Friday, July 23, 1999
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BJP flays CWC resolution |
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Govt lying on Kargil: Cong NEW DELHI, July 22 — The Congress today continued to target the government, charging that despite being aware of the intrusions last year it claimed to have known of the development only in May this year.
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EC: don’t politicise
I-Day functions India, Namibia sign 2 pacts Unauthorised B’deshis may
upset poll math Bid to launch liver transplant
group More donations for soldiers Mankad takes over as Finance Secy Drowned boy’s body found |
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BJP flays CWC resolution NEW DELHI, July 22 — The BJP today took strong exception to the Congress Working Committee resolution on Kargil saying "while the entire nation takes pride in India's triumph, Congress leadership totally alien to the national spirit, has chosen to be the sole dissenter". Briefing newspersons, the BJP spokesman, Mr Arun Jaitley, said that the CWC resolution did not blame the Pakistan Government and the rogue Pakistani Army for the intrusion into the Indian territory. The CWC resolution does not accept the success of Indian diplomacy and is silent on the international isolation of Pakistan. Apart from Pakistan, it is the Congress which pretends that international opinion is not in favour of India," the spokesman said. The CWC resolution of July 21 was a further evidence of the wrapped perception of the Congress President, Mrs Sonia Gandhi and her colleagues on matters of national interest and pride, such as the Kargil conflict, the spokesman said adding "she and her team continue to deny that India has scored a decisive military victory and an unprecedented diplomatic success." Even while the nation
was fighting a war in Kargil, the Congress leadership was
busy pinpricking the war effort, Mr Jaitley said adding
that while all attention was focused on waging a military
and diplomatic campaign against Pakistanis, the Congress
leadership was busy in its election campaign. Now that
the nation has won the war, the Congress leadership feels
it has lost the elections — hence its frustration,
he said. |
Turtuk hero laid to rest NEW DELHI, July 22 — Some saluted, some observed total silence while others bowed their heads with folded hands as the last rites of Captain Hanifuddin were performed with full military honours here at the "Panch Pyare burial ground" behind Nizamuddin Dargah today. Men and women, young and old, most of them attired in white clothes, continued to pour in as the men from Rajputana Rifles fired thrice in the air and their band sounded the last post while personnel from the three wings of armed forces saluted Capt Hanifuddin, who made the supreme sacrifice on June 7 fighting the Pakistani intruders in Turtuk sector which has now been renamed after him. The sun burst through dark clouds to salute the 11 Rajputana Rifle man, who was hit by a barrage of bullets in an entrenched battle with Pakistani intruders just a few metres away from the Line of Control (LoC). The proud mother of Hanifuddin, Mrs Hema Aziz, and her two sons, Nafisuddin and Samiruddin, stood in silence as the coffin containing the mortal remains of the martyr was lowered into the grave. Leaders from several political parties, including the Congress President, Mrs Sonia Gandhi, and former Information and Broadcasting Minister, Mrs Sushma Swaraj, also paid floral tributes to Capt Hanifuddin. The body of Capt Hanifuddin, which remained buried in the snow for almost five weeks, was recovered on the intervening night of July 18-19 from south of Siachen along with two other bodies and was brought here last evening. Earlier, the coffin, draped in the Tricolour with Capt Hanifuddin’s uniform, his cap and belt on it, was brought to his 77 Kala Vihar Cooperative Society house in Mayur Vihar, East Delhi. His family and friends had waited for more than 40 days as the body lay trapped in the warfield before it could finally be airlifted to Delhi. A class fifth student of a neighbourhood school — Rashtriya Shiksha Madhyamik Vidyalaya — while laying flowers broke down and collapsed near the coffin. The mother of the martyr, Mrs Hema Aziz, a classical dancer, held the child in her arms and consoled her. The martyr's body was finally retrieved on Monday by his 11 Rajputana Rifles colleagues. Capt Shyam Veer Sinha, who arrived with Capt Hanifuddin’s coffin and was his room-mate said the body was found not far from the place he died. The body could not be retrieved earlier as the enemy troops were firing as soon as somebody came close to it. Narrating the sequence
on that fateful night, Capt Sinha said "Capt
Hanifuddin was leading the contingent and was the first
to be shot. Even though he fell down, he managed to
convey to his colleagues that he was hit and unable to
move. He took a machine-gun and told them that they could
move ahead while he would provide covering fire from his
gun. He contined to fight till the end. When the end
came, his fingers were still curled around the
trigger." |
EC: don’t politicise I-Day functions NEW DELHI, July 22 (UNI) — The Election Commission has advised political parties not to use the flag hoisting ceremonies across the country on the Independence Day for electoral gains. ‘‘We appeal to the good sense of all political parties that on the occasion of Independence Day, they speak about India and do not deliver speeches laced with partisan politics,’’ the Chief Election Commissioner, Dr M.S. Gill told a media briefing here today. Dr Gill said the commission felt that the flag should be hoisted by the elected representatives of the people. ‘‘But we feel any minister should not hoist the flag in his own district or constituency,’’ he added. The commission had imposed similar restrictions on political leaders during last year’s Republic Day celebrations ahead of the parliamentary poll. The members of the Election Commission had a meeting with Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) today to review the preparations for the coming parliamentary elections. Dr Gill said electoral rolls were ready and in Assam and Meghalaya these were published on July 21. For the first time, the electoral rolls for various states would be published in a book form with details like voters’ identity card number and parentage, he said. Some states had also come out with CD ROMs which would be eventually put on sale. The CEC said the commission was broadly happy with the compliance of the model code of conduct after getting reports from the CEOs. Regarding the operation of the model code of conduct and the restrictions on the political parties, Dr Gill said: ‘‘We do not want development work to stop.’’Clarifying the yardstick to judge the compliance of the code, he said: ‘‘The party which holds state power should not use that power or resources of the state for personal electoral gains.’’ He said all ruling parties should refrain from giving schemes with gifts. ‘‘They can always wait till the elections are over,’’ he said adding that the focus was on providing a level playing field. The commission would not come in the way of distribution of relief to victims of floods or other natural disasters. ‘‘The elected Cabinet in charge of the state has to do it ... But the ministers cannot use it for political campaign. The distribution of the relief can be done by the revenue officers at various levels,’’ Dr Gill said. The commission, he said, did not consider the announcement of the enhanced minimum support price for kharif as an ‘‘interference’’ with the poll process. He echoed the same views with regard to the secretary-level bureaucratic reshuffle at the Centre. The CEC said he had a meeting with Andhra Pradesh Chief Secretary regarding the commission’s ban on some welfare schemes in that state. ‘‘We will address the issue tomorrow,’’ he said. On the electronic voting machines (EVMs), Dr Gill expressed happiness over the response received by the commission. ‘‘We received demands of EVMs from Sikkim, Daman and other places. We could not go for the EVMs in north-eastern states in view of the difficulties of transportation in the rainy season,’’ he explained. Regarding demands for
change of polling date from September 4 in view of
‘Janmashtami’ falling the preceding day, Dr
Gill said: ‘‘We have registered (the demands)
... But as of now the original schedule
stands.’’ |
Govt lying on Kargil: Cong NEW DELHI, July 22 — The Congress today continued to target the government, charging that despite being aware of the intrusions last year it claimed to have known of the development only in May this year. "The government is lying to the people of this nation. That truth is concealed in the files lying with the government. It is time for the government to tell the nation the truth", party spokesman Kapil Sibal said. He released a set of documents, including the statement of the Defence Minister, Mr George Fernandes, in the Lok Sabha on August 5 last year on the developments that took place on the Indo-Pakistan Line of Control between July 27 and August 4 last year. Referring to the shelling and unprovoked firing on Indian posts and civilian areas of Batalik and Kargil, the Defence Minister had said it had resulted in the death of 10 soldiers, six BSF constables and 31 civilians while 77 soldiers, four BSF men and 77 civilians were injured. Quoting from his statement, the Congress said Pakistan had always resorted to firing along the LoC to facilitate infiltration by Pakistan and foreign militants who were organised, trained, equipped, financed and armed and who finally infiltrated with cover fire from the Pakistani army. According to the statement, the government had said in its view since militancy in the valley was on the decline, Pakistan was looking towards breaking fresh ground and that this was happening in Batalik and Kargil. Mr Sibal said the Congress wished to point out that none of the statements by the Defence Minister and indeed the BJP government since May in any way reflected the "achievements, expectations, and pious intentions contained in the solemn statement made in Parliament". The Congress charged that in direct contradiction of the statement made in Parliament, the government subsequently exonerated "political figures in Pakistan, gave a certificate of good conduct to the ISI, threw the perceptions of Pakistani insincerity to the winds in rushing to embrace Mr Nawaz Sharif". The party said it believed the government under the leadership of Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee failed to act in a prudent and timely manner on requests for specific follow-up measures to confirm enhanced threat perception in that particular sector. It said these perceptions existed from as early as August 1998 around the time the Defence Minister visited the area as stated in Parliament. The Congress said the Brigadier in the Kargil sector had sought reconnaisance assistance to confirm intrusions had sent a note to the Chief of the Army Staff vide Brig COAS: 124/GSD/VIF/dt 25.8.98. The spokesman said he was not in possession of the letter which was written by Brig Surinder Singh through which the Army had sought a helicopter to recee the area to confirm the intrusion. "The wilful refusal
to act on specific requests to confirm the strategic
perception of enhanced threat through suitable follow-up
measures amounted to deliberate negligence and
dereliction of duty and compromised the security of the
nation", the spokesman added. |
Intrusion India’s strategic
failure NEW DELHI: It is a shoddy attempt at defending the indefensible. Even a cursory appraisal of developments leading to the mini-war in Kargil would prove that more than anything else, it was an unmitigated strategic failure. The official claim that there was no lapse in anticipating Pakistan’s armed intrusion into Kargil flies in the face of facts. Contrary to official assertions, the Kargil sector in particular had all along been listed as a very sensitive spot since the supply line to the frontier region of Ladakh passed in the vicinity of the Dras-Batalik heights, within the artillery range of Pakistan. What Pak troops did this time was not to seize a few peaks stealthily, but capture over 700 sq km area, an operation which cannot be carried out in a matter of days and yet go unnoticed. An operation of such dimensions could only be carried out after meticulous planning, and conceived and sanctioned at the highest level. The number of peaks captured without arousing Indian suspicions was not a masterly act of camouflage and concealment on the part of Pakistani forces, but spoke volumes of the complacency and unpreparedness of the Indian security set-up. The logistic support, construction of supply bases and positioning of artillery and other heavy weapons to provide supportive fire to the intruders was also not a day’s work. Pakistan was also able to place their spotters in Kargil township and other areas to guide Pak artillery fire with precision and right at the target. In the very first hits Pakistan was able to destroy the ammunition dump within the Kargil cantonment, hit at the Deputy Commissioner’s residence and also target police chief’s office-cum-residence. The arming of intruders with missiles, radars, snow mobiles, mortars and other upgraded weaponry and their placements at strategic mountain peaks bespeak planning and coordination of a high order spanning a long period. That such a massive intrusion went undetected for months on end betrays complete lack of vigil and preparedness to combat hostile enemy movements. As early as November last year there were Indian press reports that Pakistan was re-organising command structure of its proxy war in Kashmir. The decision had the backing of Nawaz Sharif, who had entered into a secret agreement with Lashkar-e-Toiba and Harkat-ul-Ansar to give them control of the “liberation war” in Kashmir. What compounds the strategic failure is the fact that prior to the detection of intrusion along the Batalik, Indian security forces were in the know of the three-day visit of the Pakistan army chief to his 62-Brigade headquarters at Skardu, which controls and supervises Pakistani army operations in the northern sector, including their side of the Saichen Glacier. There were also press reports of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif having been “briefed” at the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) headquarters — indications enough to alert the Indian side about the ominous developments in the offing. Yet the highest decision-making level was not alerted and nothing was done by way of surveilance and preemptive military action. Throughout last year, top Indian intelligence agencies had been warning that Pakistan was planning to push in more and more mercenaries for a “bigger action” in Jammu and Kashmir. In fact, the state Chief Minister had repeatedly and pubicly warned that Pakistan was planning a bigger action. In pursuance of this, the Union Home Minister visited the state thrice during the year to assess the ‘new threat’ posed by Pakistan in Jammu and Kashmir. The claim made by Defence Minister George Fernandes that Kargil heights had been left unguarded for the past over 20 years during winter, after troops withdrew from the peaks shows the extent of complacency at the ministerial level. Asserting that there was nothing new about leaving the peaks unoccupied during winter, the Defence Minster in the course of a TV interview made a sweeping observation that there was no intelligence failure, nor any laxity shown towards meeting the Pakistani challenge. In defence of his stand Mr Fernandes also said that this was not the first time that the strategic heights had been vacated during winter and left unguarded. It had happened during the tenure of his predecessors too. The Defence Minister was thus passing the buck to them, and trying to absolve himself of the charge of failure to anticipate the Pakistani armed thrust in Kargil. However, what Mr
Fernandes left unsaid was that while withdrawals used to
take place in the past during winter, there was no
slackening of vigil and enemy movements were constantly
under scrutiny to ward off their surprise entry into the
sensitive border belt. — IPA Service |
India, Namibia sign 2 pacts NEW DELHI, July 22 — With Namibia calling the Pakistani action in Kargil a “naked aggression”, Indo-Nambian ties got a decisive boost as two bilateral agreements were signed today on the second day of the official visit of the Namibia President, Dr Sam Nujoma. During his talks with the President, Mr K.R. Naryanan, and the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, Dr Nujoma expressed total understanding for the Indian stand on Kargil, a Ministry of External Affairs senior official said. Nambia has taken a stand that India and Pakistan should resolve all issues in the framework of the Simla Agreement. Namibia has strongly backed India’s candidature for permanent membership in an expanded United Nation Security Council. Dr Nujoma and Mr Vajpayee discussed ways to strengthen South-South cooperation to meet the challenges of the coming century. The two leaders were of the view that NAM should be strengthened and equipped for the purpose. The two agreements include one on extending $ 5 million Exim Bank line of credit to Namibia and a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on cooperation in non-conventional energy. The two countries have also agreed to explore the possibility of cooperation in the defence sector with Namibia showing interest for purchase of maritime vessels and helicopters. Dr Nujoma is visiting Bangalore-based Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. Namibia has shown great interest in developing cooperation in the agriculture sector with negotiations going on for developing a 10,000 hectare farm with Indian agricultural expertise and farm machines. Punjab Agriculture Export Cooperation (PAGREXCO) and the Namibia Development Corporation are negotiating the deal, an official said. Dr Nujoma is visiting Punjab Agricultural University. The two-way trade has been growing at a satisfactory pace, the official said, adding that bilateral trade grew 10 times last year. Namibia has shown keen interest in developing its small and middle-level industrial sector with the help of India. Dr Nujoma had an
intensive interaction with the Confederation of Indian
Industries and is scheduled to meet the members of the
FICCI in Bangalore. |
Unauthorised B’deshis may upset
poll math JAIPUR, July 22 — The Collector of Jaipur district has sought permission from the government to deport Bangladeshi citizens settled unauthorisedly in the state capital. These Bangladeshis are residing not only in large numbers in the state, specially in Jaipur, for many years but have even got themselves enrolled voters too. The number of registered voters in Rajasthan during parliamentary election of 1991 was 265 lakh only. Within five years their number saw an increase of 15 per cent, raising number of voters to 303 lakh in 1996 Lok Sabha election. Alarmed at an unusual rise in the number of electorate the Election Commission ordered a thorough check of the voters’ list. This resulted into the striking off six lakh names reducing the number of voters to 297 lakh in 1998. Curiously before elections for the Vidhan Sabha in the same year number of voters again shot up to a little more than 301 lakh in revision of voters’ list. In less than nine months the number of voters has again gone up by 10 lakh to 311 lakh in the voters list finalised for the Lok Sabha elections slated for September 1999. Those associated with the election work say that the increase is abnormally high and one of the reasons for it might be enrolment of names of large number of unauthorised Bangladeshis living. In Jaipur alone 2000 Bangladeshis have been identified who have got themselves enrolled fraudulently as voters. An official source says that these are those who have been detected but the real number might be much more. A large number of Bangladeshis can be seen living in newly developed exclusive slums in the state capital. They have even managed to got ration cards and on the strength of which they are getting enrolled as voters too. As there is a set procedure for removing anybody’s name from the voters list the district administration in Jaipur has served notices to those who have been identified as foreigners by the state intelligence. In a single Vidhan Sabha constituency namely Jaipur Gramin alone 600 Bangladeshis have, so far, been found to have got themselves registered as voters. In a similar exercise some time ago the state intelligence had identified 10,000 Bangladeshis in Jaipur. The number is believed to have substantially gone up over the years. As the law provides these unauthorised foreigners should be deported to their country. The district administration has now sought government’s permission to implement deportation plan. Political observers
however feel that the requisite permission may not come
from the government as Lok Sabha elections have already
been announced and any such move may be resented by
political parties which who consider these foreigners
their vote bank. |
Bid to launch liver
transplant group NEW DELHI, July 22 — A year and a half after getting a successful liver transplant abroad, Delhi-based lawyer, Rani Jethmalani has taken the initiative to launch a liver transplant support group. Announcing this at a meet of liver transplant recipients here on Wednesday, Ms Jethmalani said, “Patients who have had a liver failure face difficulty in getting information on liver transplants as transplantation is new in India. We want to empower patients and their families at the pre-transplant and post-transplant stage by providing them information related to diagnosis and treatment. Anyone who needs information about liver transplantation may dial 3352570.” Ms Jethmalani said that apart from lending a helping hand to the patients and their families, the support group would also urge the government to start an extended immunisation programme for Hepatitis B. She said that information, education, public participation and removal of religious prejudices were essential to motivate people to volunteer part of their livers for transplants. Ms Jethmalani said that she recently met His Holiness, the Dalai Lama, to seek his opinion on the subject. She said that the Dalai Lama was of the view that giving and improving were “sewa” which improved a person’s Karma. Expressing concern over
the limited number of donors in the country, Ms
Jethmalani said, “I had cirrhosis of the liver
caused by Hepatitis C. In India, when the population is
touching the 1000 million mark, we need to do at least
10,000 liver transplants. I was lucky to have got a
successful liver transplant at a time when my funeral
rites were being negotiated.” |
More donations for soldiers NEW DELHI, July 22 — Donations continued to pour in for the National Defence Fund today. The Minister of State for Communictions, Mr Kabindra Purkayastha, presented a cheque of Rs 3.72 crore to the Prime Minister on behalf of employees of the Department of Posts towards the fund. Premier defence public sector undertaking Bharat Electronics Limited also contributed Rs 2 crore towards the fund. Employees of BEL have also contributed a day’s salary amounting to Rs 40,18,612 to the fund for rehabilitation of wounded soldiers and welfare of the families of Army personnel who died while fighting in Kargil. The Ladies Welfare Association of National Hydroelectric Power Corporation also presented Rs 10,000 to the Army Central Welfare Fund. Employees of the NHPC have already contributed a day’s salary for the National Defence Fund amounting to Rs 30 lakh. In addition, NHPC has also contributed Rs 2 crore towards the fund. Electrical company
Havell’s group has donated Rs 17 lakh. This includes
one day salary of employees contributions by dealers and
stockists and a direct contribution of Rs 6 lakh by group
itself. |
Mankad takes over as Finance
Secy NEW DELHI, July 22 — Mr P.G. Mankad today assumed office as the Union Finance Secretary. In addition, he will be Secretary in the Department of Revenue. Mr Mankad has replaced Mr Vijay E.Kelkar who has been appointed Executive Director of the International Monetary Fund. Mr Mankad belongs to the 1964 IAS batch of Madhya Pradesh cadre. Mr Mankad is not new to
the Finance Ministry, having worked here as Deputy
Secretary and later as Joint Secretary from 1985 to 1990.
He has been Secretary, Department of Industrial
Development and Public Enterprises and was Secretary,
Information and Broadcasting, before taking up his
present posting. |
Drowned boy’s body found NEW DELHI, July 22 — The body of 16-year-old Babloo was found in a nullah in Pusa Road area where he reportedly drowned along with his friend last evening. The body of the other boy has yet not been found. The rescue operation was going on till today. The incident occurred at
5.20 p.m. when it was raining heavily. The nullah was
full with rain water. The boys were playing in the water
when they reportedly fell in the nullah, a spokesman of
the Delhi Fire Service said. |
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| CM for simultaneous poll ITANAGAR: Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Mukut Mithi has indicated that he might recommend holding of assembly elections in the state along with the Lok Sabha poll scheduled for October 1. Talking to reporters here on Wednesday, Mr Mithi said the process for holding simultaneous elections might start after the one-day assembly session on Friday. — PTI Award
for educationist Amend civil
services rules: NHRC Tripura
militants kill tribal youth Mother Teresa
Award for Jyoti Basu 3 buried alive
in wall collapse Dialogue writer
dead Longest single
banner in world 14 village
councils abolished |
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