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| Sunday, November 19, 2000, Chandigarh, India   
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Joint action sought against Veerappan Life term for
BSP leader Swamy allocates portfolios RSS chief to meet President Divorce Bill surprises Christians |
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CBI raids CCL officials’
premises CEC objects to presenting
of swords CPI appeal to reject move on banks Tutor, 2 others held in murder case Film moves couple to
unite Delhi Govt revises auto, taxi fares Winter session Faleiro advocates quiet diplomacy Division of power board to hit MP US firm flayed for disrespect to deities 47 to get Sangeet Natak Akademi
awards
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Joint action sought against Veerappan CHENNAI, Nov 18 (UNI, PTI) — Former Union Minister and Tamizhaga Rajiv Congress president Vazhapadi K. Ramamurthy said today that now that Kannada actor Rajkumar was released by forest brigand Veerappan, the Centre and the Tamil Nadu and Karnataka governments should take a coordinated action to nab the outlaw and his accomplices. Mr Ramamurthy, who returned here after meeting Mr A.B. Vajpayee and Mr L.K. Advani in New Delhi, told reporters that he had urged the two leaders to take urgent steps to apprehend the brigand. He said he would also appeal to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi to take immediate steps to deploy special task force personnel to apprehend the brigand. Mr Ramamurthy said the Supreme Court verdict on the Veerappan issue had saved the honour of the nation. He claimed that the Karnataka Government would not honour any of the commitments given by it in the past regarding the release of the detainees. Asked whether he thought ransom was paid to Veerappan for the release of Rajkumar, he said details of the whole drama would emerge soon. Bangalore: Karnataka Tamil Peravai president A.P. Shanmuga Sundaram, a member of the mission that succeeded in securing the release of matinee idol Rajkumar, on Saturday providing general amnesty to Veerappan. Tamil Nationalist leader P. Nedumaran had already made a similar suggestion. Mr Sundaram said Dr Rajkumar had in an exuberant mood at the press conference here exaggerated the events inside the forests that led to his release. Meanwhile, former Karnataka Director-General of Police T. Srinivasulu, who played an important behind-the-scene role in getting actor Rajkumar freed from Veerappan, remained non-committal on the demand for mounting an operation to nab the brigand. “It is for the governments to decide on taking up such an operation,’’ he told newspersons here. The ex-dgp, who had said before retirement that his regret was not having nabbed Veerappan, declined to comment on the demand of Mr Nedumaran’s demand for granting amnesty to the poacher. Meanwhile, the family of Rajkumar on Saturday thanked Karnataka and Tamil Nadu Governments, Tamil Nationalist Movement leader P. Nedumaran and other emissaries for their role in securing the actor’s release from the clutches of Veerappan. “After undergoing 108 days of Vanavasa, Annavaru (elder brother) is back home. He is most delighted to see his fans whom he considers as his gods,” a joint statement by the family said. New
Delhi: Karnataka Chief Minister S.M. Krishna says that no ransom was paid for the release of Kannada icon Rajkumar and suggested that the governments of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka work out a joint strategy with the help of the Centre to bring Veerappan to book. “Ransom talk is rubbish. Not even one paisa was paid.... No money was involved at all,” Mr Krishna told “The Week” in an interview making it clear that the state government had not offered any amnesty nor any moratorium on commencing police operations against the outlaw. Asked whether the sandalwood smuggler was offered amnesty, he said “nothing was asked, nor was anything offered. He is still an offender in the various cases booked against him”. Dismissing a suggestion that Veerappan cannot be caught, the Chief Minister said his capture was an achievable target and that the two state governments had to work out a joint strategy taking the help of the Centre. Asked whether a Bangalore group led by a female doctor was sent to the jungle, he said “I am not aware of their role. Only from Rajkumar did I hear they played an admirable role. There were several others who offered help in both states. But the official emissaries were deputed by Mr Karunanidhi only. The Karnataka Government did not send anyone”. Hyderabad:
BJP President Bangaru Laxman on Saturday urged the governments of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu to initiate efforts to nab Veerappan. As far as the nda government is concerned, it will extend its full support and cooperation to both state governments. Hearing on TADA detainees adjourned MYSORE, Nov 18 (UNI) — A city court today adjourned till December 5 the hearing on 51 TADA detainees suspected to be associates of dreaded brigand Veerappan. All 51 detainees were produced here before the Principal and Sessions Judge B. S. Rajendra
Prasad. The Supreme Court had earlier rejected the release of the TADA detainees on bail on an application filed by Mr Abdul
Karim, father of Special Task Force officer Shakeel Ahmed, who was killed in an ambush by Veerappan and his gang in the Meenyam forest range eight years ago. The charges against TADA detainees pertains to shooting to death five police personnel on August 14, 1992, murdering Superintendent of Police Harikrishna and Shakeel Ahmed in the same year, besides killing six Special Task Force personnel in an encounter near M. M. Hills, next year. Some of the detainees, who spoke to mediapersons from the police van, today expressed happiness at the release of Kannada actor Rajkumar.
Rajkumar to undergo
check-up in hospital BANGALORE, Nov 18 (PTI) — Kannada superstar Rajkumar was admitted to a private hospital here today for “specialised investigations” but he is in good health, his personal physician Dr Ramana Rao said. Rajkumar, who returned home two days back after spending 108 days in the captivity of forest brigand Veerappan, has “no medical problem”, Dr Rao said soon after the actor was admitted at Mallya Hospital. Specialists would do the necessary check-ups and Rajkumar would stay in the hospital for two days. Mr Rao had said yesterday that Rajkumar had suffered severe insect bites all over his body but was in fine fettle and “good mental frame”. |
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LUCKNOW, Nov 18 (UNI) — A court today sentenced Angad Yadav, BSP leader and former U.P. Minister, and Ramesh Kalia, to life imprisonment in the murder of Laxmi Shankar Yadav, a senior Congress leader and former minister. Additional Sessions Judge Kalimullah Khan, who convicted both these accused persons yesterday in the murder of Laxmi Shankar Yadav (78), on October 29, 1995, at his house in the Jiamau area of the city, also imposed a fine of Rs 20,000 on each accused and in default of the payment of fine they shall have to undergo an additional three years simple imprisonment. Mr Khan passed the aforesaid order in respect of the quantum of sentence after hearing arguments for the accused persons on this point. The Judge, however, acquitted both gunmen of Angad Yadav namely constable Shiva Bhawan and head constable Ramji Das holding that they had no motive to kill Laxmi Shankar Yadav, whereas, Angad Yadav and other had some property dispute with the victim. The F.I.R. was lodged by Mr Vijay Kumar Yadav, son of the deceased against Suraj Pal Yadav, Chandra Pal Yadav, Angad Yadav and Ramesh Kalia. Suraj Pal and his brother Chandra Pal, died during the pendency of the trial. Chandra Pal Yadav was killed allegedly by some rival gang while Suraj Pal Yadav was killed allegedly in Dehra Dun in a police encounter. |
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Swamy allocates portfolios DEHRA DUN, Nov 18 (UNI) — Portfolios have been allocated to seven Cabinet Ministers and five Ministers of State in the newly formed state of Uttaranchal. Mr Bhagat Singh Koshiyari gets Power, Irrigation, Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs; Mr Kedar Singh Phonia — Tourism, Industrial Development and Science and Technology; Mr Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ — Finance, Planning and Revenue; Mr Matbar Singh Kandhari — Environment and Forests; Mr Mohan Singh ‘Gaonwasi’ — Rural Development, Panchayati Raj and Watershed Management; Mr Ajay Bhatt — Health, Disaster Management (a newly-formed ministry) and Mr Banshidhar Bhagat — Agriculture and Animal Husbandry. The Ministers of State are Narayan Ram Das — Small-scale Industries and Khadi Udyog; Narayan Singh Rana — Culture, Pilgrim Tourism, Military, Education and Sports; Dhiraj Singh Rawat — Primary, Secondary and Adult Education; Suresh Arya — Transport and Nirupama Gaud — Urban Development, Housing and Urban Employment. All Ministers of State have been attached to Chief Minister Nityanand Swamy. The portfolios were revealed to the Press by Mr Swamy in the Vidhan Sabha at 3 p.m. today. He has retained 20 charges, including Home, Higher Education, Law, Excise, Information Technology, Transport, Civil Aviation, Public Works and General Administration. |
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NEW DELHI, Nov 18 (PTI) — RSS chief K.S. Sudarshan will meet President K.R. Narayanan here on December 1 to apprise him of the policies and programmes of the organisation, Sangh sources said here today. Mr Narayanan granted the audience to Mr Sudarshan following a request from the RSS as part of its ongoing “Jan Jagran Abhiyan” (mass awareness campaign) aimed at removing misconceptions about the organisation in the minds of the common man, the sources said. RSS General Secretary Mohan Rao Bhagwat and Joint General Secretary H.V.Seshadri are likely to accompany Mr Sudarshan when he calls on the President at Rashtrapati Bhavan, they said. When contacted RSS spokesman MG Vaidya said “as part of our awareness programme, we are contacting all citizens and we had sent a request for a meeting with him as the country’s first citizen.” Asked about the agenda of Mr Sudarshan’s meeting with Mr Narayanan, Mr Vaidya said, “We will explain our position to the President, if he seeks any clarification.” Mr Narayanan had on several occasions earlier expressed serious concern over the attacks on minorities in several parts of the country and vitiating communal atmosphere for which non-NDA parties have blamed the Sangh Parivar. Mr Vaidya said the organisation was yet to receive any response from Vice-President Krishan Kant, Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and Lok Sabha Speaker G.M.C.Balayogi with whom similar appointments had been sought. |
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Divorce Bill surprises Christians NEW DELHI, Nov 18 — The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI), the National Council of Churches in India and the Joint Women’s Programme are annoyed over not being consulted on the draft of the Indian divorce amendment Bill. The introduction of the Bill was approved by the Cabinet on Thursday. The bill is intended to amend the Indian Divorce Act, 1869. In a statement issued here, the three organisations have urged the government not to proceed with the amendment Bill without consulting the persons concerned. According to the statement, the churches and the groups to whom the divorce relates are unhappy as they have learnt of the introduction of the aforesaid Bill through newsreports. “This comes as a surprise because the Bill concerns the Christians and it is the Christian community that was not consulted.” They stated that they had requested the Law Ministry that any Bill, whether it be marriage or divorce, should not be introduced without a consultation and a general consensus on the provisions of the bill. Talking to newspersons here yesterday, Archbishop Oswald Gracius, Secretary-General of the CBCI said: “We are not against the amendments to the Act but we are apprehensive about the contents of the Bill which we haven’t seen. We see divorce as a dissolution of the civil effects of marriage.” Ms Jyotsana Chatterjee, Director of the Joint Women’s Programme said that women organisations had been demanding other things as divorce by mutual consent and right to matrimonial home. “The question is of women’s rights. They should have consulted the women. We don’t know whether the right to matrimonial homes is mentioned in the Bill. This is what worries the women organisations.” The CBCI, the NCCI and the JWP have said that they were rathered bewildered at the air of secrecy surrounding the Bill approved by the Cabinet and proposed to be introduced in the Parliament. The three organisations have pointed out that the Christian community has all along insisted upon amendment of the divorce sections of the Act to bring it at par with the Special Marriage Act. They have stated that the present attempt of the government is a step backward from the Bill proposed by the government in its meeting
with the Christian leaders at Vigyan Bhavan in April this year. |
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CBI raids CCL officials’
premises NEW DELHI, Nov 18 (UNI) — In a major operation to curb corruption in coal companies, the CBI has carried out raids on the office and residences of senior officials of Central Coalfields Ltd. (CCL), including its Chairman-cum-Managing Director B.S. Akhla, in various parts of the country, agency sources said today. The raids which started yesterday continued till this morning, the sources told UNI here. Several incriminating documents related to financial transactions and irregularities were seized during the two-day raids carried out by the eastern zone of the premier investigating agency in Bihar, West Bengal and Tamil Nadu. The agency sleuths landed at the offices and residences of the officials at Ranchi, Dhanbad, Bhojpur, Calcutta and Chennai simultaneously in the morning yesterday and launched the massive search operations. The raids were conducted in connection with a regular case filed by the CBI against the coal company officers for alleged irregularities involving crores of rupees in allotting coal loading to a private transporters. During the operation, several documents related to bank investments, share certificates and real estate were recovered. The raids also revealed the involvement of a few officers who had now retired from service. The investigation shows that the bungalow of Mr Akhla at Chennai was worth more than Rs 50 lakh. |
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CEC objects to presenting
of swords NEW DELHI, Nov 18 — Chief Election Commissioner M.S.Gill is pained that Sikh delegations celebrating Guru Nanak Dev’s birth anniversary are presenting swords to anyone in the national Capital who is willing accept it. He regrets that the sanctity of Guru Nanak Dev’s birth anniversary is being eroded by such actions and feels it is highly regrettable that these Sikh delegations are “failing to see the contradictions or the inherent message of Guru Nanak Dev.” A troubled Mr Gill told the Tribune in any case while celebrating any Sikh occasion and even political ones swords are presented which sends a wrong singal. “We are not a blood-thirsty people,” Mr Gill emphasised. He said he celebrated Guru Nanak Dev’s birth anniversary in Chennai where he joined a congregation in a religious ceremony. On his return here, he found in every newspaper photographs of the Sikh delegations liberally presenting swords while celebrating Guru Nanak Dev’s birth anniversary. “I have always felt strongly about this practice and decided to express my feelings now,” Mr Gill
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CPI appeal to reject move on banks NEW DELHI, Nov 18 — Terming the Union Cabinet’s approval for the disinvestment of government’s 67 per cent holding in nationalised banks as “a retrogade step towards denationalisation”, the Communist Party of India (CPI) today appealed to all secular and democratic political parties to reject the Vajpayee government’s move in the coming session of Parliament. In a resolution, passed at the four-day session of the National Council of the party, the CPI said this step would enable the national and international finance capital to exercise control over the vast funds of national savings and use the same for their profit making only and to the detriment of our national interest. Congratulating the bank employees and their organisations for their direct action to oppose the reactionary move of the Vajpayee government, the resolution condemned the callous and indifferent attitude of the Finance Minister, Mr Yashwant Sinha who has said that “the bank employees may continue their agitation but the government will go ahead with the Bill”. While no tangible steps have been taken so far to realise the “non-performing assets” (NPA) of nearly one lakh crores if the interest of the period of default each taken into consideration over 60 thousand crores of these banks, through this attempt to divert major share of government holding in these banks, it will not only lead to privatisation of the entire banking industry but will also be rewarding the defaulting corporate sector by handing over these banks, the resolution said. “This development will end the role of nationalised banks in promoting the country’s self-reliant growth and their social
responsibility. This step and the closure of many rural branches will throw the farmers, the agricultural workers, the self-employed to tender mercies of the old mahajans and money-lenders”, the Plenum said. Taking a firm stand on the Palestine situation, the party adopted a resolution which “condemns the continued violence, bloodbath and massacre being perpetrated by the Israeli army during the last seven weeks in the occupied territories in Palestine”. “Israeli government with the active connivance of the US imperialists is using all tricks to scuttle the peace process in the Middle East and deny the Palestine people their just right for an independent and sovereign state of their own”, the resolution said. Condemning the passive attitude of the Vajpayee government on the Palestine struggle, the resolution called upon all party units to organise “Day for Solidarity with Palestine on November 29, which should herald an intensive countrywide campaign to reassert the anti-imperialist traditions of our people”. The CPI also urged the Vajpayee government to extend all help to the Palestine people in their struggle for an independent Palestine. |
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Tutor, 2 others held in murder case NEW DELHI, Nov 18 — Vikas Bhandari a class X student of Ryan’s
International School was allegedly kidnapped and killed by his tutor and two others who were arrested today by the east district police. He was kidnapped for ransom from his residence at Nirman Vihar in East Delhi. His death was a mistake that just happened, the accused told the police. He was allegedly kidnapped on November 13 by Rajneesh Rana, who used to take his tuition, and his accomplices Romel Sharma and Lal Mohammad. The body was found by the Ghaziabad police from the Link road next day, Joint Commissioner of Police (Northern Range), Mr Suresh Roy said. Romel Sharma was a student of MCA in IGNOU and Lal Mohammad was owner of a readymade garments shop. While addressing a press conference, Mr Roy said the kidnapping plan was basically hatched by Rana and Romel Sharma for ransom of Rs 20 to Rs 25 lakh. They also involved Lal Mohammad in the kidnapping. However, they could not make the ransom call as the phone of the victim was not in order. He said Rana along with his accomplices planned to kidnap the boy in a friendly manner. As per the plan he lured Vikas Bhandari for the purpose of teaching and he took him to his own flat at Sector 1, Vaishali in Ghaziabad on a Kinetic Honda scooter owned by Romel Sharma. At his residence, Rana, in fact, taught him for a while and then allegedly offered him to drink Glucon-D laced with sedative drugs containing 20 tablets of vallum and 17 tablets of Nitravet. When Vikas fell unconscious, compose was also injected into him. He reportedly over dosed the sedative and strangulated him as he wanted him to remain died. When Vikas died, the accused disposed of his body on the Link road in a car of their friend. The foils of tablets, vials of compose and two syringes with needle have been recovered. Besides, a Bullet motor cycle of Rana, two helmets have also been recovered. The police said Vikas was kidnapped at 5.30 p.m. and the police was reported at 12.30 a.m. after his parents came from Shimla. The post-mortem examination of the body was conducted in Ghaziabad which confirmed that he was beaten up mercilessly and later strangulated to death. But the post-mortem report did not mention the Glucon-D and compose contents as was told to the Press earlier. The police said Rana, the prime accused was arrested after a manhunt was launched to trace the Kinetic Honda scooter on which Vikas was last seen riding. He was seen by residents of the area and on the basis of whose statement the police verified the list available from five dealers of Kinetic Honda in Delhi. |
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CHENNAI, Nov 18 (ANI) — Who says films cast only bad impact on society ? A film has ended up reuniting a couple who realised their mistakes after watching a movie. The estranged couple, parents of two sons, watched the Tamil movie — “Priyamanavale (real life)” — at Tirupattur in north Arcot district of Tamil Nadu and were so moved that they decided to reunite. The film released on Divali starring popular star Vijay, revolves round the story of a man who drives away his wife after some misunderstanding. However, he realises the void in his life without her and that his decision to send her away was incorrect. He then goes in search of her and finally they are reunited. After witnessing the film, the couple, Jayakanthan and Amudha, who were living separately following a misunderstanding realised their mistake and decided to let bygone be bygone for the sake of their children. Interestingly, when the story of reunion was brought to his notice, actor Vijay invited the couple to Chennai and felicitated them at his residence on Tuesday. |
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Delhi Govt revises auto, taxi fares NEW DELHI, Nov 18 (UNI) — The Delhi Government today announced revised auto and taxi fares in the wake of the recent hike in fuel prices and the new rate structure, which includes a separate slab for CNG-driven vehicles, would come into force from Monday. Delhi Transport Minister Pervez Hashmi said the government today approved the fare structures decided by the State Transport Authority (STA) besides new rates for buses plying under the kilometre scheme. As per the revised fares for CNG-driven taxis and autos, the fares would be five times and 2.5 times of the metred fare, respectively, (starting with Re 1). For petrol-driven taxis and autos, the revised fares would be six times and three times of the metred fare, (starting with Re 1) respectively, the minister said. “For the first time, we have got a separate fare structure for the CNG vehicles and we have deliberately kept it lower considering the costs,” Mr Hashmi said. “We did not want uniformity because of the differential costs of operation. Actually there is not much difference in the two fare structures considering the higher cost of CNG vehicles and their maintenance. We have taken into account all these”, he added. He said the government would appeal to the Supreme Court for an extension of the March 31, 2001, deadline for conversion of the entire fleet of taxis and autos onto CNG fuel. “We will need some more time considering the huge number of vehicles in the Capital,” he said. Only about 5,000 autos are being currently run on CNG while the rest 55,000 are driven by petrol or diesel. There are only about 1,000 taxis (out of a fleet of about 25,000) running on CNG, he said. He said all new CNG-powered taxis and autorickshaws would have a green belt painted around the body for easy identification. “The existing ones would have to do it within a period of 15 days,” he added. Mr Hashmi also announced different payment structures for the kilometre scheme buses depending on the age of the vehicles. “For up to two years’ old buses, it would be Rs 12.75 per km, Rs 12.50 per km for two to six years’ old buses and Rs 12.25 per km for six to eight-year-old vehicles,” he announced. The ceiling on distance per day will remain the same at 225 km. “These will be effective from October 1 and we will pay the arrears to the bus owners within 10 days,” the minister said. Mr Hashmi said the government was looking into the fare structures of the DTC and the any revision would be worked out after taking into account the burden on the people. The implication of the recent fuel hike on the DTC is to the tune of Rs 2.5 crore per month. “Public transport everywhere is subsidised,” he said discounting the losses of the
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Winter session NEW DELHI, Nov 18 — A largely economic agenda is likely to dominate the proceedings of the winter session of Parliament, beginning Monday. While the Vajpayee-led National Democratic Alliance government is bracing itself to give a further thrust to the second generation economic reforms, the Opposition parties have indicated that they would oppose the “anti-people” economic policies of the government. The Opposition tirade, however, could be blunted if the government goes ahead with the rollback of petroleum prices, promised to the Trinamool Congress leader, Ms Mamata Banerjee by the Prime Minister. Indications are that the government would consider a partial rollback in the prices of cooking gas and diesel at a meeting of the NDA here tomorrow. In the event of the oil prices being slashed, the Opposition parties led by the Congress and including the Left parties and the Samajwadi Party would take the government to task for its decision to further dilute its stake in the nationalised banks from the existing 51 per cent to 33 per cent and the disinvestment plans in the public sector units. The government’s proposed plan to put Maruti Udyog Limited on the selling block would also provide grist to the Opposition mill. The Congress and Left parties say that these issues would bring them together. Several legislations moved by the government to keep up with the commitments given to World Trade Organisation (WTO) would draw flak from the Left parties and the Congress. The Congress leaders have questioned the need for the government to lift quantitative restrictions on 714 items without putting in place anti-dumping measures. The free import of agricultural goods and their impact on the farmers and the failure to grapple with the problem of plenty regarding foodgrains are issues that would dominate the debates in both Houses of Parliament. According to a senior BJP minister, however, opposition to these issues was not insurmountable and the Opposition would not be able to stop the government from going ahead with more economic measures. According to the Finance Minister, Mr Yashwant Sinha, the government would not bulldoze its way through but would depend on consensus to push ahead the proposed economic legislations. A number of legislative issues relating to finance are to be taken up by Parliament during the winter session. These include the Fiscal Responsibility Bill, the Banking Amendment Bill and those relating to competition and sick companies. There are also indications that the Congress would insist on the government disclosing the Subhramanyam Committee report and have a full debate on the security aspects of the country. The party is aghast that the National Security
Council, which was set up with much fanfare, has not met even once after its inception. According to the Lok Sabha Speaker, Mr G.M.C. Balayogi, a total of 45 bills, including 23 pending ones, would be taken up during the Parliament session. They include the NABARD Central Road Fund Bill, Multi-State Cooperative Society Bill, and Airport Authority of India Bill. The pending bills included the one on Central Vigilance, Essential Commodities and Protection of Human Rights. Besides, the Ninth Plan outlay, the Railway Budget Supplementary Bill would also be discussed during the session. Political debates would follow attempts by the government to push through the controversial Constitution Amendment Bill seeking to provide 33 per cent reservation to women in the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies and a Bill seeking to amend the Indian Divorce Amendment Act seeking to end discrimination against Christian women. The deteriorating law and order situation in Assam and some other parts of the North East and Jammu and Kashmir would be used by the Opposition to embarrass the government. There are likely to be debates on match-fixing and India’s dismal performance in the Sydney Olympics. |
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Faleiro advocates quiet diplomacy NEW DELHI, Nov 18 — Former Minister of State for External Affairs, Eduardo Faleiro today said the government should release a White paper on foreign policy spelling out its perception on the present global environment. Addressing mediapersons at the Press Club here today the Congress member of the Rajya Sabha said the paper on foreign policy should be discussed in Parliament. “The national consensus on foreign policy should be restored,” he added. Mr Faleiro stressed the need for quiet diplomacy away from the limelight. “After the Lahore fiasco, we must have a quiet dialogue away from the limelight. Information available to me points out that there should be quiet diplomacy. Extremist and fundamentalist elements in both the countries should be isolated and a people-to-people dialogue should be encouraged,” he added. Talking of India’s relations with the USA, he said, “The upswing in relations with the USA is welcome but we should not go overboard with the talk of natural allies.” Criticising the liberalisation process, he said the markets had been opened to please the USA which had practically ruined our economy. He said the Indian government should consider deploying a UN peacekeeping force in the Palestine-Israel conflict area. He said the group involved in the West Asia peace process should be expanded to include the European Union, India and Russia besides the USA, Israel and Palestine. Mr Faleiro said relations between India and Pakistan can improve by encouraging better understanding between people. He said India should have a dialogue with Pakistan but it was for the government to decide the modalities and time for holding the talks. He added the government should work towards normalising relations between India and China. |
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Division of power board to hit MP BHOPAL, Nov 18 — Madhya Pradesh will have darker hours as a result of the creation of Chhattisgarh. The consumers will be required to pay more as a result of mismanagement by the MP Electricity Board (MPEB). The Madhya Pradesh reorganisation Bill, 2000, had stipulated the continuation of the MPEB for both the states for the time being. However, the Chhattisgarh Chief Minister, Mr Ajit Jogi, has insisted on its immediate bifurcation. The process of dividing the MPEB has been set in motion. On Wednesday, the Chhattisgarh Government issued a notification constituting the Chhattisgarh State Electricity Board. The Principal Secretary, Finance, Mr S.K. Mishra, has been made its ad hoc chairman. The bifurcation of the MPEB is going to worsen the power situation in Madhya Pradesh. The present power generation from all sources is 4200 mw. More than 40 per cent of this (around 1850 mw) is generated in Chhattisgarh. Which means that after bifurcation of the MPEB, Madhya Pradesh will be left with only 2350 mw. With the present demand estimated at 4500 mw, the state will have only around 50 per cent of its requirement. Chhattisgarh, on the other hand, will have slightly higher generation than its present requirement. Madhya Pradesh is already resorting to load shedding from two to four hours in cities and for indefinite periods in the rural areas. The kharif crops in Madhya Pradesh have already been affected. The state is not in a position to ensure uninterrupted supply of electricity to farmers even to save the rabi crops. To ensure at least eight hours’ electricity to farmers, there will have to be six hours’ load-shedding in cities. Mr Digvijay Singh, when he became Chief Minister for the first time in December 1993, had announced free electricity for single connection to the poorer sections and to the farmers having pumps of up to 5 hp. Recently, he announced the withdrawal of these concessions. Reports received from the rural areas indicate that the farmers are ready to make the payment but there is no electricity. Incidentally, the State Government owes to the MPEB Rs 347.98 crore in lieu of free electricity supply for single connections and 5 hp pumps. Theft of electricity on a massive scale, allegedly with the connivance of the MPEB staff, is another factor which has driven the MPEB to the brink of bankruptcy. Madhya Pradesh has around 80 lakh consumers. The Chief Minister said on Thursday that five lakh consumers contributed 85 per cent of the total revenue of the MPEB while the remaining 75 lakh consumers contributed only 15 per cent. These 75 lakh, comprising middle and lower classes, would have to pay more per unit of the electricity consumed, the Chief Minister indicated. |
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US firm flayed for disrespect to deities NEW DELHI, Nov 18 (PTI) — BJP today condemned the action of an American company which was decorating toilet seats with “images of Hindu deities.” “It is a disquieting news. A Seattle-based us company is marketing toilet seats under its series — Sacred Seat Collection — with images of Hindu gods “Ganesh” and “Kali”. A contemptible thing to be strongly condemned by all”, party vice-president Pyarelal Khandelwal said in a statement here. He said the ink of the resolution passed by the United Nations General Assembly acknowledging the equality of all religions has not yet dried. “And here we see a group of people deliberately denigrating Hindu gods, knowing that they are held sacred by Hindus all over the world”, he said. Senior party leader J.P. Mathur said there appears to be a conspiracy by certain sections of a religious group to attack the Hindu community. He said what had been done “is not in good taste and it is an insult to our religion and religious sentiments”. |
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47 to get Sangeet Natak Akademi
awards NEW DELHI, Nov 18 (UNI) — While three prominent personalities, including theatre archivist Nemi Chand Jain and critic Ms Shanta Serbjeet Singh, have been recognised for their overall contribution to performing arts, 47 artistes are to be conferred the Sangeet Natak Akademi awards for 1999 and 2000. The awards list finalised at a meeting of the General Council of the Akademi earlier this week in Guwahati under the chairmanship of renowned maestro Bhupen Hazarika decided to give 12 awards each in music and dance, seven for theatre, five for other aspects of theatre, and 11 for traditional and folk dance, arts or puppetry. The third person to be recognised for overall contribution is music critic B. V. K. Sastry, who is in his eighties. Actress Seema Biswas who starred as Phoolan Devi in Shekhar Kapur’s “Bandit Queen”, and directors Nadira Zaheer Babbar and Prasanna have been awarded for theatre. The awardees in music include the well known Hindusthani classical singers Ajoy Chakrabarti and Rita Ganguli, sitarist Rajiv Taranath, and Carnatic vocalist T. N. Seshagopalan. Dancers include the renowned Leela Samson (bharatnatyam), Shovana Narayan (kathak), Swapnasundari (kuchipudi), Madhavi Mudgal (odissi), Bharati Shivaji (mohiniattam) and Mallika Sarabhai (creative dance). The veteran R. K. Dhingra (lighting), Kahal Ghosh (theatre music) and Robin Das (scenic design) have been recognised for other theatrical aspects. |
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‘Centre to convene
CMs’ meeting’ LUCKNOW, Nov 18 (PTI) — The Union Government would soon convene a meeting of Chief Ministers to chalk out a strategy to prevent recurrence of Veerappan-Rajkumar like situation in the country, BJP Vice-President Madal Lal Khurana said today.
Since the Centre cannot directly intervene in such a situation, a meeting of Chief Ministers would be called to chalk out a strategy in this regard, he told reporters here. To a question Mr Khurana said the BJP would think about an alternative if the Ajit Jogi government in the newly formed Chhattisgarh state fell on its own.
The BJP is neither interested in toppling any state government nor does it believe in horse trading, he said. |
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Marshy terrain delayed rescue operation BHUJ (Kutch), Nov 18 (UNI) — Union Home Minister L. K. Advani today said the inhospitable marshy terrain in the Creek area on the western Kutch border with Pakistan caused the delay in the rescue operation for the survivors of the MI-8 helicopter
crash. Talking to newspersons at the military hospital here, Mr Advani said it was difficult to locate the wreckage of the helicopter in the muddy land. |
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Police firing ARA (Bihar), Nov 18 (PTI) — One person was killed and two were seriously injured when the police opened fire on a mob who blocked the Ara-Buxar road near Shahpur police station in Bihar’s Bhojpur district today. |
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Orissa plunges into darkness BHUBANESWAR, Nov 18 (UNI) — A system failure at Balimela and the subsequent failure of the 440 kv line between Jamshedpur and Birsa plunged the entire state into darkness today.
A top official of the GRIDCO said the Balimela generating point developed a problem around 5 a.m. today and subsequently the 440 kv line between Jamshedpur and Bisra also broke down.
However, the officials managed to supply power to some selected areas, including the capital city. Efforts were on to restore power
supply to the rest of the state. CALCUTTA, Nov 18 (PTI) — The West Bengal Government has suspended two IAS officers on the charge of defalcation of funds, official sources said here today. The two officers — State Election Commissioner Secretary Bimal Pandey and Joint Secretary Oberoi — were suspended after prima facie evidence of defalcation were found against them, they said. |
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