 |
| Saturday, January 15, 2000, Chandigarh, India  
|
JD
(U), Samata trade charges Bofors: CBI summons Hinduja
brothers SP, RJD part ways Malik for faster reaction by
forces |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
CPM to stick to party
line Maulana Ilyasi disowns
daughter-in-law Anju Haryana voters to use EVMs Govt control over IGNCA to remain George, Cong leaders to share
platform Haryana Cong poll panel meets
|
JD (U), Samata trade
charges NEW DELHI, Jan 14 — The BJP optimism about bringing its two major National Democratic Alliance partners — Janata Dal (United) and the Samata Party — together to put up a joint fight in the forthcoming Assembly elections in Bihar suffered a jolt today with the senior leaders of the two sides continuing to trade charges. A senior Samata Party leader and the Minister of State for Railways, Mr Digvijay Singh, fired the first salvo when he took umbrage at JD(U) leader, Ramakrishna Hegde’s statement that Mr George Fernandes was responsible for the collapse of merger talks between the two parties. Mr Digvijay Singh said Mr Hegde, who as president of the erstwhile Lok Shakti, had fielded candidates against the official Samata nominees in Bihar during the 1999 elections had no right to issue sermons. Reacting to the Samata leader’s statement, the General Secretary of the JD(U), Mr M. Raghupathy, said today that Mr Hegde was a senior and highly respected political leader and he did not need to learn from Mr Fernandes or Mr Digvijay Singh. Mr Raghupathy claimed that the Lok Shakti had contested one Lok Sabha seat in Bihar in the last elections as the Samata Party did not allot even one seat to his party till the last moment. He also pointed out that Mr Hegde had campaigned at Madhepura in Bihar for the JD(U) President, Mr Sharad Yadav. The sabre-rattling between the two sides notwithstanding, the BJP’s national Vice-President, Mr Kailaspati Mishra, maintained that there were no differences among its allies over the contentious issue of seat-sharing in Bihar and said the four NDA partners would contest the coming Assembly polls together. "There is no rift over seat-sharing...all the four allies of the NDA — BJP, JD(U), Samata and Bihar People’s Party of former MP Anand Mohan — will contest the poll on a common agenda" he was quoted as saying in Patna. Mr Mishra said talks were already on with allies on seat adjustments and it was likely to be finalised by January 20. The BJP General Secretary, Mr K.N. Govindacharya, also reiterated in Chennai today that it was important for the SP and the JD(U) to stay together to defeat the "jungle raj" of the Rabri Devi government in Bihar. Apart from bringing the
JD(U) and the Samata together, the BJP would also have to
contend with the issue of chief ministership. |
Bofors: CBI summons Hinduja
brothers NEW DELHI, Jan 14 — The CBI has issued notices to the London-based Hinduja brothers — Gopichand and Srichand — and Geneva-based Prakash Hinduja to make themselves available here for examination in the Bofors payoff case. The CBI has asked the brothers to come here through notices issued earlier this week and gave them a week’s time to join the probe, Bureau sources said the notices were issued through Indian missions. The development comes in the wake of the CBI being handed over the last set of documents pertaining to secret Swiss bank accounts by the authorities during December. The Hindujas have consistently denied their involvement in the Bofors gun deal. The names of the Hinduja brothers were disclosed by the CBI in 1993 as being among the appellants in the Bofors case pending in Swiss courts. The sources said the documents received recently were still being scrutinised. The CBI, which has filed a chargesheet in the case, may file a supplementary in the case. The sources said the Hindujas had been asked to "join the investigations" and their proposed examination was aimed at probing the alleged link of the brothers with the payment of Rs 16 crore into the accounts of Pitco, Moresco and Moineao in connection with the 1986 deal for the purchase of 400 Howitzer guns at a cost of Rs 1,437 crore. The CBI, in its first
chargesheet filed on October 22 last year had named
Quattrochhi, former Defence Secretary S.K. Bhatnagar and
former A.B. Bofors president Martin Ardbo, besides Win
Chadha, as accused. |
SP, RJD part ways NEW DELHI, Jan 14 — The two-year-old Rashtriya Lok Tantrik Morcha (RLM) formally broke up today when the Samajwadi Party (SP) snapped its ties with the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and decided to contest the coming elections to the Bihar Assembly in alliance with left parties. Briefing newspersons after the parliamentary board meeting of the party, general secretary Amar Singh said the parting of ways became inevitable since RJD supremo Laloo Prasad Yadav had failed to adopt "an anti-Congress, anti-BJP stance". The parliamentary board of the party also decided to field Mr Akhilesh Yadav for the Lok Sabha byelections from Kannauj in Uttar Pradesh the seat vacated by his father Mulayam Singh Yadav. Mr Amar Singh said the party had held detailed discussions with the CPI leader A.B. Bardhan and also with the Dipankar Bhattacharya of the CPI (ML) on electoral tie-up. The party was hoping to have similar discussions with the RSP and the Forward Bloc. However, the party would
not be holding talks with the CPI (M) as it considered
that party to be close to Mr Laloo Prasad Yadav. The RJD
and the CPI (M) have been holding talks over seat sharing
in Bihar. Asked as to how many seats the proposed front
would contest in Bihar, Mr Amar Singh said: "We have
reached a broad consensus that we will contest as many
seats as possible". |
Malik for faster reaction by
forces NEW DELHI, Jan 14 (PTI) — Gen V.P. Malik today said the security forces would have to enhance their "reaction, decision-making and assessment" to combat suicide attacks being increasingly resorted to Pakistani mercenaries in Jammu and Kashmir. "We are now seeing some suicide squads and some highly motivated people in the name of religion doing these things," General Malik said and called for "total synergy among anti-militancy forces to deal with the attacks". Stating that it would take a little time to bring about this effect the Army chief told "Star News" he was confident that the security forces could deal with such attacks, which he described as a "new" phenomenon. Asserting that the security forces’ reaction to such tactics would have to be much faster, General Malik said in getting to this synergy, everybody had a role to play, be it the Army, the paramilitary forces or the civil elite. "You have to have very strong networking, otherwise I am afraid you cannot optimally utilise the capabilities you have," he said. The Army chief’s remarks come in the wake of the recent spate of suicide attacks by terrorists of the Lashkar-e-Toiba against Army and state police formation headquarters. General Malik told "Aaj Tak" that he did not favour the release of terrorists, who were caught after "great difficulty". Asked whether the release of terrorists would affect the morale of the Army, he said "a person caught after hard efforts should not be released as far as possible". "But the armed
forces should be prepared for activities which are part
of the proxy war," General Malik told the television
programme. |
CPM to stick to party line CALCUTTA, Jan 14 — The three-day CPM Politburo meeting which began in the city today with fanfare, at its first sitting did not discuss anything about re-drafting of the party’s 35-year old constitution. On the other hand, the meeting discussed the strategy to be adopted in the ensuing Assembly elections in Bihar, Haryana and Manipur. After the meeting, the Politburo spokesman, Mr Sitaram Yechuri said they would discuss in due course the draft of the revised constitution prepared by the special committee. He, however, ruled out any major changes in the party’s basic line of approach towards socialism, democratic set-up, capitalism, class character and future class struggle. But there could be certain modifications in the party’s practical tactical line. Mr Jyoti Basu, Mr Harkishan Singh Surjeet and other old-guards of the party, however, had been demanding for some time past, a thorough re-drafting of the constitution in the changed political and economic situation and make it more "rational and practical". Mr Basu and Mr Singh are members of the committee set up for suggesting various proposals for re-drafting the constitution. The committee had its first meeting in Delhi on December 8, which discussed the lines to be adopted for re-drafting the constitution. And at the on-going Politburo meeting, the concrete proposals had been placed for discussion. All the 17 members of the Politburo were present at the first day session. The octogenarian Mr Jyoti Basu attended the meeting for some time and then left for Writers Buildings, though his visit to the state government headquarter had been unscheduled. It could be that Mr Basu did not want that issue of re-drafting of the constitution would get second preference in the agenda and that was why he did not stay long there. Mr Yechuri, however, said there was no difference in any matter and the meeting ran smoothly. How come the question of differences about our plans and programme when we have not yet discussed anything, he quipped. At the Chennai party Congress in 1992, the suggestion for changing the party’s programme was taken in the wake of the changing community movement in Russia and east European countries and according a committee headed by Mr M. Basavpunnias was formed to prepare re-drafting of the party constitution. But after Mr Basavpunnias as well as Mr E.M.S. Namboordipard’s death, there was hardly any meeting on the re-drafting of the constitution. But of late, even the
hardliners have softened their approach towards the
government formation and the party’s democratic line
of approach. |
Maulana Ilyasi disowns
daughter-in-law Anju NEW DELHI, Jan 14 — Differences between two families over the last rites of Anju Ilyasi’s body provoked the producer of the India’s Most Wanted TV serial, Mr Suhaib Ilyasi’s father, Maulana Jameel Ilyasi to disown his daughter-in-law. Anju Ilyasi was cremated this morning at the electric crematorium at Bela Road. Her last rites were not performed as per Islamic tradition. Maulana Ilyasi, who is president of the Akhil-Bharatiya Imam Sangathan (a body of Muslim Imams), was not present at the electric crematorium at the time of cremation. The Maulana said "had Anju been my daughter-in-law she would have been buried in a grave yard. Since her death nobody came to me to consult on her last rites". Anju Ilyasi’s mysterious death took place on Tuesday night in her flat at IFS apartments in the Mayur Vihar area of East Delhi. She was cremated at 9.50 A.M. after her mother, Rukma came from Canada. No last rites were performed before the cremation at the crematorium except for the lighting of fire. The lighting was done by Anju’s brother, Prashant and Suhaib Ilyasi. About 100 persons including relatives and friends of Anju were present at the cremation. There was gloom, anguish and disbelief at the site, as Suhaib lit the pyre. Anju’s mother broke down when the body was placed on the plank of the furnace. Her husband, Dr K.P. Singh and son Prashant held her to stop her from collapsing. Mr Singh and Prashant’s eyes were red and puffy. When last time face of Anju was shown, Suhaib Ilyasi broke down and cried. Anju’s mother called by her pet name Bolu. Suhaib’s security provided by the Delhi Police was not seen there. Husband of the deceased, Suhaib Ilyasi and other relatives left the crematorium one hour after the body was consigned to flames. It takes at least two hours to burn the body in electric crematorium. Ashes will be collected on Monday. A part of it is likely to be buried in a grave while remains will be taken to Hardwar for religious practices. An official at the crematorium said that electric crematorium at Bela Road is meant for unclaimed bodies found in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) area. Hardly three claimed bodies are cremated here each day. Expenses of cremation at
the electric crematorium is Rs 300. This cremation is
sans pollution, the official said. |
Haryana voters to use EVMs NEW DELHI, Jan 14 — Advocating the use of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) the Election Commission today decided to put these to use in half of Haryana’s 90 Assembly constituencies. Nearly 12 million voters in 73 Assembly constituencies and Kannauj Parliamentary constituency would exercise their franchise electronically, the EC said adding that apart from Haryana, Bihar, Orissa and Manipur would also use the EVMs. Some of the constituencies where assembly/Parliamentary byelections are being held including Nawanshahr in Punjab will also vote by these machines. Of the four States which are to elect new State Assemblies, EVMs will be used in 45 constituencies including 18 constituting Rohtak and Karnal Parliamentary constituency plus 27 others. "Haryana will be the first major State in India to have such a wide coverage of Assembly constituencies using EVMs" an EC release said today. The EC also said that in addition one or more Assembly constituencies were being covered with the use of EVMs in each district. The EC said in the release that the move was a "major and path-breaking initiative in the continuation of the Commission’s historic step in introducing use of EVMs in the country". In Orissa, the whole of
Bhubaneswar Parliamentary constituency, Cuttack city,
Cuttak Sadar and Puril will also use EVMs during the
State elections. |
Govt control over IGNCA to remain NEW DELHI, Jan 14 (UNI) — The government today said it would retain overall control of the Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts (IGNCA) as the trust was created by a substantial grant of public funds. In an affidavit filed before the Delhi High Court, Mr Umang Narula, Deputy Secretary, the Department of Culture, said the government would also retain the power to appoint trustees besides the member secretary as well as to review the trust’s working. He said the government did not approve amendments in the IGNCA original trust deed which made Ms Sonia Gandhi a life trustee. For any government communication to have effect, appropriate authentication as provided under the authentication (orders and other instruments) rules 1958 is a primary requisite. Mr Ram Niwas Mirdha, the
sacked member secretary, has challenged reconstitution of
the trust, saying the government has no power to appoint
new trustees. But the government said, no power of
amendment provided in the trust deed can be used to alter
its basic structure. |
George, Cong leaders to share platform NEW DELHI, Jan 14 (UNI) — In a significant political development, Defence Minister George Fernandes will share the platform with Congress and leaders of secular parties in a conference organised by the Rashtriya Vikas Morcha on Sunday. With social justice as its main plank, the morcha’s conference on development and governance will be addressed, among others, by Mr Fernandes, Mr Syed Shahabuddin, senior Congress leader Rajesh Pilot, CPI leader Chaturanan Mishra and Samata Party General Secretary Jaya Jaitley. The meeting assumes
sigificance since no BJP leader has been listed to attend
the meeting coming as it does in the backdrop of
simmering differences between that party and the Samata
on sharing of seats for the Bihar Assembly elections. |
Haryana Cong poll panel meets NEW DELHI, Jan 14 — The Haryana Pradesh Election Congress Committee today agreed on broad parameters for selection of party candidates with some leaders expressing the need to keep both ability to win and loyalty to the party as criteria. Although none of the 1400-odd names were discussed, the leaders agreed that the Congress needed to candidates with ‘clean image’, and that new faces should be fielded. Apparently while there was some reservation in granting tickets new entrants, party sources said there could be no ban on nominating such people. The sources said the party had to take into account the ground situation and the prospects of such candidates before arriving at any decision. Some leaders stressed on the need to give greater representation to women and those belonging to the backward castes keeping in line with the commitment of the party to these sections of society. The 12-member election panel includes HPCC chief Bhupinder Singh Hooda. The committee is
expected to start shortlisting of 1487 applicants
tomorrow, the sources said. |
 |
| Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir | Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs | Nation | Editorial | | Business | Sport | World | Mailbag | Chandigarh Tribune | In Spotlight | 50 years of Independence | Tercentenary Celebrations | | 119 Years of Trust | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
