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| Wednesday, July 19, 2000, Chandigarh, India   
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Australia
seeks India’s help BJP MLA accuses minister
of attack Refer autonomy
issue to ‘statute
panel’
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Replace old planes, demands
Mamata Lawyers’ stir: HC notice
to govt Captain missing since
July 4
Probe sought into monks’
killing CPM to challenge HC order Heavy rain
to continue Rear Adm Satyindra Singh
dead CPI to intensify stir
against Naidu Computer printout ‘only
proof against Sanjay’ 4 CRPF men killed
|
Australia seeks India’s help NEW DELHI, July 18 — Australia is keen on enlisting India’s support as well as other countries in South Asia in tackling the growing menace of illegal travel and people smuggling. Organised criminals involved in the clandestine movement of people have turned this into a $ 7 billion trade and are looking for new avenues for trafficking like Phnom Penh (Cambodia), Hanoi (Vietnam), Europe and North America, observed the visiting Australian Minister for Immigration and Multi-cultural Affairs, Mr Philip Ruddock. A close watch needs to be kept where these people smugglers go next with countries like Australia changing its laws and making it extremely tough for illegal settlers. He acknowledged that "India has significant internal problems of trafficking. In comparison Australia’s problem is smaller but there are good reasons for the two countries to be working together in pre-empting" the machinations of these criminals for whom people smuggling has become lucrative activity with little risk. New Delhi’s response was "positive and Australia and India will formalise an arrangement for the exchange of information and upgradation of professional skills," Mr Ruddock said in an interview after holding discussions with the Union Human Resource Development Minister, Mr Murli Manohar Joshi, Minister of State for Home Affairs, Mr Vidyasagar Rao, and the Minister of State for External Affairs, Mr Ajit Panja. He also suggested exchange of experts and officers. He invited Indian officials to sit with their Australian counterparts and share their insights, knowledge and experiences which would be beneficial to both countries. Putting Australian and Indian immigration officers together can facilitate positive ways of dealing with unlawful movements. It was a two-way process of learning. Mr Ruddock said there were some jurisdictional issues concerning Australia and India. There are a significant number of people involved in the trafficking of people in Asia. He stressed that India was not a problem country in respect of people smuggling. If seven or 20-odd people seeking to enter Australia without valid documents are deported, it does not become a problem. However, if there are 4000 such people coming by boat and air then it does become a problem. "As we are working in cooperation with other countries, people smugglers are closing down their operations in Australia." Responding to a question, Mr Ruddock said there had been some instances of people from Punjab keen to migrate to Australia presenting documents that are fraudulent. Presenting such documents is also an offence under the Indian laws. "Such incidents have been dealt with by us. After significant inquiries, the information had been passed on to the local authorities." Mr Ruddock’s
sojourn to India was part of a five-nation tour to
Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and France. He has
undertaken similar visits to the Middle East, Europe,
China and Indonesia recently. He emphasised that people
smuggling had become an international problem having a
devastating impact on nations and individuals.
"There is need for effective international consensus
to address these issues," Mr Ruddock said and added
"there is a lot to be done and a long way to
go." |
BJP MLA accuses minister of attack LUCKNOW, July 18 (PTI) — In a new turn to the attack on Uttar Pradesh’s ruling BJP MLA Ganga Singh Chauhan which left his wife dead on Sunday, the MLA today accused state Power Minister Naresh Agarwal of "conspiring to eliminate" him and the latter denied the charge even as state government decided to order a CBI probe into the incident. Mr Chauhan was seriously injured and his wife killed when four armed assailants barged into his house and attacked them with blunt-edged objects in his home district of Hardoi. Mr Chauhan, MLA from Bilgram constituency, charged that Naresh Agarwal "conspired with the local police for the attack to eliminate him and his family due to political rivalry". Mr Agarwal, whose
Loktantrik Congress is an ally of the BJP in the state,
denied the charges and said he would welcome inquiry by
any agency into the incident. |
Refer autonomy issue to ‘statute panel’ NEW DELHI, July 18 (PTI, UNI) — The Law Ministry has suggested to the government to seek the views of the National Commission for Review of Working of Constitution (CRC) on the autonomy resolution passed by the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly. The Law Ministry, in its opinion to the government, has opposed the resolution on three counts but suggested that it could be referred to CRC for its views, official sources said here today. The ministry has given its views and now it was up to the government whether or not to refer the matter to the CRC, they said and added if the autonomy resolution was to be referred to the CRC, its terms of reference have to be amended. This was necessary as the commission was set up with the terms of reference to review the working of the Constitution without touching the aspects relating to the basic structure, the sources added. The Law
Ministry opposed the 30-point autonomy resolution, passed
by the Assembly, on three counts —including dual
citizenship and withdrawal of the jurisdiction of
President and that of the Supreme Court over Jammu and
Kashmir. |
Replace old planes, demands Mamata CALCUTTA, July 18 (PTI) — Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee today demanded the replacement of old aircraft, saying the government would have to take a decision when the safety of air passengers was involved. "When people’s safety is involved the government has to take a decision. Old aircraft must be replaced", Ms Banerjee who accompanied the bodies of 12 victims of yesterday’s doomed Alliance Air’s CD 7412 flight to Patna told reporters at the N.S.C. Bose airport here early today. Lamenting that eastern India was being ‘neglected’ in terms of civil aviation, she asked, "Why cannot Alliance Air have A-320 aircraft?" Asked whether she was satisfied with the rescue operations at Patna, Ms Banerjee evaded a direct reply, saying "some people are trying their level best." She was, however, critical of the arrangements at Patna Medical College Hospital, saying that a burns ward hardly existed there. "I’m shocked to see the condition of the survivors." Observing that some bodies were burnt beyond recognition, she said there was a dispute over the body of Rajat Dutta with more than one party claiming it. "I have requested the (Bihar) Chief Minister and Chief Secretary to help settle the dispute at the earliest," she said. To a question whether her involvement in helping the families of the victims and survivors was an example of the collective responsibility, she replied: "Whatever I’m doing, I’m doing as a human being. I have sent Digvijay Singh (Minister of State for Railways) to Delhi and Lucknow accompanying 14 bodies." The India Pilots Association (IPA) has demanded a fresh fitness test for all aircraft operating under the country’s aviation network to be conducted by a team of experts of the International Airlines Authority (IAA). An official spokesman
for the IPA said it did not rule out the possibility that
the ill-fated Boeing 737 of Alliance Airlines aircraft
which was involved in the accident near Patna yesterday
did not have a proper fitness certificate. |
Lawyers’ stir: HC notice to govt NEW DELHI, July 18 (UNI) — The Delhi High Court today asked the Home Ministry, the Delhi Government and the Police Commissioner to explain what steps have been initiated against the officials who ordered a baton charge during the February 24 police crackdown on lawyers demonstrating near Parliament House. The high court also said that Mr C.S. Rathour, president of the All-India Lawyers’ Joint Action Committee (AILJAC), should be provided police protection. Mr Rathour had called for a CBI inquiry into the February 24 police crackdown on lawyers demonstrating outside the Parliament street police station. The case is pending in the court. Since then, he and members of his family have been getting life-threatening phone calls from someone who claims to be working for the Research and Analysis Wing (raw). The caller’s demand is that Mr Rathour should withdraw his case. On February 24, nearly 12,000 advocates from all over the country were marching towards Parliament House to present a memorandum to Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee in protest against controversial amendments to the Civil Procedure Code and proposed changes in the Advocates Act. More than 80 protesters were injured as the police burst tear gas shells, fired rubber bullets and resorted to a lathi charge to disperse them. Several of them suffered multiple injuries, some even in their eyes. The judicial process
across the country was thrown out of gear due to the
seven-week-long lawyers’ agitation. The court later
held that the strike was illegal. |
Captain missing since
July 4 NEW DELHI, July 18 — Mystery shrouds the sudden disappearance of an Army officer, Capt Ashish Shah, who has been missing from New Delhi Railway Station on July 4. The Cavalry Officer, who was transferred to Ahmednagar from Suratgarh in Rajasthan, had to report for duty on July 14, but he reportedly failed to reach there, the police said. The officer took Abha Toofan train from Suratgarh to New Delhi on July 3 from where he telephoned his parents in Nainital that he would be with them in between postings. He had to take a train from Old Delhi Railway Station for Nainital. When he did not reach his home town, his parents tried to find out the Captain’s whereabout. After failing to get right information, they lodged a missing report at the police station, New Delhi Railway Station on July 10. All hospitals in Delhi
and neighbouring states, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana were
searched but he was not found. Public help had also been
sought through newspapers but to no avail, the police
said. |
NC stand violates 1975 accord NEW DELHI: The Indira-Sheikh accord of February 1975, which could form the basis for a dialogue between Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah permits the state government to review laws made by Parliament or extended to the state after 1953 "on any matter relatable to the concurrent list". The accord, following which late Sheikh Abdullah, resumed office as Chief Minister of the state, also empowered the state government to suggest amendments or repeal such laws. The accord between the two leaders substantially met the demand for reversal to the 1953 status with the proviso that "appropriate steps" to amend or repeal the laws will be taken under Article 254 of the Constitution of India, which authorises the President of India to give or deny assent to such legislation. The Indira-Sheikh accord, however, binds the Centre to recommend to the President to sympathetically consider repeal or amendment of the laws proposed by the state government. A similar approach will be adopted with regard to laws to be made by Parliament and applied in future to the state. The state government shall be consulted in this regard, and its views ‘shall receive the fullest consideration’, as per the terms of the accord. The accord also bars the state Legislature from amending laws relating to appointment, functions and immunities of the Governor, direction and control of the elections by the Election Commission of India, and composition of the state legislative council, unless the President gives assent to such amendments. While the agreement asserted that relations between Jammu and Kashmir state with the Union of India shall continue to be governed by Article 370 of the Constitution, the two sides failed to agree on the controversial issues of change in the nomenclature of the Governor to ‘Sadar-e-Riyasat’ and the Chief Minister to the ‘Prime Minister’. The matter was, therefore, remitted to the ‘principals’ for further discussion. The accord also enabled the state Legislature to take action under Article 370 of the Constitution, with their modifications and adaptations, already applied to the state. Such proposal will be sent to the President, who will consider these on their merits. "But provisions of the Constitution of India already applied to the state of Jammu and Kashmir without adaptations and modifications are unalterable." In the event, the latest
stance of the National Conference leadership militates
against the spirit of the 1975 Indira-Sheikh accord.
— (IPA) |
Probe sought into monks’
killing NEW DELHI, July 18 — A high-level probe into the killing of three monks in the Rangdum and Zanskar region of Ladakh last week has been sought by well-known Buddhist monk leader and member of the National Commission for SCs and STs, Rev Lama Lobzang today. The Buddhist leader expressed the community’s anguish to the killings on July 11 night during his meeting with Union Home Minister, Mr L.K. Advani here and urged him to send a high-level central team to defuse "explosive" situation in the region. Home Ministry sources told The Tribune that the Rev Lama, who handed over a two-page memorandum of Mr Thupstan Chheswang, Chairman and Chief Executive Councillor of Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), also demanded according the union territory status to Ladakh to protect the interests of the Buddhist minority community. During the 30-minute meeting, Rev Lobzang informed Mr Advani that the monks and people of the Rangdum and Zanskar area are "extremely angry" and also scared and concerned for their future and safety. He appealed to the minister to deploy the Army in the area to plug the Zanskar route from being used for terrorists action in the entire Ladakh region. When contacted, Rev
Lobzang told The Tribune that the attack on the monks was
a "pre-planned" strategy to drive away the
Buddhist minorities residing in the region. |
CPM to challenge HC order NEW DELHI, July 18 — The CPM has decided to appeal in the Supreme Court against the Kerala High Court judgement which declared the holding of strikes by force as illegal and unconstitutional. In a statement of its politburo, the CPM described the Kerala High Court judgement as "unprecedented" and said that it "seeks to deregister a political party for exercising a fundamental and democratic right of calling for a protest action". "To characterise a strike as illegal and unconstitutional is a gross violation of the rights of political parties to conduct peaceful mass protests", the CPM pointed out. The Election Commission has sent a notice to the CPM to show cause why it should not be deregistered as a political party on the basis of the Kerala High Court judgement. A petitioner in the Kerala High Court on whose complaint the High Court had delivered the judgement has made a complaint to the Election Commission against the CPM for calling a strike in Kerala on September 23, 1998. The High Court had issued a writ of mandamus to the Election Commission to consider and dispose of any such complaint. The Kerala High Court overruled the stand taken by the counsel of the Election Commission that it has no power to deregister a political party under the law. The court then issued "an arbitrary and uncalled for directive to the Election Commission to initiate proceedings for deregistering a political party under the provisions of the Representation of People Act", the statement said. Every party in India at some time or the other, calls for bandhs or general strikes and mass demonstrations against the government’s policies or police repression or any matter affecting the people, the statement pointed out adding that the court’s judgement "muzzles the right to collective protest and it will strike at the very root of parliamentary democracy based on political parties". The CPM would not accept
any such restrictions on the rights of political parties
in a democratic system and any coercion or use of
violence during a strike could be dealt under the
existing provisions of the law by the authorities, the
statement said. |
Heavy rain
to continue NEW DELHI, July 18 — Monsoon has been vigorous in Haryana including Chandigarh and Delhi and Himachal Pradesh, and active in east Rajasthan and the plains of west Uttar Pradesh. Rainfall: Rain or thundershowers have occurred at most places in Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, east Rajasthan and west Uttar Pradesh, at a few places in Punjab and east Uttar Pradesh and at isolated places in the rest of the region. The chief amounts of rainfall in cm are given in annexure-1. Forecast Valid until the morning of 20th: Rain or thundershowers will occur at most places in Himachal Pradesh and the hills of west Uttar Pradesh, at many places in Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, east Rajasthan and the plains of Uttar Pradesh and at a few places in west Rajasthan. Heavy Rainfall warning: Heavy rain is likely at a few places with very heavy falls at isolated places in Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab and the hills of west Uttar Pradesh during the next 48 hours. Heavy rain is also likely at isolated places in Jammu and Kashmir, east Rajasthan and east Uttar Pradesh during the same period. Forecast for Delhi and neighbourhood valid until the morning of 20th: Monsoon has been vigorous in Delhi. Generally cloudy sky with a few showers/thundershowers, one or two may be heavy in some areas. Farmers weather bulletin for Delhi forecast valid until the morning of 20th: Monsoon has been vigorous in Delhi. Moderate to rather heavy rain will occur at many places. Outlook for the subsequent two days: Decrease in rainfall. Haryana: Chandigarh 26,
Ambala and Jagadhari 21 each, Kalka 18, Naraingarh 15,
Ayanagar (Delhi) 10, Chirag Delhi (Chhachhrauli and
Thanesar 7 each, Narela and New Delhi (Safdarjung) 6
each, Faridabad and New Delhi (Palam) 5 each, Rewari 4,
Palwal 3, Delhi (Ridge),Gohana, Jhajjar, Pehowa, and
Sonepat 2 each, Bhiwani, Fatehabad, Kaithal, Mahendergarh
and Rohtak 1 each, Himachal Pradesh: Dharampur 23,
Nalagarh 16, Solan 1, Kahu, Kasauli and Rajgarh 13 each ,
Jubbal and Shimla 10 each, Kumarsain 8, Kasol and
Sunnibhajji 7 each, Bhuntar, Berthin and Rampur Bushahr 6
each, Pandoh, Paonta and Sundernagar 5 each, Dehragopipur
4, Arki, Dadahu, Kangra, Nadaun and Sarkaghat 2 each and
Barsar, Baijnath, Guler and Una 1 each Punjab: Dera Bassi
21. |
Rear Adm Satyindra Singh
dead NEW DELHI, July 18 — Rear Admiral (Retd) Satyindra Singh today died here of an heart attack. He was 80. He is survived by his wife and two sons. The last rites of the Rear Admiral will be performed tomorrow morning at the electric crematorium at Nigambodh Ghat on the banks of the Yamuna. Rear Admiral Satyindra Singh had joined the Royal Indian Navy in 1941 and retired in 1978. At the time of his
retirement, he was the Member Secretary of the Joint
Intelligence Committee. He had written the first two
volumes of the Indian Navy official history and had been
contributing to various newspapers and periodicals after
his retirement from the Indian Navy. |
CPI to intensify stir against Naidu VIJAYAWADA, July 18 (UNI) — The Communist Party of India (CPI) today set July 31 as the deadline for the Chandrababu Naidu government in Andhra Pradesh to withdraw the hike in power tariff and warned that it would intensify its agitation, including holding a "bijli bandh", throughout the state next month if its demand was not met. The CPI would continue to gherao state ministers in the districts and picket the mandal revenue and electricity offices all over the state on July 24 and 25 and the collectorates and electricity offices in the district on July 31, party state secretary H B Sudhakar Reddy told here. He said his party would
give a call for a "bijli bandh" on the first
day of the Assembly session in August and urge the people
to switch off lights and other electrical appliances for
one hour on that day. |
Computer printout ‘only proof against Sanjay’ MUMBAI, July 18 (PTI) — An official of Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd (MTNL) today told a TADA court here that except for computer printout, his department did not have any material to show that a telephone call was allegedly made from the house of film star Sanjay Dutt to absconding accused Annes Ibrahim in Dubai before the serial blasts rocked the city in 1993. "Today, no record exists either in the form of floppy or magnetic tapes", Karmegam Allagappan, a key witness working in computer cell of MTNL, said in his deposition before Designated Judge Pramod Kode. In reply to a question
by senior defence counsel Satish Maneshinde, the witness
revealed during cross-examination that his department had
not preserved the relevant records. |
4 CRPF men killed IMPHAL, July 18 (UNI) — At least four CRPF personnel were killed and one constable critically injured in an ambush by unidentified militants here today. The police said four
CRPF personnel, including a Sub Inspector, were ambushed
by militants this morning at Lamdan near Loktak Hydel
Project in Bishnupur district about 40 km from here. |
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