tethong, on Friday denied any statement given by the Dalai Lama’s private secretary, Kelsang Gyaltsen, that "Tibet like Taiwan was part of China". He said a number of reports had been appearing in the Press that the Dalai Lama was willing to acknowledge Tibet and Taiwan to be part of China but these were incorrect and Mr Kelsang Gyaltsen had denied having made any such statement.

HPU raises upper age for girls
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Nov 7 — The upper age limit for admission of girls to undergraduate courses in Himachal Pradesh has been raised to 25 years.

This was decided in an emergency meeting of the Academic Council of Himachal Pradesh University here today.The meeting was presided over by the Vice-Chancellor, Mr C L Kundu.

It was decided that the minimum eligibility for admission to BA and B.Com would be 33 per cent marks.

The university coaches will henceforth be considered as teachers.

The Academic Council decided to give a special chance to the postgraduate students to appear in the examination with old syllabus to pass their degree or improve their score for which a special fee and only one centre has been approved.

It was decided that Hindi be allowed as a medium of examination at the B. Sc. level.

It was decided to hold an entrance test for admission to LL.B first semester under the self-financing scheme (evening shift) from the next session.

It was also decided that diploma holders in engineering with 60 per cent marks be allowed to take admission in to the second year of degree course with 10 per cent of intake only for bonafide Himachalis from next year.

The Academic Council also decided to scrap the pre Ph D course and to reintroduce M.Phil from the next session for candidates who have secured more than 55 per cent marks in the masters degree.

Meanwhile, Mr S C Chaudhary, has been appointed Dean of Studies in addition to his own duties as Dean, Students Welfare.

Dhumal government "not ignoring" Dalits
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Nov 7 — Mr Randhir Sharma, Vice-Chairman of the State Small Savings Advisory Board and secretary of the state unit of the BJP, has refuted the allegation of the Congress leader, Mr Gangu Ram Musafir, that the Dhumal government was ignoring the Dalits and backwards classes and charged him with fanning casteism in the state.

In a statement issued here yesterday, Mr Sharma said the Dalits and backward classes had been given the highest-ever representation in the ministry. While Mr Virbhadra Singh included only one cabinet and two ministers of state in his ministry, there were two cabinet and four ministers of state from the Scheduled Castes, two cabinet ministers from the other backward classes and one minister of state and one parliamentary secretary from the Scheduled Tribes in the present government.

Besides, the Chief Minister, Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, had also launched the Ambedkar Medhavi Chhatra Yojna to give free education to 1000 meritorious students from weaker sections.

While the Virbhadra Singh government 'ignored' the reserved categories while recruiting voluntary teachers and making other appointments on a contract basis, the Dhumal government had made provision of reservation in the proposed scheme, under which vidya upasaks, ayurvedic doctor and gopal sahayaks were to be appointed.

The BJP leader urged the people not to be 'misled' by the 'propaganda' of the Congress.

Man kills grandma

DHARAMSALA, Nov 7 — In a fit of madness, a 36 year old man, Hardyal Singh, killed his grandmother and injured some other persons in Sadu Baragran village, under Kangra police station, today.

According to the SP, Mr K.C. Sadyal, Hardyal Singh, who had been working as a panchayat chowkidar, attacked his grandmother, Gulabo Devi (85), killing her on the spot. A nine-year-old boy, Chandershekhar, also received serious injuries and has been admitted to the Zonal Hospital, here in a critical condition. Another female relative of Hardyal, also received minor injuries.

It was with great difficulty that the police arrested Hardyal as he also tried to attack them. A case has been registered under Section 302 of the IPC against him.