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| Friday, September 15, 2000, Chandigarh, India   
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BJP selling out the
country, says Jyoti Basu Bogus NGOs to face action BKU, UP Govt on
collision course SC restrains college on admissions |
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Adm Sushil Kumar heads CSC ACP’s son held
for murder MCD Councillor beaten up MCC ultra held
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BJP selling out the
country, says Jyoti Basu JYOTI BASU is today the country’s wisest and oldest political personality. Being in the Chief Minister’s chair for 24 years at a stretch, the Marxist supremo has built a rare instance and he rightly deserves his name to be recorded in the Guinness Book of World Records. A barrister admitted to the Lincoln Inn, he did not join the legal profession like his college comrade, Bhupesh Gupta. Instead, he took to politics as a wholetimer. A well-spoken, still extremely popular and crowd-catcher, a key-figure in Left politics, Basu has become a living political legend. In an exclusive interview with The Tribune, Jyoti Basu spoke out heart to heart about current politics, the future of the BJP Government, the Kashmir problem, Vajpayee’s economic policy, Centre-State relations, corruption and muscle power, Marxist politics and other related issues. He says he has not reversed his decision to step down from the Chief Minister’s chair. There is no talk of his continuing as Chief Minister till the next Assembly elections. The following are excerpts of the interview: Question: Sir, you are now the wisest and oldest political personality in the country. Ours is a parliamentary form of democracy where the States are treated like colonies. All the powers have been vested with the Centre. Could you suggest any alternative model better than this which will ensure a stronger Centre as well as stronger States. Answer: No, this is all right. There is nothing wrong in the model. But they are destroying it. Can any elected government be dismissed like this? What did Nehru and Indira Gandhi do with us. They had dislodged us in Kerala and West Bengal unconstitutionally. Now the BJP has been talking about Article 356. There is a 24-party government at the Centre; they are not interested about the nation, about the people. They are destroying everything. Nowhere in the world does parliamentary democracy function like this. Have you seen any other place, where one person is an MLA in the Assembly as a Congress Party member and the same person is a Trinamul Mayor (hinting at Calcutta Mayor Subrata Mukherjee) outside the assembly; in UP, you have seen MLAs of one party overnight becoming BJP members. You must have seen former Prime Minister Narashima Rao spending crores to purchase MPs for the survival of the Congress Ministry. Do all these things happen any other place? And this is our democracy! Q: Then what is the way out. Can’t you suggest some other alternative, an ideal model. A: No, no, I’m not against this form of parliamentary democracy. That is all right. But everybody should honour it and follow the system. We appreciate one party going out of power and another party coming in. But proper democratic norms should be followed. Let there be election, which will be the acid test and everyone should accept the verdict. But why talk of using Article 356? Everything in the country has now been going down the drain and things and getting from bad to worse day by day. I don’t know why good sense will not prevail and everything will not be all right. Q: There has been a move to bring all the secular forces onto one platform against the communal BJP. Former Prime Ministers V.P. Singh, Chandra Sekhar, Deve Gowda and Gujral had taken the initiative and you were also one of the champions of the move. Has that proposal been dropped. A: No, that is still there. But the reality is that for the present moment, there is no talk. There are difficulties. We have some differences, some problems. But I am for a new move to unite all the secular parties which is necessary for national interest — to protect the nation from the BJP’s onslaught which is a great danger. They are selling out the country and breaking it into pieces in the name of religion. Q: Will you invite the Congress to join the front. After all, the Congress is also a secular and nationalist party. A: Yes, they are welcome, though we have some basic differences — but for the larger interest we will invite them to join. Q: Which government is better — one-party or multiparty coalition. We have tested both forms. A: There is no scope for single-party government any more. Multi-party coalition is the reality. But all the partners should mean business and give up vested interest and sectarian outlook and they should work in harmony for the country’s interest. Q: Sir, we have seen a number of Prime Ministers in the country since Independence. Whom would you consider the most performing and acceptable Nehru, Indira, Rajiv Gandhi or V.P. Singh or Gujral. A: No. I can’t make any comparison like that. Nehru did some good things, but he also did many other thing of the worst order. Anyway, I won’t make any comment like that. Q: Now about Kashmir. Why did the Kashmir problem come to such an explosive situation. It must not have happened overnight. Whom would you hold mainly responsible for this. Nehru, Sheikh Abdullah or the Maharaja. A: No, no one as such in particular. The problem was there at the very beginning from the time of Independence and that is still there. Q: But how to solve it. Do you support Vajpayee’s stand on Kashmir. A: That is all right but talks should begin and no third party should be allowed. India and Pakistan should hold bilateral talks. In the meantime, both countries should abide by the Simla Agreement and honour the Line of Control. Let the two countries come closer. Let there be an exchange of people, trade and commerce and culture between the two neighbours. Q: What is the future of the Congress. A: I don’t see any future in the near future. An old nationalist party in such deplorable state! Q: What about your party. There has been apprehension that in your absence, the CPM will be divided into too many pieces like the Congress. Already, there has been division and dissension. Party workers and leaders are making charges against each other, a culture which has been inherent in the Congress. A: No, no, not like that. Yes, we have some problems in the party but these have been taken care of. We have our governments in three states — Tripura, Kerala and West Bengal. We are also building organisations in many other states. Our is no longer a regional party. We have decided to extend our organisation and get more people involved in the party. In the last party congress our problems were discussed and more talks would be held in the next congress. You see if we can’t expand our party and extend our membership to larger sections of people we will fail to sustain our all-India identity. Q: What about the BJP and the Trinamul Congress. A: They are of the worst order. They are destroying everything. It’s unfortunate that after 53 years of Independence, such a communal party is ruling the country. I can tell you if the BJP has a future, there is no future for India. Q: Now sir, about your retirement. Are you really retiring or are you staying back as Chief Minister till the next Assembly elections. Your party Secretary was in the city to request you to remain in the Chief Minister’s chair and party sources say you have agreed to stay back till the election. A: Yes, we have some discussion about political matters, but there has been no change in my decision to step down. I repeat, I am retiring and I am no more contesting. Q: But when are you stepping down. A: That has not been specially decided. But my plans to retire before the election is final. Q: What about your successor. A: Yes. Buddha (Deputy Chief Minister Buddhadev Bhattacharyya) will take over. Q: What about your taking over as Left Front Chairman. A: No discussions has been held. This will be discussed in the party and the Front meeting. Q: Do you support political parties taking donation from businessmen. A: No, this should not happen. On the contrary, I would want the government to provide the necessary fund to the political parties. It is happening in Germany. But the reality is that all political parties, the CPM is no exception, do take money from businessmen. But we in the CPM in West Bengal mainly collect money from the public as donation. We also collect fund through door-to-door collection. Q: But businessmen must be forced to give or do they could voluntarily contribute with some expectation in return. Do they ultimately get their expectation fulfilled. A: I don’t know, it could be true. But we tell them yes, you can donate but don’t expect anything return in exchange. Q: Now sir, a very personal questions. Do you believe in God. A: No, no .. but have you seen God. We the Marxists don’t believe in God. Q: Do you have faith in Mahatma Gandhi’s ideology. A: No we have some basic differences. Still I respect him. He was a great man. Q: Do you have any regret in life. A: Yes, but not one, many. But the main thing is that we wanted to see India in another form, we thought of a better India, a better nation. I have regret that the people have chosen a communal party to decide the fate of the country. Q: Do you believe in rebirth. Suppose you are once again born and you have to return back to India after admitting yourself into the Lincoln’s Inn in London as a barrister and you have two options before you — a prestigious and paying legal profession and the old and hazardous political life — which you would opt for. A: Certainly, politics and this Marxist politics. I had voluntarily taken to politics after my return from London as barrister and I have no regret. I shall repeat this if I am born once again. |
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Bogus NGOs to face action NEW DELHI, Sept 14 — The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has evolved a mechanism to take punitive action against non-performing and bogus non-government organisations. Addressing mediapersons after launching the updated website of the ministry here on Thursday, the Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, Mrs Maneka Gandhi, said the ministry had blacklisted 30 out of the 185 non-government organisations which had misused funds. The ministry had received an adverse report on one of the five NGOs inspected in Haryana. None of the 10 NGOs inspected in Chandigarh got an adverse report. Of the 28 NGOs inspected in Delhi till now, only one had an adverse report. The minister said the website (http/socialjustice.nic.in) was a step towards transparency and accountability. She described the website as a “very important tool to make things easier and more accessible.” The website provides information about the schemes of the ministry and ways of accessing them. The website also gives details about grant-in-aid assistance released to NGOs from 1998. She said names of blacklisted NGOs along with details had been put on the website to prevent them from seeking grants from other sources. The ministry had also circulated a list of NGOs working in all districts to all MPs and District Magistrates. “This is the first time in 50 years that every MP and DM knows who has been funded. This will enable him to keep a check and act in a positive or negative way for the NGOs,” the minister added. Mrs Gandhi said the ministry had directed all District Magistrates to seize the assets of such NGOs and auction them. She said this would enable them to recover the money. The District Magistrates had also been directed to register a criminal case against them. The minister said the effort was aimed at streamlining the functioning of NGOs. Asked how much money had been recovered till now, Mrs Gandhi said, “I cannot give you a figure. We are just at the beginning of the exercise. I will be able to tell you the figure after we have finished all the 1800 NGOs funded after 1998.” She said the exercise had created a sense of alertness and accountability of organisations working in the field. Sources in the NGO cell of the ministry said the inspection was done by persons approved by the ministry. In case the ministry gets an adverse report about NGOs where facilities are not up to the mark, they issue a warning. In cases where the NGO does not exist at all the ministry issues a notice. Sources said the DMs have been asked to recover the money as arrears of land revenue. |
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BKU, UP Govt on
collision course HARDWAR, Sept 14 — The Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) and the Uttar Pradesh administration are on collision course on the issue of merger of Hardwar and Udham Singh Nagar in the proposed Uttaranchal state. A Maha-Panchayat of the BKU held here yesterday under the Presidentship of Mr Mahender Singh Tikait threatened to cut off supply of essential commodities to Uttaranchal Pradesh and to block traffic on all main highways connecting Uttaranchal with the country. More than one lakh farmers from Bijnor, Bareilly, Moradabad, Saharanpur, Moradabad district and adjoining areas yesterday descended on Hardwar on the call of the BKU to oppose the merger of Udham Singh Nagar and Hardwar. A large number of Sikh farmers from Udham Singh Nagar had also reached Hardwar to oppose the move. The farmers used tractor- trailers, buses, cars, rehras and Railways to reach Hardwar. Anger of the farmers opposing the merger could be felt. Angry farmers stopped Superfast Rajdhani Express between Delhi and Dehradun at Pathri Railway station near Laksar. Farmers lay on the Railway lines and did not allow the train to start its journey to Dehradun. It was only after many requests of the PAC, Uttar Pradesh Police and Railway Police that the farmers allowed the train to proceed. Situation in Hardwar was extremely tense. Entire holy city observed complete hartal unprecedented in its history. Not even rickshaws, three-wheelers or rehras for carrying goods plied on roads. Over one lakh pilgrims who visit Hardwar daily experienced great difficulty. Such was the impact of hartal that even on Har Ki Pauri “Pooja Samagri” was not available as shops were closed. Almost every section of society participated in the hartal. The local MLA, Mr Ambrish Kumar, was in the forefront along with activists of other political parties to mobilise people to observe complete hartal. At an impressive rally addressed by Mr Mahender Singh Tikait, farmers were asked to block all roads leading to Uttaranchal from today. Mr Tikait while threatening the Union Government that “Blood would flow in the holy city of Hardwar if the administration adopted tough attitude towards the farmers”, stated that no farmer who had come to Hardwar would leave until their demand was conceded. Mr Tikait accused the Union Government of playing with the sentiments of the Hardwar and Udham Singh Nagar people by not eliciting their opinion on the merger issue. He categorically said that the farmers of Western Uttar Pradesh would not allow the merger of two districts in Uttaranchal State and make all sacrifices. |
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Adm Sushil Kumar heads CSC NEW DELHI, Sept 14 — Chief of Naval Staff Adm Sushil Kumar was today appointed Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee. An official announcement here said that the Chief of Naval Staff would succeed the Chief of Army Staff, Gen V.P. Malik, as Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee. Adm Sushil Kumar will take over the reigns from General Malik on October 1. General Malik retires as the Chief of Army Staff on September 30 and in the normal process it would have been Air Chief Marshal A.Y. Tipnis who should have taken over as the Chairman, of the committee. This specially as Air Chief Marshal Tipnis is also six months senior to Adm Sushail Kumar in service. But as Adm Sushil Kumar was appointed Chief of Naval Staff just a day before Air Chief Marshal Tipnis took over the hot seat in the Air Headquarters, the post of Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee, will go to the former. While Air Chief Marshal took over as the Air Chief Marshal on December 31, Adm Sushil Kumar was appointed the Chief of Naval Staff under controversial circumstances, following the dismissal of former Adm Vishnu Bhagwat. The immediate fallout of this appointment would be that the Air Force would not get a chance to head the committee for several years to come. Admiral Kumar retires in 2001 and so does Air Chief Marshal Tipnis and that too just a day after the naval chief. In the circumstances, the Chief of the Army Staff (designate) Gen Padmanabhan will take over from Admiral Kumar and in all eventuality the Navy would once again head the committee after the retirement of General Padmanabhan in 2002. Although the post of Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee, has over the years been a ceremonial post, it does play a coordinating role during crisis, like the Kargil war last year. |
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SC restrains college on admissions NEW DELHI, Sept 14 — The Supreme Court, while allowing an appeal by Maharshi Dayanand University against a judgement of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, has restrained the respondent, M.L.R. Saraswati College of Education, from admitting students beyond 70 in the B.Ed course unless regular selection of lecturers was made according to university rules and regulations and unless the university permitted more students to be admitted. The court held that the selection of 10 ad hoc lecturers on May 1, 1999, by the respondent college was illegal and the college could not admit extra students on the basis of these appointments and without satisfying norms relating to other infrastructural facilities as such action was contrary to the guidelines of the National Council of Teacher Education and university rules. Setting aside the High Court judgement of August 16, 1999, as being erroneous on several counts, the Supreme Court judges said. “The selection of these ad hoc lecturers ,in addition to the existing regular staff, was done, without proper advertisement, without the candidates sending copies of the application to the university and without participation of the nominees of the university and the Director, Higher Education.” “If we may so, it was a direction in total violation of the procedure. The university was kept in the dark till after permission was obtained from the NCTE for admission of extra more students. The college reversed the entire process by first going to the NCTE and then to the university. The selection of the ad hoc lecturers in our view cannot enable the college to compel the university to permit admission of these 80 students”, the judges added. The two-judge Bench comprising Mr Justice M.J.Rao and Mr Justice Doraiswamy Raju, however, directed that the result of the examination in B.Ed (2000) be released so that students were not put to inconvenience. The judges further ruled that the NCTE was not justified in granting permission for admission of 80 more students on the basis of the ad hoc appointments. Delivering the judgment for the Bench, Justice Rao noted that the teacher-student ratio in the college was 1:10 and that by an earlier order on August 16, 2000, the Supreme Court had restrained the college from making any extra
admission for the year 2000-2001. “It is time that the courts evolve a mechanism for awarding damages to the students whose careers are seriously jeopardised by unscrupulous management of colleges/schools which indulge in violation of all rules”, Justice Rao observed. The judgement further noted that the regular selection of lecturers by the college on April 23, 2000, was made in haste without giving adequate time to the university to send its representative but declined to go into the validity of the latter selection. When the university did not permit the college to grant admission to additional 80 students during the 1999-2000 session, the college approached the High Court by a writ petition. The High Court directed the university to grant approval for the said admission. |
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ACP’s son held
for murder NEW DELHI, Sept 14 — The Delhi Police has arrested the son of an Assistant Commissioner of Police and his accomplice on the charge murdering a Sub Inspector. The accused, Rajiv Chaudhary, alias Rajiv Olahan, and his accomplice, Rajneesh Yadav, were arrested from their residences in West Delhi today. The accused allegedly killed SI Ramphal on the night of September 7 and threw his body at Jasorkheri village in Bahadurgarh. The police said the SI had an argument with some advocates and a few members of a notorious gang of Delhi in a local court on September 4. He disappeared three days after the argument and an FIR was registered. His decomposed body was recovered from Jasorkheri on September 9. The police saw the telephone number of Rajiv in the memory of SI’s mobile phone after which a police team began to keep a check on his activities. He was interrogated at length during which he confessed his involvement in the murder case. He also disclosed the name of his associate. |
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Oppose colonial culture,
not English: Advani NEW DELHI, Sept 14 — The Union Home Minister, Mr L.K. Advani, today stressed that people should not adopt an anti-English approach while trying to promote Hindi. “There is no need to oppose English. I don’t agree with those who believe in opposing English in their bid to promote Hindi,” Mr Advani said, inaugurating the Millennium World Hindi Conference here. Stating that one should be proud of the “rajbhasha” Home Minister said “we should oppose British colonial culture instead of attacking the English language. It is more important to give up inferiority complex and be proud of our own language and culture.” Recalling his recent visit to Israel, he said Israelis have taken giant strides on the path of progress and development mainly because of their intense love and respect for their own language and culture. Stressing that no law was needed for the spread of Hindi, he said cultural awareness was more important than legal measures to promote the language. Mr Advani launched a Hindi website at the function, organised by International Hindi Institute. At another function, held at the plush Vigyan Bhavan, to mark Hindi Divas, Mr Advani said the day should be celebrated as “Bhartiya Bhasha Divas”. |
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MCD Councillor
beaten up NEW DELHI, Sept 14 — A Councillor of Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), Mr Mohammad Asif, was beaten up mercilessly by some lathi-wielding youths near Kalindi Kunj in South Delhi today. He has been admitted to Holy Family Hospital where his condition is stated to out of danger, the police said. The incident occurred in the morning when the councillor was on his way to a convent school near Kalindi Kunj. He was on a two-wheeler when he was beaten up. As soon as he reached near the school the assailants, who were following him, attacked
him with “lathis”. The councillor, who received injuries on different parts of his body , became unconscious, the police said. The police suspected that an old enmity might be the reason behind the attack. |
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MCC ultra held DARBHANGA (Bihar), Sept 14 (UNI) — An area commander of the banned ultra-Left outfit Maoist Communist Centre was arrested at Lalpur village in the district today, the police said. Deputy Inspector-General of Police (Darbhanga range) Rakesh Prasad Singh said Naresh Ram was arrested after a hot pursuit, but his colleagues escaped. A revolver was seized from him. A combined special task force would be constituted to coordinate the anti-mcc operations of Darbhanga, Sitamarhi and Madubani district police, he said. |
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JYOTI BASU is today the country’s wisest and oldest political personality. Being in the Chief Minister’s chair for 24 years at a stretch, the Marxist supremo has built a rare instance and he rightly deserves his name to be recorded in the Guinness Book of World Records.
