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| Friday, January 7, 2000, Chandigarh, India  
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Army
chief in Myanmar for talks Hijacking anti-Islamic, says
minister CWC attacks govt on hijack crisis Indian embassies to raise Pak
issue |
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PWG men blow up power
substation President okays IRDA Bill Wage board invites requests Court instructions to Win Chadha Cuban doctors to treat WB Dy CM Badal ‘greenman’ of the
year
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Army chief in Myanmar for
talks NEW DELHI, Jan 6 — The threat of infiltration by the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) operatives and Islamic militants from Myanmar into India is likely to come up during discussions between the Chief of Army Staff, Gen V.P. Malik and Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Myanmar armed forces, Gen Maung Aye. General Malik, who is on a two-day official visit to Myanmar, is to take up the issue of an easy passage available to militants and subversives from Myanmar into India, specially in the north-eastern states. A delegation of senior military officers, including representatives of the Indian Air Force and Navy are accompanying General Malik, who is also the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee. After the two-day talks in Myanmar, the military delegations from India and Myanmar under General Aye will have further deliberations in Shillong till January 8. Sources said infiltration from Myanmar was one of the most important issues on the agenda of General Malik, specially after the recent hijacking of the Indian Airlines flights from Kathmandu and the recent reports of ISI wanting to use Myanmar as a base to infiltrate Islamic mercenaries into India. Reports said besides the threat from the ISI, he was also likely to take up the issue of a free passage available to the members of the various militant organisations operating in the troubled states in the North-East. Special attention would be on the militant organisations active in Manipur and Assam. The sources stated that with the passes in the northern sector begin snow-bound, Pakistan had been using this region for its covert activities. Once having entered India through this relatively easier route the mercenaries have a free run till Jammu and Kashmir. India was hoping to work out a solution to this persisting problem during its talks with the Myanmar delegation during the visit. The reports further said there was the facility of free-trade at "More" on the Indian-Myanmar border. But what had been disturbing the Indian Government was the free passage available to the Bodo and the ULFA militants from Assam and the members of the PLA and other militants organisations from Manipur. The northern region of Myanmar was under the control of rebels in that country, who were said to be having contacts with militants here and this was a matter of worry for India. An official note here said during the visits, the two sides would discuss measures for enhanced cooperation between the armed forces of the two countries in areas, including training and border management between their forces. In view of the fact that Gen Maung Aye is the Chairman of the National Trade Council, the National Industrial Development Committee and has wide-ranging political, military and economic responsibilities, the Government of India will avail of the opportunity of Gen Maung Aye’s visit to Shillong to undertake an informal and wide-ranging exchange of views with Myanmar side on matters of mutual interest. The Indian Government
will be represented by Mr Murasoli Maran, Minister of
Commerce and Industry, Mr R. Kumaramangalam, Minister of
Power, and senior representatives of the Ministries of
Commerce, Defence, External Affairs, Home Affairs and
Power together with representatives of the states
bordering Myanmar. |
Hijacking anti-Islamic, says minister PATNA, Jan 6 (UNI) — Union Minister of State for Food Processing Industry Shahnawaz Hussain today urged the Islamic countries to declare Pakistan a "terrorist" state. Criticising Islamabad for the recent hijacking of an Indian Airlines plane, he said here that the neighbouring country had been exposed as the hijackers were now roaming freely in Pakistan. He said the Vajpayee government had ample evidences to prove that Pakistan had provided shelter to the hijackers. Accusing Pakistan of "engineering terrorist and militant activities" in Kashmir, he said the hijacking was a heinous and barbaric act of the neighbouring country. Dubbing such acts as "anti-Islamic", he cautioned Pakistan against its "irresponsible" role in the episode and urged the Islamic nations to criticise Pakistan and declare it a terrorist state. He said the Vajpayee government’s decision to release three militants was the best possible option in the given circumstances as the hijacked plane with the hostages was in a country with which India had no diplomatic relations. Criticising the Congress for its statement on the government’s decision to release three militants, Mr Hussain said the latter cared for the lives and security of the innocent people who could not be left at the mercy of the hijackers. He said the Janata Dal government had released five militants for only one captive, Rubiya Sayeed, daughter of then Union Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed. Besides, it had also released five militants for an engineer held hostage by terrorists. Earlier, the Congress government had released 40 militants in the Charar-e-Sharif episode. "The Vajpayee government released only three militants for rescuing 154 innocent persons," he said. He criticised Pakistan
for its claim on Kashmir on the basis of population and
said the demand was "wrong" and
"humiliating" for the Indian muslims. The
Vajpayee government was committed to eradicating
terrorism from Kashmir, he observed and felt other
nations should support India in combating terrorism. |
CWC attacks govt on hijack crisis NEW DELHI, Jan 6 (PTI) — The Congress Working Committee (CWC) today made a scathing attack on the government’s ‘most inept’ handling of the Indian Airlines hijack crisis, accusing it of seriously compromising security of the nation by releasing three hardcore terrorists in exchange for hostages. "This action will have serious and far-reaching implications on national security", the CWC said in a stronglyworded resolution adopted at a meeting presided by party President Sonia Gandhi which expressed relief at the release of the hostages. Expressing grave concern over the handling of the crisis, the CWC said the government’s failure to resolve the matter at Amritsar speaks of its ‘total incompetence’ in handling a sensitive situation which involves nation’s security. It said conceding to the demand of the hijackers would definitely give added encouragement to cross-border terrorism, to which the country had fallen prey for more than a decade. "The task of our police and security forces henceforth will be all the more difficult". The CWC also took
exception to External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh
accompanying the terrorists in the aircraft to Kandahar
saying, "There was no reason whatsoever to give
respectability to the three terrorists". |
Indian embassies to raise Pak
issue NEW DELHI, Jan 6 — India is set to make a systematic effort to convince the international opinion on Pakistan’s complicity in not only the recent hijacking of the Indian Airline aircraft, but also about Islamabad’s long-term involvement in various acts of international terrorism. While the External Affairs Minister, Mr Jaswant Singh, will take up Pakistan’s support to terrorism with Italy, the United Kingdom, Israel and Oman during his four-nation trip beginning from January 9, Indian embassies abroad will step up efforts to convince their respective host governments on the issue. Mr Jaswant Singh, who is scheduled to meet the US Deputy Secretary of State, Mr Strobe Talbott, in London on January 17-18 for the 10th round of the Indo-US bilateral talks, will also raise the issue of Pakistan’s support to terrorism. Even otherwise, New Delhi and Washington have been discussing the issue of international terrorism in a structured manner for a few months now. Indian officials will brief the USA on Pakistan’s complicity in the recent hijacking. Armed with the evidence of the identity of the five hijackers, who are Pakistani nationals, the task is now relatively easy, an official said adding that "we have enough information" on Islamabad’s support to terrorist groups. The Indian officials, including the spokesman for the Ministry of External Affairs, have been pointing out for some time now that Islamabad has been supporting terrorist organisations like the Lashkar-e-Toiba and the Hizb-ul-Mujahdeens. Pakistani ministers and officials have been attending the conferences of these terrorist outfits. The spokesman, in response to a question, pointed out that the number of US citizens killed in terrorist operations which had direct links with Islamabad was very high. This in itself was enough evidence for the US to declare Pakistan a terrorist state, an official said. The Indian officials and diplomats would point out that Pakistan, which was a signatory to Tokyo, Hague and Montreal conventions on hijacking of an aircraft, was guilty of serious violations of these international conventions. Islamabad has also signed the SAARC Convention on suppression of terrorism. At every possible
international forum, New Delhi would make an attempt to
draw the attention to Islamabad’s involvement in
terrorism. |
PWG men blow up power substation JEHANABAD (Bihar), Jan 6 (UNI) — Extremists of the Peoples War Group (PWG) blew up a newly constructed power substation building with dynamite at Arwal in Jehanabad district last night and vowed to continue such activities in future in the state. Police superintendent of Arwal S.M. Khopra said here today that the power substation crumbled under the impact of the explosion. He said nearly 50 outlaws attacked the building and blew it up with dynamite. The commissioning of the power substation, constructed at a cost of Rs 10.5 lakh, was due next month. Mr Khopra, who is camping at the spot, said leaflets left by the PWG extremists were found at the explosion site, justifying the explosion. The leaflet claimed that the act was in retaliation to the killing of the PWG’s four activists in Andhra Pradesh and one in Patna district in Bihar in what it described as "fake" police encounters recently. The extremists also claimed that the substation was constructed with poor building material and the officials concerned did not care to improve the construction work despite repeated warnings, forcing them to explode it. No arrest has been made
so far while the raids were going on to nab the
extremists. |
President okays IRDA Bill NEW DELHI, Jan 6 (PTI) — The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority bill, which seeks to open up the insurance sector to foreign and private investors, has been given assent by the President. With this, the Bill passed in the winter session of Parliament has become an act, an official press note said today. The IRDA, 1999 seeks to establish an authority to protect the interests of holders of insurance policy to regulate, promote and ensure orderly growth of the insurance industry. It also seeks to amend
the insurance Act, 1938, the Life Insurance Corporation
of India Act, 1956 and the General Insurance Business
(nationalisation) act, 1972 paving the way for private
participation in insurance sector, including those from
foreign countries. |
Wage board invites requests NEW DELHI, Jan 6 (UNI) — The Manisana wage board has invited written requests for holding oral hearings by it on its tentative proposals for revision of wages of working journalists and non-journalists of newspapers and news agencies. The requests should reach the board within six weeks from the date of notification of the tentative proposals in the gazette of India, an official release said here today. The proposals were notified on December 30, 1999, for comments or objections by the newspaper establishments, news agencies and their employees and other persons interested in the revision of wages of journalists and non-journalists. The board has made it
clear that only those persons will be heard who submit
their written comments within the prescribed time. The
oral hearings are likely to be held on the expiry of
seven weeks from the date of notification of the
tentative proposals. |
Court instructions to Win Chadha NEW DELHI,Jan 6 (PTI) — A special court here today asked Dubai-based businessman Win Chadha to apply for fresh passport within 48 hours to facilitate his appearance in the court in the Rs 64 crore Bofors pay-off case. Special Judge Ajit Bharihoke deferred hearing on Chadha’s application for cancellation of non-bailable arrest warrants (NBW) till January 20 after his counsel Gopal Subramaniam gave an undertaking that application for fresh passport would be submitted to the authorities concerned within the stipulated time. Chadha had challenged the NBW issued against him by the court on December 14 last, on the ground that the summons issued to him earlier were not served on him. The court had issued
arrest warrants against Chadha, a former A B Bofors
agent, after he failed to appear in the court following
issuance of summons on November 4. |
Cuban doctors to treat WB Dy
CM CALCUTTA, Jan 6 — Mr Buddhadev Bhattacharya, West Bengal’s Deputy Chief Minister, needs the treatment of Cuban doctors for his eye problem as ophthalmologists in India and other European countries have failed to cure him. The Marxist leader himself said that doctors of different countries had expressed their inability to cure his gradual drying of the retina in the left eye, which might ultimately lead to loss of sight. The Deputy Chief
Minister will leave for Cuba on January 11. |
Badal ‘greenman’ of
the year NEW DELHI, Jan 6 — The Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, has been declared as the "greenman" of the year by the Sarab Sanjha Khalsa 3rd Centenary Environment Trust. Mr Badal has been given
the award for his efforts in changing the educational
curriculum in the state by giving more marks to those who
grow more trees as part of the Punjab Government’s
"green mission", a statement said. |
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