 |
| Sunday, October 29, 2000, Chandigarh, India   
|
Crucial BJP meeting on Oct 31 No front within NDA: Naidu No rift with TDP: Laxman ‘Basu’s decision a blow to Third Front’ CM’s post: JMM team meets PM, George |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Jagmohan for separate all-India services Prove majority, Ajit asks Rajnath Prof’s murder: maid held Pak mercenaries may induct SAMs Amarinder proposes
Sonia’s name Bomb threat: rail tracks searched Revamp of forces
soon: Fernandes
|
|
Crucial BJP meeting on Oct 31 NEW DELHI, OCT 28 — The central leadership of the BJP has summoned its MPs and MLAs belonging to Uttarakhand for a meeting on October 31 to decide who is best suited to assume the mantle of Chief Minister of the new hill state to be carved out of Uttar Pradesh. Even as the MPs and MLAs of the Uttarakhand region are bracing up for this crucial meeting, preparations are under way to grant statehood to Chhattisgarh at midnight on October 31. Uttarakhand is raring to wake up to a new dawn when statehood is conferred on it on November 9. According to sources the exercise connected with the carving out of three new states of Uttarakhand, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand, the person to be sworn in first will be the Governor. The Chief Minister and his ministerial team will be administered the oath of office and secrecy the next day by the constitutional head of the new state. Former Union Minister and Shiromani Akali Dal leader Surjit Singh Barnala is expected to take up his new gubernatorial assignment in Dehra Dun. Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has been using all his persuasive skills on the Atal Behari Vajpayee government at the Centre to appoint Mr Barnala as the Governor of Uttarakhand so that the interests of the people at large and that of residents of Udham Singh Nagar in particular are protected. Udham Singh Nagar was brought within the ambit of Uttarakhand much against the wishes of the majority Sikh population there. With Mr Badal having failed in ensuring that Udham Singh Nagar remained outside the map of Uttarakhand, the Chief Minister has been pressurising the NDA Government to appoint Mr Barnala as Governor of the fledgling state. Mr Badal firmly believes that such a gesture on the part of the NDA government will assuage the feelings of the Sikh community in Udham Singh Nagar to some extent that they have not been left out in the cold. There is discernible disquiet that Planning Commission Deputy Chairman K.C. Pant is the frontrunner for the Chief Minister’s post of Uttarakhand among the MPs and MLAs from there. They feel aggrieved that a rank outsider in the BJP is near the winning post after the struggle waged by them for a separate hill state. Sources in the BJP said the central leadership of the party had convened a meeting of MPs and MLAs from Uttarakhand on October 31 to discuss the leadership issue and other aspects connected with government formation in the interim capital of Dehra Dun. They said the new government in Uttarakhand did not want to start with unnecessary expenditure of having a state capital in the hills immediately. The capital of Uttarakhand will ultimately be located in the hills — either in the Kumaon or Garhwal region — in keeping with the wishes of the people after a detailed examination of the pros and cons as the required infrastructure is lacking at present. Asked about Mr Barnala being appointed Governor of Uttarakhand, the sources said “the simple and well meaning hill people are extremely accommodating. Therefore, Mr Barnala and his friends in Udham Singh Nagar should not have any problem.” However, the ticklish leadership issue can cause avoidable heartburn if someone who has not been in the thick of the struggle for the creation of Uttarakhand is picked up to be Chief Minister. This is particularly so because the rank and file of the BJP views Mr Pant as a fair weather entrant. At the same time, Mr Pant’s proximity to Mr Vajpayee is well known and it is generally acknowledged that the decision of BJP’s central leadership on the leadership question will ultimately hold sway. Prabhat, Tiwari tipped as Governors NEW DELHI, Oct 28 (PTI) — Akali Dal leader Surjit Singh Barnala is being tipped for the post of Governor of the new state of Uttarakhand while Cabinet Secretary Prabhat Kumar is the likely candidate for Jharkhand Governor and Planning Commission member Dinanath Tiwari is expected to take over the gubernatorial post in Chhattisgarh, official sources said today. Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh would be created on November 15 and November 1, respectively. Mr Prabhat Kumar, who retires on October 31, is an experienced administrator and Mr Tiwari is looking after Tribal Development Affairs in the Planning Commission and his background is likely to come handy in Chhattisgarh, which has a substantial tribal population.
|
|
No front within NDA: Naidu NEW DELHI, Oct 28 — There is no proposal to form a front of non-BJP parties within the National Democratic Alliance, the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and Telugu Desam Party leader, Mr Chandrababu Naidu, said here today. The architect of the erstwhile United Front government and the Federal Front of regional parties within it said: “There is no necessity for such a front”, setting at rest speculation that he was working towards uniting the non-BJP parties in the NDA. Mr Naidu said the recent meeting of TDP leader Yerran Naidu with Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray at Mumbai was a “courtesy visit” and nothing should be read into it. He said Mr Yerran Naidu had gone to see the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, at the Breach Candy Hospital and the meeting with Mr Thackeray had taken place during his return from there. He said the Telugu Desam Party favoured a stable government at the Centre and wanted no oscillation. He made it clear that the TDP had no intention of joining the NDA government and it could remain effective from outside. “We are not for power,” he added. Mr Naidu, who returned from a 11-day visit to China and Japan, called on the Prime Minister to enquire about his health. The Chief Minister said they discussed some issues but did not elaborate. “Whatever I had to disclose, I have disclosed”, he said. Fresh from his return from China and Japan, the Chief Minister spoke enthusiastically about the pace of development in those countries and wanted India to emulate them. “We need less of politics and more of development”, the Chief Minister said. Mr Naidu said India had tremendous opportunities in the Information and Technology sector, especially in software. He said during his meetings with politicians and industry leaders in Japan and China, he realised that though these countries were strong in hardware, these were weak in software. The reason was that they did not have enough English speaking people. On his visit to China, the Chief Minister said the two countries had one-third of the world’s population and their coming together could do wonders. He said India had a lot to learn from China and its method of development. For instance, Mr Naidu pointed out that the Hong Kong airport was built at a cost of Rs 90,000 crore and it handled one lakh passengers daily. That was the kind of development India needed, he emphasised. PTI adds: Mr Naidu said there was no need for Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee to emulate the example of West Bengal Chief Minister Jyoti Basu, who has decided to quit office on health grounds. “The Prime Minister is very healthy, “ Mr Naidu told reporters when asked whether Mr Vajpayee should also follow Mr Basu’s example. |
|
No rift with TDP: Laxman HYDERABAD, Oct 28 (PTI) — The BJP today discounted reports of its differences with its crucial ally, TDP in Andhra Pradesh but asserted that it has every right to express its views on issues concerning the development of the state. “We have very good relationship with the TDP. Only the media has expressed some concern,” quipped BJP President Bangaru Laxman in an informal chat with reporters here. Asked about the reported strain in the relationship particularly in the wake of the state BJP state executive’s recent criticism of the TDP government’s policies, he said there was nothing in the resolutions, passed by his party’s executive meeting, that was critical of the state government. “You have to go by what our party leaders have said (of the state government’s performance). I hope all is well with our ally,” said Mr Laxman, who is here to inaugurate a day-long conference of the state BJP legal cell. The BJP President also pleaded ignorance about reports of the TDP’s move to forge a front of regional parties, along with the Shiv Sena. The ruling party has already denied such an initiative. Mr Laxman’s remarks come in the backdrop of a series of mutual veiled attacks by state BJP and TDP leaders on several issues including the power tariff hike, delay in the execution of the Godavari projects and unremunerative prices to farmers. “As a political party, we have every right to express our views. But, there was nothing in our resolutions that amounted to criticising the state government”, Mr Laxman said. BJP state executive, in a recent meeting at the coal-belt town of Godavarikhani in Karimnagar district, had passed resolutions asking the state government, among other things, to expedite projects proposed on Godavari river, restore the six-slab power tariff structure to reduce burden on consumers and to ensure remunerative price for paddy crop in the state. Of late, a sense of unease has come to represent the relationship between the two key partners of NDA with differences cropping up on several matters concerning the state, though they have been displaying unity on national issues. While BJP leaders had criticised the Chandrababu Naidu government for its “laxity” in implementing Godavari projects, the regional party leaders pointed out that the projects were in fact pending with the Centre and asked the Union Ministers from the state to take up the issue with the Centre. The BJP’s demand for remunerative price for paddy farmers was also an issue that comes under the purview of the Centre, State Tourism Minister E. Peddi Reddy had said. |
|
‘Basu’s decision a blow to Third Front’ NEW DELHI, Oct 28 (UNI) — The BJP today said it was a foregone conclusion that West Bengal Chief Minister Jyoti Basu, because of his age and failing health, would not be able to perform his duties as Chief Minister much longer. “His announcement to demit office, however, will give a setback to the formation of an imaginary Third Front,” senior BJP leader J.P. Mathur said. He said although the CPI(M), including Mr Basu, might claim that he would lead to form the so-called Third Front, yet it was evident that physically and psychologically he would not be able to devote time and energy as to gain confidence of the targeted political groups. “Neither he nor somebody else is in a position to lead a conglomeration of disparate political groups,” he asserted. Mr Mathur said it was time that CPI(M) and other Left parties should realise that they had lost their relevance in Indian politics. The much-publicised formation of a Third Front by CPI(M) chief Harkishan Singh Surjeet would almost meet its death before it was born, the BJP leader said. Regarding CPI leader A.B. Bardhan’s call for unity of the Left parties, Mr Mathur said since long there had been attempts towards this but all utterly failed. “The CPI(M) and CPI are divided and have no towering personality capable of gaining confidence of the cadre to unite them. “It will remain a dream, unfulfilled.” |
|
CM’s post: JMM team meets PM, George NEW DELHI, Oct 28 (PTI) — A Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) delegation today called on Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee in the backdrop of the party’s persistent demand for Chief Ministership of the new state. Though party sources described it as a courtesy call, the meeting came close on the heels of the
JMM’s two rounds of talks with Defence Minister and National Democratic Alliance (NDA) convener George Fernandes last night and this morning. The delegation comprised two legislators, Durga Soren and Hemlal Murmu, besides former mla Prashant, the party spokesman said. The delegation reminded Mr Fernandes of the
NDA’s commitment that if the JMM supported the alliance candidate Nitish Kumar for Bihar Chief Ministership, it would reciprocate by backing the
JMM during government formation in Jharkhand. Though the BJP has more
MLAs in the region, the JMM does not accept the BJP’s claim to Chief Ministership on the ground that
JMM enjoys mass support in the area and also in view of the NDA assurance. The
JMM recently held a big rally at Ranchi where its president, the Sibu Soren, demanded that the
NDA should initiate immediate steps to form a government led by his party. RANCHI (UNI): The NDA will meet in the first week of November to finalise its candidate for the post of Chief Minister in Jharkhand. According to the NDA, Bihar, convener Saryu Rai, initial talks had begun over the issue of government formation in Jharkhand. However, formal announcement regarding the chief ministerial candidate of the NDA would be made only after the final round of talks. Meanwhile, the BJP sources here said the party had completed its exercise regarding the selection of its nominee. |
|
Jagmohan for separate all-India services NEW DELHI, Oct 28 (PTI, UNI) — Urban Development Minister Jagmohan today suggested amendments in the Constitution for creating separate all-India services for technical personnel with higher incentives so that engineers and doctors did not opt for services likes IAS and IPS. “Separate All India Services for their respective fields must be organised, if necessary, by amending the Constitution” to provide higher incentives to scientists and technologists, he said inaugurating the 22nd governing council meeting of the Indian Buildings Congress here. Jagmohan said members of these services must enjoy better salaries and service prospects than members of the generalist cadre. “Their cadre should be so designed as to encourage creativity and ensure continuous upgradation of knowledge and skill,” he said. Stating that a number of outstanding young doctors and engineers were joining IAS and IPS, he said it not only involved huge wastage of state resources spent on their education but deprived the country of their services in the fields where they were required most. He said modern history showed that only those nations made spectacular advances which had learnt the art of diverting their best brains to scientific and technological channels and tapping their potential to the full. “What is being presently done in the Indian administrations is exactly the opposite,” he regretted adding that a situation had been created in which even those who had acquired scientific and technical knowledge and skill were made to part with it by putting them in the cadre of generalist civil servant. Mr Jagmohan regretted that the political and administrative elites had hardly shown sustained interest in the reform and reorganisation of the administrative machinery. Although several committees had been set up on administrative reform, the net outcome of all these on either administrative structure or its work-culture had been negligible, he said. Referring to technological challenges faced by the country in the arena of human settlements, the minister called for using innovative techniques like trench technology, rain water harvesting and generating energy from human waste to solve the peculiar problems faced by indian cities. Warning that Indian cities were in the danger of being swamped by a deluge of waste, including domestic, industrial and medical, Mr Jagmohan said it was estimated that about 80 per cent of the beds in the city hospitals were occupied by people suffering from air and water-borne diseases. As regards housing, Mr Jagmohan said the present shortage of houses was about 25 million units — seven million in urban areas and 18 million in rural areas. “Today, we have the dubious distinction of having the highest congestion rate in the world — about 19 per cent of the Indian families live in less than 10 square meters of space. About 44 per cent of families in the urban areas live in one room only,” he added. Calling for a change of emphasis on low cost housing for the low income groups alone, Mr Jagmohan said there must be low-cost housing for all. Technologial innovations could play a revolutionary part in shaping the future of the cities. |
|
Prove majority, Ajit asks Rajnath NEW DELHI, Oct 28 (UNI) — Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) President Ajit Singh, MP, today said his party’s 12 MLAs would support any no-confidence motion against the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh and urged the state Governor to ask the Rajnath Singh government to prove its majority in the Assembly. Accusing the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party, the main opposition parties of supporting the BJP government in the strate Assembly, he said these parties were lending support to the BJP by not bringing a no-confidence motion against the ‘tottering coalition’ when they could have toppled it, any time after Mr Kalyan Singh’s exit. It was everybody’s knowledge that Samajwadi Chief Mulayam Singh, considered Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee. A ‘good friend’ and state minister Naresh Agarwal his younger brother. Such being the case there is no chance of Ssamajwadi Party to move the no-confidence motion against the ruling coalition,’’ he added. He said the BJP should be under no illusion that the replacement of Mr Ramprakash Gupta with Mr Rajnath Singh, would change its electoral fortunes drastically. He said all classes of people were disgusted with the functioning of the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh. “Corruption is at its peak, transfers and postings have become a business, law and order, roads and power are non-existent in the state.’’ All talks about the Lok Dal extending support to the BJP government was nothing but a rumour created by the RSS, he said and added that all his MLAs would support the no-confidence motion brought by any opposition group. Mr Ajit Singh said with the formation of Uttarkhand, the ruling coalition would not have numbers to sustain. Moreover, the people of the state should know the support enjoyed by the new government headed by Rajnath Singh. It might not be a constitutional requirement since the government had already faced the Assembly recently, but morality demanded that any new government introduced itself to the House. The Chief Minister was not a member of either Houses of the UP legislature, he added. He alleged that the government was working systematically to end the support price mechanism in Uttar Pradesh when Punjab and Haryana walked away with support price for the food crops produced in their states. |
|
Prof’s murder: maid held NEW DELHI, Oct 28 — A murder case of a Professor of G.B. Pant Polytechnic College, Suresh Kumar Jain, in South Delhi has been solved with the arrest o f his maid. The maid, Sumitra Devi and her two accomplices, Manoj and Brijesh, have been arrested while others are absconding. Suresh Kumar Jain was reportedly strangulated to death at his residence in Hari Nagar Extension in South Delhi on October 20 by the maid and her accomplices, Manoj, Brijesh, Guddu, Kalicharan and Resham Pal. The incident took place when the wife of the Professor was away in Madhya Pradesh, Deputy Commissioner of Police, DCP (South), Mr P. Kamraj said. According to the DCP, the Professor had an affair with the maid with whom he tried to have physical relations but could not as she had set a condition to have all the property of the Professor in her name. She had been working in professor’s house for about four years. |
|
Pak mercenaries may induct SAMs NEW DELHI, Oct 28 (PTI) — Pakistani mercenary groups have acquired shoulder-fired surface-to-air missiles (SAMs) and plan to induct them into Jammu and Kashmir soon, according to Shaikh Jamil-ur Rehman, secretary-general of the so-called Muttahida Jihad Council (MJC). “We have designed and produced an indigenous anti-aircraft missile to counter the Indian Air Force”, Rehman who is also the Amir of mercernary group Tehrikul Mujahdeen was quoted as saying by leading Pakistani weekly “Friday Times”. “The missile will be tested very soon” Rehman claimed while talking to newsmen in Lahore to announce that dominant Kashmiri militant group, Hizbul Mujahideen, had been taken back into the fold of the MJC, an umbrella organisation of Pakistan-based militants. The Pakistani paper claimed that the militant groups may be raising the ante in Kashmir by the induction of SAMs which could target Indian helicopters. “The introduction of shoulder-fired missiles could add another dimension to the conflict, especially if they end up downing a few Indian helicopters or aircraft”, the paper quoted Pakistani defence experts as commenting. |
|
Amarinder proposes
Sonia’s name NEW DELHI, Oct 28 — The Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) President, Capt Amarinder Singh, along with AICC General Secretaries Moti Lal Vohra and Ambika Soni, led a delegation of over 50 newly elected PPCC members from Punjab to propose the name of Mrs Sonia Gandhi for the post of Congress President at the AICC headquarters here today. The delegates from Punjab included members of Parliament Parneet Kaur and Shamsher Singh Dullo, CLP leader Jagjeet Singh, former PPCC President Mohinder Singh Gill, MLAs Avtar Singh Brar, Ramesh Dogra, Tejparkash Singh, Harmohinder Singh, and Amrik Singh, former members of Parliament Sukhbans Kaur Bhinder and Mr Surinder Singla and former ministers Partap Singh Bajwa, Malkiat Singh Dakha, Upinder Sharma and Lal Singh. Other senior Congressmen who accompanied the PPCC President were Mr Arvind Khanna (Treasurer, PPCC), Mr Gurmit Singh Sodhi (General Secretary, PPCC) and Mr Davinder Singh Baboo (President, Punjab Youth Congress). |
|
Bomb threat: rail tracks searched KANCHEEPURAM, Oct 28 (UNI) — The police, assisted by sniffer dogs, launched a massive search operation in the railway station and on the tracks following the receipt of an anonymous letter threatening that bombs would go off at any place in a 125 km stretch from Vellore to Villupuram any time. The letter warned that explosives would be set off at many places on this stretch if “Radio” Venkatesan, a TADA detainee, whose release along with four other NSA detainees forest brigand Veerappan had been demanding to free film star Rajkumar was not released within 16 days. |
|
Revamp of forces
soon: Fernandes NEW DELHI, Oct 28 (PTI) — A decision on revamping the security management, armed forces and the intelligence machinery will be taken by the Centre in the next few days on the basis of the recommendations of four task forces appointed after the Kargil conflict, Defence Minister George Fernandes said today. The four task groups — one on revamping of the Defence Ministry and the three services headed by former Minister of State Arun Singh, the second on revamping of the intelligence set up headed by Kashmir Governor G.C. Saxena, the third on border management headed by former Defence Secretary N.N. Vohra and the fourth on paramilitary forces headed by former Home Secretary K. Padmanabiah — had submitted their reports last month. |
 |
| Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir | Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs | Nation | Editorial | | Business | Sport | World | Mailbag | In Spotlight | Chandigarh Tribune | Ludhiana Tribune 50 years of Independence | Tercentenary Celebrations | | 120 Years of Trust | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
