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| Monday, October 30, 2000, Chandigarh, India   
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Report on defence deals by Dec Bulgarian defence
team arrives Rs 30.80 cr for cyclone relief in Orissa: CM Nainital may house Uttaranchal HC Muslim board
warning on masjid site |
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Notices to AIWA for ‘misleading’ ad Laloo threatens ‘jan andolan’ Print media flays Sushma’s remark Governor bitten by monkey Soren: JMM not averse to
sharing power Fernandes denies intrusion President for research into ayurveda Law college refutes Jethmalani’s claim Convention against
constitutional review SC verdict: NBA to
file review petition Ranawat examines
Vajpayee
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Report on defence deals by Dec BANGALORE, Oct 29 (PTI, UNI) — The Central Vigilance Commissioner (CVC) N. Vittal has said he would submit the second report, “possibly the final”, on the probe into various defence deals ordered by the government, by the year-end. Speaking to reporters after attending a function at the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) here last night, he said the CVC had submitted its first interim report to the government on August 7. Asked about some “missing files”, he said they had been traced in an office almirah which was locked for nine years. The Defence Ministry, he said, had provided to the CVC 350 files relating to the defence deals. Defence Minister George Fernandes had, early this year, announced a probe by the CVC into the defence deals, including those embroiled in controversies, in what was described as a step to introduce transparency in defence purchases. Earlier, delivering 27th Foundation Day Lecture on “Managing Bharat Incorporated” at the Indian Institute of Management, here , Mr Vittal called upon the institute to play a more dynamic role and act as a think-tank and contribute for developing India into an economic and defence superpower. He lamented that India continued to be the largest importer of defence equipment even five decades after Independence. “We don’t carry the same respect as China, which will be a superpower in ten years. We should look 50 years ahead”, he added. He said the private sector should be allowed to play a major role in defence, like in information technology, and there was need to create competition. Conscious efforts should be made to build a military industrial complex in the country. Stressing that commitment, strategic understanding and positive approach were the keys to the success, he said the country should tackle poverty by applying market economy. There was need to start more agro-industries as nearly ten per cent of the country’s produce went waste. Institute Director M. Rammohan Rao said that the IIMB had been adjudged as the ‘numero-uno’ among all the business schools in India. He said IIMB along with Lancaster University, UK, and McGill University, Canada, was launching an advanced leadership programme for senior managers. Stressing that he was not willing to accept that the system could not be set right, he said it called for sustained efforts. There was some reaction already. His efforts such as no post tender negotiations had started yielding results. The Commission would help in eliminating the collusion between the suppliers and employees. Bulgarian defence team arrives NEW DELHI, Oct 29 (PTI) — A high-level Bulgarian defence delegation led by the country’s Defence Minister, Mr Boyko Noev, arrived here today to bid for major Russian made armament sub-deals with India, including a fresh bid for securing a major contract for AK-47 assault rifles. Besides the Defence Minister and Deputy Chief of Bulgarian Armed Forces Major-Gen Orlin Morinchen, the delegation includes top officials of four major Bulgarian armament firms. The firms deal with upgradation of Russian made T-72M main battle tanks, multi-barrel rocket launching systems, naval and air force spares and upgradation of Russian-made 130 mm and 120 mm artillery guns. The Bulgarian Defence Minister will meet his Indian counterpart, Mr George Fernandes, at South Block tomorrow to be followed by extensive delegation-level talks. The delegation will also meet Minister of State for Defence Production Harin Pathak and then hold talks with defence production officials. |
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Rs 30.80 cr for cyclone relief in Orissa: CM BHUBANESWAR, Oct 29 (UNI) — Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today sanctioned Rs 30.80 crore from his relief fund for the building of 60 cyclone shelter homes in six coastal districts and the infrastructure development of medical institutions in 128 cyclone-affected blocks of the state. Inaugurating a workshop on “Disaster preparedness” in Orissa to mark the first anniversary of the super cyclone which was being observed in the state as Disaster Preparedness Day, Mr Patnaik said his government was committed to disaster management and mitigation at all levels. He said although the Orissa State Disaster Mitigation Authority (OSDMA) was the nodal agency undertaking all matters relating to disaster management, the government was seriously contemplating to create a special department for disaster management and rehabilitation of the people affected by the cyclone. Mr Patnaik said Rs 18 crore from his relief fund would be utilised for the construction of 60 cyclone shelters, 10 each in all six coastal districts. The Chief Minister said Rs 10 lakh each would also be spent for the infrastructure development of a medical institution in each of the 128 cyclone-affected blocks. He said the government’s step to provide subsidised seeds and other inputs to the farmers of the cyclone-affected areas had resulted in a bumper yield of rabi crop this year. The Chief Minister said the United Nations had been working closely with the state government in meeting urgent needs in different fields and reiterated his government’s support to all UN initiatives in the state. Presiding over the workshop, state Revenue Minister Biswa Bhusan Harichandan said the government would soon hold an inquiry by the Special Relief Commissioner to ascertain the real cyclone victims so that compensation money could be disbursed to those left out. |
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Nainital may house Uttaranchal HC DEHRA DUN, Oct 29 (UNI) — Following the controversy on selecting the city as the interim capital of the newly-formed state of Uttaranchal, another controversy is brewing on the location of its High Court. After much deliberations the choice has narrowed down to Dehra Dun in Garhwal or Nainital in Kumaon. President of the local bar association Hari Shankar says if Nainital is selected it will help in maintaining the regional balance in the new state. A central delegation led by Joint Secretary Law Ministry Durga Das Gupta visited Nainital yesterday and surveyed several buildings which could possibly house the High Court (HC). District Magistrate Aradhana Shukla was with the team to apprise them of the possible changes needed to be made in the buildings. Mr Gupta surveyed the Secretariat, Oak Park, Hotel Metropol and Glenthorn premises. Meanwhile, legal practitioners in Dehra Dun have been on a hunger strike for the past several weeks demanding the setting up of the HC in the city. It is a fact that most of the litigants belong to the Dehra Dun region. According to the District Magistrate of Dehra Dun, if the city was selected for setting up of the HC, then the Old Rangers College Building would be spruced up to house it. An amount of Rs 50 lakh has already been earmarked for this purpose, she said. The Himalayan Forestry and Heritage Centre operating in the building has been asked to vacate it, she said. Lawyers of Kumaon will participate in a Kumaon bandh over the issue tomorrow, said Mr D.K. Sharmam, president of the Udham Singh Nagar Bar Association. |
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Muslim board warning on masjid site BANGALORE, Oct 29 (PTI) — The 14th All-India Muslim Personal Law Board today warned against any attempt to change the status quo of the Babri masjid site saying such a step would amount to contempt of court. The board, at the end of two-day deliberations, said in its “Bangalore declaration” that those who are talking of constructing the Ram temple at the site are actually guilty of contempt of courts of law. It alleged that “some fascist and communal forces” were destroying the democratic and secular character of the country at the behest of “external and imperial forces”. The declaration, however, did not mention any outfit or force. The board said since yesterday, it had deliberated on issues like Constitution review, growing communalisation of the polity, Babri masjid, standardisation of “nikahnama” and other issues facing Muslims in the country. On the Babri masjid issue, the declaration wanted the Liberhan Commission to complete its hearings at the earliest and present its report. The board expressed concern over review of the Constitution and said it would not tolerate any attempt to change its basic structure and character. The board’s executive council expressed concern over attempts to “ignite the communal passions” of people and charged that whipping up of communal frenzy was to divert attention from issues facing the nation, like poverty, illiteracy and underdevelopment. The declaration appealed to religious leaders, intellectuals, journalists, teachers and other opinion makers not to remain mute spectators to the “fascist attempt” to destroy the secular foundations of the country. Instead, all right thinking citizens of the country must come out to do their best to promote communal amity, peace and respect for each other, it said. Expressing concern over what it called “state terrorism against religious minorities”, it called upon minorities to evolve a common strategy to collectively confront the threat. On the standardisation of a “nikahnama” (marriage contract), an important topic on the board agenda, over which a committee submitted a report during the session, it felt that more discussion was necessary for making it simpler and introducing more safeguards. The convention was attended by 90 members and 350 special invitees, representing all Muslim organisations in the country.
Notices to AIWA for ‘misleading’ ad NEW DELHI, Oct 29 (PTI) —
Baron International Ltd (BIL), manufacturer of AIWA TV, and one of its local dealer have been issued inquiry notices by the Monopolies and Restrictive Trade Practices Commission
(MRTPC) for allegedly issuing a misleading advertisement about its TV sets. An
MRTPC Bench, comprising its Chairman Justice B.M. Lal and member R.K.
Anand, while issuing notices to the company and its dealer ad and co directed them to file replies by December 11. The notices were issued recently following a complaint by a customer, Arun Sharma, who alleged that he was misled by an advertisement by the company in a local daily on May 5, which said that
AIWAs “A219” TV model was available at a reduced price of Rs 9,900. However, when he went to buy the
TV set at the dealer’s showroom at Green Park Extension here, he was told that the price for the set was Rs 12,400 instead of Rs 9,900 as was mentioned in the advertisement, Sharma’s counsel Ramesh Kenthola said. His client was told by
AIWA’s dealer that Rs 2,500 was being charged above the price of Rs 9,900 as handling charges and local levies, which the company had mentioned in the advertisement itself, the counsel for the complainant said. But the company had mentioned about the handling charges in a “non-conspicuous manner and in very small letters which, in every probability, is likely to be missed out by the readers.” The
MRTPC, however, declined to issue an order for restraining AIWA from continuing with the advertisement after the company said it had already withdrawn the same. |
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Laloo threatens ‘jan andolan’ LUCKNOW, Oct 29 (UNI) — RJD President Laloo Prasad Yadav today announced that a “jan andolan” would be launched in UP and that the party would contest the state Assembly elections scheduled next year. Addressing a state-level party meeting here after a gap of over three years, Mr Yadav admitted that the state party unit had been neglected because of his political compulsions at the Centre and in Bihar. However, all efforts would be made to strengthen the unit before the Assembly poll, he added. Criticising the BJP-led government at the Centre and in UP, Mr Yadav said “by succumbing to the pressure of foreign nations and blindly continuing their anti-people policies, were creating circumstances never faced before.” On the recent rallies organised by his friends-turned foes Sharad Yadav and Ramvilas Paswan here recently, the RJD leader said: “They are employing such methods only to divert the attention of people from the bad governance of the BJP”. He clarified that his only motive was to fight the communal forces in the country and not to weaken the existing secular forces like the Samajwadi Party. Former union minister and party’s leader in Parliament Raghuvansh Prasad Singh stressed the need for a “third front” to fight the communal forces. He said all secular forces should make concerted efforts to launch a joint tirade against them.
Bihar session from Nov 9 PATNA, Oct 29
(UNI) —The Bihar government has convened a two-day special session on November 9 and 10 to give farewell to all 81 legislators of Jharkhand. The session has been convened in view of the formation of the new Jharkhand state, Bihar Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ramchandra Purvey said here today. Financial and other business would also be taken up during the special session, he added.
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Print media flays Sushma’s remark NEW DELHI, Oct 29 (UNI) — Information and Broadcasting Minister Sushma Swaraj’s call for a debate on allowing the entry of foreign print media has found few takers as key media organisations like the Press Council of India (PCI) and the Indian Newspaper Society (INS) have opposed it tooth and nail. The PCI and the INS have contended that the 1955 cabinet resolution banning the entry of foreign print media was still relevant. In the backdrop of Ms Swaraj’s recent remarks that the issue was under active consideration by her ministry, these
organisations pointed out that even the emergence of the Internet did not merit an amendment of the resolution. But the editor of the daily The Pioneer Chandan Mitra, a vocal supporter of allowing entry of the foreign media in India, asked “if foreign investment is okay in TV, if it is more than welcome in the internet segment, why then not in print?” Meanwhile, veteran journalists like Kuldip Nayar and K.K. Katyal, the All India Newspapers Editors Conference, National Union of Journalists, Indian Journalists Union, the All India Newspapers Employees Federation and the Employees Unions of PTI and UNI felt that the issue did not merit “ reconsideration “ as is the case with the foreign investment in the other three organisations of the government-executive, legislative and judiciary. PCI chairman Mr Justice P.B. Sawant, said the watchdog body had passed resolutions on two occasions since 1991 when the controversy first arose, upholding the 1955-56 cabinet decision and cautioned that the foreign print media with vast resources at its command would compete with the indigenous press in a way that the “ Indian press will be eliminated.” Justice Sawant warned that “along with the indigenous small, medium and language press, the Indian news agencies will also have to wind up.” Mr Nayar, the former Editor of the English daily The Statesman said he was surprised over the minister’s remark and said it was contrary to the undertaking given by the then I and B Minister Arun Jaitley in May last in Parliament and the Union Cabinet ruling out any such move on February this year.” Why is she raising the dead issue? “ he asked. If the foreign print media is allowed, it will pursue it “social and political agenda”. Hindu Deputy Editor K.K. Katyal ridiculed those advocating the
necessity for foreign capital in the Indian newspaper industry for technological upgradations saying the latest technology was freely available in world markets and had been acquired by even medium sized newspapers. Giving a contrary view Mr Mitra said, the entire debate about foreign investors tailoring the policy of publications to purely suit their ideological agenda “is therefore frivolous as it does not happen anywhere. In any case foreigners will not be able to determine policy unless they hold more than 50 per cent in the company and nothing remotely close to that figure is contemplated,’’ he added. |
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Governor bitten by monkey BHOPAL, Oct 29 (UNI) — Madhya Pradesh Governor Bhai Mahavir has been bitten by a monkey. Officials said here today that the attack happened while the Governor was distributing grams to the primates at Bade Mahadeo temple in the famous tourist resort town of Pachmarhi in Hoshangabad district yesterday. Dr Mahavir received only minor injuries in his fingers and was provided first aid. Raj Bhavan sources discounted the possibility of the incident adversely affecting the swearing-in ceremony of the first government in Chhattisgarh on November 1. They said Dr Mahavir had not received any message from the Union Government to administer oath to the Chhattisgarh Chief Minister. |
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Soren: JMM not averse to
sharing power JAMSHEDPUR, Oct 29 (PTI) — JMM supremo Sibu Soren said his party would reject the post of Deputy Chief Minister but may consider power sharing on a rotation basis with the NDA in the new Jharkhand state. “If any proposal on power sharing for six months on a rotation basis is forwarded to us, we will consider it”, he told reporters here last night. Mr Soren, who was here to participate at a function expressed confidence that the first Chief Minister of the tribal state would be from the JMM and said the Chief Minister of Jharkhand would be decided by the NDA and not by the BJP alone. Claiming yesterday’s negotiation between the NDA and the JMM delegation at Delhi as positive, Mr Soren said the JMM delegation would hold another round of talks with Defence Minister George
Fernandes. |
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Fernandes denies intrusion ITANAGAR, Oct 29 (UNI) —The Defence Minister,Mr George Fernandes,today denied any intrusion or incursion by the Chinese army into Indian territory in Arunachal Pradesh. "There is no evidence of any intrusion into our territory by the Chinese
army, Mr Fernandes told newspersons at Raj Bhawan here. The Defence Minister met the state Chief Minister ,Mr Mukut Mithi, and the Governor,Mr Arvind Dave, and discussed various issues, including development of border roads and the reported China intrusion. Mr Fernandes said he could not find any evidence of Chinese intrusion into Indian territory, but vigilance would be tightened in the border areas of Arunachal Pradesh. He said regular flag meetings were taking place between the Army officials of India and China. "There is absolutely no tension and the situation on the Indo-China border is normal." |
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President for research into ayurveda NEW DELHI, Oct 29 (PTI) — President K.R. Narayanan today called for comprehensive scientific research into traditional Indian medicines and their patenting to prevent western countries from acquiring exclusive rights over them. “We cannot go non fighting cases in western courts for patents. Ample scientific research and development should be done on our age-old findings besides patenting them in order to stop this indiscriminate pilferage,” Mr Narayanan said. He was speaking at the inaugural function of the Ayurvedic Hospital and Research Centre of the internationally acclaimed Kerala-based Kottakal Arya Vaidya Shala here. “We must work towards patenting our drugs and making our knowledge available to the western world, he said, adding “this is possible only, as Mahatma Gandhi said, with the liberal attitude of our Vaidyas”. Mr Narayanan said the pristine glory of ayurveda can be restored only if it is allied with modern sciences. “If the practitioners of ayurveda ignored modern scientific developments, the modern doctors also looked at ayurveda with contempt,” he said. India could not make much contribution to global medicine “as we failed to realise the potential of our ancient sciences”, he said. The Rs 12 crore, 75-bed multi-storey hospital, located in the Karkardooma area of east Delhi will mainly treat patients suffering from rheumatic problems, skin diseases, Parkinson’s disease and degenerative diseases like motor-neuron disorders and multiple sclerosis. Expressing happiness at the opening of the renowned ayurveda hospital of Kottakal, Kerala in the capital, the President said ayurveda had been preserved and nurtured in this institution which has incorporated new and modern methods of manufacturing ayurvedic drugs. “Ayurveda was born in the north in the valleys of the Himalayas and now it is being brought back to the north from the south,” he said referring to the opening of the well-equipped ayurvedic hospital and research centre in New Delhi by the Arya Vaidya Shala of Kerala. Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, who was also present on the occasion, said ayurveda believes in eradicating illnesses rather than symptomatic treatment. “It is indeed a privilege for Delhi to have a nursing home which gives time tested treatment for distressing diseases”, she said. The hospital offers “panchkarma” and other reputed therapies, special Kerala treatments and classical ayurvedic formulations specially effective in paralysis, rheumatism, arthritis, spondylitis, hysteria, insanity and other psychosomatic disorders. |
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Law college refutes Jethmalani’s claim NEW DELHI, Oct 29 (PTI) — A number of “un-named sources”, including a firm of solicitors, have been making inquiries from the “Inner Temple’ in London about the date of birth of the Chief Justice of India A.S. Anand, who studied there in the early 1960s. But the prestigious law institute has set at rest the controversy generated by former Union Law Minister Ram Jethmalani’s book about Justice Anand’s “real age” by confirming it as November 1, 1936. While Jethmalani’s book “Big Egos, Small Men” contains an unsigned certificate from the General Bar Council of the Bar in England giving the Chief Justice’s year of birth as 1934, Inner Temple has in a communication stated that November 1, 1936 was the date mentioned in his application for admission. Knowing the background of request by “various sources” for Justice Anand’s date of birth, Inner Temple says it had resolutely refused to give it without his permission. The admission form, filled by Justice Anand on November 21, 1961, clearly shows that he was “the second son of Bir Sein Anand and his date of birth was November 1, 1936.” Jethmalani had hinted that the General Bar Council document raised doubts about the age of Justice Anand and if it was true then, the CJI has already reached the retirement age, that is 65 years. However, official documents — Justice Anand’s Matriculation Certificate issued in 1951 and the passport issued to him in 1960 — were contrary to Jethmalani’s claim, both showing the date of birth to be November 1, 1936. Jethmalani was asked to resign from the Union Cabinet on July 22 after he reacted strongly to certain critical remarks on collective responsibility of the Cabinet from a Supreme Court Bench headed by the Chief Justice, which was hearing a petition for the implementation of the Srikrishna Commission report on the 1992-93 Mumbai riots. |
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Convention against
constitutional review
NEW DELHI, Oct 29 (UNI) — Eminent jurists and academicians today expressed concern that in the name of constitutional review even existing democratic rights are going to be constrained, restricted and taken away. “TADA provisions are being incorporated within criminal law making it more draconian. All secular democratic rights are coming under attack. Communal fascist attacks are unleashed in the fields of education, culture, history and all other walks of social life. All minorities are coming under criminal attacks of the Sangh Parivar”, Justice Rajinder Sachar, Justice Daud, Dr K.N. Panikkar and a large number of activists of mass organisations pointed out at a meeting here. The meeting was a preparatory one to the two-day All-India democratic convention being held here on November 2 and 3 where a call will be given to build up an organised movement against the Vajpayee government’s moves for constitutional review and criminal law amendments and the Sangh Parivar’s attacks on minorities. |
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SC verdict: NBA to file review petition BHOPAL, Oct 29 (PTI) — The Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) today announced that it would soon file a review petition in the Supreme Court against its October 18 judgement giving go ahead to the Sardar Sarovar project
(SSP) on the Narmada river. “The review petition would be filed as soon as possible after the conclusion of the on-going consultations with our lawyers,”
NBA leader Medha Patkar told reporters. Terming the judgement as “illegal and unconstitutional” she hoped that while hearing the review petition, the apex court would realise the “mistakes” in the judgement. Ms Patkar said the
NBA would now give a wider shape to its agitation against the judgement with a large number of oustees gathering in New Delhi on November 11 for an indefinite period to make their voices heard. The
NBA leader said that during their stay in New Delhi, the oustees would also call on President K.R. Narayanan and explain to him the problems that could be caused to them by the Sardar Sarovar project. She said that the courts were normally expected to give justice but “if they themselves did something illegal, there was no way left but to fight against them.” Ms Patkar said the
NBA was totally against the false concept of development which led to displacement of a large number of tribals from their homes and shelters.
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Ranawat examines Vajpayee NEW DELHI, Oct 29 (PTI) — Dr Chittaranjan Ranawat, who had performed the left knee replacement surgery on Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee recently, examined him today at his residence here and found the progress satisfactory. According to sources, Dr Ranawat, who arrived here this afternoon from New York on his way to Jaipur to attend a conference, was with the Prime Minister for over an hour. Dr Ranawat had operated upon Mr Vajpayee on October 10 in Breach Candy hospital in Mumbai to replace his left knee joint, affected by osteoarthritis. Mr Vajpayee, who returned to the Capital last week after a two-week stay in the hospital, has resumed his work. |
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