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| Wednesday, February 2, 2000, Chandigarh, India  
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India
for charter on militancy PHRC calls for Indo-Pak dialogue Nagaland was ‘never part of
India’ Move to delink ISI from J&K
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Haryana Cong men sore
over nominations Youth kills kin over marriage
tussle
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India for charter on militancy NEW DELHI, Feb 1 — Intellectuals and diplomats from several countries today sought enhanced international cooperation, especially within the South-Asian region, to jointly combat terrorism and impose sanctions against states sponsoring militancy. "Some governments allow terrorist groups to operate within their countries .... They are not concerned about the lives of people in your or my country," Sri Lankan High Commissioner to India Mangala Moonesinghe said at a seminar on measures to eliminate terrorism here. Seeking increased cooperation between India and Sri Lanka in this regard, Mr Moonesinghe said, SAARC nations, to begin with, should exchange information and intelligence focusing on the movement of terrorists and cross-border terrorism. "India, Sri Lanka and the USA have declared the LTTE a terrorist organisation. Why can’t we get together (to fight it) ? India has requested extradition of LTTE supremo Prabhakaran, we also want him and so do the Tamils as he has got the Tamil political leadership eliminated," he said. In the same vein, a former Indian High Commissioner to the UK, Mr L. M. Singhvi, suggested heightened international cooperation and drafting of a "world charter" against terrorism. Mr Singhvi also sought "punitive sanctions", including confiscation of properties of terrorists and even "those states which sponsor them". He said there was "an emerging common resolve" the world over to fight terrorism and called for "political will of the world community and support of the world powers" in this direction. Castigating "certain governments" for aiding, abetting, financing and sponsoring terrorism, he suggested the creation of an international court of justice to specifically deal with terrorist crimes. "Peace cannot be secured without freedom from fear," Mr Singhvi said. Bhutanese High Commissioner Lyonpo D Tsering said there was an urgent need for SAARC nations to adopt a regional convention to fight the menace. "It is hopeless to have a movement against terrorism if some states provide training, sanctuary, arms, finance to terrorists," Mr Tsering said. Even a tiny and peaceful nation like Bhutan had been affected by militancy as "simple people were being terrorised, robbed of their basic human right of movement," he said. The seminar, organised
by the "All India Anti-Terrorist Front" was led
by former MP Maninderjit Singh Bitta. |
PHRC calls for Indo-Pak dialogue NEW DELHI, Feb 1 (PTI) — Pakistan Human Rights Commission (PHRC) Chairman Afrasiab Khattak today called for immediate resumption of "unconditional" dialogue between Islamabad and New Delhi to overcome the "tension" between the two countries. Notwithstanding the recent setbacks in Indo-Pak relations, he said there could be no denying the fact that "Lahore process had good impact. The recent tension can be overcome. It is not something permanent which can’t be left behind" At a colloquium here on "Peace Imperatives to Resume India-Pakistan Dialogue", he strongly maintained that talks between the two countries should be "totally unconditional". Complaining that India’s role in stalling the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) summit was "not justified", he recalled that during Gen Zia-ul-Haq’s regime SAARC meetings were held. "When Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee spoke (at Lahore), hostility of years disappeared in days," Mr Khattak claimed that even the present military leadership under Gen Pervez Musharraf had not "disowned" Lahore Declaration or Simla Agreement. This only showed Pakistan’s "preparedness" to talk, Mr Khattak said, adding that "General Musharraf had only spoken about Kashmir and it being the core issue between the two countries". Me Khattak said war hysteria or "jingoism" should not be used to legitimise power. "If it is done in Pakistan we will oppose it and accept it to be reciprocated in the same manner". Dwelling on the significance of regional cooperation in safeguarding the interests of both countries, Mr Khattak lamented that "after having split ourselves on the pretext that we cannot live together we have made ourselves a laughing stock that we can’t even live separately". Pointing out that there had been three wars and one "half war" (Kargil), he said such irrationality of political leadership in both countries should be exposed. Speaking on the
occasion, Admiral L Ramdas also favoured immediate
resumption of talks and criticised "men in
charge" in both countries of leading towards mutual
disaster. |
Nagaland was ‘never part of India’ KOHIMA, Feb 1 (PTI) — Former NSCN (I-M) armed wing chief V.S. Atem has claimed Nagaland was never part of India before Independence. "Nagas had declared their independence one day ahead of India, ie. August 14, 1947, because Nagalim was never part of India, is and shall not be so," Atem, one of the key men in the current peace talk process, claimed in a statement. Stating that Britishers had set up their administration only in 1881 at Kohima bringing a small portion of Nagalim under their fold, Atem said even during British raj, Nagalim was excluded from India through the 1935 Government of British India Act as consequent to the submission made to the Simon Commission in 1929 by Naga club. "Had Nagalim been with India, Sir Robert Reid would not have proposed a crown colony for Nagas, nor Sir Regioald Coubland would have proposed for a trust territory for Nagalim," he said. The senior NSCN (I-M)
leader said the "Indo-Naga armed conflict" was
in reality totally different from insurgency. |
Move to delink ISI from
J&K NEW DELHI: A move is afoot to delink the separatist movement in Kashmir from the control of the ISI, even as foreign mercenaries activate themselves in strife-torn Jammu and Kashmir. Initiated at the behest of a group of leaders belonging to some influential militant outfits, the move aims at uniting all those in the militant camp, who are "opposed to handing over the entire command structure of the movement to foreign mercenaries", a leader of one of these outfits currently in Delhi told IPA. The leader did not want to be identified at this stage, "as it would damage the cause of militant outfits eager to forge unity against the domination of foreign mercenaries, most of whom are Afghan war veterans and regular soldiers of the Pakistan army, masquerading as volunteers". According to the leader, the immediate objective behind the move is to unite militant groups opposed to the control of the movement by the Harkat-ul-Mujahideen and the Lashkar-e-Toiba mercenaries. It has the firm backing of "almost all important Kashmiri-speaking leaders, who were no longer being trusted by the ISI to go all the way". "Is fact since the Mast Gul episode and destruction of the Charar-e-Sharif shrine, Kashmiri-speaking leaders have been systematically side-lined with funds, weapons and other assistance routed mainly through foreign mercenaries," the leader observed. He explained that there was growing realisation that the ISI and Pakistani leaders were using the Kashmiri militants for their sinister strategic design, unmindful of the long-range interests of Kashmiris living in the valley. He said, "There was widespread apprehension about the presence of foreign mercenaries, who were indulging in armed encounters, without taking the local militants into confidence". He stated that the bulk infiltration of foreign mercenaries in recent months, culminating in last month’s hijack epidose, had convinced militant leaders of Kashmiri origin that the ISI was out to hand over the movement completely to foreign mercenaries. This was a dangerous move with highly damaging consequences for the very existence of Kashmiri ethnicity, the leader asserted. He remarked that the ISI had all along opposed the emergence of an ‘indigenous leadership’ and kept them divided to ensure that no challenge emerged to its authority from the local militants. The leader said he had come here to sound some important Hurriyat leaders and was "happy to find them sharing their fears and concerns about the foreign mercenary domination of the movement." The leader disclosed that as per information received by them, Maulana Masood Azhar, who was one of the three militants exchanged for the Indian Airlines hostages, has been given a new assignment by the ISI — to build a network of agents in other parts of India, besides Jammu and Kashmir, who could be used as tools for carrying out subversive activities. Azhar, he said, enjoyed no support of the local militant outfits in Kashmir, as he was one of the "most zealous clerics who mistrusted Kashmiris". Mushtaq Zargar, another militant exchanged for freeing the hostages, had no influence over the local militants, who accused him of amassing wealth and property while others were making sacrifices. Reflective of the
growing concern in the valley against the increased
presence of the foreign mercenaries in Kashmir, the move,
if it succeeds, can bring local militants into direct
conflict with the ISI with unpredictable consequences.
— (IPA) |
Deepa may meet Jaitley today NEW DELHI, Feb 1— The wrangle over the shooting of the controversial film "Water", the last of the trilogy from Deepa Mehta, continues. The filmmaker has been camping in the Capital to meet the Information and Broadcasting Minister, Mr Arun Jaitley, while the Uttar Pradesh Government has made it clear that it would not allow the shooting of the film to continue in Varanasi till such time it had clear instructions from the Centre. Deepa has been out trying to mobilise support for her film from activists based in Delhi, specially the women organisations. However, BJP and the VHP supporters, assembled under the Kashi Sanskriti Raksha Sangharsh Samiti, have decided to foil the shooting of the film, which they claim was denigrating the country’s image and culture. Deepa, angry over the violent protests against her film, has also refused to shift the location of her movie from Varanasi saying that the government must tell her once and for all whether she can shoot in this country or not. As per reports, Deepa is likely to meet Mr Jaitley tomorrow after his return to the country late tonight. Only after this meeting, a breakthrough on the issue is expected as the Information and Broadcasting Ministry is earlier said to have cleared the script of the film without a single cut. It seems that the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, Mr Ram Prakash Gupta, would act only after there were clear instructions from Mr Jaitley. Meanwhile, there has been no shooting of the film, in which Shabana Azmi, with her head shaved and Nandita Das, portrayed as a young widow, play the leading roles. She has been portrayed as trying to resist attempts to physically abuse her in a "widow ashram" in Varanasi. Some of the allegations levelled against the film are that it seeks to malign the holy city as a "bhog nagari" rather than a "moksha nagari". There are also allegations that the film seeks to picture Kashi as a city where child widows were forced into prostitution and that its society was permissive. Officials of the I&B Ministry here confirmed that the script of the film had in fact been cleared by the ministry before Deepa made the arrangements for the sets in Varanasi. The shooting had commenced under the supervision of a liaison officer from the ministry. According to reports, the filmmaker has categorically said that she would not be shifting the venue of the shooting as the project had been cleared by the ministry and the censors. She has also ruled out the possibility of taking legal action against the stalling of the film in Varanasi. She reportedly said she would not be moving the court. "The court is forever. Already a case is pending for the past two years regarding my earlier movie "Fire". Moving the court will not solve my problem. We cannot afford to wait that long". Deepa had returned to Delhi yesterday from Varanasi to seek the intervention of the Centre into the stalling of the shooting by protesters said to be belonging to the Sangh Parivar. After the incident, Varanasi District Magistrate Alok Kumar made it clear that the shooting could not begin till further orders by the state government which itself had been waiting for a directive from the Centre. Meanwhile, in the
Capital, the issue got further political colour with the
BJP claiming that the right to protest was any
individual’s or party’s right and the CPM
condemning the stalling of the shooting as
"intolerant tactics of the BJP and the RSS" and
demanding that the Vajpayee government should ensure that
the film is produced. |
Shahrukh casts a spell on Basu CALCUTTA, Feb 1 — Bollywood megastar Shahrukh Khan won the heart of the Marxist supremo, Mr Jyoti Basu, when he called on him at his bungalow at Salt Lake last evening and persuaded him to see his and Juhi Chawla’s joint venture, "Dil Hai Hindustani". Shahrukh was accompanied by Juhi, a former Miss India. Mr Basu said he had agreed to see the film and had asked his information and Culture Minister, Mr Budhadev Bhattacharya, to arrange a special show at Nandan, the state government’s "show-house". Mr Basu said this would be the first time after five decades that he would be seeing a film and that too in a public hall. "Long ago, I used to see movies along with comrade Jatin Chakraborty, a trade union leader of the RSP. After that, I must have visited a theatre on a film festival or a premiere show and could not stay back for long," the 87-year-old leader said. On Shahrukh, Mr Basu said: "I find the boy very polished and handsome. Usually, I have an aversion to modern Hindi films and I don’t know any actor or actress of the young generation. But they say Shahrukh is now the top." "The boy did not want any help from us but only requested me to see his film in which he also plays the hero’s role. Anyway, I had agreed and let me see what the film is all about", Mr Basu quipped. "Dil Hai
Hindustani" is now being screened in cinemas in the
city and around and the entire team, including the
coproducer and the director, Aziz Mirza, is in Calcutta
on the occasion of the screening the film. |
Youth kills kin over marriage
tussle NEW DELHI, Feb 1 — A tussle over the marriage of a 25-year-old man, Asim, forced him to kill three members of his family, including his sister, and a tenant on January 4 in Okhla village in South Delhi. He was arrested today. He also attacked his mother, Hameedan, who is still in coma in Holy Family Hospital, the police said. The suspect reportedly killed his sister, Asma, who was a teacher in Milli Model School, his brother, Qasim, uncle, Aman, and tenant, Rubano. Asma was on leave as her marriage was to be held soon. The police said that the youth’s involvement was suspected in the murder case when his father, Chaman, told the police that he had asked Asim to stay at home. During interrogation Asim admitted to his involvement in the murder case. Asim said that he committed the crime in frustration as the parents had opposed his marriage with his girl friend, Rubina, who works in a beauty parlour in South Extension in South Delhi, the police said. They wanted to marry him off to another girl. The parents had plan not to hold his ring ceremony on the day of the murder. Asim went to South
Extension to meet his girl friend after committing the
murder. He took Rubina to Mansoori Madarsa at Safdarjang,
where he confided in her about the murders. He reportedly
broke down in the Madarsa while narrating the crime. |
Haryana Cong men sore over
nominations NEW DELHI, Feb 1 — The crowds have now thinned at the AICC headquarters and understandably so as the last date of nominations for Haryana Assembly is barely two days away. Yet, a few who are still hanging on at the party headquarters are sore over the names of people who according to their information have been cleared. Although the party’s Central Election Committee has cleared nearly 70-plus candidates last night, the party has not made the list public fearing that early disclosure could create problems. The last date for filing of nominations is February 3. The AICC office-bearers have not yet forgotten the clash between supporters of Mr Bhajan Lal and the HPCC Chief Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, inside the party headquarters when they were called by observers. There were sharp differences over the finalisation of candidates on nearly 15 seats and the party high command had to reactivate a review panel drafting in services of a former General Secretary, Mr Pranab Mukherjee, who was once incharge of party affairs in the state. Since yesterday several names are going around as ‘‘having got the nod’’ and going by these ‘‘disclosures’’ the crowds and ticket-seekers were getting restive. ‘‘The party has ignored the grassroots workers and once again it is the kin of leaders who are being accommodated’’ said a party worker from Karnal. A former Youth Congress Joint Secretary, Mr Rana Joginder Salwan was more articulate and said the chances of the party at the hustings would be affected if the current list of candidates contest. Party workers from the state today charged that a former Chief Minister, Mr Bhajan Lal, has managed to secure nominations for his supporters as also for himself and his son, who was a member of the dissolved Assembly. They charged that sons,
brothers or brothers-in-law of prominent state leaders
like Mr Birender Singh, Mr Sultan Singh, Mr Bansi Lal and
Mr Surjewala have been favoured. |
CPM: govt mortgaging economic sovereignty NEW DELHI, Feb 1 (PTI) — The CPM today warned the Vajpayee government against throwing open economy to foreign capital and multinationals and said tomorrow’s public sector strike reflected the popular consensus against "such a sell out". "The Vajpayee government should realise that notwithstanding their propaganda of an orchestrated consensus on economic reforms, the people of our country will not tolerate such brazen mortgaging of India’s economic sovereignty," the CPM Politbureau said in a statement. It criticised Finance
Minister Yashwant Sinha’s declaration at the World
Economic Forum in Davos regarding content and direction
of the forthcoming Budget before it was placed before
Parliament. "Such a statement by the Finance
Minister tantamounts to declaring the BJP-led
government’s intentions to throw open our country
and its economic assets to the loot of foreign capital
and multinational corporations," it added. |
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