Sunday, October 31, 1999

Rajiv killers: PMK plea to President

Assam Assembly rejects diesel price hike
GUWAHATI, Oct 30 — The Assam Assembly, expressing concern at the diesel price hike by the Centre, has demanded its immediate roll back.

Four inter-state criminals held
NEW DELHI, Oct 30 — The Delhi police has arrested four alleged inter-state criminals, active in Haryana, Delhi and UP. They were arrested following a shootout.

Advocate arrested for demanding ransom
NEW DELHI, Oct 30 — Advocate Shankar Box Singh (33) was arrested today for allegedly demanding a ransom from an architect in South Delhi.

Supplementary defence Budget in Nov-Dec
VADODARA, Oct 30 — Minister of State for Defence Harin Pathak today said his ministry was considering a proposal for a Rs 5000-7000 crore supplementary budget in November-December this year to meet defence requirements.

Sharad not to quit party post

NEW DELHI, Oct 30 (PTI, UNI) — Civil Aviation Minister Sharad Yadav has ruled out giving up the post of Janata Dal (United) President till the assembly elections in Bihar are over.

"If the Bihar elections were not due, it (the leadership issue) would have been decided quickly. But the elections are due soon...Ours is a sensitive party. If I say anything, problems will increase," he told Star TV’s "Janata Ki Adalat" programme.

Denying that his party ignored Mr Ramakrishna Hegde during government formation, Mr Yadav said there was no question of "forgetting" him, but admitted that due respect was not accorded to him in so far as making or not making him a minister was concerned.

For this, Mr Yadav said he held himself and the party responsible. Mr Hegde’s contribution to the party was immense and the Karnataka leader was one who never indulged in groupism.

The minister said there would be no threat to the National Democratic Alliance government’s stability from his party as it knew the art of running a coalition government.

"It is our vow this time that we will run this coalition government for five years. I know Atalji since years. I know his nature. He is a widely accepted personality."

Mr Yadav said in a coalition, each party had to be flexible on its ideology.

Meanwhile, the Janata Dal (United) today appeared to have warded off the threat of the Lok Shakti walking out of the party with the dal agreeing to ‘sort out’ all outstanding issues.

The decision was taken at the Steering Committee meeting of the party which considered the strategy for the coming assembly elections in three states.

Irked by the exclusion of its president Ramakrishna Hegde from the Cabinet, the Lok Shakti had threatened to retain its separate identity. It had also sent its vice president Era Chezhian among its representatives to the Steering Committee meeting.

The three top leaders of the JD(U) - Mr George Fernandes, Mr Hegde and Mr Sharad Yadav - will now thrash out all issues confronting the party.

The Samata Party headed by Mr Fernandes and the Lok Shakti headed by Mr Hegde are yet to formally merge with the JD(U) though their party nominees have contested the Lok Sabha poll on the arrow symbol of the JD(U). The Lok Shakti’s national executive will meet on November 12 to consider the issue of its merger at Bangalore.

Briefing newspersons, JD(U) president Sharad Yadav said the merger was only a technical matter. He reminded the meeting that all candidates had contested on a common election symbol.

The meeting also cleared the ambiguous position of the JD(U)’s relations with the BJP in Karnataka, with Mr Yadav stating that the state unit had not taken any decision on breaking its ties with the latter. It was an "off the cuff" remark by former Chief Minister J.H.Patel, he added.

Lok Shakti general secretary M. Raghupathy, who attended the meeting, said they had made it clear that the JD(U) was part of the NDA and the recent defeat of the party in the assembly elections was only the loss of a battle. It was confident of staging a comeback in the elections to zila panchayats, taluk panchayats and village panchayats which would be held early next year.

The concerns of the Lok Shakti had been placed before Mr Sharad Yadav and he had considered the grievances. Party spokesman Mohan Prakash said there was no question of neglecting Mr Hegde, one of the founders of the JD. "How the party would sort out its problem will not a matter of public debate", he added.

The party would send a team to Karnataka to talk for making an assessment after talking to its workers and people. It would also constitute a screening committee for readmitting those leaders and workers who had left it in the past.

The meeting expressed concern and sympathies with the cyclone-affected people in Orissa.

The Steering Committee also urged the government to make at the national level sub-reservation with 27 per cent quota for the most backward castes as was done in Tamil Nadu and Bihar.

No assurance to Oppn on Bofors

KOZHIKODE, Oct 30 (UNI) — Union Minister of State for Law, Justice and Company Affairs O. Rajagopal today made it clear that the government did not give any assurance to the Opposition that the name of Rajiv Gandhi would be deleted from the charge sheet in the Bofors case.

The government has only stated that it would consider the Opposition demand, if the law permitted, he said while addressing a meet the press programme here.

Stating that the inclusion of Rajiv Gandhi’s name in the charge sheet was not a deliberate attempt to malign him, Mr Rajagopal cited the example of the cases relating to the assassination of Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi in which the dead were listed as accused.

He said the Vajpayee Government had already signed an extradition treaty with the UAE and it was holding talks with 26 other countries in this regard. A memorandum of understanding had been signed with the Malaysian Government and this would help bring Italian businessman Quottrochhi, involved in the Bofors scandal, to India. The Interpol had sounded a red alert to nab Quottrochhi, if he tried to escape to other countries, which did not have any extradition treaty with India, he pointed out.

Mr Rajagopal said the Centre was considering comprehensive electoral reforms, allowing Indians living abroad to exercise their franchise. The government would consult all political parties before taking a final decision in this regard. He said there were proposals to update the Indian Companies Act.

Answering a question, Mr Rajagopal said there was no representation from the Kerala Government, with the recommendation of the High Court Chief Justice, regarding the setting up of High Court Benches at Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode. The government accorded priority to clearance of pending cases by filling vacancies of Judge and making fresh appointments.

Rajiv killers: PMK plea to President

CHENNAI, Oct 30 (PTI) — The Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK), a constituent of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), today said it had forwarded to the President the mercy petitions of the four convicts sentenced to death in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case.

The petitions, signed by the family members of the four, were recently sent to the President, Mr K.R. Narayanan by the PMK, General Secretary and the Union Minister of State for Petroleum Mr E. Ponnusamy told reporters at Chennai airport.

The PMK had initiated a signature campaign seeking clemency for Nalini, Murugan, Perarivalan and Santhan, he said.

Civil rights groups and a few organisations in Tamil Nadu have also favoured commutation of death sentence to life imprisonment in the case.

Meanwhile the BJP today said those responsible for the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi should be “mercilessly punished for the heinous crime”.

“Our view is very clear. Persons who are guilty should be punished mercilessly as per the law. The government is not in the picture in this. The court has given a final verdict. It is a heinous crime against a leader,” the BJP General Secretary, Mr M. Venkaiah Naidu told reporters at the airport here.

Mr Naidu, who was on his way to Tirupati, was replying to questions on some of the NDA partners’ remarks favouring commutation of death sentence into life imprisonment for the four convicts in the case.

Answering another query on the Union Home Minister, Mr L.K. Advani, stance on the issue of inclusion of Rajiv Gandhi’s name in the CBI chargesheet in the Bofors case, he said the Congress needed to answer why it had backtracked on a debate for which it had given a notice in Parliament.

“I do not know what Mr Advani had in mind when he made the statement. It will be known when the government makes a statement,” he said.

Beating up of MLA: SP suspended
From Our Correspondent

BHOPAL, Oct 30 — The Superintendent of Police of Khandwa District, Mr R.C. Patel, was placed under suspension last evening. He has been found, prima facie, responsible for the beating of BJP MLA Vijay Shah by the police.

Eleven policemen, including a Deputy SP, had already been placed under suspension.

The Collector, Mr R.P. Mandal, has been removed from there.

Kishan Bosod died on September 25 while he was in custody in the Maughat road police station. Mr Vijay Shah, an MLA from Harsud in Khandwa district, was organising a protest demonstration against Bosod’s death when he was reportedly beaten up by the police. He sustained serious injuries and had to be admitted to a hospital.

The Chief Minister, however, did not initiate any action against those responsible for the attack. The assembly session was due to start on October 25. BJP members had given notices of adjournment and breach of privilege on the issue, asking the government to remove the district police chief and place 11 police personnel under suspension.

On October 25, the House was adjourned for the day. On October 26, the BJP stalled the proceedings demanding the removal of the Collector, suspension of the SP and registration of criminal cases against certain police personnel.

On October 28, the committee on privileges unanimously recommended that the SP be suspended.

Mann criticises non-inclusion of Sikhs
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, Oct 30 — The President of the Shiromani Akali Dal (Mann), Mr Simranjit Singh Mann, in his maiden speech in the Lok Sabha last night criticised the Vajpayee Government for failing to include a Sikh in the Union Council of Ministers.

Mr Mann also pointed out that there was no Muslim in the Union Cabinet and there was only a junior minister of state from the minority community.

Speaking on the motion of thanks to the President’s Address, he demanded that penalty be meted out to the perpetrators of atrocities on Sikhs in 1984.

There were, however, strong protests when he named some persons and Deputy Speaker, P.M.Sayeed expunged those remarks.

Mr Mann, however, said he was referring to this as it was a major cause for terrorism.

Referring to the Bluestar operation, he said the Government had used the defence forces on the plea that terrorists were ensconced inside the holy complex. He said by this argument, the government should have also taken action against the people who demolished the Babri Masjid.

Assam Assembly rejects diesel price hike

GUWAHATI, Oct 30 (UNI) — The Assam Assembly, expressing concern at the diesel price hike by the Centre, has demanded its immediate roll back.

Cutting across party lines, members were unanimous last evening on their demand to roll back the price hike.

Immediately after question hour, ruling AGP member Dilip Kumar Saikia raised the issue saying the people of Assam would be seriously affected.

Four inter-state criminals held
From Our Correspondent

NEW DELHI, Oct 30 — The Delhi police has arrested four alleged inter-state criminals, active in Haryana, Delhi and UP. They were arrested following a shootout. The criminals — Ravi Kumar, who was yesterday inspector with the Food and Civil Supply Department in Haryana, Raj Kumar of Gurgaon, Sudhir Kumar and Anupam alias Anup of Ghaziabad — had their base in Rohini in North-West Delhi where they lived in a rented house. Anil Kumar of Bihar who supplied arms and ammunition to them has also been arrested, the police said.

Advocate arrested for demanding ransom
From Our Correspondent

NEW DELHI, Oct 30 — Advocate Shankar Box Singh (33) was arrested today for allegedly demanding a ransom from an architect in South Delhi.

The architect lodged a complaint with Chitranjan Park police station that a person named Lallan Singh had demanded a ransom of Rs 10 lakh. The suspect did not disclose his real name, the police said.

The suspect had also stated on the telephone that he was an accomplice of Sri Prakash Shukla, who was killed in an encounter in Ghaziabad by the Delhi Police last year. He also threatened the architect of dire consequences if the demand is not met.

The suspect used to call from a PCO in Savitiri Nagar in South Delhi. The suspect was nabbed today when he came to make a call, the police said.

During interrogation he disclosed that he was practising law at the Lucknow High Court. He came to Delhi last month as he had financial problems in Lucknow. He said he used to watch India’s Most Wanted serial through which he came to know the different modus operandi of the criminals and he planned to extort money from a businessman here.

Supplementary defence Budget in Nov-Dec

VADODARA, Oct 30 (UNI) — Minister of State for Defence Harin Pathak today said his ministry was considering a proposal for a Rs 5000-7000 crore supplementary budget in November-December this year to meet defence requirements.

The minister was in the city to attend the two-day state-level BJP meeting held to prepare the future course of action and frame a strategy for the coming municipal elections.

Talking to mediapersons here, Mr Pathak said: "Our main strategy is to make all eight ordnance factories in the country self-reliant. The ordnance factories should be modernised to be self-reliant in the manufacture of ammunition, rifles and all utilities which are essential for defence personnel".

About the corridor of the Kutch-bordering areas, Mr Pathak said of the 458 km area, about 385 km was land and the rest coastal. The ministry was in touch with the Home Ministry to instruct the Border Security Force to remain alert and ready to meet any eventuality, he added.

On the current political situation in Pakistan, Mr Pathak said: "We are keeping a close watch on every development there and are ready to face any challenge.

Trains cancelled due to cyclone
NEW DELHI: Several trains coming from Orissa, including the Neelanchal and Utkal expresses, have been cancelled due to the severe cyclonic storm on the eastern coast. A Northern railways Press release said the 8475 Neelanchal Express leaving Puri on October 29 and reaching here on Saturday, the 8477 Utkal Express departing Puri on October 29 and reaching Hazrat Nizamuddin on October 31 and the 2815 Puri Express leaving Saturday and due to reach here on Sunday were cancelled. As a result, the Neelanchal Express due to leave New Delhi on October 31, Utkal and Puri Expresses due to leave on November 1 would also remain cancelled. — UNI

Mettur reservoir may overflow
SALEM: The Mettur reservoir is likely to overflow in the next 48 hours with a continued heavy inflow of 81,409 cusecs, official sources said her on Saturday. The level in the reservoir at 8 a.m. stood at 111.12 feet against its capacity of 120 feet, they said. Meanwhile, the PWD authorities have asked the district collectors concerned to take steps evacuate people living on the banks of the Cauvery. — PTI

Harsh Vardhan nominated
NEW DELHI: Dr Harsh Vardhan, former Delhi Health and Education Minister and at present Adviser to the Regional Director, WHO, has been nomination by the World Health Organisation as a member of the 16-member Global Committee-vaccines and other biologicals strategic advisory group of experts. Dr Harsh Vardhan will be leaving for Geneva on Sunday to attend the Global meeting. — UNI

31 govt officers shifted
JAIPUR: In a major middle-level bureaucratic reshuffle, 31 Rajasthan Administrative Service (RAS) officers have been transferred. Ajay Singh is the new Regional Transport Officer in Jaipur, while Vikram Singh Chauhan has been posted as District Excise Officer, Jaipur, according to a government order here on Friday. — PTI

Kittappa Pillai dead
THANJAVUR: Famous Bharat-natyam exponent K.P. Kittappa Pillai died here after a brief illness. He was 87. He is survived by his wife, three sons and five daughters. Pillai was the recipient of the National Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, Tamil Isai Sangam Award and the Kala Thilaga award from the Karnataka Government. The cremation will take place here on Sunday. — UNI

‘Woh Mera Chand’ released
NEW DELHI: Film-maker, Subhash Ghai released ‘Woh Mera Chand’, a Hindi novel authored by Punjabi writer, Pratibha Davar here on Friday. Published by Rajkamal Prakashan, ‘Woh Mera Chand’ is the writer’s maiden attempt at novel-writing and to weave a web of intricate human relationships. The book is priced at Rs 500. The storyline and the characterisation in the novel have inspired Subhash Ghai to consider making a film based on the novel. — TNS

5 killed on way to Shirdi
THANE: At least five persons, including two women, were killed and 26 injured, some of them seriously, when a luxury bus proceeding from Mumbai to Shirdi met with an accident near Shahpur on the Bombay-Agra highway early on Saturday. The police said some of the injured have been admitted to Thane Civil Hospital. — UNI