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| Friday,
October 13, 2000, Chandigarh, India   
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Russian tank deal hangs fire Patna Admn asked to emulate ultras Illegal migrants — a security threat Jaya exudes confidence |
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No
plans to operate PM’s right knee Another leopard
found dead Hospital may house Assembly Janata Dal (U)
heading for split Bengal flood toll
crosses 1,300 mark Suspect dies in
police custody Black cats to escort
Rajdhani passengers
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Russian tank deal hangs fire NEW DELHI, Oct 12 — There could still be more delay before the state-of-the-art T-90 tanks from Russia join the inventory of the Army. Government sources disclosed that although the deal for the purchase of the Rosvoorouzhenie-manufactured T-90 tanks was signed “in principle” during the recent visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin, there was a difference of opinion between the Indian and Russian negotiators over the price at which the tanks would be available for purchase. Apparently, both Indian and Russian negotiators are holding their ground and not willing to give up. While India has been demanding that Russia cut down the price of the tanks, the latter has been putting pressure on the Price Negotiation Committee (PNC) to accept the price which Rosvoorouzhenie was seeking. Sources disclosed that India was not willing to accept the price being sought by the Russians. The PNC has also written to the Defence Minister, Mr George Fernandes, in this regard. It has suggested that India should continue to seek a reduction in the price of the tanks and should not succumb to the pressure being applied by the Russians. The PNC, it seems, is of the opinion that although the tanks are very good and suit Indian requirements, they have been grossly overpriced by the Russians. The deal is important for Russia, as it is expected to be anywhere above $ 650 million, with India wanting to add as many as 310 tanks to its inventory. The PNC has been seeking to bring down the total cost of the tanks by almost $ 65 million, while the Russians are only willing to cut it down by about $ 15 million. The stalemate, it seems is likely to continue till the time the Russians agree to further scale down the cost. Sources said India was wanting to pay about $ 2 million per tank — a basic tank without any accessories — and the Russians were wanting around $ 2.20 million. The total deal as per the price being demanded by Russia could go to about $ 740 million. However, the price initially being quoted by India was around $ 645 million. However, according to reports, during the last round of negotiations held in Delhi just before the signing of the deal “in principle”, India sought to raise the price it was offering by $ 30 million. Despite the offer, Russia was apparently not willing to bring down the cost, leaving a difference of about $ 65 million still to be negotiated. Of this, sources said Russia was willing to just cut the cost by $ 15 million, which was not acceptable to India. As per the deal, of the 310 tanks which India is to acquire, 124 would be picked up off the shelf and another 86 would come in the semi-knockdown state. Another 100 would come in the complete-knockdown and the rest would be manufactured here in India under licence, for which again a hefty amount has been paid. Incidentally, this is not the only defence deal with the Russians — signed in principle and announced with much fanfare during the visit of President Putin — that has been stuck due to differences over prices. Differences still prevail over the cost of refitting and modernisation of aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov. Another deal for the purchase of the multi-barrel rocket launcher “Smearch” could not be signed as the Indian and Russian negotiators could not reach at an agreement over the price. Reports said negotiations between India and Russia on the above deals had continued till the last moment without any agreement. While the T-90 tank deal still hangs fire, even the deal for Admiral Gorshkov says that while the vessel has been offered as a gift to India, “subject to satisfactory negotiations between the two sides,” the aircraft carrier would have to be modernised. There were also reports that it was due to the differences during the negotiations that the signing of the deals had been delayed by a day during the visit of President Putin. While they were to be signed in the presence of Mr Putin and Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, they were finally concluded “in principle” the next day at South Block in the presence of Mr Fernandes. |
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Patna Admn asked to emulate ultras PATNA, Oct 12 — The district administration has been ordered to emulate extremists to win over the masses. As part of the government strategy to counter the extremist influences in the south-central pockets of Bihar, the district magistrates (DMs) and superintendents of police (SPs) have been told to hold ‘janata darbar’ and ‘jan sabha’ to dispense quick and on-the-spot justice to the poor masses. This has been done to counter the MCC and PWG who conduct ‘jan adalats’ (kangaroo courts) in the countryside and impart instant justice. In the extremist-infested areas, the population is slowly taking to their instant justice. There is a realisation that the apathy and distancing of the local administrative machinery has alienated the public and the ultras took advantage of this. They took up local grievances and solved them in their own jungle rule style in the kangaroo courts. More often than not, the MCC declares a person offender and passes verdict to punish him. It is like the age old ‘panchayat’ where the ‘offender’ is tried in absentia and then sentenced. The MCC squad carries out the sentence. Even the local police have started believing the MCC verdict. If the MCC ‘parcha’ (handbill) distributed in the locality claims that a person killed by them was guilty of rape or theft, the police close the file taking it for granted that the justice has been done. The extremists have started targetting police and civil officials. They also loot the affluent and the middle class people in the name of help to the poor. The business community and rich people of Chatra are the most terrified lot as the MCC has formed a ‘Bhukhmari Pratirodh Samiti’ (anti-starvation committee) which has been entrusted with the task of looting the food godowns of the government and traders and distributing the grains among the poor. It has also ordered villagers to donate foodgrains for the drought victims. |
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Illegal migrants — a security threat PATNA, Oct 12 — Massive influx of Bangladeshi nationals into the eastern frontier areas of Bihar and their illegal occupation of government and private lands has disturbed the social peace. The communal politics in this part and the use of these illegal migrants as the ‘agents’ of the ISI have affected the strategic interests of India. The apathy of the state government in dealing with the Bangladeshi migration issue and the patronage by the political heavyweights for their petty ends has made the scenario explosive. The local administration is hand in glove with the ISI and the smugglers use these migrants as “conduits and shield” to carry out their nefarious trade. It is estimated that around 19 lakh Bangladeshi nationals are illegally settled in four districts of Purnia, Katihar, Araria and Kishanganj of Bihar. They are most abundantly settled in Kishanganj district. The state government admits of only 5,000 illegal migrants but there are more than one lakh of them whose names are in the voters’ list. The district is notorious as “mini Pakistan” and Pakistani flags and national anthem are openly flaunted here. The four districts are said to be the ISI haven and the stronghold of cross-border smugglers and arms Mafiosi. A smuggler, Razaq, was yesterday arrested at Kishanganj with 650 gms. of brown sugar worth Rs 50 lakh. He is alleged to be involved in RDX and arms trade. This only is a tip of the iceberg. The starved Bangladeshi immigrants are easy pray to the ISI and smugglers who use them as front men in their nefarious operations. As they constitute a political force, the local administration and politicians are prompt to come to their rescue and help. There are number of criminal cases registered in the local police stations against the Bangladeshi nationals. Though the Central Government has initiated the move to identify these immigrants, numbering around 1.5 crores in India, and deport them back to their homeland, nothing concrete has been done so far. India has a common boundary of around 1100 km with Bangladesh. The nationals cross the boundary from Malda, Siliguri, Murshidabad and Dinajpur areas of West Bengal and enter Bihar. Over the years, Muslim population in these Bihar districts has arisen sharply owing to the influx and the ISI is said to be cashing on this situation. The separatist tendencies are being fanned and communal politics has consolidated its hold. The local administration is making hay in nexus with the ISI and politicians. The illegal immigrants are issued ration cards, their names are entered in the voters’ list and they are settled on the government lands. The immigrants are now in a such a powerful position that they terrorise the original inhabitants and threaten to forcibly convert their religion. Many of them are forced to flee and sell their property to the immigrants. The local administration and state government is oblivious of all this. |
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Jaya exudes confidence CHENNAI, Oct 12 — Following the conviction and sentence of three years’ rigorous imprisonment imposed by a special court on the AIADMK leader, Ms Jayalalitha, in the Tansi land deal cases, her political adversaries have hastened to write her off as a potential challenger to the DMK leader, Mr M. Karunanidhi, in the forthcoming state assembly elections, on the ground that she is debarred from contesting the elections. But the redoubtable “Puratchi Thalaivi” has sought to dismiss predictions of her imminent oblivion as wishful thinking, and confidently declared that the next government in the state would be that of the AIADMK. “The people’s forum is eager to teach a lesson to those trying to subvert our growth and glory,” she said in a statement yesterday, reacting to the verdict of the special court delivered on Monday. “The certainty of our establishing MGR rule is the real truth,” she said. Ms Jayalalitha reminded her detractors that the Madras High Court had discharged her in the very same case on the ground that there was no basis for the trial. But, she said, the Karunanidhi government, “in pursuit of its vengeance against me”, went on appeal to the Supreme Court against the judgement of the high court. Ms Jayalalitha asserted that the Special court’s verdict was “not final”, and “our opponents, who are ever eager to besmirch our name before the people’s forum by citing the special court verdict are bound to lose in the end.” She accused the Karunanidhi government of “hurriedly seeking” permission from the state Governor, even while the Governor’s authority to sanction her prosecution was yet to be confirmed by the Supreme Court. Even as protest demonstrations by AIADMK workers continued in several parts of the state, one of whom attempted to commit suicide, Ms Jayalalitha appealed to them not to indulge in self-immolation. She announced a solatium of Rs 10,000 towards the medical expenses of the party worker, Raja, who had tried to burn himself in Tiruchi. Jaya Television has taken on itself, through panel discussions, the task of rejecting the view that the Representation of the People Act disqualifies the AIADMK leader from contesting the elections for a period of six years. Some panelists in the discussion went to the extent of insinuating that the Karunanidhi government knew in advance the verdict of the special court. Asserting that the verdict was not final, a panelist recalled that some 30 years ago the late judice Gajendragadkar of the Supreme Court had said that if there was a higher court than the Supreme Court, half of the judgements would be overturned. Some experts recall that in 1995, the Supreme Court had held that conviction can also be stayed. A letter written by Mr M.A. Sadanand to the Editor of the New Indian Express said:” All those who are salivating at the thought of Jaya-less elections need not be too jubilant. Judicial uncertainty is on the same plane as one-day cricket now.” Ms Jayalalitha has reason to feel satisfied with the assurances of continued support from her allies in the AIADKM-led front in the state. The Tamil Nadu Congress president, Mr E.V.K.S. Elangovan, was reported in the media as having said in Madurai yesterday that Ms Jayalalitha would continue to be the leader of the secular front in the stat. |
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Another leopard
found dead HYDERABAD, Oct 12 (UNI) — A leopard was found dead near Thimmayapalli village in Pocharam forest in Medak district, about 150 km from here, recently. According to District Forest Department sources, the carcass was found on October 4. The cause of its death was not known and they were waiting for the post-mortem examination, the sources said, and added that there were no superficial wounds. A case has been registered and further investigation is on. There are about 22 leopards in the Pocharam forest area. |
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Hospital may house Assembly BHOPAL, Oct 12 — Now it is the turn of the TB hospital of Raipur. Its building is being acquired on the directions of the OSD, Mr P.K. Mehrotra, for housing some of the important offices of the Chhattisgarh state. The patients are being shifted to Medical College Hospital. The DK Hospital building has already been acquired for the secretariat of the new state. The TB hospital building may be converted into the Assembly if the problems concerning the acquisition of the Rajiv Gandhi Watershed Training Institute persist. In case the state government is able to acquire the institute, some other offices will be set up in the TB hospital building. The proposal to acquire the institute has not been cleared by the Central Government. Hence the uncertainty as to where to hold the Chhattisgarh Assembly sessions continues. At one stage, the building of the Mining Directorate was also considered for the Assembly. However, the idea was dropped, as it required dismantling of sophisticated instruments worth crores of rupees. The acquisition of the building was opposed by officers and employees of the directorate on the ground that it would disrupt important projects being implemented. To add to the labour pains of the new state, the government employees’ associations of Chhattisgarh have warned the government against sending any officers or employees to the new state against their wishes. The Class III and IV employees of the state government are already on a strike here in protest against the forcible transfer of employees to Chhattisgarh. The associations have also threatened to launch an agitation in this regard. |
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No plans to operate PM’s right knee MUMBAI, Oct 12 (PTI, UNI) — Union Minister for Information and Technology Pramod Mahajan today denied reports that Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee would soon undergo operation on his right knee joint as well. Reacting to reports in a section of press, Mr Mahajan said on the sidelines of the inaugural conference of “Maha knowledge.com” here, “as per my knowledge, there are no such plans to operate upon his right knee”. Vajpayee underwent a surgery on Tuesday at Breach Candy hospital in south Mumbai to replace his left knee-joint. Former Prime Minister Inder Kumar Gujral called up the Breach Candy Hospital and inquired about the health of the Prime Minister. The former Prime Minister called up the hospital and inquired about the recovery process from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) staff. He also wished speedy recovery to Mr Vajpayee, according to PMO sources here. |
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Janata Dal (U)
heading for split PATNA, Oct 12 (UNI) — Civil Aviation Minister Sharad Yadav, suffering from a severe headache, was said to be out of danger at Medical College Hospital today. However, troubles for the President of the Janata Dal (United) continued as Communication Minister Ram Vilas Paswan reiterated today that he would float a new party on November 23, ruling out chances on any patchup with Mr Yadav. Mr Paswan, who was in Lucknow yesterday, said he would not have deserted the party had Mr Yadav relinquished the post of party President. |
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Bengal flood toll
crosses 1,300 mark CALCUTTA, Oct 12 (UNI) — The toll in West Bengal’s flood havoc crossed the 1,300 mark with a report blaming diarrhoea for 37 more deaths. Deputy Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee confirmed 1,212 fatalities and said 115 persons were still missing. State Health Minister Partho Dey said nearly 1,00,000 people were suffering from water-borne ailments in affected districts. Mr Bhattacharjee said the situation in North 24 Parganas remained critical. The state government had hired a dredger from the Calcutta Port Trust to remove a blockade in the bed of the turbulent Icchamati to flush out stagnant floodwater through the Raimangal river. Over 21 million people have been affected in nine flood-ravaged districts. |
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Suspect dies in
police custody NEW DELHI, Oct 12 — A suspect in a kidnapping case in the Mangolpuri area of north-west Delhi died in police custody today. The kidnapping was reported on October 1 and the accused was brought to the Mangolpuri police station at 11.30 a.m. He died at 1 p.m. today, police sources said. He was reportedly not feeling well when he was brought to the police station. He died while he was being taken to Sanjay Gandhi Hospital by the police. An inquiry has been ordered. |
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Black cats to escort
Rajdhani passengers CALCUTTA, Oct 12 — Black cat cammandos will escort the Rajdhani Express and other prestigious trains running between various state capitals and New Delhi to protect the passengers against miscreants. Already, commandos have been provided in the Patna-New Delhi and Howarh-New Delhi Rajdhani express trains in the wake of a recent attack on some women passenger in Patna-Delhi Rajdhani near Patna station. Soon mail and other express trains will have similar commando guards. |
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