A martyr's father fights for justice
PALAMPUR: Dr N.K. Kalia, father of Kargil martyr, Captain Saurabh Kalia, has been moving from pillar to post and has approached several national and international organisations to pressurise Pakistan to identify and punish those who indulged in the most heinous and inhuman crime, kept his son in captivity for three weeks and subjected him to brutal torture as evident from his body, which was handed over by the Pakistani army on June 9.

Lawrence School staff hold rally
SOLAN, Sept 27 — At least 150 class IV employees of Lawrence School, Sanawar, took out a procession and held a rally in protest against the non-acceptance of their demands here today.

Himachal university court held
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Sept 27 — Mrs V.S. Rama Devi, Governor, has urged students and teachers to work unitedly for creating a healthy academic environment in the educational institutions for allround development of students personality and bringing about a qualitative improvement in the standard of education.

Laying emphasis on discipline in educational institutions, she asked the teaching community to inculcate discipline amongst the students so that their energy was effectively channelised in the nation-building process.

The Governor, who is also the Chancellor of HP university, expressed these views while presiding over the 18th meeting of the university court here today. The meeting of the court was held after about two-and-a-half years although the statutes provide for a meeting every year.

Mrs Rama Devi urged the student community to utilise their precious time in acquiring knowledge and skills as would enable them to face the competitive world with a confidence. She urged students not to indulge in politics during their studies.

She suggested that students should not be allowed to stay in the university hostels for an unlimited period.

Prof S.K. Gupta, Vice-Chancellor, spoke on the activities of the university on academic, infrastructural and welfare fronts.

He said new courses in tribal studies, human resource development and population studies had been offered and M.Phil courses were being revived. Master of Journalism course was also on the card. He said a land acquisition committee had been formed and 31 bighas of land had been acquired for the university. There was a proposal for complete computerisation of examination wing besides proposal for construction of boys' hostel, student centre and examination record room.

The court approved the annual report for 1996-97 and accounts and audit report for 1995-96.

The court also unanimously elected Mr Jai Ram Thakur, MLA and Chairman, Education Committee of HP Vidhan Sabha to the Executive Council. Dr N.K. Sarin, Principal-cum-Director, IGMC, was elected to represent the university on the Medical Council of India.

Mr C. Balakrishnan, Commissioner-cum-Secretary (Education), HP Government, suggested that the university should take steps to computerise the examination on record so that there is no problem in storing it and making it available in time to the students. Mr D.K. Sharma, Principal Advisor (Planning) to the government, suggested that the financial needs and demands of the university should be suitably projected in the 10th plan and assured full cooperation of the government in providing finances.

Mr Subhash Puri, member, Executive Council, demanded that a fresh inquiry into the functioning of IITT college, Kala Amb, be ordered as its management was allegedly fleecing the students and not providing proper facilities.

Mr Waryam Singh Bains, elected member of the court, demanded a separate building for examination wing, and the implementation of the Kaw Committee report.

The two members demanded that regional centres of the university should be set up at Mandi and Nahan.

Mr Puri demanded that the state government should enhance the budgetary grant to the university to Rs 25 crore per year from the existing Rs 14 crore.

Mr Bains said the state government should be asked to release a grant of Rs 2 crore promised in 1997 for the construction of a building of the examination wing and a record room.

"Marked change" in minorities’ attitude
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Sept 27 — There has been a marked change in the attitude of the minorities towards the BJP and it was no longer perceived as anti-Muslims, says Mr Saleem Khan, national secretary of the Bharatiya Janata Party Minority Morcha.

The 13-month rule of the Vajpayee-led government had been long enough to dispel all misgivings regarding the secular credentials of the BJP and the minorities, particularly Muslims, who had been living in constant fear felt reassured, he told the Tribune News Service, here today.

Mr Khan said this remarkable change had come about due to certain important steps taken by the Vajpayee government to improve the lot of the Muslims. Out of these the computerisation and modernisation of "madarsas" for which the Rs 208 crore were allotted was most important. The lack of education was the main reason for the overall backwardness of Muslims and the BJP-led government had displayed its good intentions by giving top priority to it. The grant of Rs 16 crore for the renovation of Ajmer Sharif and opening of Maulana Azad Engineering College in Andhra Pradesh and steps taken to solve the problems of Haj pilgrims had also sent the right signals to Muslims that the BJP sincerely wanted them to join the mainstream.

It was thus hardly surprising that the political parties, which dubbed the BJP as communal and treated it as untouchable, had joined the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance. The fear psychosis created by non-BJP parties in the minds of the Muslims to win their electoral support had evaporated and the community now viewed the BJP with a positive frame of mind.

The change in the attitude of Muslims was discernible in their increasing membership of the BJP. Over the past three years over 10 lakh Muslims had joined the party. In the last election about 7 per cent Muslims voted for the BJP. This time the percentage was likely to be more than 12. A large chunk of the Muslims who backed the Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh was likely to favour the BJP in the current election.

Unlike the old Muslims the new generation did not have much to do with Pakistan and it completely identified with the country. This became evident during the Kargil war as the entire Muslim community backed the government action. In the changed scenario no party could treat Muslims as a mere vote bank and they would have to shed communal issues and concentrate on development-related issues.

Tibetans condemn WB on Dulan project
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Sept 27 — The Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC) has condemned the decision of the World Bank to support a development project in Dulan country in Tibet which, it alleged, would only help the Chinese farther their colonial designs.

The TYC expressed anguish over the fact that an institution like the World Bank could involve itself in the implementation of a colonialisation project. It has relied so much on the Chinese assurance that the project would be subjected to inspection by independent panel and even proclaimed that anyone could visit the Dulan country and carry out proper research and inquiry about the project.

However, the Chinese, never kept the promise as evident from the arrest of Gabriel Lafittee and Daja Meston in August. It was high time that the World Bank cancelled the project as the very basis for the continuance of the project investigation by inspection panel was under question.

The Chinese had been constantly engaged in creating rifts among the high level Tibetans in the government-in exile. Religious leaders and provinces and sects as revealed by documents pertaining to the secret meeting convened by the Chinese government at the end of 1998.

It was a matter of concern that the Chinese were pursuing a ruthless policy to annihilate the Tibetan identity and at the same time trying to gain international financial support to carry out its nefarious designs.

The TYC along with the Regional Tibetan Women Association organised a protest march here today.

Hundreds attend martyr’s cremation
From Our Correspondent

JAWALAMUKHI, Sept 27 — The mortal remains of 30-year-old Lance Naik Manjit Singh who laid down his life in the Chamb-Jourian sector on September 25 were consigned to flames in his native village, Uprali Kothi, near Bhaghi, in Kangra district yesterday.

A sea of mourners started gathering on the Samloti-Baroh road near the martyr's village since morning to pay their homage to the son of the soil.

Lance Naik Manjit Singh, Sohal of 7 Dogra Regiment joined the Army way back in 1989. He was the elder son of Mr Devi Singh Sohal. He is survived by his wife Saroj, two daughters and a son. "He died so that we may live", his wife Santosh kept repeating. It is a debt acknowledged in ample measure by people who had turned out in strength to pay their condolences.

Slogans against Pakistan rent the air as the military truck carrying the coffin entered the village. It was then taken in a procession to the cremation ground. Army pallbearers led by Col Karam Chand carried the coffin as hundreds of mourners stood on both sides of the road to salute the hero. The pyre was lit by his younger brother.

Earlier, Mr Vidya Sagar, Agriculture Minister, Mr Krishan Kapoor, Transport Minister, and other civil and military officers placed wreaths on the coffin.

A martyr's father fights for justice
from Ravinder Sood

PALAMPUR: Dr N.K. Kalia, father of Kargil martyr, Captain Saurabh Kalia, has been moving from pillar to post and has approached several national and international organisations to pressurise Pakistan to identify and punish those who indulged in the most heinous and inhuman crime, kept his son in captivity for three weeks and subjected him to brutal torture as evident from his body, which was handed over by the Pakistani army on June 9.

This reporter who called on Dr N.K. Kalia and Mrs Vijay Kalia, parents of the martyr, tell him that, not only they, but the Army and indeed the whole nation, had lost a dedicated and honest son. He was the first officer to detect and inform the authorities about the Pak intrusion while doing patrol duty in the first fortnight of May. Capt Saurabh Kalia along with five jawans were captured on the Indian side of LoC on May 15.

The disheartened father says that the Pak army indulged in the most dastardly acts of burning bodies with cigarettes, piercing ears with hot iron rods, removing eyes before puncturing them, breaking most of the bones and teeth, chopping off limbs and private organs of these soldiers inflicting unimaginable physical and mental torture. Dr Kalia says that evidently being leader, his son fought the "real battle" for 22 days undergoing the worst possible ordeal. These valiant sons did not breakdown while undergoing this savagery. The Pak army had to shoot them ultimately.

Dr Kalia said being captured was part of every conflict between the two countries. But their PoWs status was not intimated to India. They were subjected to inhuman and brutal treatment which violated the Geneva Convention, to which both India and Pakistan are signatories. The post-mortem report confirmed that injuries were inflicted ante-mortem (before death).

Becoming sentimental Dr Kalia, argued that sacrificing oneself for the nation was an honour every soldier would love to do but no parent could accept what happened to these brave sons. But after this unfortunate incident any parent would think twice before sending their ward to the armed forces if the government fell short of its duty of safeguarding prisoners of war and allowed them to meet the fate of these soldiers. This might set a disturbing trend. It must be understood that this was not the problem of the Kalia family only, but a national issue, he added.

Dr Kalia felt that apathy on the part of the Union Government might send the wrong signals to Army personnel who would feel that PoWs in Pakistan could not be taken care of. If Pakistan was allowed to go unpunished in this case, it had every reason to get emboldened to strike more dangerously in future. The whole western world have gone berserk had this happened there. It was unfortunate that Indian human rights organisations were mum and showing very feeble reaction initially to this vital issue but sensing the gravity of the issue they were now coming forward.

He regretted that when the bodies of these martyrs arrived in New Delhi, there were a lot of statements from various ministers and other high-ranking officials, but later all initiatives evaporated.

Dr Kalia's letters to the President, Prime Minister, the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Pakistan have not evoked any response.

Lawrence School staff hold rally
From Our Correspondent

SOLAN, Sept 27 — At least 150 class IV employees of Lawrence School, Sanawar, took out a procession and held a rally in protest against the non-acceptance of their demands here today.

They also handed over a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner, Mr R.D. Dhiman. Their main demand relates to revision of pay scales which they claimed was due in August this year.

Their union general secretary, Mr Madan Lal also alleged the management had been maltreating and harassing employees, especially after the union had started demanding "their dues".

Colonel Pannu, Bursar of the school, maintained that the employees had reached an agreement with him under which he was to recommend a 10 per cent hike in allowances. However, there was some difference about the date from which it was to become effective.

The employees demanded increase from April whereas he was prepared to recommend it from August last. He said the final decision could only be taken by the Board of Governors, whose meeting could not be convened on account of the Chairman (Union Education Secretary) being abroad. He regretted that the employees did not wait till the Board meeting was held and resorted to an agitation.