Sunday, October 25, 1998
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Bihar sends report on law & order PATNA, Oct 24 — The Bihar Government has sent a detailed report to the Centre on the law and order situation in the state on the directive of the Union Home Ministry. Buta aims for CM’s post JAIPUR: Discarded by Punjab, Mr Buta Singh has now set his eyes on the chief ministership of Rajasthan. |
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Inquiry sought into judges’ resignation MUMBAI, Oct 24 — Judicial circles here have been taken by surprise at the abrupt resignations of two Bombay High Court judges who were hearing sensitive cases, including a public interest litigation against the Maharashtra Chief Minister, Mr Manohar Joshi. Tie-up with BSP in MP, says
Cong PM
resorting to 'diversionary tactics' ITBP
men against extension in retirement age RLM's
no to third front sans Laloo Speaker
rejects pleas for MLAs' disqualification China's
objection "not justified" 26
per cent foreign equity likely in insurance |
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Bihar sends report on law & order PATNA, Oct 24 (UNI) — The Bihar Government has sent a detailed report to the Centre on the law and order situation in the state on the directive of the Union Home Ministry. According to official information, the report contains date-wise details of the incidents of murder and rape, besides other crimes, during the 15-month rule of Chief Minister Rabri Devi. The Centre in a fax message had sought detailed information within 24 hours on the prevailing law and order situation in Bihar taking serious note of the killing of 600 persons by extremists and murder of 70 political leaders and activists during the past 15 months. The state government had initially sought a week for sending the report, but on being pressurised by the Centre it despatched it last week. Much significance is being attached to this development in bureaucratic circles here in view of Union Home Minister L.K. Advani's statement that the option of imposing President’s rule in the state is still open. However Bihar Home Secretary Narendra Bhagat termed as "incorrect and mischievous" reports to the effect that the state government had sent a "fresh" report to the Centre on the law and order situation. "We use to send a routine report to the Centre every fortnight. That is only a routine exercise," he said in Patna. Claiming that the law and order situation in Bihar was "fully under control," he said a crucial meeting of top police officials of Bihar and its bordering states of West Bengal, Orissa and Madhya Pradesh would take place on October 27 to discuss a strategy to contain extremism. Union Home Secretary B.P.
Singh would also participate, Mr Bhagat said. |
Buta Singh aims for CM’s
post JAIPUR: Discarded by Punjab, Mr Buta Singh has now set his eyes on the chief ministership of Rajasthan. He has declared that he would be the next CM of the desert state. Mr Buta Singh, who presently represents the Jalore constituency of Rajasthan in Parliament, now plans to contest the Vidhan Sabha election in the state slated for November 25. Mr Buta Singh who deserted the Congress before the last Lok Sabha elections after being denied party ticket had supported formation of the BJP government was made minister in the Vajpayee government. His honeymoon with the party whom he had all along been branding as communal did not however last long and was asked to relinquish ministerial berth. Since then he considers the BJP as his enemy number one. After his expulsion from the Vajpayee government Mr Buta Singh made efforts for return to the Congress party and as he says he even met Mrs Sonia Gandhi thrice but all in vain. Now the former Congressman says that the Congress has no future in Rajasthan. “Senior party leaders are fighting with each other and are busy to wrest as many tickets as possible for their henchmen. On account of this the graph of the Congress is constantly sliding down”, he says. According to him top positions in the Congress have been usurped by those who have little faith in strengthening the party. These leaders are interested only in serving their own selfish ends. He has now formed a regional party of his own which will contest coming Vidhan Sabha elections in Rajasthan. Announcing this at a press conference on Wednesday at Jodhpur Mr Buta Singh said the name, flag and constitution of his party would be finalised in a week’s time. Mr Buta Singh says he will sponsor his candidates after the Election Commission allots a symbol to his party. He told newsmen that his workers were getting restive and he took the decision to form his own party to contain them. Earlier Mr Buta Singh had said at Sirohi that he would be the next CM of Rajasthan as no other party, either the BJP or the Congress, will get enough seats to form a government on their own. “I will form the government with the help of third force this time in Rajasthan,” he declared. Though Mr Buta Singh has declared formation of his own party in the state he still holds Soniaji in high esteem. “I have met her several times after resigning from the Vajpayee government. I personally have high regard for Soniaji. My respects for the Gandhi family will in no way be adversely affected even after I form my regional party. I will be ready to help the Congress any time at the call of Soniaji. I have not deserted the Congress. The fact is that the Congress has discarded me.” Elaborating he told his workers that he had met Mrs Sonia Gandhi immediately after winning the Jalore parliamentary seat as an Independent, but she expressed her inability to admit him in her party in the wake of the feud between her and Mr Sitaram Kesri. Even after the scores were settled between the two, he was not readmitted in the party since the coterie around her always fed her with wrong facts, about him. PTI adds: Mr Buta Singh’s Rajasthan Vikas Party (RVP) on Saturday said it will contest all 200 seats in next month’s assembly elections in the state against the BJP and the Congress, but did not rule out electoral adjustments with the Rashtriya Loktantrik Morcha (RLM) and other “secular” regional parties. The party will go it alone in around 100 seats in Rajasthan and have adjustments with other parties in the rest, Mr Buta Singh said at a press conference here, adding “We will put up a third candidate against the BJP and the Congress in all seats”. However, asked if he would
agree to a post-poll alliance with the Congress if such a
situation arose, he said, “Based on our political
policies we will have alliance with any party, including
the Congress.” |
Inquiry sought into judges’ resignation MUMBAI, Oct 24 (IANS) — Judicial circles here have been taken by surprise at the abrupt resignations of two Bombay High Court judges who were hearing sensitive cases, including a public interest litigation (PIL) against the Maharashtra Chief Minister, Mr Manohar Joshi. Justice YS Jahagirdar and Justice AS Sakhare of the Bombay High Court last week tendered their resignations. Though both the judges maintained that they were resigning for “personal and family reasons”, legal and political circles here refuse to believe their version. Lawyers are reluctant to comment on the issue but senior Congress leader Chhagan Bhujbal has written to President KR Narayanan seeking a high-level inquiry into the resignations. In his letter, Mr Bhujbal said, “commenting on resignation of the judges may attract a contempt of court. Thus I sincerely appeal to Your Excellency to constitute an inquiry into the episode, which has been termed as a big blow to the judiciary by the legal luminaries.” Mr Bhujbal has also pointed out that Mr Jahagirdar’s resignation has come against the backdrop of an ongoing hearing on a PIL against the development of property in a controversial manner by Girish Vyas, son-in-law of the Chief Minister. The PIL contended that Vyas, who is a builder, got undue favour from the Chief Minister who allegedly allotted him a prime land in Pune city. The land in question was earlier reserved for a public school Justice Jahagirdar’s resignation has come at a time when the next hearing of the case was scheduled for November 4, Mr Bhujbal’s letter said. Copies of the letter have also been sent to the Chief Justice of India and the state Governor, Mr PC Alexander. On his part, Justice
Jahagirdar has stated that it is unfortunate that his
resignation has been given so much of importance in the
legal and political circles despite the fact that it is
his personal decision. “My decision to resign from
the prestigious post has had absolutely no connection
with the ongoing litigation against the Chief
Minister’s son-in-law,” he said. |
Tie-up with BSP in MP, says Cong NEW DELHI, Oct 24 (PTI) — The Congress today declared it had entered into a strategic electoral understanding with the BSP in Madhya Pradesh even as BSP chief Kanshi Ram ruled out any alliance with the Congress in any of the states going to polls next month. AICC spokesman, Ajit Jogi told reporters since the objective of the Congress and the BSP was to defeat communal and fascist forces they had entered into a strategic electoral understanding. He, however, said the Congress would contest all 320 seats in the state. Asked whether the understanding envisaged the Congress would put up weak candidates in some of the assembly constituencies, he said he was not in a position to reply to the query as it would lead to disclosing the party's electoral strategy. Meanwhile, kicking off the BSP's election campaign in Delhi at a rally Mr Kanshi Ram and BSP vice-president Mayawati ruled out any electoral alliance with the Congress in the coming assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Delhi. Explaining why the BSP could not tie up with the Congress, they said while Congress had gained from the BSP vote bank in the past its votes did not get transferred to the BSP as upper caste Congress supporters threw their lot behind the BJP. In an apparent reference to objections raised by some Congress leaders to forging an alliance with the BSP in Madhya Pradesh, Mr Kanshi Ram said: "There are many leaders in the Congress with the BJP line of thinking opposing such tie-up." He said the BSP never
approached the Congress for an alliance and the proposal
had come from that party. |
PM resorting to 'diversionary tactics' NEW DELHI, Oct 24 (PTI) — The Congress today accused Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee of indulging in "diversionary tactics" by asking party president Sonia Gandhi to desist from attempts to create instability in the country to cover up the "all round failure" of the BJP-led coalition. "The Congress never had the intention to topple the government, nor has it now", party spokespersons Girija Vyas and Ajit Jogi told mediapersons, adding that the party would fulfil constitutional obligations only if the government fell on its own. Reacting to the Prime Minister's remarks in an interview to a news weekly, they said the party understood the problems Mr Vajpayee was facing with inside the BJP as also from coalition partners. Mr Vyas said Mr Vajpayee was indulging in such tactics as the BJP did not know how to run a government and the coalition had been unable to tackle the problems on the economic, law and order and international fronts. She said the removal of Mr
Sahib Singh Verma as Delhi Chief Minister was just one
example of internal contradictions in the BJP. |
ITBP men against extension in retirement age NEW DELHI, Oct 24 (UNI) — Nearly 95 per cent of “other ranks” of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), including constables and head constables, are not happy with the two-year increase in their retirement age as recommended by the Fifth Pay Commission and want some financial incentive instead to lay back on. A survey conducted by the ITBP says that out of the more than 29,000 total force personnel, nearly 24,000 including constables and head constables, are unhappy about the retirement age increase because of being deployed at inhospitable heights and inadequate facilities. They instead want some financial package to see them through retirement. According to Mr Gautam Kaul, the extension was being taken as an “extension of two-year misery of working under difficult conditions.” “Important thing is to preserve the youthful spirit of the personnel and make sure they do not suffer by working at such an altitude. An ITBP jawan is deployed at an average height of 14,000 ft and working at such an altitude is injurious to health.” Mr Kaul said a proposal was being sent to the Home Ministry and it was being suggested that whoever completed 54 years of age of 30 years service in the force, may be entitled to full pension. “All those who are reaching that age, will seek retirement.” He said the working condition in high altitude areas were tough and incentives not very attractive. A proposal had been sent to the government to give similar incentives as given to troops deployed in Siachen. “We perform duties under similar conditions but the difference is that we do not get bombarded.” PTI adds: The government will look into the request of the ITBP to bring down the retirement age for “sepoys” and “havildars” to 55 years with full retirement benefits, Union Home Minister L. K. Advani said here on Saturday. “Let the request come formally to us from the ITBP and then we will consider,” Mr Advani said while addressing ITBP personnel at Tigri camp here on the occasion of the 37th raising day of the force. “This demand in
itself reflects the problems being faced by ITBP jawans
manning our borders,” the Home Minister said adding
that the government would do its level best to solve
their problems. |
RLM's no to third front sans
Laloo NEW DELHI, Oct 24 — The Rashtriya Loktantrik Morcha (RLM) today made it clear that it would not be a part of the proposed third front if Rashtriya Janata Dal supremo Laloo Prasad Yadav was left out as demanded by Left parties. Talking to mediapersons, RLM spokesman Amar Singh said Mr Laloo Prasad was indispensable and "there is no question of the RLM parting company with him". In reply to a question about the CPM general secretary Harkishen Singh Surjeet's remarks on a private TV channel interview that in no circumstances could Mr Laloo Prasad be adjusted in the third front, he said the morcha's stand on Mr Yadav was clear and there could be no compromise on that count. Asked on the scope of a settlement between Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav and Mr Surjeet on the matter, he said: "Mr Laloo's issue is a technical thing, but the LF and RLM are united on the broad issue of ensuring the ouster of the BJP. In that context such discussions are healthy". On division of non-BJP "secular votes" during the coming Assembly elections in MP, Rajasthan, Delhi and Mizoram for want of a tie-up between the RLM and the Congress, he said the morcha would keep "all options open till the last moment to avert such a split". "Our main endeavour
is to defeat the BJP and all attempts will be made to
avert a division in non-BJP votes. We will, not field
candidates where the prospects of morcha candidates
victory are slim". |
Speaker rejects pleas for MLAs' disqualification JAIPUR, Oct 24 (PTI) — Rajasthan Speaker Samarth Lal Meena today rejected petitions seeking disqualification of 13 members of the state assembly for either joining the Shekhawat ministry or supporting it from outside. While three petitions pending since 1994 were rejected today, two others pending since 1996 were done away with on October 17, an assembly secretariat release said here. All five petitions were filed under the 10th Schedule of the Constitution. Rejecting two petitions filed by Janata Dal leader Fateh Singh and Congress member Shanti Dhariwal, the Speaker held the formation of a new party, the Bharatiya Janata Dal, by three legislators — Mr Brijraj Singh, Mr Nasru Khan and Mr Punja Lal — in 1994 was a formal split in the parent party and therefore did not attract disqualification. In his order on another
petition filed by Congress member Jagdeep Dhankar against
Independent members Ganga, Ram Chaudhary, Sujan Singh
Yadav, Rohitshwa Kumar, Gyas Singh, Gurjant Singh, Mangla
Ram, Narendra Kanwar and Shashi Dutta, the Speaker held
the petitioner had failed to prove that all these
Independents had joined the BJP. |
China's objection "not
justified" NEW DELHI, Oct 24 — Stating that the Chinese reaction to Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee's meeting with the Dalai Lama was "neither called for nor justified", India yesterday said the Dalai Lama had been received by successive Indian Prime Ministers. A spokesman for the Ministry of External Affairs said the reaction was neither called for nor justified. "His Holiness the
Dalai Lama has been received in his capacity as a revered
spiritual and religious personage by successive Indian
Prime Ministers", the spokesman said. |
26 per cent foreign equity likely in insurance NEW DELHI, Oct 24 (UNI) — The Industry Ministry has proposed giving 26 per cent foreign stake and 14 per cent non-resident Indian stake in insurance joint ventures, Industry Secretary TR Prasad said here today. Talking to mediapersons, Mr Prasad said the remaining 60 per cent stake would be reserved for domestic players. This was part of the recommendation which the Industry Ministry had made to the sub-committee on insurance. Industry Minister Sikander Bakht gave his support to the 26 per cent limit placed on foreign equity in insurance saying "It is a good move and I totally support it." The group of ministers on
insurance had on October 22 agreed on the limit. The
recommendations of the group are being sent to the
Cabinet, which is expected to discuss the issue in the
last week of October or in the first week of November. |
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| 4 militants killed in
encounters HYDERABAD: Four militants were shot dead in encounters with the police while they hurled grenades at a police party and assaulted a sarpanch in separate incidents during the past 24 hours in Andhra Pradesh. The police here said that two extremists of the People’s War Group were killed in an exchange of fire at Jogapur village in Karimnagar district on Saturday. In another encounter at Kondapur also in Karimnagar district, two militants belonging to the CPI-ML (Janasakthi) were killed — UNI Editor to defend editorials Rajasthan gears up
for poll ‘Probe’
power house submersion ECHO aid for
flood-hit states HAL staff pay Rs
10 lakh to PM’s fund 7 commuters fall
off train, die |
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