Monday, November 6, 2000, Chandigarh, India
|
Ultras may have Pak missiles VP joins Basu in ‘third front’ Prasada firm on fighting Sonia Surjeet admits to raising Sikh homeland issue |
|
Rajkumar issue: NHRC not to intervene Chautala to meet PM on IIIT Interpol notice for hijackers FRI slams takeover of college building Smuggling rampant in MCC stronghold Mulayam flays BJP over nation’s security Spy case: HC seeks more papers Calf elephant dies in sanctuary BJP ‘open
to’ tie-up with Cong in Bengal New schedule of
Samjhauta Express Free portal on real estate ‘Probe’ Naxal women’s killing
|
Ultras may have Pak missiles NEW DELHI, Nov 5 (PTI) — The Pakistan army may have passed shoulder firing Estrela surface-to-air missiles to mercenary groups operating in Jammu and Kashmir adding a dangerous dimension to ongoing militancy in the
state. Estrela, a SAM-7 variant is a 1970 vintage shoulder-fired tube launched passive missile with a source seeking lock on system, highly placed defence sources told PTI. The missile, however, lacks the state-of-the-art features of the American Stringer missiles, which the Pakistan army illegally usurped from supplies meant for Afghan
Mujahideen. The sources were commenting on claims made recently by top mercernary commander Shaikh Jamilur Rehman that militant groups had acquired shoulder firing SAM missiles and planned to induct them into Jammu and Kashmir soon. “We have designed and produced an indigenous anti-aircraft missile to counter the Indian Air Force”,
Rehman, who is also the Amir of Mercenary group Tehrikul Mujahideen, was quoted by Pakistani media as
saying. Defence officials scoffed at claims by the mercenary groups of having designed a SAM missile and said it could be a signal that Pakistan army might have passed on these missiles to the militants. According to defence sources, the Estrela missiles are essentially infantry missiles with a vertical range of 50 metres to 2.5 km. A light air defence regiment of the Army engaged in counter insurgency operation had captured an Estrela missile with its tube launcher in the Poonch-Rajouri sector in 1999 after a fierce encounter with a combined group of
Lashkar-e-Toiba and Tehrik Mujahideen militants. This was the second capture of a SAM missile in Kashmir. Earlier in 1997 another Estrela tube launcher had been seized by security forces in frontier district of
Kupwara, which had led to then Prime Minister I.K. Gujral warning his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif that any attempt by militants to down an Indian aircraft could add a dangerous dimension to the conflict. Pakistani experts say that militants had planned to target Indian helicopters with the surface to air missiles, but were warned that this could be a major escalation, which could invite Western wrath on Pakistan. The Pakistani mercenary groups which now constitute almost 85 per cent of militants in Jammu and Kashmir have recently received big setbacks after Air Force helicopters were used to dislodge them from the heights in Doda
district. Defence sources said after seizure, the Estrela missile had been examined closely by experts who felt that these could be of little effect against state-of-the-art fighters but could pose a danger to helicopters and civil aircraft. The security forces are planning using helicopters against big bands of mercenaries who have been trapped in heights around Gandoh in Doda district. According to radio intercepts by the Army, about 600 to 700 hardcore militants holed up in the area are running out of food and medicines and have no alternative but to stage a breakout. |
VP joins Basu in ‘third front’ CALCUTTA, Nov 5 (UNI) — The prospect of a third front in the country has brightened with former Prime Minister V.P. Singh deciding to return to active politics and veteran Marxist leader Jyoti Basu devoting more time for the formation of the alternative. Mr V.P. Singh called up Mr Basu last night to convey his decision of returning to active politics and discussed the present national scenario and future strategy. Mr Basu welcomed the decision and said he would discuss the issue with Mr Singh after the formalities to instate the new Chief Minister tomorrow was over. Another former Prime Minister Chandra Shekhar who was here yesterday said he was willing to contribute to the third front as an alternative to both the
BJP and the Congress. “I am neither the initiator nor an active participant of the third front, but I am willing to contribute to the third alternative as there is very little difference between the
BJP and the Congress,” he said. Beside Mr V.P. Singh and Mr Chandra Shekhar former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda had already praised the move of Mr Basu to form the third alternative. Describing Mr Basu as a ‘path finder’ Mr Deve Gowda assured him that he would work for the cause of the third front which he hoped would be successful. Political observers said the move taken by the four former Prime Ministers, including Mr I.K. Gujral, several months back was now on the path of taking a shape. They said except Mr Gujral the three former Prime Ministers came to Calcutta and held a discussion with Mr Basu about the prospects of a third front. Now that Mr Basu had decided to work more for the cause of the third front after his retirement, the task of the four former prime ministers would be easier for creating an awareness among the people against the misrule and danger of the
BJP- led government, the observers pointed out. Mr Basu who is retiring tomorrow as the Chief Minister had already announced that he would take up the difficult task of rebuilding a third front as an alternative to both the
BJP and the Congress. The observers pointed out that with the CPM updating its programme to make it more fitting with the times and even accepting the possibilities of joining hands with the Congress to dethrone the
BJP government, the task of the third front would become easier. The observers felt that there was a general feeling in some corners that the United Front had failed in 1996 because of non-participation of the CPM in the government. Mr Basu had himself called it a historic blunder and worked relentlessly to change the party’s programme and incorporate the provision of joining the government in the Centre in future which took shape at the last plenum of the party at Thiruvananthapuram. “This move by the CPM has once again brightened the prospects of a third front and Mr Basu’s efforts were likely to strengthen the base of the alternative,” the observers opined. But the task still remained difficult as many of the partners of the erstwhile United Front have joined hands with the
BJP. “It is now to be seen how Mr Basu and the four former prime ministers become successful in isolating the secular forces from the
BJP-led NDA,” they said. |
Prasada firm on fighting Sonia NEW DELHI, Nov 5 — A contest between Ms Sonia Gandhi and Mr Jitendra Prasada is inevitable for the post of Congress President, with the dissident leader sticking to his stand of not withdrawing his candidature even as the last date for withdrawal expired today. Congress Central Election Authority officials said that both candidates were in the fray at the end of the withdrawal date. The elections are scheduled for November 12. Mr Prasada, who has become the first Congress leader to fight against a member of the Nehru-Gandhi family, had earlier indicated that he would not be withdrawing from the contest. The last party president’s election in 1997 had witnessed a triangular contest with Mr Sharad Pawar and Mr Rajesh Pilot challenging the then incumbent, Mr Sitaram Kesri. In an apparent bid to isolate Mr Prasada, almost all CWC members have declared their unanimous and whole-hearted support to Ms Gandhi. In a joint statement yesterday, the members also dismissed Mr Prasada’s charge that the party was lacking inner-party democracy. Lauding Ms Gandhi’s leadership, they said that it was a moment to look back with pride and look forward with confidence and renewed hope. After filing his candidature on October 29, Prasada said that his decision to contest was a tribute to late party leaders Sitaram Kesri and Rajesh Pilot who strove for inner party democracy. |
Prasada: main aim to revive Congress AHMEDABAD, Nov 5
(PTI) — Senior Congress leader Jitendra Prasada, contesting for the
post of the Congress President against Ms Sonia Gandhi, today said his
sole aim was to revive the party and strengthen its base. He told
newsmen, after meeting some Congress workers here, that he had
appealed to them to cast their vote in his favour by “responding to
their inner conscience for the sake of the party”. The election
would be free and fair and the secret ballot would be maintained, he
added. |
Surjeet admits to raising Sikh homeland issue NEW DELHI, Nov 5 (UNI) — The CPM general Secretary, Mr Harkishen Singh Surjeet, has admitted he raised the concept of a separate Sikh homeland in the 1940s, but said he did so to counter the two-nation theory accepted by the then Communist Party of India. Replying to a controversy raised by a biographical book on him, Siyasat Da Rustum-e-Hind, written by
TV journalist Shameel, at the Share-e-Aam programme on Tara Punjabi TV, Mr Surjeet said he had drafted the "Sikh homeland" document to blunt the arguments of his party’s another leader Sajjad Zaheer in favour of Pakistan. Mr Surjeet recalled that Zaheer had sent him a 34-page concept paper while he was in a Gujarat jail in the early 1940s. The paper contained strong arguments in favour of the two-nation theory, which too was the accepted party line and later became the basis of Partition. Irked with the party stand, Mr Surjeet said, he wrote back to the party that "if Hindus and Muslims are two separate nations, then so are Sikhs." But, Mr Surjeet said, later both he and his party rejected the division of the country on communal lines. He, however, confessed that the division of the country had hit the Communists harder than any other political party. In the two-part programme, to be telecast on Tuesday and Wednesday night, Mr Surjeet also criticised the Congress governments for Operation Bluestar, sending of the armed forces into the Golden Temple complex in June, 1984, and the anti-Sikh riots in November, 1984, in Delhi and other parts of the country. |
Rajkumar issue: NHRC not to intervene NEW DELHI, Nov 5 (PTI) — The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has decided not to intervene in the proceedings in the Supreme Court relating to withdrawal of the cases under TADA against 51 detenues in connection with the release of Kannada superstar Rajkumar held hostage by forest brigand Veerappan. The Commission headed by Chairman J.S. Verma, at its recent meeting decided to stick to its earlier stand of not intervening in the proceedings of the apex court. Tamils National Movement leader P. Nedumaran and two human rights activists involved in talks with outlaw Veerappan to secure the release of Rajkumar had last week appealed to the NHRC to intervene in the Supreme Court case regarding the release of 51 TADA prisoners in Karnataka. In a memorandum given to the Commission, the three emissaries had said “It (NRHC) would be able to highlight the human rights violations that the present case involved and the need to uphold the common order of the TADA court (dropping TADA charges) to enable the
detenues” release on bail. The emissaries had also said if the NHRC impleaded itself in the case, it would give an opportunity to the apex court to allow resumption of the stalled NHRC panel inquiry into human rights violations by the Special Task Force of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka Constituted to nab Veerappan. However, the NHRC expressed its inability to intervene saying “We are of the considered view that there is no occasion for the Commission to seek intervention in the proceedings in the Supreme Court.” “Moreover, it is reasonable to assume that the view point of the NHRC is sufficiently well-known and also known to the state government of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu which are parties in the Supreme Court,” the NHRC said. The Commission was approached earlier also regarding the matter, but the NHRC had declined to intervene saying that the case was pending in the Supreme Court in addition to the same being also before the Karnataka High Court. “In view of the fresh request we have reconsidered the matter but we are still of the view that no intervention by the NHRC is required in the proceedings which have been closed in the Supreme Court after hearing the arguments,” the Commission said in its recent directive. The directive further said “there is no material available to us to indicate, nor the media reports give any such indication that either or both of the state governments have relied on the view point of the NHRC for the purpose of deciding to withdraw the prosecution against the 51 detenues,” “No further action on this request is necessary,” the NHRC added while closing the case. |
Chautala to meet PM on IIIT NEW DELHI, Nov 5 — The Haryana Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, and the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Mr M. Karunanidhi, have decided to take up jointly with the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, the issue of setting up the Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) in each state of the country in the central sector. Giving this information here today, an official spokesman said that this decision was taken when Mr Chautala called on Mr M. Karunanidhi in Chennai last evening. Mr Chautala said that the setting up of centrally-sponsored IIITs would lead to standardisation of superior courses in information technology all over the country. This would not only provide avenues for world-class IT professionals but also help in providing new openings in the world market. On this occasion, the Chief Minister invited Mr Karunanidhi to visit Gurgaon which is emerging as a centre of software exports. Talking to media persons, Mr Chautala said that alarming unemployment problem facing the youth of the country could only be solved if information technology was taken up in the right earnest. He said that this would speed up the development process and improve the quality of life of the people as the state would earn more revenue from this process. He said that the congenial environment in Haryana was suitable for setting up new ventures. Earlier, the Chief Minister and his delegation visited Tidel Park to have a glimpse of the Intelligent Building Management System. He said that he was impressed by the planning and design of the park where development facilities and automated building management system controls had been used. |
Interpol notice for hijackers NEW DELHI, Nov 5 (PTI) — Interpol has issued a “look-out” notice against the five hijackers of an Indian Airlines plane in December last and two of their accomplices,
CBI sources said. The agency had already approached the Interpol for issuance of ‘red corner’ notice against the five hijackers Ibrahim Athar, Sunny Ahmed Qazi, Zahoor Ibrahim, Shahid Akhter Sayed and Shakir — and two accomplices Yusuf Azhar and Abdul Rauf, they said. Yusuf Azhar and Abdul Rauf are believed to be key conspirators behind the hijacking of the plane from Kathmandu to Kandahar in southern Afghanistan on December 24 last year. The alert had been sounded pending formalities which were yet to be completed by the international organisation. The sources said the Interpol had alerted airports, ports and major railway stations about the hijackers and their accomplices. CBI
Director R. K. Raghavan also raised the matter with Interpol officials during the 69th annual conference of the international organisation being held in Athens. However, the sources said there was little hope of catching them even after issuance of a ‘red corner’ notice as several countries did not comply with the warrant from the international organisation. The sources said despite a resolution to make mandatory warrants of the Interpol at its annual 1997 conference, held in New Delhi, several countries were yet to ratify it to make an appropriate law. The
CBI on June 21 filed a charge sheet against 10 persons in the hijacking case which included these seven and three Indian nationals. The Indian authorities had also made a formal request to Pakistan for extradition of five hijackers and two of their accomplices responsible for hijacking of the plane. The requests have been made under the
SAARC and the Hague agreements under which Pakistan has the obligation to extradite them,
CBI sources said. The CBI, which had approached through Ministry of External Affairs the Pakistani authorities about the extradition of five persons, has, however, not yet received any response from them. The three Indian nationals chargesheeted are Abdul Latif, alias Patel, Bhupalmar Damai, alias Yusuf Nepali and Dilip Kumar Bhujel, the agency sources said and claimed that all three had confessed to their involvement in the case. All three are in
CBI custody, while the other seven are absconding and believed to be in Pakistan. The sources said the agency was also probing a mysterious call made to Amritsar airport when the plane had landed there briefly on December 24 before flying to Lahore in Pakistan. The caller identifying himself as a Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs had ordered the airport authorities to allow the plane to take off. They said it was difficult to trace the caller as there was no record available with the Amritsar Telephone Department as to where the call had been made from. |
FRI slams takeover of college building DEHRA DUN, Nov 5 — The Forest Research Institute (FRI) of India has come out heavily on the local administration against the forcible acquisition of the Ranger’s College building which belongs to it. The building which is a masterpiece architecture of the colonial era was being used by the Rural Entrepreneurship for Arts and Cultural Heritage an NGO for promoting the regional culture and arts under a memorandum of understanding with the FRI. Under this MoU, the building was used by the REACH since March, this year. According to Mr Arun Singh Rawat, Registrar FRI, they have complained to the Ministry of Environment and Forests against the irresponsible act of the local administration. He alleged that the authorities concerned had no right to acquire the property belonging to the Union Government without the prior permission from the ministry concerned and the Central Government. The Union Ministry is expected to take up the matter tomorrow. Meanwhile, when contacted authorities of the local administration said that they had acquired the building with the permission of the Union Home Ministry but they fail to produce any such orders from the Union Government. So far, they have sealed the front portion of the building and have not started any renovation work following the course of action adopted by the FRI. Still, the FRI holds the possession of more than 150 rooms of the controversial building, claims an official of the FRI. Mr P.K. Khatri, President of the Uttaranchal Pradesh Rashtriya Kranti Party, has also condemned the irresponsible behaviour of the local administration while acquiring the properties. It is worth mentioning that the local administration has acquired more than 25 buildings to house various government offices and the residences of the officials. Mr Khatri says that acquisition of properties without thought of consequences is not being welcomed by the people of the new State capital. He alleged that the residential premises of the government employees and the officers are being forcibly taken away from them without providing them the alternative accommodation. Meanwhile, Dr Paramjit Singh, Publicity and Liaison Officer, of the FRI, and member of the REACH said that the organisation was also looking into the possibilities of legal action. He claimed that the property of Ranger’s College belongs to the FRI. |
Smuggling rampant in MCC stronghold PATNA, Nov 5 — In an attempt to check the massive smuggling and illegal mining of mineral ores from the Jharkhand areas, the inter-departmental joint task force has seized 1130 tonne of mineral ores worth over Rs 1 crore in raids conducted in the last few days. As the seizures were made in the MCC’s stronghold, referred to as the ‘liberated zone’, and the subsequent statements of those arrested in this connection revealed that the Left wing ultras were patronizing the illegal trade to make a fast buck. The role of the local Mafiosi in bringing forest officials and the border police ‘in the fold’ is not ruled out. In the raids at the Bariyatu, Humbu, Jhara, Fulsu and Itki areas of the Palamu district, the task force seized 880 tonne of feldspar and 250 tonne of quartz. The task force seized a truck loaded with feldspar, at an illegal mining site, and arrested the driver. The Deputy Commissioner of Palamu, Dr. Arunish Chawala, said a godown of illegal kendu leaves was also seized. Kendu leaves are used as raw material for the manufacturing of ‘bidi’ and its trade is controlled by the state government. It is a major revenue source of the state. Dr Chawala admitted that there were prima facie evidence of the patronage of the MCC’s Naxals to this extensive trade of illegal minerals. The MCC is reportedly offering its hideouts as the storage of the ores that the mining Mafiosi illegally pilfer from the mines or illegally mine in the protected zones. The DC said that the seized Kendu leaves were stored in an MCC hideout. Dr Chawala said the illegally mined minerals were transported to Bangladesh and other
countries. As the MCC and other Left wing ultras virtually run parallel government in the mineral-rich Jharkhand region of Palamu, they have total control over this trade and ensure the safe passage of the costly minerals to other countries. It is suspected that the MCC transports the minerals via Andhra Pradesh to other countries. The illegal mining of coal is rampant in the Jharkhand region. Such illegal coal is often pilfered from the mining sites on bicycles and loaded in trucks that transport it to the Bangladesh and Nepal where it gets a good price. The forest officials reportedly keep their eyes closed either out of fear or because of the money they get out of this trade. The border police is already infamous for being hand in glove with the ultras. In northern Bihar, the rampant smuggling of rice and cattle to Nepal and Bangladesh is also the result of their nexus with the smugglers. |
Mulayam flays BJP over nation’s security KANPUR, Nov 5 (PTI) — Former Defence Minister and Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav today alleged that national security was not safe in the hands of the
BJP-led government at the Centre. Even defence experts have alleged the national security was not safe under the present government, Mr Yadav said at a party rally here, quoting some experts in this regard. He also accused the
BJP of widening the gap between the people of Uttar Pradesh and the newly created state of Uttaranchal. There are wide differences about the setting up of the high court and capital and transfer of government employees for Uttaranchal, he said. He also sought an explanation from the
BJP on “removal” of the Chief Minister and the Governor of Uttar Pradesh. |
Spy case: HC seeks more papers NEW DELHI, Nov 5 (PTI) — The Delhi High Court, which had about two years ago reserved its order on a petition by a former Army officer, court-martialled for alleged involvement in the infamous Samba espionage incident along with 53 others, has sought more documents from the Defence Ministry in the case. The Army had court-martialled 18 officers and 35 personnel of other ranks for their alleged involvement in the spying activities along Pakistan border in Samba Sector. They were arrested on the intervening night of January 22 and 23, 1979 following a statement of Capt R.S. Rathaur, arrested in August 1978. The court, after a prolonged hearing, had reserved its order on a writ petition by Maj Arun Sharma challenging his dismissal from the service. Major Sharma alleged that he was “falsely” implicated along with other officers, including Brig D.P. Nayyar, Lieut Col Hardev Singh, Lieut Col B.K. Das and four Majors, by the Military Intelligence after recording the statement of Capt R.S. Rathaur, arrested on August 24, 1978. Capt Rathaur, who was named by two armymen — Aya Singh and Sarwan Das arrested by the MI in 1975 — was subjected to “torture and harassment” for several days, and he had given the names of other officers, including Capt A.K. Rana, his relieving officer, to save himself of the prolonged agony, Major Sharma claimed. Captain Rathaur, while implicating Captain Rana, who relieved him from Kandral post, had alleged that the latter had also crossed with him into Pakistan border on the night of January 10 and 11, 1976. Based upon Captain Rathaur’s statement, 12 more arrests were made initially by the MI. But interrogation of the Captain had landed more Army officers, including some JCO’s in the MI net, the petition said. |
|
Calf elephant dies in sanctuary BHUBANESWAR, Nov 5 (UNI) — The body of a calf elephant was found on a high marsh land on the outskirts of Chandka Elephant Sanctuary by forest officials this morning. Chandka Wildlife Divisional Forest Officer Suresh Mishra said the two-year-old calf could have died two days back. A forest official team led by Mr Mishra, which visited the spot today, found the animal lying by the side of the Baranga-Naraj railway line with no external injury, he said. The local people, he said, had been hearing the trumpeting of elephant herds for the past three days and footprints of elephants on the spot indicated that the herd accompanying the baby elephant had tried its best to rescue the young one but failed. The animal was given a decent burial after the Nandankanan veterinary surgeon conducted a post-mortem, he said. Mr Mishra said the post-mortem report could not specify any reason of the death as the animal was too young and the body was highly decomposed. The DFO said the elephant could have died either by consuming pesticide sprayed in the paddy fields or by getting trapped inside the marsh land. The pesticide, he said, could be fatal for the young. Another theory was that the animal could have been hit by a running train, Mr Mishra said. |
|
BJP
‘open to’ tie-up with Cong in Bengal HYDERABAD,
Nov 5 (PTI) — BJP President Bangaru Laxman said today any move by
the Congress to tie up with the BJP-Trinamool combine to defeat the
left Front in West Bengal would be welcomed. Asserting that the
BJP-Trinamool was a formidable force, Mr Laxman said the Left would be
routed in the ensuing elections and as the Congress was also
victimised in the state “the three-party tie up could not be unholy”. “We
don’t mind if the Congress joins hands with us, with a common
minimum programme in the fight to dislodge the Left Front government
in West Bengal”, he said, adding that there was a heavy polarisation
of cadre and leaders from the Congress to Trinamool in West Bengal. Accusing
the Left of losing relevance in present day politics, Mr Laxman said,
“The Left wing socialist dream merchants are exposed and have lost
credibility with the Indian public.” |
|
New schedule of
Samjhauta Express ATTARI (Amritsar) Nov 5 (UNI) — The frequency of the Lahore-Attari Samhauta Express will be reduced to two days per week from tomorrow and coaches of the Pakistan railways will replace those of the Indian Railways. Disclosing this here today, Indian Railway officials said this was being done as part of the agreement reached between the Indian and Pakistan at two meetings held in April this year. It may be recalled that it was after these two meetings that a decision was taken that after every six months, coaches would be inter-changed. As per the new schedule which will come into force tomorrow for the next six months, the Samjhauta Express consisting of Pakistan coaches and pulled by a Pakistani railways engine will run on Mondays and Thursdays. The train would leave Lahore on these two days and return the same day, officials said, while pointing out that this schedule was followed prior to the April meetings. |
|
Free portal on real estate NEW DELHI, Nov 5— Indiaproperties.com is launching call assist centres in 18 big cities, including Chandigarh and Ludhiana. Talking to The Tribune, the Indiaproperties.com Managing Director, Mr Naresh Malkani, said that the call assist centres aimed to expand the real estate market. While the Indiaproperties.com portal has enormous data bank on properties across the country, it was not being put to use by those who don’t possess computers, Mr Malkani said. “That is why, we decided to have call assist centres so that anyone interested in selling, buying or renting a property can make use of our database,” Mr Malkani said. |
|
‘Probe’ Naxal women’s killing HYDERABAD, Nov 5 (PTI) — The Andhra Pradesh Civil Liberties Committee (APCLC) today asked the government to institute a judicial inquiry by a sitting high court judge into the “killing” of seven women Naxalites in an encounter with the police in Koyuru village in Karimnagar district on Tuesday last. APCLC President M. Ratnamala, who led a fact-finding team, alleged that the encounter seemed to be an “arranged one and the bodies bore injuries detrimental to an encounter”. |
| 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 | |