Tuesday, September 1, 1998
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Krishnamurthy backs Gill’s
suggestion LUCKNOW, Aug 31 —Election Commissioner G.V.G. Krishnamurthy today said that he subscribed to the suggestion made by Chief Election Commissioner M.S. Gill that the Chief Ministers of the four states going to the Assembly poll in November should resign to enable the administration to conduct the poll in a fair and free manner under the Governor’s rule. Prasar Bharati: selection panel to
meet soon |
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Two
more dropsy deaths reported |
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Alteration in ATR: Speaker to peruse
rule book CHENNAI, Aug 31 — The Lok Sabha Speaker, Mr G.M.C. Balayogi, today said the rule book of the Lower House had to be looked into on whether any alteration could be made on the action taken report on the Jain Commission’s final report, as requested by the Union Home Ministry. 78
more dead in UP floods Sonia
sets up MP campaign panel 2
hawala suspects arrested SC
notice on wage board for scribes Rao
surprised at newspaper reports |
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Krishnamurthy backs Gill’s suggestion LUCKNOW, Aug 31 (PTI) —Election Commissioner G.V.G. Krishnamurthy today said that he subscribed to the suggestion made by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) M.S. Gill that the Chief Ministers of the four states going to the Assembly poll in November should resign to enable the administration to conduct the poll in a fair and free manner under the Governor’s rule. "Whatever the CEC has suggested in this connection is his personal view and not that of the Election Commission, but I totally approve of it in my personal capacity too," Mr Krishnamurthy said while talking to newspersons here. The elections will be held in the four states of Delhi, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Mizoram. Referring to the criticism by political parties on the suggestions made by the CEC, he said, "In a democratic set-up, one should have the guts to look into such suggestions. You may or may not agree but you can not reject them out rightly without pondering over them." "I think there is substance in what the CEC has said and the issue should remain open for a public debate," he said. Referring to the U.P. Assembly elections in 1996, held under the President’s rule, he said the bureaucracy was under less pressure as compared to during a popular government. "There is no harm if the elections are held under neutral administration, he said asking "What is wrong if a Chief Minister moves out of power for two months?" Mr Krishnamurthy, said there was a need for electoral reforms and said constituencies should also be re-organised. Attacking the country’s political system, he said "it is ironical that while there is a minimum qualification mandatory to get an employment, this does not apply in case of an illiterate politician, who is considered fit to rule this country." "We need to seriously
think over all these aspects", he said adding that
"only a courageous and bold media can take up these
issues and mobilise public opinion against these
things." |
Indian scientists 'discriminated against' in West NEW DELHI, Aug 31 (UNI) — A noted biochemist of the country has sparked off a row in a leading international scientific journal with claims that most US-trained Indian scientists feel they are being discriminated against in the West. Dr G. Padmanaban, Director, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, wrote a letter in a recent issue of “Science” stating that the general perception among Indian scientists in leading institutions, most of whom are US-trained, is that they are being discriminated against. “Research papers sent to top international journals from India seem to be reviewed with a bias. Even if I manage to publish one of my papers in one of the best journals, it will seldom be quoted or have an impact unless I have a US-Western pedigree or connection with an inner circle,” writes the scientist. He says there is an inherent disbelief in the West that good research can be done in India. “Even if I am invited to deliver a lecture at an international research conference, I am made to feel like an outsider or am aware that I have been invited to satisfy a condition that someone from a developing country be included for the conference to be eligible for funds from an international agency,” he says. Dr Padmanaban claims a feeling of alienation permeates segments of Indian society that have anything to do with the West, the USA in particular. Although India has made giant strides in food production, space programme, information systems and possesses a stable economy, the West has always depicted India with bias and sarcasm. “It has been persistently represented by the USA and the West as the home of poverty, filth, disease and backwardness,” — the scientist argues. Under such circumstances the country’s nuclear tests in May this year created a “tremendous euphoria” among the people. This is because India has been persistently portrayed in the West as having negative qualities. “Given such a treatment, one clutches at any victory that makes one feel like an entity to be counted. It can win in cricket, a chess match, or a beauty contest, or even a nuclear blast,” says Dr Padmanaban. Dr Reddy of the Centre for Molecular Genetics at the University of California, says he fails to understand how the “euphoria” over the nuclear tests could be related to the Western alienation and bias against Indian scientists. He claims the experiences undergone by Dr Padmanaban were not unique to only Indian scientists but for anyone from a developing country. The feeling of alienation and purposelessness among Indian scientists have historical roots in the policies pursued by post-Independence India. “Instead of revamping the educational system to meet India’s societal needs successive governments made few changes in the colonial legacy, mainly for political reasons,” Dr Reddy points out. The result is that the kind of research undertaken by leading Indian universities and institutes today has nothing to do with the immediate societal, economic or scientific needs of India. The brain drain from the
country is a natural consequence of all this, says Dr
Reddy, who has done his PhD from Jawaharlal Nehru
University here. |
Prasar Bharati: selection panel
likely NEW DELHI, Aug 31 — The selection committee to fill the vacancies in the Prasar Bharati is likely to meet this week. While the axed Prasar Bharati Chief Executive Officer (CEO) S.S. Gill is likely to move the court tomorrow, seeking an injunction against the Ordinance, which was promulgated late on Saturday evening, and resulted in the termination of his high profile job, reports said the selection committee comprising the Vice-President Mr Krishna Kant, the Chairmen of the Press Council of India, the P.B. Sawant, and senior columnist T.V.R. Shenoy was likely to meet mid-week. The selection committee is to decide as to who would take over as the next CEO, besides the new chairman of the Prasar Bharati Board. Vacancies of member(finance) and member (personnel) are also to be filled. As of now the reports said Mr Kiran Karnik, the country's head of the Discovery Channel was heading the list of people likely to take over as the next CEO of the Prasar Bharati. There were also reports that senior journalist M.V. Kamat was expected to take over as the new chairman of the board. Sources said the government was keen that a professional, non-political person took over in the key position of the CEO. Karnik, who has had a long career in broadcasting, was said to fit the bill. Reports said he had even been sounded, but there was no confirmation as to whether he was willing to move from his present post. Meanwhile, there is speculation on whether Information and Broadcasting Minister, Sushma Swaraj will take the Bill through the Rajya Sabha. There is already a controversy raging over the issue after the minister failed to introduce the Bill in the Rajya Sabha in the last session. Over 120 opposition MPs in
the House had written to President, K.R. Narayanan not to
sign on the Ordinance. They said the BJP-led coalition
government had purposely avoided introducing the Bill in
the Rajya Sabha and was wanting to bypass the House by
getting the Ordinance promulgated. |
Two more dropsy deaths
reported NEW DELHI, Aug 31 — The Delhi Government today petitioned the Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court to appoint a high court judge to probe into the mustard oil contamination case. The official toll due to the epidemic dropsy mounted to 32 today after two more deaths were reported from city hospitals. The Chief Minister of Delhi, Mr Sahib Singh Verma, told newspersons here that any trader or official found guilty by the court would be brought to book. Even though two more dropsy deaths were reported, the state Health Minister, Dr Harsh Vardhan, said there seemed to be a constant improvement in the situation. He said 73 persons with symptoms of dropsy were admitted to various hospitals today and that the two deaths were reported from Deen Dayal Upadhyaya and Jai Prakash Narain hospitals. He said at present 606 persons with symptoms of dropsy were being treated in city hospitals. The minister said officials had gone to the designated court today to file 10 more cases of contaminated oil, including brands of Dhara, Kanodia, Scooter and Haathi. He said shopkeepers must destroy or return stocks of mustard oil to companies. He said even stocks of brands which did not figure in the list of adulterated brands must be declared by the shopkeepers. Asked whether the government would ban the sale of pickle as an additional preventive measure, he said: “ We have made it very clear that the sale of mustard oil in any form is banned, but we can consider a ban on the sale of pickles.” Those who had recovered
from dropsy must go for an eye check up as cases of
epidemic dropsy glaucoma had also been reported, he
added. |
Alteration in ATR: Speaker to peruse rule book CHENNAI, Aug 31 (PTI) — The Lok Sabha Speaker, Mr G.M.C. Balayogi, today said the rule book of the Lower House had to be looked into on whether any alteration could be made on the action taken report (ATR) on the Jain Commission’s final report, as requested by the Union Home Ministry. "I am not aware whether rules of the House permit any changes to be incorporated in a document already tabled in the House. The Lok Sabha had discussed the Jain panel's report for over 12 hours", he said while referring to the Centre’s request for deleting the name of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi from the list of suspects in the ATR. He told a press conference here he was yet to see the letter sent by the Union Home Ministry to the Lok Sabha Secretary-General in this regard. Asked about the ordinance on Prasar Bharati after the Lok Sabha passed the Bill, Mr Balayogi said the government should have got the Bill passed in the Rajya Sabha also. He declined to comment on the ordinance. Replying to a question on political "uncertainty" at the Centre, he said "uncertainty is not good for the development of the country." Asked for his comments on Home Minister L.K. Advani’s remarks that a commission to review the Constitution would be constituted next month, Mr Balayogi said he would not like to enter into any controversy on the issue. To a question whether he
preferred the presidential system of government in the
country, he said: "Parliamentary democracy is best
suited for the nation. We have experienced it for the
past 50 years." |
78 more dead in UP floods LUCKNOW, Aug 31 (PTI) — At least 78 more persons died in Uttar Pradesh floods, raising the toll to 998 today as the overall situation remained grim with some rivers flowing above the danger mark. The state government today declared three districts — Rae Bareli, Rampur and Ghaziabad — as flood-hit. The Ganges was flowing above the danger mark at Dalmau and Ballia, Ghaghra was overflowing at Elgin Bridge and Ayodhya and Turtipur and Rapti continued to overflow at Gorakhpur. The Gomti was also rising menacingly, officials said. The Army is assisting the
civil administration in evacuating affected people in the
worst-hit Gorakhpur, Basti, Sant Kabir Nagar, Ballia, Mau
Hardoi and Deoria districts. Helicopters dropped food
packets in Gorakhpur district. |
Sonia sets up MP campaign panel NEW DELHI, Aug 31 — Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister, Mr Moti Lal Vora, will head the 45-member election campaign committee for the Assembly polls due to be held later this year. Apart from Chief Minister Digvijay Singh, Deputy Chief Minister Subhash Yadva, PCC chiefs Urmilla Singh and Dalbir Singh, the committee has several senior leaders. Among them are Mr Arjun Singh, Mr Madhavrao Scindia and Mr V.C. Shukla. MPs from the state, Mr Kamal Nath, Mr Ajit Jogi, Ms Vimla Verma, Mr Kantilal Bhuria, Mr Paras Ram Bhardwaj, Mr Mahant Charan Dass, Mr Lakshman Singh, Mr Raju Kheri, Mr Suresh Pachauri, Mr Balkavi Bairagi, Mr Radha Krishna Malviya, Mrs Veena Verma, Mr Hansraj Bhardwaj, Mr A.G. Qureshi, Mr Gufran-e-Azam, Mr Surinder Kumar Singh, Mr Jhumak Lal Bhedia, Ms Mabel Rebello, are also on the panel. The Congress President,
Mrs Sonia Gandhi, also appointed 90 observers from
amongst the members of the AICC, former MPs, former
ministers, MLAs and others for the Assembly elections. |
2 hawala suspects arrested NEW DELHI, Aug 31 — The Delhi Police yesterday arrested two alleged hawala operators who used to arrange finance for militant operations in Kashmir and Delhi. They have been identified as Mohammad Muslim (42), alias Gullu, and Jaswinder Singh (33). The police got information about them following the interrogation of four militants who were arrested last week. They disclosed that Gullu, a resident of Turkman Gate and owner of a cloth shop at Meena Bazaar, was a prime suspect in the hawala operation. While Jaswinder Singh, an Afghan national having an office at Tilak Bazar, was his associate, the police said. Gullu admitted to have
frequently paid to Kashmiri militants — the total
amount paid being around Rs 3 crore. |
SC notice on wage board for scribes NEW DELHI, Aug 31 (PTI) — The Supreme Court today issued notice to the Union Labour Ministry on a petition by the Indian Journalists Union (IJU) seeking direction for the appointment of an additional member from the working journalists on the Manisana Wage Board. A Division Bench comprising Mr Justice S. Saghir Ahmad and Mr Justice K.T. Thomas while issuing the notice asked the ministry to file reply to the petition within three weeks. The petitioner contended
that by the Working Journalists and other Newspapers
Employees (Conditions of Service) and Miscellaneous
Provisions (Amendment) Act, 1996, the government had
agreed to put an additional member from working
journalists on the wage board, it had not yet been
complied with. |
Rao surprised at newspaper reports NEW DELHI, Aug 31 (PTI) — Former Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao today expressed surprise at a newspaper report that his supporters were planning to “raise their voice” against the functioning of the Congress under the leadership of Ms Sonia Gandhi at the forthcoming three-day “brainstorming session” of the party at Pachmari in Madhya Pradesh on September 4. Stating that he was told about the report on his return from Hyderabad, Mr Rao said it was a surprise to him. “I am keeping aloof
and I am not at all aware of any such move. I have no
idea of plans to raise such issues,” Mr Rao said. |
| In
brief Panel to probe killings by cops IMPHAL: The Manipur Government on Monday set up a one-man judicial commission of inquiry to look into Saturday’s incident in which five persons, including the brother of a former Chief Minister, were killed by the Manipur police commandos. Former Nagaland Assembly Speaker Thenucho Chakesang was also seriously wounded in the incident in the Kwakeithel area. Two police bodyguards of Mr Chakesang, the driver and a passer-by were also killed in the incident which occurred when police commandos fired at a car. — PTI Mohapatra award for Oriya
actor Nasik district to
be bifurcated 7 extremists held Stamps on Biju
Patnaik 3 killed, 4
kidnapped in Tripura Nabi Azad on
Rajghat panel |
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