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| Friday, September 22, 2000, Chandigarh, India   
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Sonia bides time on Telengana, Vidarbha WB flood toll 64 CPM will not repeat historic
blunder: Basu HC: stop dealing with Airbus Industrie ’84 riots panel sitting on Oct 3 |
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Report on Ranga to
be made public Normalcy restored
in telecom services: govt Gopal goes on fourth mission ‘Poll staff to be controlled by EC’ Clubbing tour with canvassing ‘illegal’
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Sonia bides time on Telengana, Vidarbha NEW DELHI, Sept 21 — Finding themselves irrelevant where regional satraps are calling the shots, Congress legislators are trying to pressurise the party high command to set the ball rolling for the creation of Telengana and Vidarbha states. A circumspect Congress president Sonia Gandhi has sought to bide time by urging these Congressmen from Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra to present their case to the party’s six-member subcommittee which is looking into the demand for carving out smaller states. With Congress organisational elections only six weeks away Ms Sonia Gandhi as the numero uno of the party, does not want to create avoidable problems for herself. The appointment of a lightweight, first time MP Prakash Jaiswal from Kanpur as Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee chief on Wednesday in place of Mr Salman Khursheed has deepened the fissures in the fractious party. Discriminating Congressmen find Mr Jaiswal’s appointment bewildering and have no doubt that the Congress is being pushed into oblivion in the country’s most populous and crucial state where assembly elections are due in the later half of next year. The Congress in Andhra Pradesh is still a force to reckon with and enjoys considerable clout in the Telengana region. The Congress delegation from Telengana which met Mrs Sonia Gandhi submitted a detailed memorandum that Telengana had become a necessity as Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu was doing precious little for the uplift of this region. While Mr Naidu’s political one-upmanship has successfully in kept the Congress out of power in Andhra Pradesh, Congressmen at the helm of affairs in the southern state are themselves to blame for botching up the party’s chances at the husting. These Congress legislators from Telengana maintain that parties other than the ruling TDP also favour the formation of Telengana state. The critical question however is — can the Congress get a resolution adopted in the Andhra Pradesh Assembly in this regard. Mr Naidu is against any bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh and will leave no stone unturned in ensuring that the resolution is defeated on the floor of the Assembly. The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance government is unambiguous in its stand on the creation of smaller states. It has emphasised that it is not averse to carving out smaller states provided the Assembly concerned gives its consent by adopting a resolution. Congress legislators from the backward Vidarbha region of Maharashtra also want the Congress leadership to accord priority to the long-pending issue of having a separate state of Vidarbha. In the opinion of these Congress legislators, the constitution of regional development boards as a means of side-stepping the creation of a separate Vidarbha state has failed to achieve the objective. However, there are serious differences of opinion on this issue in the Congress-Nationalist Congress party (NCP) coalition government in Maharashtra. The NCP chief and Maharashtra strongman Sharad Pawar is against creating a Vidarbha state due to his own political
predilections. Once again getting a resolution passed in the Maharashtra assembly might prove to be a sticky affair. Such a move can create fresh problems thereby putting the Congress-NCP government on a weak wicket. Interestingly, Ms Sonia Gandhi had told mediapersons some time back that she would rather wait and watch whether the new states of Uttaranchal, Chattisgarh and Jharkhand are economically viable before looking at demands for the creation of more smaller states. Meanwhile, the Congress sub-committee headed by Mr Pranab Mukherjee entrusted with the task of looking into the demand for creating smaller states will meet their party’s champions clamouring for Telengana and Vidarbha states here on October 14. HYDERABAD (UNI):
The Union Home Minister, Mr L.K. Advani, today ruled out granting separate statehood for the Telangana region in Andhra Pradesh. Even as Congress MLAs were drumming up support in the wake of Parliament carving out three new states and Andhra Pradesh BJP unit having passed a resolution in favour of a separate Telangana state, Mr Advani told reporters here “we are not thinking in terms of Telangana (state)”. Justifying the creation of the separate states of Chattisgarh, Jharkhand and Uttaranchal, he said, “There was a feeling of neglect because of the distance of the capitals —Bhopal, Patna and Lucknow. On the other hand, Hyderabad was part of Telangana and there was no feeling of neglect”. |
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WB flood toll 64 CALCUTTA, Sept 21 (UNI) — At least 64 persons were killed and about 10 million marooned in devastating floods in nine districts of West Bengal as the Army fought a grim battle for the fourth day today to carry out rescue and relief operations. Birbhum district suffered the most, accounting for 26 deaths, followed by Bardhaman (12), Midnapore (10), Murshidabad and Nadia (three each), north Dinajpur and Bankura (two each) and Howrah district (one). Chief Minister Jyoti Basu, who reviewed the situation at a high-level meeting at the state secretariat here, said “the picture is very grave, and only the Army can tackle the situation”. Mr Basu said relief and airdropping were being hampered by bad weather. People residing in 26 police station areas of Birbhum, Murshidabad, Bardhaman, Nadia, Hoogly and Howrah districts had been asked to shift to safer places. Official sources said the situation had turned critical with the combined discharge of about 500,000 cusecs of water from the Massanjore dam and Tilpara barrage. The state government had ordered evacuation of people from 26 police station areas of six districts following a high spate in the Bhagirathi, Ajoy, Mayurakshi and the Damodar rivers. Deputy Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya said an IAF helicopter from Panagar would make a sortie over Murshidabad and drop food packets in the affected areas. The chopper was scheduled to make more sorties to drop packets. Mr Bhattacharya said the state government had issued an alert in 26 police station areas in six districts asking the people to move to safer places. He said the district authorities had been asked to remove the people uplands. The areas are Muhammad Bazar, Maureshwar, Sainthia, Labhpur in Birbhum district, Baroan, Khandi, Bharatpur, Salar, Nabagram in Murshidabad district,Kanksha, Ausgram, Ketugram and Bhedia in Burdwan district, Kaligung, Nakshipara, Dubhulia, Nabadwip, Santipur, Ranaghat, Kalyani in Nadia district, Arambagh, Khanakul, Tarakeshwar, Pursura in Hooghly district and Udanarayanpur and Amta in Howrah district. CPM will not
repeat historic blunder: Basu NEW DELHI, Sept 21 (PTI) — Determined not to repeat its “historic blunder”, the CPI-M proposes to make a major shift in its political strategy by opening options of participating in government at the Centre if the opportunity came. “My party has changed its
stance.... If an opportunity comes (to participate in government at the Centre) we shall certainly
consider.... What applied to the states earlier will now apply to the Centre,” Marxist Leader Jyoti Basu said in an interview to “Kairali”, a Malayalam TV channel. Mr Basu, who was offered Prime Ministership in 1996 when the CPI-M Central Committee rejected the proposal to lead the United Front coalition, said “I still think it was a historic blunder because such opportunities do not come to Communist parties.” He said the shift in stance was already in the draft of the revised party programme which is to be finalised at a special plenum in Thiruvananthapuram next month. A note has also been circulated saying what applies to states, where the party can participate in government, will now also apply to the Centre. The CPI-M had so far given only outside support in government formation at the Centre so far. |
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HC: stop dealing with Airbus Industrie NEW DELHI, Sept 21 (PTI) — The Delhi High Court said today that the government should not have any deal for new aircraft with Airbus Industrie of France unless it provided information about the Rs 4200 crore deal for the purchase of 31 planes in 1986 in which kickbacks were allegedly received by certain middlemen. “No new aircraft should come (from Airbus
Industrie). Why should we have dealing with such a company?” a Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Arijit Passayat and Mr Justice
D.K. Jain said while hearing a petition seeking a probe into the alleged kickbacks in the deal signed by the Rajiv Gandhi Government. The Bench after perusing the file of the Chief Vigilance Officer
(CVO), who had investigated the case of missing file relating to the deal, expressed anguish over the manner records were maintained by the Civil Aviation Ministry. “We are really shocked to see how records are maintained. They are not properly prepared even when the departments are split,” the Bench told Additional Solicitor-General
(ASG) K.K. Sud, who sought more time to seek instructions from the Centre on its stand on the issue of further dealing with the Airbus
Industrie. The CBI, which had registered an FIR in the case on March 23, 1990, told the court that it was not getting any cooperation from the French Government in probing the case and no reply was received from it on the letters rogatory sent by a local court here. As the court asked whether the agency had approached the Airbus Industrie for the supply of the information about the deal, CBI counsel
A.K. Dutt said in the letters rogatory request was made that the French authorities should seek details from the company. The court asked the government to try to get information from the Airbus Industrie directly if it was not forthcoming from the French authorities. The government could tell Airbus Industrie that there would be no transaction with them in future if they failed to furnish details about the previous contract, the court said adding that from the CVO’s records “it seems that somebody had solicited an offer (for sale of the planes) from Airbus.” “What prompted the Airbus Industrie to make the offer should be ascertained from them. There may be some letter. How a company can be hesitant in giving information if it wants further deals”, the court wondered. Mr Dutt told the court that the CBI was able to reconstruct the missing file to some extent by collecting copies of letters from various departments. Meanwhile, the Civil Aviation Ministry in an affidavit said it would not be desirable to discontinue further business with Airbus Industrie as Indian Airlines and Air India would need spares for their fleets. The court, however, said it was not talking about the old obligations of the company, but for not considering the deal for new planes. The petition filed by advocate
B.L. Wadhera alleged that the decision for buying 31 A-320 Airbus was taken at the last moment by the then government after it had already advanced a sum of $ 900 million to Boeing Company of the USA for purchase of 12 aircraft in 1985. Report on Ranga to
be made public NEW DELHI, Sept 21 — Union Health
Minister Dr C. P. Thakur today said that the former Power Minister, Mr P.R. Kumaramangalam died of peripheral circulatory failure. Replying to questions on the findings of the inquiry report on the death of Mr Kumaramangalam, the Health Minister said, “The terminal cause was peripheral circulatory failure, a condition in which the circulatory system collapses.” Asked whether the report had ruled out leukemia, septicemia or non hodkin lymphoma, Dr Thakur said, “Confusion persists. The diagnosis is still not clear.” Replying to a question on the Indian Medical Association’s (IMA) demand that the report be made public, Dr Thakur said that the department is studying the report and would make it public within 10 days. He said that the report states that better treatment was possible. The IMA, on the other hand told mediapersons here today that Mr Kumaramangalam died of septicemia (infection of blood) and doctors who treated him four months back cannot be held responsible for it. The IMA general secretary, Dr Prem Aggarwal said, “Mr Kumaramangalam was suffering from non hodkin lymphoma, a mild tumour of the lymph nodes. He was treated at Apollo for nine days. After three months and nine days, he went to AIIMS with septicemia. By then, the infection had spread very badly.” Dr Aggarwal said that Mr Kumaramangalam was responsible for neglecting his health. “When he reached AIIMS, he was in a precarious condition. To reach an extreme state of septicemia, Mr Kumaramangalam is responsible. Now, you are finding a scapegoat. This maligning campaign must end and if doctors are not found guilty, all persons responsible for the motiavated maligning campaign should be punished.” Dr Aggarwal said that after being discharged from Apollo hospital, Mr Kumaramangalam never consulted his doctors though he was advised to do so. Dr Prasad Rao, Consultant, Internal Medicine, Apollo who treated the Union Power Minister said, “Mr Kumaramangalam came to the hospital on April 14. He had already taken antibiotics before admission. He had been running high fever with chills for two weeks. After all investigations, we found that he was suffering from pneumonia on the right side. He went back home at 8 am on April 23 after his fever settled.” Meanwhile All-India Institute of Medical Sciences today denied allegation by Ms Kitty Kumaramangalam, widow of Union Minister P.R. Kumaramangalam, that the institute was not handing over the medical records of her late husband’s treatment. ‘‘The allegations are not true. Copies of the medical reports of Mr Kumaramangalam was delivered at her residence yesterday by a special messenger,’’ an AIIMS spokesman said. He said the institute received a formal request from Mrs Kumaramangalam only on September 19 following which the records were provided. As per the procedure, no records could be provided without a formal request from the relatives of the deceased.
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’84 riots panel
sitting on Oct 3 NEW DELHI, Sept 21 — The Justice G.T. Nanavati Commission of Inquiry, set up by the government in May this year to probe into the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, will hold its first public sitting on October 3 to finalise the procedure to be followed by the commission for conducting the inquiry. The commission will inquire into the causes and course of the violence and riots targeting the members of the Sikh community which took place in the National Capital Territory of Delhi and other parts of the country on October 31, 1984 and thereafter. The commission, soon after its establishment, had invited all individuals, groups of persons and associations having knowledge directly or indirectly, of facts and circumstances relating to matters referred to commission, to furnish their statement of facts or allegations duly verified by the deponent and supported by an affidavit sworn before a Magistrate First Class or Notary or any other authority having power to administer oath. The last date for the submission of such an affidavit has been extended to September 30, 2000. |
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Normalcy restored
in telecom services: govt NEW DELHI, Sept 21 — Most of the national and international routes on which telecom services were affected have been restored, the Communications Ministry said here today. These include telecom traffic to and fro Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Chandigarh, Lucknow, Rajkot, Bhopal, Indore, Guwahati, Calcutta and other important towns. There was a major breakdown near Berhampur in West Bengal as a few kilometres of optical fibre cable was washed away due to heavy rains and floods. Water had also entered into some exchanges and microwave repeater stations of West Bengal particularly, Murshidabad, affecting telecom traffic in the eastern sector. However, the telecommunication links to Calcutta has been restored through alternative routes. It is possible that subscribers may experience a little difficulty during peak traffic hours due to congestion in the exchanges. The Department is making efforts to restore normalcy immediately, the Ministry said. Official sources said the Government was ascertaining whether the crucial Berhampur link failure was due to sabotage or an accident. Mr Shyamal Ghosh, Secretary of Department of Telecom, said that the Government had received a report from the Chief General Manager concerned that the link was washed away by rains. Communications Minster Ram Vilas Paswan had also warned the more than 4000 officers and 20,000 engineers on strike that strict action would be taken against employees responsible for the dislocation of services in the last few days. Clashing with the strike in the Telecom Department was an agitation by Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited engineers and officers for the fourth day today. The Joint Action
Committee of MTNL officers convener, Mr M.K. Bagchi said more than 10,000 engineers and officers have been working for the MTNL for the past 14 years but have not been absorbed yet. The officers also demanding pay scales on a par with other PSUs like the VSNL. Telecom links to eastern states were restored partially today, as the officers and engineers continued their work-to-rule agitation for the eighth day despite Communications Minister Ram Vilas Paswan threatening to take action against striking employees. “Links to
Calcutta and north-eastern states have been restored through alternatives routes since this morning”, an
official statement said. Long distance lines with Chennai and Mumbai were restored yesterday. Mr Paswan stopped over at Calcutta on his way to Patna last night and held an emergency meeting of eastern region telecom chiefs. The Congress today asked the government to come out with an immediate plan of action to end the telecom strike which has crippled the communication system all over the country. The strike has affected the confidence of the people especially the media and the business and industrial community, Congress spokesperson Ajit Jogi said. |
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Gopal goes on fourth mission BANGALORE, Sept 21 (PTI, UNI) — Panic gripped the city amidst sporadic incidents of violence today, a day after Parvathamma, wife of abducted Kannada film icon Rajkumar, was admitted to a local hospital complaining of chest pain. As the hostage drama involving Rajkumar and three others dragged on for the 53rd day, government emissary R.R. Gopal arrived at Sathvamangalam forest on his fourth mission to secure their release from sandalwood smuggler Veerappan. Gopal has already conducted three rounds of talks with Veerappan, who has warned that the release of his jailed associates is non-negotiable. Miscreants threw stones at some passing vehicles in Gandhi Nagar soon after a silent procession by the entire Kannada film industry passed. Several shopkeepers put up their shutters in panic following the incident. As the city was rife with rumours about the health of Parvathamma, the Karnataka Chief Minister, Mr S.M. Krishna, visited her in the hospital and later said she was “hale and hearty.” The Law Minister, Mr D.B. Chandregowda, told newsmen that Parvathamma had blood pressure problem last night but she was normal now. Meanwhile, a Karnataka bandh has been called on September 28 by the Dr Raj Kumar Abhimanigala (fans) Sangha and the film industry to pressurise the Union Government for taking steps to free the film star from the captivity of Veerappan. |
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‘Poll staff to be controlled by EC’ NEW DELHI, Sept 21 — The Supreme Court today took on record the terms of settlement agreed upon by the Election Commission of India, the Centre and the five states of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Mizoram and Tripura with regard to the disciplinary functions of the Commission over officers, staff and the police deputed to perform election duties during elections. The bench comprising Mr Justice S.P. Bharucha, Mr Justice Y.K. Sabharwal and Mrs Justice Ruma Pal took the agreement arrived at among the parties on record while disposing of a writ petition by the ECI and related special leave and transferred petitions. The agreement stated that the disciplinary functions of the ECI would extend to suspending any officer, official or police personnel for insubordination and dereliction of duty. “Substituting any officer/official/ police personnel by another such person and returning the substituted individual to the cadre to which he belongs, with appropriate report on his conduct”, one clause of the agreement pointed out. Another term of agreement is, “making recommendation to the competent authority for taking disciplinary action for any act of insubordination or dereliction of duty while on election duty. Such recommendation shall be promptly acted upon by the disciplinary authority, and action taken will be communicated to the Election Commission within a period of six months from the date of the Election Commission’s recommendations.” The fourth and final term of agreement as contained in the settlement paper read, “The Government of India will advise the State Governments that they too should follow the above principles and decisions, since a large number of election officials are under their administrative control.” PTI: The Centre today informed the Supreme Court that it has agreed to give the Election Commission complete administrative control over the election staff on deputation for election duty despite majority of states opposing it. |
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Clubbing tour with canvassing ‘illegal’ NEW DELHI, Sept 21 — The Election Commission today ruled that combining official tour with that of election campaign would be violation of the Model Code of Conduct and that the erring party would have to bear the consequences. The Commission’s direction comes a day after it despatched a senior officer Mr K.J. Rao along with the Chief Electoral Officer to the Sunam Assembly constituency following reports that the Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal had tried to circumvent the model code of conduct by having a helipad constructed outside the Sunam constituency limits. “Combining official tour with that of election campaign is a clear violation of the code of conduct and if any party is found guilty on that ground the expenses incurred towards that will be debited to the poll expenditure account of the respective candidate,” highly placed EC sources told The Tribune here. To prevent use of any official machinery during the campaign in Sunam, the Election Commission has also asked the Punjab Chief Secretary, Mr R.S. Mann, to advise all State-level officers not to tour the Assembly constitutency for the next 10 days, unless there is severe law and order problem or calamity, the sources said. Sunam bye-election is slated for September 29. Meanwhile, Mr Rao, who had gone to Sunam to probe into the reports of construction of a helipad in the outer limits of Sunam, returned here and handed over a “comprehensive” report to the Chief Election Commissioner Dr M.S. Gill. The officials here were silent on the contents of the report and maintained that “the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners were looking into the report.” The sources refused to comment on what action would the Commission take in case the report on the construction of the helipad was proved correct. The Commission would do everything within its powers to keep the electoral process fair and just, the sources added. |
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Woman commits
suicide NEW DELHI, Sept 21 — A 20-year-old woman allegedly committed suicide by hanging herself from a ceiling fan at her residence in Sultanpuri area of North-West Delhi, the police said. Surekha, who got married just six months ago, allegedly took the extreme step on Wednesday morning, the police said. |
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