Saturday, October 17, 1998
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Efforts on to restore Army
website on J&K NEW DELHI, Oct 16 — The takeover of the Indian Army’s only website on Jammu and Kashmir by the hackers from across the border has set off a flurry of activity both in the Ministry of Defence and Army Headquarters. Left
grounded UF: Gowda |
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Sat Mahajan calls on Sonia Gandhi NEW DELHI, Oct 16 — The Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee president, Mr Sat Mahajan, today expressed confidence that his party would win the forthcoming Baijnath assembly byelection and that its outcome would have a bearing on the future of the Dhumal government. SP, Cong leaders at loggerheads in
UP Battalion
raising: AG indicts Bihar Govt
scheme to promote science Maneka
releases book 14-day
remand for ISI agent Defer
fresh delimitation of seats: MPs I
was dropped because of my caste: Gupta Situation
in NE ‘alarming’ BJP
to name candidates on Nov 3 India-Mauritius
air link next year Arun
Gawli to help slain cops’ families |
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Efforts on to restore Army website
on J&K NEW DELHI, Oct 16 — The takeover of the Indian Army’s only website on Jammu and Kashmir by the hackers from across the border has set off a flurry of activity both in the Ministry of Defence and Army Headquarters. While efforts were under way to restore the website, the Army officials have also decided to obtain the necessary locking system. An Army spokesman here said the authorities had decided to obtain the locking system called the Firewall to eliminate any chances of recurrence of such mischief. According to reports, the officials were hoping to restore the website, which was being maintained by the headquarters of 15 Corps based at Srinagar, by the weekend. The website which was the brainchild of the General Officer Commanding, 15 Corps, Lt-Gen Kishan Pal, had been started on August 18 last with the basic idea of countering the Pakistan propaganda on Jammu and Kashmir. It had been started for providing the factual information on the situation prevailing in the state. Pakistan, according to sources, has over 150 such sites on the internet which spread false propaganda about the situation in Jammu and Kashmir. While all the sites were being sponsored by the intelligence agencies from across the border, they were being maintained either by the Pakistan Army, or NGOs or other such agencies operating both from Pakistan or even from other countries. The Cyber war underway between India and Pakistan was also part of the ‘‘psychological war’’ which was continuously on between the two countries. The Indian Army officials were now hoping to take all precautions to ensure that the embarrassing situation did not occur again. Sources said the Indian Army had initially not obtained the locking system for the website as it had not been anticipated that hackers would manage to break through the entry code. All the data available on the website in the last few days was apparently being fed from across the border in the name of the Indian Army. According to the Army spokesmen, the trouble had first been noticed on October 13 and the anomaly was finally noticed on October 18. The hackers managed to change the parameters of the site and hence the visitors were being directed to a different server. According to reports ever since the site had been started, it had become very popular and was being visited by thousands of visitors from around the world every day. This was evidently hurting the interests of Pakistan. Although generally it is very difficult to take over dedicated websites, regular internet surfers warn that a website could be taken over by another user in case the norms of the "Internic", the international registrar of websites which gives domain names on specific request, are and not followed and its fees and other charges are not paid regularly. If this happens, any surfer anywhere in the world can foot the unpaid bill, complete all procedural formalities and seek a change in the address or contact number of the website from its original one. While on October 13, the website was taken over by someone having a Lahore phone number "92-42-8629323", the site was taken over by an unknown group. This site is currently maintained by many people who feel for Kashmiris and ongoing massacre in Kashmir under the control of the Indian Army." This distorted site contains pages of so-called backgrounders on the Kashmir issue prepared by the Pakistan government. The website from which these backgrounders were taken is called "www.pak.gov.pk/govt/kashmir.htm". The site also contained the names of Britain-based individuals and organisations who, its operators said, could provide more information on the "real situation" in Kashmir. The "guest book" of the original site was partially restored on October 14. The "guest book", meant for eliciting comments of those surfers who hit the site, was full of anti-India superlatives and four-letter adjectives. Even this morning, the site, registered in the name of Lt Col M.K. Bawa, was being operated by anti-India operatives. While refusing to comment on the "embarrassing situation", some Ministry officials felt there was an urgent need to have an internet policy which was currently absent. There has been
considerable delay on this court by the Ministry, whose
Defence Planning staff is the nodal agency for such
matters, they added. |
Sat Mahajan calls on Sonia
Gandhi NEW DELHI, Oct 16 — The Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee president, Mr Sat Mahajan, today expressed confidence that his party would win the forthcoming Baijnath assembly byelection and that its outcome would have a bearing on the future of the Dhumal government. Mr Mahajan who called on the Congress president, Mrs Sonia Gandhi, said he gave his assessment of the party’s chances in the forthcoming byelection after a nine-day tour of the constituency. He said the pradesh election committee would meet in Shimla on October 26 to shortlist candidates. Later, he along with the CLP leader, Mr Virbhadra Singh, and the DCC president of Kangra would meet the party high command. The aspirants include the widow of former PPC president Sant Ram, his son Sudhir Sharma, Mr Kuldeep Rana, Mr Suresh Sharma, Mr Lokinder Thakur, Dr Banwal, Mr Baldev Rana and Mr Trilok Kapoor. Mr Sant Ram was representing the Baijnath assembly constituency which fell vacant following his death earlier this year. Mr Mahajan said he would resume his tour of the constituency after Divali. “The idea is to assess the mood of the people and their choice of candidate,” he explained. Several other Congress leaders from the state, including Mrs Chandresh Kumari, MP, and Mrs Vidya Stokes, who is also an observer for the Delhi assembly elections and Mr G S Bali met the Congress president separately. Mr Mahajan claimed if the Congress was able to retain the seat, it could be in a position to form the government in Himachal Pradesh. Asked if his plans to unseat the PK Dhumal-led BJP coalition government had the sanction of the Congress high command, he said at present the “views are my own”. He said during the past six months, the people of Himachal Pradesh had “suffered” law and order problems. There was feeling of “insecurity among the people with the increase in robberies, violence against women, mass transfers and victimisation,” he alleged. Attacking the state government for its alleged inaction, he said the Chief Minister did not bother to visit Chamba area which was ravaged by a fire. “No relief has been provided to the affected people and it appears the government is not interested in their welfare”. Mr Mahajan charged that developmental works had come to a standstill at the panchayat and block level. In addition, he said, the recent expansion by the Chief Minister showed panic in the BJP camp. “From panic now it is confusion as cracks have appeared within the BJP and in its relations with its alliance partner, the Himachal Vikas Congress”. Incidentally, the Chief Minister, who was in Delhi earlier this week was besieged by aspirants who wanted to be inducted into the State Council of Ministers. Mr Dhumal also met the HVC
president, Mr Sukh Ram, in Delhi. The Chief Minister told
TNS here yesterday that all issues had been settled and
his government faced no threat. |
Left grounded UF: Gowda NEW DELHI, Oct 16 (UNI) — Former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda today blamed the Left parties for grounding the United Front soon after it lost power, and said the third front they were now floating as an alternative might have problems in winning the confidence of the people. In a veiled attack on the Left parties, Mr Gowda, in an interview to UNI, said formation of a front for the sake of convenience or out of political compulsions cannot succeed in creating an atmosphere of confidence in the people. The United Front became non-functional because of the Left parties, he said. Mr Gowda, however, made it clear that he would not create obstacles to the formation of the third front. “If anyone wants to form some other front, I have no objections. He said CPM General Secretary Harkishen Singh Surjeet, the prime mover behind the proposal to float a third front, had not consulted him in this regard. Former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda favoured retaining Article 356 in the national interest saying parties could sort out ways of overcoming its misuse by the ruling party at the Centre. He said he had no right to oppose the use of this provision in the Constitution in Bihar after he himself had to use this provision in Gujarat to dismiss the BJP government. I take full responsibility for using it and used it after fully being convinced that it was needed, he said. He did not say if there was any pressure from the Left parties and other parties in the United Front coalition partners to use the constitutional provision to dismiss the government. We can’t give up this provision from the statute books because this is the only weapon, the Centre has to discipline the state and maintain the national unity and integrity, he remarked. The parties could evolve a method of seeing that the provision is not misused, he said. Mr Deve Gowda said the JD had a historic past. It had an infrastructure in all the states and union territories. Three former Prime Ministers belonged to the party. The Dal would take up the cause of the farmers and villagers. He said he would visit every state and sit with the workers to solve problems that were bound to exist in any political party and work for revitalising the setup. “1999 will be a year of struggle for me beginning from this November’’, he declared. After the November elections, efforts would be made to strengthen the party in Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Punjab, Kashmir and Orissa where the JD had a “reasonable’’ base. In Karnataka, where it was the ruling party, the Dal was confident of maintaining its position, he added. On the BJP government, Mr Gowda said it was not able to perform because of internal squabbles. The government had not taken any major decision that was of relevance to the people. Home Minister L. K. Advani himself said on record that Pokhran was the only major decision. On the coalition governments, the former Prime Minister, who headed the first 13-party UF government for 11 months, said his party had shown that coalitions could perform and progress. The government had remained “scamfree’’ and economic indicators like containing inflation, price rise, fiscal-deficit, building up of foreign exchange reserves and a stable rupee were all positive. The country’s relationship with its neighbours was good and it was able to solve many contentious issues amicably like sharing of river waters with Bangladesh, Mahakali agreement with Nepal and signing of a confidence building treaty with China. The running of the
coalition depended upon the parties’ commitment to
programmes, policies, principles, and political
philosophy and leadership, he added. |
SP, Cong leaders at loggerheads in UP LUCKNOW, Oct 16 (PTI) — The Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav’s efforts to enlist the cooperation of the Congress for dislodging the BJP-led ministry at the Centre are apparently getting nowhere, as is evident from the war of attrition now on among senior leaders of the two parties in Uttar Pradesh. The public utterances of at least two top leaders of the Congress and SP would give the impression that Mr Yadav has a hard task on hand. “Mulayam Singh Yadav is misleading the Muslims as Jinnah had done, resulting in the unfortunate partition of the country”, UPCC chief Salman Khurshid charged, firing a salvo at the SP supremo. Mr Khurshid also accused Mr Yadav of following a sectarian political agenda and characterised the SP as a “casteist outfit run on the pattern of the Muslim League”. The Congress leader’s remarks evoked a pungent response from SP leader in the UP Vidhan Parishad, Ahmed Hassan. “Anyone who questions Mr Yadav’s secular credentials cannot be anything but a BJP agent”, Mr Hassan said. He also criticised “the secular pretentions” of the Congress and Mr Khurshid’s expressions of concern for Muslims. Mr Hassan held the Congress responsible for the dispute over the Babri Masjid since 1949, pointing out that the disputed structure was demolished also while the Congress was in power. Mr Khurshid, who was a
minister at the Congress, “did not think it
proper” to resign in protest against the demolition,
Mr Hassan taunted. |
Battalion raising: AG indicts Bihar PATNA, Oct 16 (PTI) — A recent report of the Accountant-General (AG) has detected glaring discrepancies in the raising of two new battalions of the Bihar Military Police (BMP) by the state government. The report said a proposal was cleared by the state for creation of two new battalions of the BMP in November 1995 for improving law and order in extremist-hit districts of south and central Bihar but these were not formed though Rs 11.70 crore out of Rs 12.37 crore sanctioned for the purpose was drawn and diverted for other purposes. The report said the new battalions were to have a strength of 1,738 personnel of all categories besides 310 other staff with their headquarters at Gaya and Hazaribagh, but the police headquarter played mischief by showing them as raised by simply transferring one company of force from each of the existing battalions (BMP-2 to BMP-15). The state government during December 1995 to February 1996 had sanctioned the total establishment expenditure of Rs 12.37 crore, including pay and allowances and procurement of resources for the two battalions which were to be known as BMP-7 and BMP-18, the report said. However, audit scrutiny of the two battalions in June 1998 revealed neither of the two battalions was formed “on stand alone basis.” The AG report further pointed out as there was no increase in the manpower of the BMP even after formation of the two battalions the very purpose of improving law and order situation in the Naxalite affected areas was “Frustrated”. Of the Rs 11.70 crore drawn by police headquarters from the contingency fund of the state, Rs 5.21 crore was spent on advance payment to the Bihar Police Building Construction Corporation, Rs 1 crore to the Patna Municipal Corporation and Rs 2.75 crore on the purchase of firearms and ammunition, the report said. Besides, Rs 1.30 crore was spent on the purchase of vehicle, Rs 72 lakh on the purchase of fax machines and photo copiers and Rs 45 lakh on other expenses, it said. The balance amount of Rs
27 lakh had remained unspent at the time of the audit
scrutiny in August last, the report said. |
Govt scheme to promote science NEW DELHI, Oct 16 (UNI) — The government has launched a new scheme “kishore vigyanik protsahan yojana” to inculcate an interest in science among the bright youngsters at the secondary and college level and enable them to pursue science studies and look for a career in science. Talking to UNI, the Minister for Human Resource Development Mr Murli Manohar Joshi said, that under the scheme, which was launched under the auspices of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, 50 students who had secured more than 90 per cent marks in science subjects in senior secondary examination would be selected from every state of the country. These students would be designated as CSIR Student Associates and given research facilities to work on a project of their choice during their vacations in any of the more than 40 CSIR laboratories and would be paid a stipend of Rs 500 per week plus other expenses. He said these students could avail this facility for three years before completing their graduation. The Minister said 11 scientists had been selected for the recently instituted “swarna jayanti fellowships to young scientists”. He expressed the hope that in future these scientists could contribute towards making Indian science internationally competitive. He said the government had decided to give free education to every girl child in the country up to graduation level and following the announcement by the Prime Minister to this effect it was included in the national agenda of the BJP-led coalition government at the Centre. He said a detailed action plan had been prepared about giving free education to girl child which would be given a final touch at the meeting of the education ministers of all states next week. He said similarly scores
of schemes were taken up to involve the youth, voluntary
organisations and educational institutions in the task of
universalisation of education. These schemes also had
avenues to earn while learning and serving, Mr Joshi
informed. |
Maneka releases book NEW DELHI, Oct 16 — Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, Mrs Maneka Gandhi released a book on “Food for reversing heart disease” in the Capital today. Authored by Dr Bimal Chajjer, founder Chairman of the SAAOL Heart Programme, the zero-oil cook book contains recipes for food items prepared without use of a single drop of oil. Releasing the book on the occasion of the third anniversary of the SAAOL Heart Programme, Mrs Gandhi expressed the hope that the oil free recipes in the book would be used by nursing homes and other centres of healing. While congratulating the
author for the timely book, Mrs Gandhi said heart disease
was the number one killer in the world today. |
14-day remand for ISI agent AHMEDABAD, Oct 16 (PTI) — Shafiq-ur-Rahman of Jodhpur, alleged harbourer of two Pakistani Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) men, sent here to eliminate Union Home Minister L.K. Advani and Gujarat Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel, was today remanded in police custody for 14 days. The anti-terrorist squad (ATS) of the Gujarat police had arrested Shafiq from a building under construction at Sabarmati here yesterday. ATS sources said Shafiq came to Ahmedabad from Jodhpur with two ISI men, Abu Kasem alias Ajmal and Usman alias Bablu, some months ago and undertook a contract for laying stones at the building and engaged the duo in the work. While Ajmal was arrested by the ATS and shot dead by his escorts three days ago when he made an attempt to escape, Bablu was said to have fled with RDX and weapons to Mumbai. The members of the gang were familiarising themselves with the topography of Ahmedabad and state capital Gandhinagar which is the constituency of Mr Advani. ATS sources said Shafiq
who frequented Pakistan to see his relatives was
contacted by a maulana there who instructed him to
provide shelter to the two men he would send to India. |
Defer fresh delimitation of
seats: MPs NEW DELHI, Oct 16 — A group of Parliamentarians and legislators has suggested that the next delimitation of constituencies should be frozen for another 25 years. At a day-long national consultation on population and development held here earlier this week, the participants were of the opinion that by 2025 India’s population would stabilise at the national level and hence the delimitation due after 2000 AD would have different results. Reviewing the implications of the next delimitation to be held after the 2001 census, it was felt that states which have been successful in controlling and stabilising population will lose out to those states where population had risen comparatively because the former states will retain less Parliamentary seats. It was also agreed that while policies and programmes for population were in order, its implementation was not proper, according to a release of the Indian Association of Parliamentarians on Population and Development, which organised the meeting. As a way out, it was agreed that elected representatives, right from the national level, should take up population stabilisation programmes on priority basis. The meeting, which was organised in association with the United Nations Population Fund, was inaugurated by the former Prime Minister, Mr I. K. Gujral. It was to review the progress of the International Conference on Population and Development held in Cairo, Egypt in 1994. Among those who took part
were Mrs Margaret Alva, Dr Girja Vyas, Mr Vasant Sathe,
Ms Shabana Azmi, Mr NKP Salve, Mrs Renuka Chowdhary, Ms
Nirmala Deshpande and Mr Kapil Sibal, the release added. |
I was dropped because of my
caste: Gupta NEW DELHI, Oct 16 — The former Transport Minister of Delhi, Mr Rajendra Gupta, who was dropped from Ms Sushma Swaraj’s cabinet today said that there has been an emergence of “jativad culture” to which his party was “no exception”. “I have no demand, no expectations, whether I am in chair or not. But the future of political system is disturbing as we find growing influence of jativad in politics and BJP is no exception to this,” Mr Gupta said here today. “Sushma Swaraj has not dropped me. I have been dropped by a decision of a new political thought,” he said claiming that voters belonging to the 15 per cent Vaishya community would play a “decisive role” in the November 25 polls in Delhi. On being asked whether the demand put forward by his Vaishya community would not further encourage politics of casteism, Mr Gupta said, “What choice do they have when people playing the caste card are being rewarded? In our case, the calibre is pushed into a second fiddle.” The former minister
claimed that he could not have been dropped on the basis
of his performance. |
Situation in NE ‘alarming’ AGARTALA, Oct 16 (UNI) — The prevailing law and order situation in the four north eastern states — Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur and Tripura — is alarming and hard steps need to be taken, the Parliamentary Standing Committee attached to the Union Home Ministry has said. Addressing a press conference here, committee leader S.P. Jain said today that the committee had assessed the situation in the four NE states, studied the developmental activities and acquainted itself with the problems facing these states during its visit there from October 8 to 16. The committee members would meet shortly after returning to New Delhi to finalise its report, which would be submitted to Parliament during the coming winter session, beginning on November 30,” Mr Jain said, adding they all — the four states — were demanding more money and security forces to tackle the situation and also measures to intensify developmental activities. He said during its nine-day visit, the standing committee team, comprising 17 MPs from the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, met all governors, chief ministers, their cabinet colleagues, officials, major and local political party leaders, non governmental organisations among others. Mr Jain said for the first
time such a big team of MPs visited the North East to
study the problems of the region. The committee had also
visited a number of projects and areas for an assessment
of economic and infrastructure development. |
BJP to name candidates on Nov
3 NEW DELHI, Oct 16 — The Bharatiya Janata Party will announce its candidates for the Delhi assembly elections on November 3. The last date for filing of nominations is November 6. The campaign committee chairman, Mr VK Malhotra, said here today that the party’s central election committee would begin deliberations in Delhi on November 1 to decide the candidates for the November 25 assembly elections. Releasing a statement on the achievements of the BJP government in the Capital, Mr VK Malhotra said: "Delhi is the only state in the country where the BJP has secured more than 50 per cent votes in the Lok Sabha elections held in 1996 and 1998." "During the past nine years, from 1989 till date, four Lok Sabha elections, one legislative assembly election, and one municipal corporation election have been held. In all these elections, the BJP won 60 to 86 per cent seats," Mr Malhotra said. The president of the Delhi unit of the BJP, Mr Mange Ram Garg, said Prime Minister AB Vajpayee would launch the BJP’s election campaign in the Capital on October 24 by addressing a rally at Chatrasal Stadium. Among other things, the
list of achievements included establishment of the
institution of Lok Pal, decentralisation of the
administration, establishment of Indraprastha University,
making moral education compulsory in schools and a heavy
rebate in property tax. |
India-Mauritius air link next year BANGALORE, Oct 16 (PTI) — Mauritian Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam today announced that a flight between Mauritius and Bangalore would be launched next year and an institute of management technology set up in his country in joint ventures with India. Dr Ramgoolam said air connection to Bangalore would be the fourth flight service between Mauritius and India and details in this regard were being worked out. The Mauritian Prime Minister, who addressed a Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) meeting and reporters, also announced that the fourth branch of the State Bank of Mauritius in India would be opened in Bangalore. He said there were vast opportunities for Indian businessmen to boost bilateral economic ties in the fields of light engineering, electronics, jewellery, telecom and information technology. Indian businessmen, Dr Ramgoolam said, could look at Mauritius as a “gateway” to Africa and noted that the South African Development Community (SADC) with 14 member countries offered access to a market of 200 million persons. To a query, Dr Ramgoolam
said Mauritius enjoyed a special relationship with India
and his mission during the present visit was to further
the economic cooperation between the two nations. |
Arun Gawli to help slain cops’ families MUMBAI, Oct 16 (UNI) — Underworld don-turned-politician Arun Gawli has decided to lend support to the families of policemen killed while performing duty. On the “bhai-dooj” day next Thursday Gawli’s political outfit, the Akhil Bharatiya Sena (ABS), will formally launch a scheme by providing monetary support or assist the next of kin to search for jobs. If required, the families will be also be provided housing assistance. “All policemen are not bad... there are only certain groups which are corrupt and I do not have any grudges against them,” Gawli said today during meeting with reporters at his bastion Dagdi Chawl at Byculla in South-Central Mumbai. He alleged that the Shiv
Sena-BJP alliance government, in many cases, had failed
to provide assistance to families of cops who lost their
lives in exchange of fire with criminals, dealing with
terrorists or in bomb explosions. |
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| 2 designers admit concealed
income MUMBAI: Two fashion designers have admitted to a concealed income of Rs 1.8 crore even as unaccounted cash of Rs 16 lakh was seized from another during the ongoing country-wide searches by officials of the Income Tax Department on seven fashion designers and one jewellery designer. A number of incriminating documents indicating unaccounted sales and expenditure and investments in real estate have been seized during the raids on 39 premises in Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Calcutta, Amritsar and Jaipur, a total of 24 premises were covered in Mumbai alone. — PTI Skin bank to be set up Memorial dedicated
to workers Wedding bells for
Gemini Ganesh Award for HAL
chairman Telecom staff
strike postponed |
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