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| Wednesday, November 15, 2000, Chandigarh, India   
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BJP gearing up for UP civic poll Resignation of Pathak accepted CPM initiative on third front
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Tiger dies
in Delhi zoo Obscene foreign TV shows to be ‘checked’ Luxembourg invites film producers 1984 riots: HC seeks details on claims What will be Prasada’s score? Network of roads top priority Ramoowalia meets
Sikhs in Singapore Rly panel to discuss
safety measures
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BJP gearing up for UP civic poll SAHARANPUR, Nov 14 — In view of the reverses suffered in Gujarat recently, the BJP in Uttar Pradesh is not leaving anything to chance for the civic poll to be held on November 20 and November 23, this year. Top brass of the party leadership have met several times to discuss the new strategy so that the Gujarat episode was not repeated in Uttar Pradesh. The election manifesto released by the BJP on Sunday aims at wooing local voters of all religions and classes. The BJP did well in the last elections but this time may face a tough challenge from its main rival, the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the BSP. After the unexpected victory by the Indian National Congress (INC) in Gujarat, the BJP leaders are not leaving anything to chance by underestimating the INC. It has not begun well for the BJP. For one of its coalition partners, the Loktantrik Congress Party (LCP) has gone on records saying that it would contest the elections on its own and will not go for any seat sharing with the BJP in Uttar Pradesh. It may also be heartening for the BJP to note that the initial scene indicates that except the two Left parties CPI and the CPM there is unlikely to be any tie-up. The possible tie-up between the two Left parties cannot make any significant change in the political scenario because these parties do not matter much for the big players. The state BJP President, Mr Kalraj Mishra, however, feels that the ‘kisan yatra’ launched by the party last month was a wise political move. It had helped the BJP to gain some lost grounds in the last few weeks. Some leaders of the party high command were of the view that the BJP has suffered in Gujarat because the people were not aware of the BJP’s policies and programmes implemented in the state. Also adequate public contact campaigns were not carried out in Gujarat. The BJP has its prestige at stake in these elections for it had done very well in the 1995 elections and captured more than half of the mayoral seats. It had also done well in the municipal council and the nagar panchayat elections. According to the details available this time elections will be held for 11 corporations, at least 600 municipal councils and nagar panchayats. As the legislative elections are due by next year in Uttar Pradesh, these elections have become very important for the parties to extend their root base. The other major political players the SP, the BSP and the Congress have started holding public meetings. |
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Resignation of Pathak accepted NEW DELHI, Nov 14 (UNI) — The resignation of the Minister of State for Defence, Mr Harin Pathak was today accepted by the
President, Mr K.R. Narayanan, a Rashtrapati Bhavan press communique said. The minister had resigned on Saturday from the Union Cabinet on the advise of the party high command following his alleged involvement in the 1985 Ahmedabad riots. Yesterday, the resignation was forwarded by the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, to the President. Mr Pathak’s resignation had been asked for following legal opinion given by the Law and Justice Minister, Mr Arun Jaitley. Mr Pathak and the Gujarat Health Minister, Mr Ashok Bhatt, who has also resigned, are facing charges of unlawful assembly, injury to policeman on duty, and attempt to murder during the “anti-reservation riots’’ in Ahmedabad. |
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CPM initiative on third front CALCUTTA, Nov 14 (UNI) — The CPM has taken the initiative to organise a conclave of democratic and secular political parties to form a third alternative to both the BJP and the Congress. CPM sources said here today that party General Secretary Harkishen Singh Surjeet and politburo member Jyoti Basu had already held preliminary discussions with a number of secular and democratic leaders, including former Prime Ministers V.P.Singh and H.D.Deve Gowda, former Chief Ministers Mulayam Singh Yadav and Laloo Prasad Yadav and Assam Chief Minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta. The sources said Mr Basu had talks with Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Laloo Prasad Yadav and Asom Gana Parishad leader Prafulla Kumar Mahanta during recent party plenum at Thiruvananthapuram, while Mr Surjeet discussed the issue with Mr V.P.Singh, Mr Deve Gowda and Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav. Former Prime Minister Chandra Sekhar has also expressed his desire to work for the proposed third front to oust the BJP from power. The former Prime Ministers had earlier taken an initiative for formation of the third front after the BJP-led NDA came to power. The sources said the proposed conclave of secular and democratic political parties was likely to take place around this month-end when the party would organise a felicitation programme to honour Mr Basu, who retired as Chief Minister after holding the post for a record 24 years. The felicitation programme will be held at the Yuvabharathi Krirangan here on November 30 and is expected to be attended by Mr V.P.Singh, Mr Deve Gowda, Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav and Mr Laloo Prasad Yadav among others. |
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Jawaharlal Nehru remembered NEW DELHI, Nov 14 (PTI) — The nation today fondly remembered its first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru on his birth anniversary, lauding his valuable contribution in making India a modern and economically self-reliant country. Several functions, where speakers hailed Nehru as the architect of modern India and gave calls to eradicate child labour, were held across the country to mark the occasion. Another highlight of the day was the release of new policy document on school education by Human Resources Development Minister Murli Manohar Joshi. The document lays emphasis on inculcating social, patriotic and spiritual values among students. President K.R. Narayanan, accompanied by his wife Usha, Congress President Sonia Gandhi and a host of political leaders visited Shantivan, Nehru’s samadhi, here and offered floral tributes. An all-religion prayer meeting was also held on the occasion. Home Minister L.K. Advani and senior Congress leader Manmohan Singh were among a large number of parliamentarians, who paid tributes to the late leader at the Central Hall of Parliament. Interacting with children at his residence here Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee said his government wanted to make primary education compulsory and was formulating several schemes for the benefit of children. In Mumbai, several cancer-affected children gathered at a huge departmental store and sang songs in unison to celebrate Children’s Day. A multinational company celebrated the day by setting up popular game kiosks for children at various places in the metropolis. |
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Minister defends
tree felling NEW DELHI, Nov 14 — The Ministry of Railways finds nothing unusual about what it calls “routine felling of old trees” everywhere. Reacting to a story in The Tribune, Minister of State for Railways Digvijay Singh said felling of old trees was a routine exercise by the Railways. He denied the effort was aimed at generating financial resources. “Old trees are felled and new ones are planted. When the tree grows old its wood ceases to be useful,” he added. Mr Digvijay Singh said this was not the first time in independent India that such a major degreening exercise had been undertaken by Northern Railway. Former Minister for Environment and Forests Maneka Gandhi told TNS the drive to fell old trees was dangerous for India. “It is ridiculous. They are obviously doing it for money,” she said. Refuting the Railway Minister’s version, Mrs Gandhi said there was no point felling old trees and planting new saplings. “The old trees have more oxygen. New saplings have little chance of growing. Where is the water for their upkeep and maintenance?”, she asked. |
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Tiger dies
in Delhi zoo NEW DELHI, Nov 14 — A ten-year-old tiger procured from MC Zoological Park, Chandigarh, died in Delhi zoo here on Monday. Although the cause of the death is yet to be ascertained, the zoo authorities suspect that the animal died due to cysts in the lung and liver. To keep the tiger’s death under wraps, its carcass was allegedly burnt in the veil of darkness the same day. According to sources, the tiger’s death was kept a secret reportedly on the directions of the Central Zoo Authority (CZA). In an order issued in August end, the CZA is said to have asked all zoo authorities not to give any figures to the Press on the death of animals. Animals rights activist Maneka Gandhi who heads People for Animals, told TNS that the animal was about four years old and died of congestion due to use of phenyl in the enclosure. “Use of phenyl is banned in enclosures. They have attempted to conceal facts. They are supposed to clean the enclosures with plain water. I supsect all the other tigers may have also been infected.” Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, Mrs Gandhi said since the death of 17 white tigers in Orissa’s Nandankan Zoo, 125 animals have died in Jaipur zoo in the last three months and three tigers in Delhi zoo. Mrs Gandhi, who has been former Environment and Forest Minister, pointed out that four deers had died in the last one week in Patna zoo. Elsewhere, two rhinoceros were critically wounded. “Three tiger cubs were burnt to death in a circus in Ahmedabad. While one tiger died in Gemini circus in Bangalore, a lion died during movement. Four cages full of large-sized monitor lizard, which are very rare, are missing from Vishakaptnam zoo. A Hoolock Gibbon died in a mote in Lucknow zoo.” Additional Inspector-General (Forests), Ministry of Environment and Forests, Mr S.C. Sharma said he learnt about the tiger’s death on Monday. Reading out a letter sent by the Zoo Director, Mr D S Bonal, he said the male tiger named Sham died in the early hours of Monday. According to the letter, the tiger was being monitored constantly since October 22. Intermittently, the animal showed signs of improvement. It started eating better but died suddenly. The letter further said: “Additional use of zoos, doctors and other testing facilities was made use of and a post-mortem was conducted in the zoo by the zoo veterinary officer in the presence of Dr Ram Kumar, Secretary General, Veterinary Council of India”. According to the letter, the carcass was disposed off in the zoo incinerator. The director has promised to send a detailed report as soon as the post-mortem report and other reports are received. A sample of the viscera has been sent for analysis to the Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Bareilly and the Hisar Agricultural University. Citing year-wise figures on the death of tigers in the Delhi zoo, Mr Sharma said 16 tigers had died since 1988. Explaining the death of tigers and other animals in the zoo, Mr Sharma said: “Deaths are bound to happen. For 101 species of animals, the Delhi zoo has only one doctor. And, every animal has different behaviour and needs. If scientific inputs are increased and upkeep and health care improved, mortality and health care can be reduced.” Denying that the CZA ever issued an order forbidding the zoo authorities from giving out figures, Mr Sharma said, “I’m giving you all the figures and everything is very transparent.”
Obscene foreign TV shows to be ‘checked’ JODHPUR, Nov 14 (UNI) — The Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Minister Ms Sushma Swaraj, yesterday said her ministry would make compulsory the installation of conditional access systems with cable
TV connections in homes to check obscene programmes on foreign channels. A decision to this effect would be taken within a week by the ministry, Ms Swaraj told mediapersons here. The minister said the telecast of obscene advertisements during cricket matches and other sports meets would be banned and a decision in this regard would be taken by the ministry at its meeting on November 19. Ms Swaraj said Doordarshan’s metro channel was accessible to only 26.6 per cent of the viewers in the country and the government was making efforts to make it reach more people. The minister was speaking after inaugurating a Rs 4.69-crore high-power transmitter of the metro channel installed here. The new transmitter would enable the people of the city and those living in a 70-km radius to watch the channel’s programmes, she said. Ms Swaraj said Doordarshan’s programmes were accessible to 88 per cent of the population in the country. |
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Luxembourg invites film producers CALCUTTA, Nov 14 (UNI) — From the makers of pelvic gyrating Govinda starrer to the champions of middle and art cinema, the tiny European nation of Luxembourg can be the next destination as the country dangles the carrot of heavy tax exemption for aspiring foreign producers. “Our nation is a haven for film production as it offers huge tax benefits and we welcome all to make films in Luxembourg,’’ said members of a delegation from Luxembourg here. Twelve films from Luxembourg, which started making films as late as 1990, are the focal theme in the on going sixth Calcutta film festival. Most films from Luxembourg, which are currently co-productions of more than two European nations, are made in languages like French, German and Luxembourgish as all the three languages are spoken in the country nestled between France and Germany with a population of about four lakhs. “We urge indian film producers to invest in our film industry and earn handsome tax exemption,’’ said the delegation comprising producers, diplomats and director Paul Kieffer. |
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1984 riots: HC seeks details on claims NEW DELHI, Nov 14 (PTI) — The Delhi High Court today sought details from the city government and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) on whether any case of compensation claim by victims of 1984 anti-Sikh riots was pending for disposal before them. The Delhi Government and the MCD were directed to file their affidavit in this regard by January 18, 2001, by a Bench comprising Chief Justice Arijit Passayat and Justice D.K Jain following a petition alleging that thousands of riot victims and victims of Kashmir and Punjab violence had not yet been given relief as per the Supreme Court’s 1988 order. While hearing the petition for compensation to 1984-riot victims, the apex court had also received hundreds of affidavits from victims of Kashmir and Punjab violence, advocate Bajrang Singh said in a petition seeking implementation of the Supreme Court directive. In spite of clear direction by Supreme Court to consider the claims of riot victims and Punjab and Kashmir violence victims within the stipulated time (initially fixed for six months and later extended twice), hundreds of them had not been paid compensation even after 11 years of the apex court order, he said. Mr Bajrang Singh claimed that the Supreme Court had given a clear direction to the authorities concerned to look into the cases of the victims and decide these within the stipulated timeframe as suggested by it. “The respondent authorities have played a cruel joke on the riot victims in Delhi and outside and the victims of Kashmir and Punjab violence,” he alleged. |
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What will be Prasada’s score? NEW DELHI, Nov 14 — There is no doubt about the final outcome of the Congress presidential election. Only one question dogs everyone’s mind. How much will Mr Jitendra Prasada score against Ms Sonia Gandhi in tomorrow’s counting of votes. Sonia loyalists do not give him a margin of more than 300 out of 8,500 votes cast. Prasada supporters are extremely reluctant to hazard a guess, saying that the electoral process has been heavily loaded against their leader and “the secret ballot,” on which they had pinned their hopes, has also not exactly been one. The ballot papers, it is learnt, have been numbered in a serial order, thus making identification easy for anyone interested. Prasada supporters say the ballots for each state should have been numbered individually for secrecy. “With the serial numbering of all ballot papers, it can be known from which state votes of specific serial number have come. Each vote carries a distinct number and the process involves signature of the voter,” said a Prasada supporter, claiming that the fear of retaliation would have deterred many from voting according to their conscience. Having raised questions over the entire electoral process, specially after central election authority chairman Ram Niwas Mirdha’s comments on some deficiencies in the “massive electoral exercise,” Mr Prasada has hinted that the win in tomorrow’s voting will not be a convincing one. “Workers can have their own judgement on the result,” he said in Lucknow on the eve of polling. He also said that the party had gained from the contest as the elections had generated unprecedented interest. Prasada supporters say the issues of internal democracy and respect for workers’ voice will continue to be raised. Mr Prasada has not yet revealed his future plans and the possibility of a vindictive action against him has been ruled out by Ms Gandhi. |
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Asiavision Award for DD NEW DELHI, Nov 14 (UNI) — Doordarshan has won the annual Asiavision Award for best news coverage of last year’s Orissa cyclone and the drought and flood situation in some parts of India this year. The Dennis Anthony Award, sponsored by the CNN, is given annually for the best news coverage contribution in the daily Asiavision Exchange among the member countries, including Japan, China, South Korea and Malaysia, according to a CNN press note here today. Announcing the award in Manila in the Philippines, the CNN Managing Director in the Asia-Pacific region, Mr Bill Baggit, said: “Doordarshan News showed superior news gathering enterprise and determination to provide Asiavision with exclusive coverage of the widespread damage, human suffering and the massive relief efforts that followed the natural disasters.” “The professionalism of Doordarshan’s news gathering and technical and editorial standards applied to its coverage are an outstanding example of a television news organisation willing to go above and beyond the call of duty,” he added. Meanwhile, Prasar Bharati Chief Executive Officer Rajeeva Ratna Shah has been elected vice-president and Doordarshan has been elected a member of the administrative council of the Asia Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU). |
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Network of roads top priority NEW DELHI, Nov 14 — The Minister of State for Roads and Highways, Maj-Gen B.C. Khanduri (retd)., today said the government planned to construct 6,000 km of four-laned roads within the next three years to connect the four metropolitan cities. The government also had a long-term plan to connect the important cities in every corner of the country within the next seven years at a cost of Rs 1.54 crore, he said while addressing a conference of the Chief Engineers of 13 different projects of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) here. Construction of roads from Srinagar to Kanyakumari and from Silchar to Porbandar and connecting metropolitan cities of Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Calcutta was the top priority of the present government at the Centre. Building roads was equivalent to nation building. The country could progress only if we created infrastructure by constructing rural roads and also by increasing the number of national highways in the country, he said. General Khanduri mentioned the promulgation of an ordinance on first of this month to utilise cess on petrol and diesel for rural development and creation of an independent Ministry of Roads and Highways clearly showed the government was attaching the greatest importance to this sector. The minister lauded the role of the BRO for constructing roads in the border areas, especially during the Kargil conflict, and suggested that this organisation if possible should take care of road construction in the non-border areas also. Defence Secretary Yogendra Narain commended the work of the BRO and said since its inception in 1960 it had created a network of roads in our borders both demarcated or undemarcated. There had been no complaint from the armed forces against this organisation and there was demand from different states to hand over the road construction work to the BRO as a good certificate for the competence, efficiency and honesty of this organisation. He pointed out that the budget allocation for this department was substantial but not adequate and the government was ready to provide extra money to the department if needed. He said an additional Rs 60 crore have been allocated to this organisation during the current financial year. Mr Narain suggested the setting up of a research organisation for this department which would monitor and suggest measures for the maintenance of roads already constructed and this should be fully computerised on the US pattern. Mr Narain asserted there should be no laxity in the maintenance of roads which had to bear pressure of heavy equipment of defence forces and a specification of the construction of roads should be upgraded which should meet international standards. |
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Ramoowalia meets
Sikhs in Singapore NEW DELHI, Nov 14 — President of the Lok Bhalai Party and MP B.S. Ramoowalia, who was a member of President K.R. Narayanan’s delegation during his state visit to Singapore met the upwardly mobile Sikh community there. Mr Ramoowalia interacted with the Sikh community on Sunday and impressed upon them to contribute their bit in turning Punjab into another high-tech Singapore. He said Sikhism preaches service to humanity and urged them to detach themselves from the politics of Punjab. Stating that his party stood for people’s power as money power was posing a threat to democracy, Mr Ramoowalia stressed that the Sikh community should work with missionary zeal in following the teachings of the Guru Granth Sahib. Leading members of the Sikh community in Singapore exchanged views with Mr Ramoowalia and included among others two MPs — Mr Inderjit Singh and Mr Devender Singh. |
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Rly panel to discuss
safety measures NEW DELHI, Nov 14 — The Parliamentry Consultative Committee attached to the Ministry of Railways will discuss safety and security aspects of the Indian Railways. The discussion is also expected to cover the issue regarding the quality of tracks and prescribed specifications. Sources in the ministry told TNS here today that in the last 50 years, only 17 per cent has been added to the track infrastructure. The sources said the meeting chaired by the Railway Minister, Ms Mamata Banerjee, would also discuss ways of preventing crime in sensitive areas. They added that the challenge before the Railways was to reduce the number of accidents and meet the passenger expectations regarding speed and time schedule of trains. |
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