Thursday, July 29, 1999

Check trans-border terrorism: PM
NEW DELHI, July 28 — Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee today asked for cooperation among countries of the South and Central Asian region for preventing cross-border and narco terrorism along with arms smuggling in the region.

Another RPI faction aligns with Cong
NEW DELHI, July 28 — Yet another faction of the Republican Party of India led by Mr R.S. Gavai today decided to align with the Congress in Maharasthra thus giving further boost to the party.

SP hoping for 4 seats in M’rashtra
NEW DELHI, July 28 — The Samajwadi Party (SP) was hoping to put up its candidates for at least four Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra as a result of the under-standing it has reached with the Nationalist Congress Party.

Spy arrested in Delhi
NEW DELHI, July 28 — A spy racket involved in passing on sensitive defence documents to Pakistani intelligence officials here was busted today with the arrest of a man from Haryana.

Draft manifesto
Cong promises stability

NEW DELHI, July 28 (PTI) — The Congress once again plans to bank on the "stability" plank in the Lok Sabha elections even as it will expose the "non-governance" of the BJP-led government and its failure to detect the Pakistani intrusion in Kargil early.

These issues are part of the draft election manifesto which was finalised tonight by the Congress Working Committee at a four-hour meeting presided over by party President Sonia Gandhi.

The draft manifesto has been prepared by a high-level committee headed by Mr Shivraj Patil, which included senior leaders Pranab Mukherjee, Arjun Singh, Manmohan Singh, J.B. Patnaik and Madhavsinh Solanki as its members.

The draft manifesto assailed the functioning of the Vajpayee government and said there was a need for stability and a cohesive governance but skirted the issue of single party rule.

On Kargil the draft document criticised the handling of the situation by the Vajpayee government but praised the jawans and the armed forces for driving out the intruders from Indian territory.

The draft resolution promised modernisation of defence forces saying that the country’s defence preparedness must at all times be in line with the nature and level of threat perceptions.

It emphasised that coalitions had never worked at the Centre and the Congress alone had provided stable governments that lasted full terms.

While stating the need for continuing the task of liberalisation, the draft manifesto wanted emphasis to be laid on rural development, poverty alleviation and employment generation.

A highlight of the document was the party’s commitment to empowerment of women by granting them 33 per cent reservation in Parliament and legislatures and reservation for Dalit Christians and backward Muslims.

On the issue of small states, it promised creation of new states of Uttaranchal, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand "without any further delay".

JD’s ‘Wheel’ of discord

BANGALORE, July 28 (UNI) — The rival factions of the Janata Dal in Karnataka today braced themselves up to argue their case on the use of the party symbol, “Wheel”, in the September elections, before the Election Commission by enlisting support of legislators through signed affidavits.

Both the factions released their list of supporters, including members of the dissolved Assembly and Lok Sabha.

While the Sharad Yadav faction claimed the support of 65 members of the dissolved Assembly and four members of the council, the Deve Gowda group released a list of 54 members of the legislature, including 12 from the Upper House. It also claimed the support of four Rajya Sabha members, including Mr S.R. Bommai and two of the three members of the dissolved Lok Sabha.

Interestingly, the name of noted Kannada actor Ambareesh, who won the Mandya Lok Sabha seat, did not figure in the list as he was yet to decide his future course of action.

The Deve Gowda faction questioned the list of the rival faction stating that it included names of “associate members” of the Janata Dal Legislature Party which were not relevant in the context of deciding the party symbol. It also claimed that the Patel faction had included the names of two members who had already joined the Navanirmana Vedike, the apolitical forum floated by Union Minister Ramakrishna Hegde.

Though both factions claimed that the list was based on sworn affidavits furnished by the members, the names of two legislators figured in both the lists.

Meanwhile, reacting to Rural Development Minister M.P. Prakash’s statement at Hubli yesterday that he would try to bring about a rapprochement between the two factions, Mr Deve Gowda told newspersons that there was no question of a patch up or compromise.

Both the leaders said they would provide all necessary details as required by the Election Commission which would take a decision regarding the symbol on August 3 at New Delhi.

Meanwhile, another minister, Mr D. Manjunath announced his decision to resign from the ministry in support of the Deve Gowda faction. Mr Patel, however, said he had not received the resignation letter. Earlier, eight ministers had been sacked for supporting the Deve Gowda faction and two ministers had resigned and cast their lot with that faction.

Both Mr Patel and Mr Deve Gowda left here for Delhi to attend their respective party meetings.

NEW DELHI: The National Executive of the Janata Dal faction headed by Mr Sharad Yadav will meet here tomorrow to decide the course of action to stake claim over the party symbol ‘Wheel’.

Mr Yadav said tomorrow’s meeting would ratify the merger of the Samata Party and the Lok Shakti.

Jayalalitha’s plea turned down

CHENNAI, July 28 (PTI) — A special judge today dismissed an application by former Chief Minister Jayalalitha seeking certified copies of certain documents filed by the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC), including a letter rogatory sent abroad, in connection with a further probe into the disproportionate wealth case against her.

Dismissing the application, Judge S. Sambandam accepted DVAC’s contention that since further investigation was in progress and till a complete picture emerged the applicant was not entitled for copies.

He also accepted another contention by the DVAC that providing copies at the current stage would hamper further investigation and give room for a parallel probe by her.

The judge pointed out that the Madras High Court in a ruling had held that until the documents were forwarded with the final report to the magistrate, an accused was not entitled to copies of it.

The DVAC had sought permission from the court for further investigation into properties of the AIADMK supremo abroad, relating to the Rs 66.65 crore wealth case against her. The probe was in the embryo stage, the agency had contended and opposed Ms Jayalalitha’s plea for the certified copies.

Besides Ms Jayalalitha, her close friend, Sasikala Natarajan, Sasikala’s sister-in-law, J. Llavarasi, and AIADMK leader’s disowned foster son, V.N. Sudhakaran, are also arraigned in the case, pertaining to acquisition of unaccountable wealth by Ms Jayalalitha during her chief ministership of Tamil Nadu.

Work on Chamera project begins
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, July 28 — The National Hydroelectric Power Corporation announced here today that active construction work on the 300 mw Chamera stage-ll project in Himachal Pradesh has commenced following an agreement with the Indo-Canadian hydro consortium this month.

Estimated to cost Rs 1,900 crore, the Chamera stage-ll project is to be completed within five years.

Located on the Ravi near Chamba, the main components of the project are a 39 metre high concrete dam, a 7.86 km long head race tunnel, an underground power house consisting of three units of 100 mw each and a 3.6 km long tail race tunnel.

On completion, the project will generate 1500 million units of power which will be fed to the Northern Grid. Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Chandigarh, Delhi and Rajasthan will benefit from this project.

The Indo-Canadian hydro consortium consists of Jaiprakash Industries Ltd, SNC-Lavalin/Acres Inc, Canada, SNC-Lavalin/Acres Transnational Inc Canada and General Electric Canada International, Canada.

This is the third project being taken up by the NHPC on the Ravi in Chamba district. The corporation has already commissioned the 198 mw Baira Siul and 540 mw Chamera stage-I project on this river.

Of the Rs 1,900 crore to be spent on the project, the NHPC is to receive Rs 600 crore as equity support from the Government. EDC of Canada will provide Rs 500 crore loan and the balance Rs 800 crore will be raised by the NHPC from financial institutions.

NHPC plans to plant four lakh trees in the project complex and it has already planted 2.3 lakh trees. About Rs 14.60 crore is planned to be spent on environmental conservation.

Check trans-border terrorism: PM
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, July 28 — Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee today asked for cooperation among countries of the South and Central Asian region for preventing cross-border and narco terrorism along with arms smuggling in the region.

Inaugurating an international conference to commemorate the 90th birth anniversary of the noted orientalist Babajan Gafurov of the Soviet era, the Prime Minister said that it was our responsibility to ensure that arms, narcotics, extremism and terrorism were neither exported to nor imported from across our borders.

“Let us only exchange art and culture, music and merchandise, scholarship and enlightenment”, Mr Vajpayee said adding that if countries in South Asia and Central Asia had once again to journey along the path of prosperity and happiness, they must take the route of peace, friendship and cooperation.

Describing Gafurov as a combination of patriotism, humanism and liberalism, the Prime Minister said the scholar-politician sought to strengthen friendship and cooperation among countries.

Speaking at the conference, organised by Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad Institute of Asian Studies, Prof Rybakov, Director of Oriental Studies, Moscow, said that Russians were greatly impressed by India’s message of unity in diversity.

Prof Devendra Kaushik, Chairman of Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad Institute of the Asian Studies, thanked delegates for helping promote understanding between the countries of the South Asia and Central Asia.

Another RPI faction aligns with Cong
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, July 28 — Yet another faction of the Republican Party of India led by Mr R.S. Gavai today decided to align with the Congress in Maharasthra thus giving further boost to the party.

Close on the heels of support from the Prakash Ambedkar faction of RPI to the Congress, the faction led by Mr Gavai and Prof Joginder Kawade not only aligned with the Congress but also expelled its President, Mr Ramdas Athavale.

The announcement was made at a joint Press conference by the AICC General Secretary, Mr Madhavrao Scindia, and the RPI leaders, Mr Gavai and Prof Kawade, both members of the dissolved Lok Sabha.

SP hoping for 4 seats in M’rashtra
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, July 28 — The Samajwadi Party (SP) was hoping to put up its candidates for at least four Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra as a result of the under-standing it has reached with the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).

Announcing this, the Samajwadi Party spokesman, Mr Amar Singh, said here today that he had lengthy discussions with the NCP leader, Mr Sharad Pawar, over seat-sharing in Maharashtra and was hopeful getting the due share for his party. He said the party was hopeful of putting up candidates in at least four Lok Sabha constituencies and about 30 Assembly constituencies.

Mr Amar Singh said there was near unanimity between the SP and the NCP over the issue of seat sharing. The SP spokesman was recently in Mumbai for the discussions which he termed as highly successful.

He was also hopeful of the Janata Dal in Maharashtra fighting along with SP during the elections. He said the only state in which the Janata Dal had remained intact was Maharashtra despite Mr Sharad Yadav’s decision to join hands with the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and it was likely to join hands with the SP to fight against the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance. In the last Lok Sabha elections, Janata Dal candidates had fought directly against SP candidates which had affected their performance.

Mr Amar Singh ruled out the possibility of any alliances in Uttar Pradesh. The party was expecting a quadrangular contest as there was no scope of seat adjustments in the state.

Mr Amar Singh also said that Mr Mahmood Madani, the national secretary of the party had been expelled from SP for six years for anti-party activities. Mr Madani, who had contested from Assam in the last elections was opposing SP’s alliance with NCP.

Meanwhile, the Samajwadi Party was also in the process of finalising its candidates for the forthcoming Lok Sabha poll. The party announced that Ms Vimla Pal, wife of Mr Chandra Pal, a senior IAS officer of Uttar Pradesh, would be the candidate for the Khurja seat, which is a reserved constituency.

Spy arrested in Delhi

NEW DELHI, July 28 (PTI) — A spy racket involved in passing on sensitive defence documents to Pakistani intelligence officials here was busted today with the arrest of a man from Haryana.

Counter espionage sleuths of the special branch of the Delhi Police nabbed Dharam Vir today while he was proceeding to Pakistan High Commission here to pass on important defence documents to Mohammed Safdar, a Pakistani High Commission official.

Vir was remanded in police custody till August 5, police sources said.

Dharam Vir, a resident of Khanda village, police station Kharkhoda in Sonepat district in Haryana, had been supplying defence papers to different Pakistani intelligence officials here for money for the past three years, they said.

A case has been registered at the Chanakyapuri police station under various provisions of the Official Secrets Act and the Indian Penal Code.

10 die in jeep-truck collision
VARANASI: Ten persons were killed and six injured, two of them seriously, in a collision between a jeep and a truck near Sayeedbara village in Azamgarh district on Tuesday night, police said here on Wednesday. Six persons were killed on the spot while four others succumbed to their injuries in hospital. Among those killed were two women and as many children, the police said. — PTI

Navy evacuates pregnant woman
MUMBAI: Naval pilots evacuated a pregnant woman on Board a merchant vessel which was sailing 90 nautical miles west of Mumbai. A Defence Ministry spokesperson said naval authorities received a distress call at 11 a.m. from the NV Iran Shariati for evacuation of the wife of an Iranian crew who was pregnant and dehydrated. The bulk carrier sailed off from Singapore from Iran six days ago. — UNI

Man strangles wife to death
MUMBAI: A woman was allegedly strangled to death by her husband for failing to look after the needs of her stepchildren at Kandivali in North-West Mumbai on Tuesday. According to the police, the accused Shabir Khan (50), frequently quarrelled with his wife for neglecting his five children from his previous marriage. — PTI

IT raids in Bollywood
MUMBAI: The Income Tax Department is carrying out raids since Tuesday at the office premises and residences of film personalities, including some top producers, and a few music companies. The investigation and intelligence wings of the IT Department are co-ordinating the raids. “The raids are still continuing”, an IT source said. However, officials, are tight-lipped about any details of the raids. The last time the Mumbai filmworld was raided extensively by the IT Department was in late 1996. — UNI

Bandh in South Tripura
AGARTALA: Normal life was paralysed in Maharani block of South Tripura district in the dawn-to-dusk bandh called by the ruling CPM on Wednesday to protest the killing of three persons by NLFT insurgents on Tuesday, official sources said here. Educational institutions, government offices and banks remained closed, shops and business establishments downed their shutters and vehicles kept off the roads in the area, the sources said. — PTI

Ticket-checker dogs
MUMBAI: In an unusual move, Western Railway (WR) employed two dogs to catch ticketless commuters in a drive undertaken on Wednesday morning at the Andheri railway station to check ticketless travel on suburban trains. A WR spokesperson said the dogs were employed on Tuesday as a precautionary measure so that ticketless commuters who manage to escape ticket-checkers are nabbed. The dogs belong to the Railway Protection Force. — UNI

Aphrodisiacs seized
AIZAWL: The Mizoram police has seized about 20 packets of contraband tablets and capsules, considered to be the Chinese equivalent of Viagra, a top police official said on Tuesday. The contraband tablets labelled “Usa Gong Niu” and capsules labelled “Testofort Sexual Tonic” were seized from a house here last week, but the Myanmarese nationals, believed to be behind the trafficking, managed to escape, SP Aizawl district Zorrammawia said. — PTI

7 killed in collision
NASIK: Seven persons were killed and three injured when a mini-door autorickshaw in which they were travelling collided with a truck at Mahamadpura nullah, about 9 km from Varangaon in Jalgaon district, on Tuesday. According to the police, the accident occurred at 11 a.m. on the Varangaon and Bhusaval road. The autorickshaw was going to Bhusaval and the truck was coming from the opposite direction. Six persons were killed on the spot while one died on the way to the hospital. — UNI