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| Monday, April 24, 2000, Chandigarh, India  
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Oppn
lashes out at Sangh Parivar RSS
chief swears by Swadeshi Induction
of T-90 tanks okayed MIG-21
test flights to end by July Christian
group attacked near Agra Passengers
unhurt as coach derails |
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| ‘Review strategy’ on
J&K militancy NEW DELHI, April 23 — A parliamentary committee has urgently sought a “comprehensive review” of the strategy to fight militancy in Jammu and Kashmir and asked the state government to attach “topmost priority” to the action plan to rehabilitate Kashmiri migrants. History
textbooks ‘distorted’ N-E
ultras have ‘bases in B’desh’ No
time limit for HDW deal probe Cong
seeks ‘justice’ for lawyers IYC
ex-chief made AICC spokesman Nirankaris
hold blood donation camps
|
Oppn lashes out at Sangh
Parivar MUMBAI, April 23 (UNI, PTI) — Five opposition parties, which came together under one umbrella, today launched a severe attack on the Sangh Parivar and said the review of the 50-year-old Constitution was a mere political exercise to suit the needs of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government at the Centre. A former Prime Minister, Mr Vishwanath Pratap Singh, described the Constitution Review Commission as an “unconstitutional body” which had been appointed by boycotting political parties and Parliament. It may be a move to introduce the presidential form of government in India, he said. Addressing the “samidhan gaurav sammelan”, he said the newly appointed RSS chief K.S. Sudarshan had gone on record saying that the present Constitution needed to be scrapped. A former Defence Minister and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president, Mr Sharad Pawar, said the Constitution review was an exercise to remove the name of Dr Ambedkar from the Constitution. At the rally, which was organised by Dalit leader Ramdas Athawale, who heads the Athawale faction of the Republican Party of India (RPI), Mr Pawar said the Constitution ensured freedom of speech and fundamental rights. “They (Sangh Parivar) actually want to take away the rights,” he said. The Communist Party of India (CPI) general secretary, Mr A.B. Bardhan, said it was because of the Constitution drafted by Dr Ambedkar that we stayed together for the past 50 years. He said the Sangh Parivar and its front organisations such as the BJP, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and the Bajrang Dal intended to change the social fabric of the country — which has led them to take a step to review the Constitution. HYDERABAD: On the other hand, the BJP on Sunday accused the Congress of hatching a conspiracy to drive a wedge among NDA partners on the issue of constitutional review and posed a 10-point questionnaire to that party on its objections to the exercise. “The desperate disinformation campaign being carried out by the Congress is aimed at creating differences among our allies,” Union Minister of State for Urban Affairs Bandaru Dattatreya said. Union Minister of State for Planning and Programme Implementation Arun Shourie said the Congress’ attempts to politicise the issue “smacked of its hypocrisy.” Earlier, addressing a
press conference, party spokesman M. Venkaiah Naidu posed
a 10-point questionnaire to the Congress on its
objections to the review exercise and asked the
opposition party whether it would, in retrospect, condemn
the move initiated by late Indira Gandhi to change even
the basic structure of the Constitution. |
RSS chief swears by Swadeshi MUMBAI, April 23 (PTI)— Strongly advocating the mantra of Swadeshi, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief K. S. Sudarshan here today gave a clarion call for "second independence movement" to free the country from the bondage of economic superpowers. He said "Vande mataram", the national song, must be made the axis of the Swadeshi revolution. The RSS chief was speaking after releasing the Hindi version of "Anandmath", written by Bankim-chandra Chattopadhaya commemorating the 125th year of "Vande mataram". "Think Swadeshi as it will only help India attain the status of economic superpower. When Americans say be American buy American, British can say be British buy British, why can’t we say be Indian buy Indian", he said. Mr Sudarshan said the policy of economic dependence had affected the social fabric of India rendering over 10 crore youths jobless. The economic dependence policy was responsible for various others social malaise, he said. The RSS would continue to favour economic independence and Swadeshi policies that would help India attain the status of an economic superpower, he said. Referring to G 7 countries, he said "20 per cent of the world’s population is exploiting the 80 per cent population of developing and under developed countries". In his speech Mr Sudarshan also came down heavily on the policies of the World Bank, the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which he alleged were instruments of the developed nations to exploit others. "The communism has
perished and so will capitalism", he prophesied and
added "Swadeshi should be dharma today". |
Induction of T-90 tanks okayed NEW DELHI, April 23 (PTI) — The government has given the green light for finalisation of the contract to acquire 310 T-90 main battle tanks from Russia, with the first batch of these heavy tanks likely to be inducted in this year. The Defence Ministry’s price negotiating team has left for Moscow for final rounds of talks with M/s RVZ, the makers of the Russian tanks, whose acquisition would give the Army’s strike corps an edge over Pakistani formations, which recently have been armed with Ukranian T-80U tanks, official sources said here. With the acquisition of these tanks, the Army is on its way to get much delayed armaments like medium guns, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) missile system and electronic surveillance system, the sources said. However, the proposal to acquire weapon locating radar (WLR), whose need was badly felt during Kargil operation, is still hanging as the ministry was yet to make a final choice between the French Cobra WLR system and the Ukrainian Iskra. Cabinet Committee on Security has approved the proposal for outright purchase of 124 T-90 tanks and the rest 186 in semi-knocked down (SKD) and completely knocked down (CKD) state. The Russians had initially quoted a price of US $ 2.65 million and later brought it down to $ 2.41 million. Last month during price negotiations, they reduced it to $ 2.2 million. Defence Minister George Fernandes has said the comparative anaylsis suggests that the Russian T-90 tanks was “superior to all known tanks in Pakistan’s armoury”. He denied reports that the government had rejected the tanks and clarified that the acquisition of these tanks was not as a replacement for the country’s indigenous ‘Arjun’ main battle tank, currently under development. The government’s nod has come after three T-90 tanks underwent peak summer trials in Rajasthan during May-June 1999 and further trials in October-November 1999, which were witnessed by senior Army and Defence Ministry officials. Based on these trials the Army headquarters prepared a general staff evaluation report recommending induction of the tank in December last year. Defence Ministry sources, however, said the government was yet to take a decision on the acquisition of the weapon locating radars, as a high-level defence team which went to France to witness M/s Daimler Chrylser Cobra weapon locating radar system was still to file its report. The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence had recently rapped the Defence Ministry for the delay in acquisition of the radars, demand for which had been projected by the Army way back in 1989. While the US companies
and Anglo-French company Thomson refused to open
negotiations with the Indian team, the Ukranian company
Iskra has already filed detailed tenders with the Defence
Ministry. |
MIG-21 test flights to end by July NEW DELHI, April 23 (UNI) — Two years behind schedule, the final test flights of the modernised MIG-21 BIS fighter aircraft, the backbone of the Indian Air Force, is now likely to be finished by the end of July and the design and development phase finally closed in September. The final test flights of two aircraft in the new configuration are now taking place in Russia. The series upgradation work at Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) of 123 MIG-21 BIS is expected to be completed by the year 2004. All new systems contracted for the upgrade of the MIG-21 BIS have been integrated on the aircraft and flight test task up to 75 per cent had been successfully completed, the Defence Ministry has told the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence. The aircraft is planned to enter operational service in 2001, the ministry said. The committee which recently placed its report in both Houses of Parliament, said as the extended life of the aircraft may not go beyond 2010-2015, the Defence Ministry should review the progress of the project without affecting its continuity. It said the government should chalk out a schedule for completion of the work of upgradation. The contract for the
upgrade of 125 MIG-21 BIS, with an option to upgrade 50
additional aircraft, was signed in March, 1996, with the
Russians as the main contractor. Two aircraft were to be
upgraded in Russia as part of the design and development
programme and the remaining 123 at the HAL, Nasik. |
Christian group attacked near Agra AGRA, April 23 (PTI, UNI) — Less than a fortnight after a Christian priest and nuns were assaulted in neighbouring Mathura, a Christian group from Hyderabad was attacked and biblical literature was set on fire by activists of the Bajrang Dal on the outskirts of Agra. The Bajrang Dal lodged a first information report (FIR) with the Jagdishpura police station alleging that the 14-member Christian Group, which had come to Agra on good Friday last week, was trying to convert villagers by offering them money, the SHO of the police station said. Mr Dharmendra Sharma, co-convener of the Bajrang Dal, Brij Pradesh, said the biblical literature was set aflame by some volunteers of the dal and residents of Nagla Ajita last night. Some members of the Christian group were arrested but later released on personal sureties on the intervention of the DIG of police, Agra range, Mr Arvind Jain. The Christian group also filed an FIR alleging 20-30 persons surrounded their van and took out biblical literature and burnt it. Some members of the group were also beaten up and an attempt was made to set the van on fire, the FIR, lodged by Mr Walter Robinson and five others, said. The group claimed it was not associated with any church, church organisations or diocese and left Agra soon after the incident. But the SHO, Jagdishpura
police station, quoted the Christian group as having said
that it was associated with the Society of Indigenous
Churches in India and gave its address as Golkunda Cross
Road Thana under the Cheekarpalli police station of
Hyderabad. |
Passengers unhurt as coach derails KOTA (Rajasthan), April 23 — Hundreds of passengers of the Mumbai-New Delhi Rajdhani Express had a miraculous escape following the derailment of a coach of the train at Lekhari station, over 20 km from here, early this morning. The driver of the train, Mr R.D. Kalia, acted as a saviour when he stopped the train in time following the derailment. The passengers were jolted from their sleep when the train came to an abrupt halt at Lekhari station around 5 a.m. On inspection it was found that the sleeper car (A-3) of the train had derailed. The train was detained at the station for over three hours before starting on its onward journey to New Delhi. Railway officials at the site told this correspondent, who was also travelling by the train, that a portion of the missing track over a bridge near the Lekhari station might be the cause behind the derailment. They informed that when a portion of the A-3 derailed, Mr Kalia slowed down the train before stopping it thinking that someone was pulling the emergency chain to stop the train. Had the train not been stopped, the five remaining coaches, besides the pantry car and the guard coach, would have derailed resulting in a major rail mishap, they added. The exact cause of the derailment, would, however, be only known after an inquiry, the official said. The crisis management capability of the Western Railway came under strain once again as in the absence of any senior functionaries, the middle-rung officials took their own time to decide the next course of action. Initially, they wanted the derailed coach to be replaced but when they realised that four coaches at the tailend of the train would also have to be replaced, they decided to shift the passengers to the other coaches. Ultimately, some of the
passengers were shifted to the ‘safe’ coaches
and the August Kranti Rajdhani Mumbai-Hazrat Nizamuddin
Express, which reached the site about 7.15 p.m. The train
commenced its onward journey at 8 a.m. without the guard
coach, the pantry car and the six coaches. |
‘Review strategy’ on J&K militancy NEW DELHI, April 23 (PTI) — A parliamentary committee has urgently sought a “comprehensive review” of the strategy to fight militancy in Jammu and Kashmir and asked the state government to attach “topmost priority” to the action plan to rehabilitate Kashmiri migrants. “There is an urgent need to have a comprehensive review of the strategy being used to fight the militants,” the standing committee report on the Home Ministry said. “The situation, grave as it is, calls for the adoption of a multi-pronged strategy. The strategy should not only focus on identifying potential ‘soft targets’ for militants but it should also ensure that our security forces and establishments do not fall prey to the militants,” the committee said. In its 59th report
tabled in the Lok Sabha, the 43-member committee headed
by Mr Pranab Mukherjee was of the view that the
government should take the people of the state along with
it in its endeavour to fight the menace of militancy. |
History textbooks ‘distorted’ VIJAYAWADA, April 23 (UNI) — The history text books of the National Council for Education, Research and Training (NCERT) and state Councils for Education, Research and Training have suffered distortions at the hands of authors with “Leftist leaning “, Bharatiya Shikshan Mandal National General Secretary Dr D. Visveswaram alleged today. Addressing a press conference here, Dr Visveswaram, a retired Professor of Andhra University who would be submitting the organisations findings to NCERT Director J.S Rajput in New Delhi on May 2, felt that great heroes like Rana Pratap and Shivaji were not given their rightful place in the books and when this was pointed out a hue and cry was being made that there was an attempt to “saffronise education.” He took objection to the way in which the great epics, the Ramayana and the Mahabharatha were introduced to Class VI CBSE school students by noted historian Romila Thapar. Quoting from the text book, he said according to the author, “The Aryans wrote long poems about their kings and heroes, about their bravery and the battles, which they fought . These poems were later collected and became the two epics of ancient India. The author is writing about these epics like a foreigner who does not know the ABCD of Bharat.” He charged. Referring to the history text book for Class XI authored by noted historian Satish Chandra, he said the book says “Mohammed Ghazni attacked temples only for money and was not concerned with Islam. This was another
distortion. For the author had negated Ghazni’ s
blasphemy against Hinduism, the atrocities he committed
against the “non- believers” and the
destruction of idols and temples. |
N-E ultras have ‘bases in B’desh’ TIN BIGHA (W Bengal), April 23 (PTI) — Union Home Minister L.K. Advani today said some militant groups active in North-East region had bases in Bangladesh but the neighbouring government was trying to restrict them. Visiting Indo-Bangladesh border at the Tin Bigha corridor here, Mr Advani said India had sufficient ground to believe that many extremist groups were operating from Bangladeshi territory. The Centre would raise the issue during discussion with the Bangladeshi Home Secretary, who was scheduled to make a two-day visit to New Delhi next week. The Home Minister expressed satisfaction over the smooth transfer and maintenance of the Tin Bigha corridor to Bangladesh, leased out on June 26, 1992. He said the Bangladesh
Government was persuading India to keep the corridor open
for few more hours as against six hours a day at present. |
No time limit for HDW deal probe NEW DELHI, April 23 (UNI) — Even though a decade has passed since the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) registered an FIR in the controversial Rs 420-crore HDW submarine deal, the government has said no time limit could be specified for the completion of the probe. The HDW deal was struck during the regime of late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1987 and at a time when Mr V.P. Singh was the Defence Minister. Mr V.P. Singh had raised questions about the deal signed between Mr Gandhi and the representatives of the German firm ‘Howaldtswereke Deutsche Werft’ (HDW). Later, Mr V.P. Singh
ordered an inquiry into the deal after receiving a
telegraphic message from the former Indian Ambassador in
Germany that at least seven per cent commission was paid
to middlemen in the HDW contract. |
Cong seeks
‘justice’ for lawyers NEW DELHI, April 23 — The Congress party today urged the Centre to respond to the demands of the lawyers and ‘’do justice to their cause consistent with the observations and findings of the High Court. In a statement issued today, the party said it believed that the fact that no commission of inquiry acceptable to both the Central government and the members of the legal fraternity has even commenced proceedings to deal with genuine grievances of the legal community shows the ‘’disdain and disinterest of the government in dealing with the issue.’’ The Congress party said
it was conscious and appreciative of the concerns the
legal fraternity has expressed in the matter of foreign
lawyers and their right to practise in India. |
IYC ex-chief made AICC
spokesman NEW DELHI, April 23 — The Congress today inducted former MPs, Mr Anand Sharma and Mr Prithviraj Chavan on the panel of party spokespersons. Mr Sharma from Himachal
Pradesh, who once headed the Indian Youth Congress, will
join the AICC panel which includes Mr Ajit Jogi, Mrs
Margaret Alva and Mr Anil Shastri, according to a press
release issued by Mr Tom Vadakkan, Secretary of the AICC
Media Department. Nirankaris hold blood donation
camps NEW DELHI, April 23 — Followers of the Sant Nirankari Mission today donated blood at 50 camps held in different parts of the country. In the Capital, one such camp was held at the headquarters of the mission which was inaugurated by Nirankari Baba Hardev Singhji. His spouse also donated blood on the occasion, a release of the Sant Nirankari Mandal said here. The blood donation camps
were organised in close coordination with the Indian Red
Cross Society and other local hospitals. In Delhi over
1,000 units of blood was donated. |
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