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| Monday, June 12, 2000, Chandigarh, India   
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Urea scam Vacate govt houses, parties told RJD to continue agitation Ex-minister to be prosecuted ‘No talks on change of guard’ ‘USA sends genetic food as relief’ |
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| RSS for Swadeshi path of progress NAGPUR, June 11 — The Rashtriya Swayayamsewak Sangh (RSS) has said it would go all out to ensure that the country opted for “swadeshi model” for development in the next two decades. ‘Confiscate’ proceeds of terrorism Differences ‘not to affect NDA’ DSGMC sticks to
stand on shrines
Representation for
Sikhs sought
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Urea scam NEW DELHI, June 11 (PTI) — A CBI team has returned unsuccessful from its mission to two countries to trace the money siphoned off from the Rs 133-crore urea import scam, agency sources said. The two-member team visited Turkey and France to investigate the transaction money that allegedly went into different accounts but failed to get any substantial leads, the sources said here. The CBI had succeeded in freezing about Rs 90 crore of the Rs 133-crore urea scam money deposited in various foreign banks by Turkish firm Karsan’s two executives, presently under judicial custody here. NFL had entered into a contract for import of two lakh tonnes of urea with Karsan in 1995 but the latter failed to supply it within the specified period. The CBI later found that huge kickbacks were paid to many people in India by Karsan, which allegedly did not make any effort to fulfil the contract. Earlier, the accounts were frozen in State Bank of India in New York, Bank of New York, Intermediate Bank, Geneva and a Bank in the Caribbean islands. The CBI team had left on a two-nation tour on May 17 and returned on May 25. They visited France and Turkey to find whether some money was deposited into the accounts of the people suspected to be the middlemen in the deal. The CBI had recently received crucial documents, which run into over 700 pages, pertaining to accounts and money transaction by Karsan executives, Tunkay Alankus and Cihan Karanci. The documents received from the USA, Monacco, Isle of Mann and Switzerland had already been submitted before the trial court. Besides Alankus and Karanci, the CBI had chargesheeted seven persons, including former NFL Chairman C.K. Ramakrishanan and its Executive Director D.S. Kanwar. Former Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao’s kin, Sanjiva Rao and former Union Minister Ram Lakhan Singh Yadav’s son Prakash Yadav are also among the accused facing trial. The agency was making efforts for extradition of Brazilian national A.E. Pinto, who was arrested in connection with the case by the London police on the request of the Indian authorities, they said. Pinto had allegedly negotiated on behalf of Karsan to clinch the deal in its favour. Meanwhile, nearly Rs 2 crore has been spent at the Geneva-based International Arbitration Council to expedite the proceedings in the case. The money has been spent by Karsan company and NFL jointly. |
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Vacate govt houses, parties told NEW DELHI, June 11 (UNI) — Major national political parties, including the BJP and the Congress will lose majority of the government
bungalows in their possession within the next two to three months, if Union Urban Development Minister Jagmohan’s writ is allowed to run. The minister today said as per February 22 decision, approved by the Union Cabinet all allotments to political parties excess to their eligibility of one house will be cancelled within six months from that date or at the expiry of their allotment, whichever is earlier. As per the decision, all national political parties can retain only one allotment of housing unit from the general pool in Delhi for their office purpose for a period of maximum three years on payment of normal licence fee. During this period they can secure the allotment of a suitable plot in an institutional area wherein they could build their offices and carry out activities in accordance with the prescribed land-use. The remaining allotments will be cancelled within six months, a period granted for making alternative arrangements. If Mr Jagmohan implements the decision, the Indian National Congress will have to vacate as many as 15 of the 16
bungalows which it is occupying at present within the next two-three months as already more than three and a-half months have elapsed. The BJP will be required to vacate nine of the 10 allotments, the Janata Dal one, the CPI three, CPM one and Janata Party two during the same period. Responding to a news item which appeared in a section of press this morning, Mr Jagmohan said the BJP had already given its consent to shift out their offices from the government
bungalows and have already applied for allotment of land in the institutional area. Some representatives of other political parties have also met him and were advised to implement the decision, the minister informed without identifying these political parties. Mr Jagmohan said, “the decision taken in February has been communicated to all political parties and action is being taken to secure its implementation.’’ The Cabinet had decided in February that one residential accommodation would be allotted or allowed to be retained by the party President of recognised political parties, in case he or she does not have a house in the Capital, either of his or her own or allotted by government in any other capacity. The facility will also be given to the state-level parties recognised by the Election Commission provided it has in the opinion of the accommodation committee of the Cabinet, adequate representation in Parliament and its case of allotment is approved by the Cabinet committee on accommodation on its merit. Explaining the reason for granting three years time to political parties to shift out their offices, Mr Jagmohan said, “since all these political parties had secured allotment with the approval of the government, a reasonable time had to be given to them to shift their offices to the conforming areas in the institutional belt.” |
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RJD to continue agitation PATNA, June 11 (PTI) — The RJD today announced to continue its agitation till the Bihar Governor, Mr V.C. Pande, was recalled by the Centre for granting prosecution against Chief Minister Rabri Devi in the disproportionate assets case. The
RJD national spokesman, Mr Shivanand Tiwari, told reporters that disclosures made by the
NDA leaders and the letter of the Governor giving his nod for prosecution had made it crystal clear that the Governor had not applied an independent mind before giving the permission. The Governor’s action was not solemn and sacrosanct. He has not applied his independent mind, Mr Tiwari said quoting a number of orders of different High Courts and Supreme Court disallowing prosecution of accused in such cases. Mr Tiwari said his party
activists would organise district-wise dharna across the state on June 23 to press for Governor’s recall. He said all the MPs of the
RJD would sit on a dharna before Parliament during the coming monsoon session to press for the demand. Mr Tiwari said a delegation of the party led by Mr Laloo Yadav had already met the President, the Prime Minister and leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha and demanded that a sitting judge of the apex court try the cases against the
RJD President and the Chief Minister. All such cases against the duo were politically-motivated and were out of sheer desperation to capture power from the backdoor, he said. Mr Tiwari said the Madhya Pradesh High Court had already issued a bailable arrest warrant against the Union Home Minister, Mr L.K. Advani, in a case relating to wrong address for securing a Rajya Sabha membership. It was for the first time in the history that a Union Home Minister, was facing such charges and had to appear before the court for signing a bail bond, he said. More so Mr Advani has also been chargesheeted in the Babri Mosque demolition case described to be a crime against the nation, he said adding those who were asking for resignation of Rabri Devi on moral grounds should suggest their leaders facing serious charges for breaking the secular traditions of the country ,to step down first. |
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Ex-minister to be prosecuted PATNA, June 11 (PTI) — Bihar Governor V.C. Pande has sanctioned prosecution of former Bihar Road Construction Minister and RJD MLA, Iliyas Hussain, in a conspiracy angle case of the multi-crore bitumen scam. Mr Pande gave his nod on CBI’s request for prosecuting Mr Hussain in the bitumen scam after a fortnight-long scrutiny of the relevant papers and consent of legal experts, CBI sources said. The Governor’s permission was received by the CBI a couple of days ago, the sources said claiming the agency was proceeding with the process for filing charge sheet against Mr Hussain and others. The case relates to faked and forged purchase of bitumen worth over Rs 28 lakh in Ranchi. Besides Mr Hussain, a key supplier, Ramawtar Khetan, former Engineer-in-Chief, Dhaneshwar Baitha, a former Superintending Engineer, Kedar Paswan, former Director (purchase), Mohammed Muztabba, and supplier, D.N. Singh, are also accused in the instant case. The CBI had on November 5, 1999 arrested Mr Hussain in this case and since then he is lodged in Beur jail. The CBI sources claimed Mr Hussain was also allegedly involved in a few more cases relating to the multi-crore scam. A Division Bench, comprising Mr Justice S.N. Jha and Mr Justice S.J. Mukhopadhayay, of the Patna High Court is monitoring the investigations into the scam. |
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‘No talks on change of guard’ NEW DELHI, June 11 (PTI) — Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Ram Prakash Gupta today sought to put a lid on speculations of his possible replacement and said the question of leadership change did not figure at the meeting of top
BJP leaders held at Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee’s residence. “I was appointed by the party high command and I am working with their backing”, he told reporters after nearly two-hour long meeting, attended among others by Home Minister L.K. Advani,
BJP President Kushabhau Thakre and BJP General Secretary K.N Govindacharya. “There is no talk about change of guard in the state at any level. The topic was not discussed at today’s meeting”, Mr Gupta said. Asked whether the central leadership gave him assurance to continue in office, Mr Gupta said, “I did not seek any assurance from them”. Up
BJP unit president Om Prakash Singh said there was no discussion on leadership change at the meeting which dealt mainly with the forthcoming panchayat poll in the state and organisational elections. Besides Mr Gupta and Mr O.P. Singh, state ministers Kalraj Mishra and Lalji Tandon were summoned by the high command for discussion on the political situation in the state in the wake of
BJP’s defeat in the Soron Assembly bypoll and cross-voting by party MLAs
in the Rajya Sabha poll in the state. Mr Govindacharya told reporters that the party was not contemplating any change of guard in Uttar Pradesh at the moment and the meeting only took stock of the political situation in view of the coming panchayat poll. To a question, Mr O.P. Singh said today’s meeting
was held as “we wanted to hold detailed discussion before Mr Advani’s forthcoming foreign visit”. He said the state government’s performance was satisfactory but “our effort is to achieve further improvement”. Mr O.P. Singh and Mr Gupta claimed there were attempts to incite caste feelings during the recent Soron byelection and said the party was analysing its performance. They dismissed suggestions that Mr Govindacharya in a report had made some adverse comments on UP Government’s functioning. |
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‘USA sends genetic food as relief’ NEW DELHI, June 11 (UNI) — Leading Indian food security expert Vandana Shiva in a startling revelation has accused the US Government of using the Orissa super cyclone victims as “Guinea pigs’’ by distributing genetically-engineered foodstuff as relief material to them. Dr Shiva said here the corn-soya blend being distributed by the US Government as food aid after last October’s super cyclone had been lifted by her Research Foundation for Science, Technology and Ecology (RFSTE). These samples were then sent to the US-based Genetic ID, which is among the world’s leading laboratories on testing for genetically engineered (GE) products. The test reports sent by the laboratory earlier this month clearly identified the presence of “significant levels of genetically modified DNA’’ in the samples, Dr Shiva said. However, the laboratory could not quantify the modification due to partial degradation of the DNA, she added. Stating that consumers in the western countries had rejected GE products as they were believed to have harmful side-effects, Dr Shiva charged the US Government with using public funds meant for aid to create profits and markets for the biotechnology industry, whose food products no one wanted in Europe. Dr Shiva said the Indian and Orissa Governments were ignorant of this fact and she would meet the Union Agriculture and Food Ministers and the Orissa Chief Minister to demand the immediate withdrawal of the corn-soya blend from distribution in Orissa. The food rights activist also demanded that the government introduce mandatory segregation and labelling of all food imports for presence of GE constituents. Such labelling is now an international obligation under the biosafety protocol, she said, adding that Indian citizens can not be unwillingly used as guinea pigs in this experiment with GE foods. “The right to know what is in our food is our democratic right. Labelling is necessary to protect citizens’ right to know and right to information.’’ Dr Shiva said of the $ 7.5 million given by the USA as relief for Orissa cyclone victims, $ 4.15 million was for food aid. This meant US Government was using money meant for relief to the poor for subsidising the biotechnology industry and helping it use in emergencies to create market access and market entry for GE products. Genetically engineered products have been at the centre of several controversies in recent years with their detractors saying that they are proven to cause allergies and even fatalities. Among the most prominent cases is that of a Japanese company, which used to produce a GE food supplement tryptophan, which is believed to have caused a number of fatalities. In recent times, genetically engineered crops like tomatoes and cotton have also created a stir with the former being rejected by several European consumers. |
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RSS for Swadeshi path of progress NAGPUR, June 11 (PTI) — The Rashtriya Swayayamsewak Sangh (RSS) has said it would go all out to ensure that the country opted for “swadeshi model” for development in the next two decades. Addressing the annual summer training camp of RSS volunteers, which concluded here on Friday night, Sangh chief K.S. Sudarshan said the organisation would intensify efforts to create “swadeshi roadmap” for the country’s development. Distancing the RSS from the “outdated Leftist” concept of Swadeshi, Mr Sudarshan said the organisation was opposed to “exploitation based capitalist economy.” “The RSS will create swadeshi vikas path along with all those who vindicate our standpoint,” he said. Elaborating further, he said the RSS was in favour of total decentralisation of power. Criticising the “babus” (bureaucrats) he said, they were the major hurdles in developing the country on Swadeshi lines. The RSS chief alleged Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee was misguided by bureaucrats for pursuing few anti-Swadeshi economic policies of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). “The RSS will work towards forming Swadeshi economic, political and social system based on Hindu philosophy as an alternative to western model,” Mr Sudarshan added. Sarvodaya thinker Dharampal and RSS joint general secretary H.V. Sheshadri were also present at the function. |
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‘Confiscate’ proceeds of terrorism NEW DELHI, June 11 (PTI) — The Law Commission has suggested to the Central Government to confiscate the proceeds of terrorism, saying that it could be yet another way to fight the disruptive forces. “Proceeds of terrorism, whether held by a terrorist or by any other person and whether or not such person is prosecuted or convicted under this Act, shall be liable to be forfeited to the Central Government,” the Law Commission in its 173rd report on “Prevention of Terrorism Bill, 2000, said. The Bill seeks to replace the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA), which had elapsed five years ago amidst widespread criticism. Keeping in view that huge property, accumulated by underworld dons who are carrying out terrorist activity from abroad, is now being enjoyed by their accomplices and relatives in India, the commission said: “Forfeiting these properties is another way of fighting terrorist and disruptive forces”. The commission, however, said the idea was to “reach and confiscate the proceeds of terrorism wherever they are held and by whomsoever they are possessed” and the issue should be debated as it needed “serious consideration and, may be, further processing and refinement”. The Bill provides “all proceeds of terrorism shall be liable to be seized and attached by an officer not below the rank of Superintendent of Police and shall be liable to be confiscated to the government in the manner provided” in the proposed Act. It says the property in question should be attached, when the investigating officer has reasons to believe that it is derived from the commission of any terrorist act, with prior approval of the Director-General of Police in the state. Within 48 hours of the attachment of the property, the investigating officer has to inform the special court dealing with the case or the designated authority, who have powers to either confirm or revoke the order of attachment, it said. The designated authority (DA), which would have powers of a civil court relevant for making a full and fair inquiry, would mean an officer of the central or the state government not below the rank of Joint Secretary appointed by virtue of a notification published in the official gazette. The DA or the court can order confiscation of the property “only after affording a reasonable opportunity to the person in possession of or holding such property to show cause against forfeiture”. |
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Differences ‘not to affect NDA’ CHENNAI, June 11 (PTI) — The Differences of opinion within the ruling National Democratic Alliance over the policy on Sri Lanka would not affect the stability of the NDA Government, the Union Minister for Information Technology and Parliamentary Affairs, Mr Pramod Mahajan, said today. Answering questions from mediapersons after he presided over the foundation day celebrations of the software technology parks of India here, Mr Mahajan said the DMK President, Mr M. Karunanidhi, had already clarified that his party was fully behind the Centre’s policy and that his suggestions on possible solutions to the ethnic crisis were directed at Sri Lanka and not the NDA or the Centre. He said differences of opinion were bound to crop up on any issue, be it Sri Lanka or match-fixing, within a coalition of 24 parties, but what mattered was the government’s policy. The policy had the full support of all NDA constituents. Replying to another question on reports that the government was planning to include a provision curbing the rights of journalists, he said the NDA Government believed in the freedom of the media and would not curb their rights in any way. |
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DSGMC sticks to
stand on shrines NEW DELHI, June 11 — The Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) today reiterated that the control of the Sikh shrines in Pakistan should be entrusted to the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC). Sources in DSGMC told TNS here on Sunday that the panel regarded the SGPC as the supreme management body of the Sikh historical shrines in and outside the country. The DSGMC was of the view that Sikh pilgrims would visit Pakistan with confidence if the shrines and tours were managed by the SGPC. The SGPC has imposed a ban on sending jathas to Pakistan last year in protest against the handing over of the maintenance of the shrines to the Pakistan Gurdwara Management Committee and insisted that the upkeep of the shrines be handed over to it. |
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Representation for
Sikhs sought NEW DELHI, June 11 — Former General Secretary of the Delhi Pradesh Youth Congress Inderjit Singh Sodhi has urged the Congress leadership to give representation to Sikhs in the party. Addressing a meeting here on Sunday, Mr Sodhi said Sikhs were being sidelined in the Congress. He said the Congress was losing stability and it should try to include leaders who were linked to the grassroots. |
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