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| Tuesday, December 12, 2000, Chandigarh, India   
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Women’s quota Bill Mass cremations
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Ray accuses Basu of corrupt practices Ram Dass made Cabinet minister Frame central quota Act,
says V.P. Singh HC directive to govt on postal strike Celeste calls on Advani CID files appeals
against Jaya I wanted to earn name as scribe: PM
UP CM says no to beauty contests Higher dearness relief on pension
to freedom fighters Mosque attack: 2 lakh
for kin of victim
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Women’s quota Bill NEW DELHI, Dec 11 (UNI) — More than 1,000 activists of the National Federation of Indian Women (NFIW) today courted arrest at the Parliament street after their march to Parliament, to press their demand for the passage of Women’s Reservation Bill in the current session, was stopped by the police. Addressing the NIFW activists who came to the city from different states of the country, several eminent speakers came down heavily on the BJP-led government at the Centre for allegedly delaying the passage of the bill on one pretext or the other. Saying that the real issues concerning the people were being ignored, most speakers criticised the Atal Behari Vajpayee government for diverting the public attention to insignificant issues like the construction of Ram Temple at Ayodhya. They said the government’s contention that there was no consensus on the Bill seeking 33 per cent reservation for women in parliament and state assemblies was an “excuse’’. They argued that if the government puts the bill to vote in the current session of parliament, it would be passed by a massive majority. They regretted that the Bill had been kept in suspension for the past four years despite the fact that major political parties proclaimed their support to the proposed legislation. The speakers included Vandana Shiva of Alliance of Food Security, Brinda Karat of the All India Democratic Women’s Association, Swami Agnivesh of the Bandhua Mukti Morcha, Mr K.L Mahendra (AITUC) and members of Parliament V.V. Raghvan, Gaya Singh and Bhan Singh Bhaura. The NFIW activists led by its general secretary Amarjeet Kaur started their march to Parliament from Mandi House and they were stopped at the Parliament Street. After the rally, the women activists courted arrest but they were released after a while.
PTI: “Only nine days are left for this winter session to end...While the Women’s Reservation Bill is tossing (around) for four years now,” said Kaur seeking the passage of the Bill in the current session. Brinda Karat said the delay in clearing the Bill was part of a larger conspiracy, as no political party was genuinely interested in the measure. |
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Mass cremations NEW DELHI, Dec 11 — The National Human Rights Commission has clarified that it is yet to determine the quantum of compensation in the Punjab mass cremation cases. The Commission has taken notice of news reports alleging that victims of Punjab mass cremation have rejected the compensation recommended by the Commission on the ground that the Commission has allowed compensation without fixing accountability for the gross violation of civil rights by the Punjab police during the period of terrorism. The Commission has clarified that the Supreme Court had asked the Commission to have the matter examined and the Commission had received 88 such cases. The Commission has stated that it examined three categories of cases. It said that 23 of these cases did not fall within the police districts of Amritsar, Majitha and Tarn Taran. Since the Commission had been asked to examine cases pertaining only to these three districts, it excluded the 23 cases and intimated the claimants. In the second category, the Punjab government had offered to pay compensation in 18 cases in accordance with its policy. The Commission felt that the offer itself was sufficient “to render the State government liable for payment of compensation.” The Commission has further clarified that it simply reiterated the liability of the Punjab government for the payment of compensation. A clarification issued here on Monday says that Section 18(3) of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993 empowers it to recommend grant of immediate interim relief. “The provision of immediate relief can be given without waiting for the final decision on the quantum of compensation or deciding the responsibility of the officials concerned whose actions had resulted into the violation of human rights in the interests of providing quick relief to the victim/family. The Commission has said that in these 18 cases, it has decided neither the total quantum of compensation nor the interim compensation but the offer of payment of compensation was made by the Punjab government. It is therefore incorrect to say that “while the Commission had allowed compensation, it was not ready to fix accountability for the gross violation of civil rights committed by the Punjab police.” The Commission, has said that 47 claims in the third category will be scrutinised according to settled principles for the award of compensation. For this purpose, the Commission has requested the counsel for Punjab and the Amicus Curiae to carry out the scrutiny and report to the Commission. |
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UK to speed up waiver on defence spares NEW DELHI, Dec 11 (PTI) — Britain today assured India of speeding up with Washington efforts for a waiver on supply of key defence spares for frontline naval equipment like anti submarine Seaking helicopters and Jump Jet Sea Harriers. The suspension of total product support by M/s GKN Westland in the wake of 1998 Pokhran nuclear tests was among the key issues which came up during hour-long talks between Defence Minister George Fernandes and visiting British Secretary of State for Defence Geoffrey Hoon. After the imposition of US sanctions, the licence of British Westland company was revoked by its parent company Sikorsky, which led to impounding by Whitehall of 169 critical components of the Seakings leading to grounding of almost 60 per cent of the Indian naval chopper fleet. However, London has told New Delhi that it has recommended to Washington a waiver on the supply of spares, with British sources saying they were hopeful of a positive nod soon. A Defence Ministry spokesman
said," wide-ranging issues of mutual concern came up during the meeting between Fernandes and his British counterpart”. “The two leaders discussed ways and means of strengthening defence cooperation”, he said. Highly placed sources said the British side expressed keenness on early conclusion of the Sterling Advance Jet Trainer hawk deal. Interest was also shown in New Delhi’s efforts to acquire the much-delayed mounted 155mm howitzer guns for Army’s strike corp. The other main issues which figured during the talks, were cooperation in international peace-keeping, conflict resolution and developments in the region, with the focus on Afghanistan, sources said. The British Defence Secretary, here on a three-day visit, the first by a top Whitehall leader in 10 years, also met the Army Chief Gen S. Padmanabhan. Vice-Chiefs of the Air and naval staff called on Hoon. Heading a six-member delegation, the visiting dignitary laid a wreath at Amar Jawan Jyoti and Commonwealth war graves cemetary, and was presented a guard of honour at South Block. He also delivered a lecture at the prestigious United Services Institute. Geoffrey Hoon, along with Fernandes, would visit the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited’s Bangalore facility tomorrow, where the bulk of the 66 AJT’s India is acquiring from British Aerospace would be assembled. |
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Delhi Police justifies medal to Kanth NEW DELHI, Dec 11 — The Delhi Police today defended the award of President’s Medal to the then Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mr Amod Kanth, for his role in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. The Delhi Police in a reply to an affidavit filed before the Justice Nanavati Commission, set up to probe the riots afresh, said Mr Amod Kanth had been given the award for his positive role in protecting the Sikhs in his area in large numbers and also taking firm police action against the rioters and the leadership qualities displayed by him. Mr Amod Kanth, now the Joint Commissioner of Delhi Police, was present in person before the commission pressed for an hearing on the application. Justice Nanavati said the commission was at present in the preliminary stage of collecting the materials for the inquiry. The application would be heard at an appropriate stage and order would be passed
separately or would be part of the commission’s report. The November 1984 Carnage Justice Committee had filed the application seeking the withdrawal of the Presidential Medal as the facts mentioned in the citation were totally incorrect. Senior Advocate H.S. Phoolka appearing for the committee said ‘‘it is most surprising that 4000 persons have been killed but no action has been taken against any police official, to the contrary President’s Medal has been awarded for arresting Sikhs. The question is not against any individual police official but it is the question of principle, he added. The counsel said the facts mentioned in the citation of the award were totally incorrect as was clear from the orders of the Sessions Court. The citation states that Mr Kanth (the then Deputy Commissioner of Police) and Mr S.S. Manan, Inspector, had displayed exemplary courage in saving lives of the owners of a house from a mob. Over 16 persons who were firing indiscriminately were arrested by the police. Mr Phoolka said the CFSL report stated that the bullets recovered from the bodies of two persons killed in the shoot out had not been fired from the weapons seized from these 16 persons. On this ground, the court discharged accused persons from the murder case instituted against them, the counsel said, adding that it is most surprising that the citation does not take note of the fact that among these 16 persons there were two infants, four young girls, two old ladies and two minor boys. Meanwhile, the November 1984 Carnage Justice Committee filed another application calling for records from the Home Ministry. The commission should call for the records from the Home Ministry relating to the calling of the Army in aid of civil administration to quell the violence. The Justice Ranganath Misra Commission had observed that “if the Army had been called in the morning of November 1, 1984, and by then about 5000 Army personnel were in Delhi — the position would certainly not have been as bad as it turned out to be. 5000 Army jawans divided into columns and moving into the streets properly armed would not have brought about the death of at least 2,000 persons.” |
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Ray accuses Basu of corrupt practices CALCUTTA, Dec 11 — Former Chief Minister and former Punjab Governor Siddhartha Shankar Ray, said Mr Jyoti Basu might not be a corrupt person financially but he did indulge in corrupt practices. In an interview to a private TV channel last night, the veteran Congressman criticised Mr Basu for still occupying a government bungalow at Salt Lake which Mr Ray had built during his tenure as a guest-house for foreign dignitaries. Moreover, a lift had been installed at Mr Basu’s Hindusthan Park house, he said, adding that he had kept a political secretary at government expense. Mr Ray said he had no desire to return to active politics but he would be happy to see the end of the Stalinist rule of the CPM in West Bengal. He felt Ms Mamata Banerjee would be the right person to lead the anti-Marxist forces in the state. Mr Ray did not attribute any credit to Mr Basu for leaving the Chief Minister’s chair at the age of 87. However, it was creditable that he remained the Chief Minister for such a long period, he added. Mr Ray remarked that after the partition of the Communist Party in 1964, all prominent leaders who could stand as potential threat to Mr Basu had joined the CPI leaving Mr Basu at an advantage. Mr Ray denied having misused power during his tenure as Chief Minister between 1972 and 1976. He said Mr Basu had instituted as many as five judicial probes into the alleged misrule by him but the allegations could not be proved. |
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Ram Dass made Cabinet minister DEHRA DUN, Dec 11 — Mr Nityanand Swami, Chief Minister of Uttaranchal, today promoted Mr Narayan Ram Dass, a state minister holding independent charge, to the rank of Cabinet minister. In a simple ceremony held on the premises of the Circuit House (temporary Raj Bhavan) he was sworn in as Cabinet minister by the Governor, Mr Surjit Singh Barnala, late this evening. Mr Dass was among two other MLAs, including state party chief Bhagat Singh Koshiyari, who did not turn up at the swearing in ceremony on the first day. A day after, all three MLAs took oath under pressure from the party high command. Mr Dass was reportedly unhappy with the post of state minister offered to him. During the past three weeks, Mr Dass toured almost the whole state to gather support in his favour from BJP workers and leaders. A number of party leaders and workers wrote to the Chief Minister to promote Mr Dass as Cabinet minister. Political observers say that Mr Swami was under pressure from the BJP high command to tackle the growing dissidence among party MLAs. The other reason why he was “forced” to induct Mr Dass into the Cabinet was that he
belong to the reserved category. No one from this category was included in the Cabinet earlier. The political observers feel that the crisis in the party has blown over only for the moment. The imbalance in representation in the ministry may force the Chief Minister to go in for another Cabinet expansion in the near future. |
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Frame central quota Act,
says V.P. Singh NEW DELHI, Dec 11 — Former Prime Minister V.P. Singh has demanded extension of quotas to the private sector and formulation of a central Act to include various government orders (GOs) issued for giving reservation benefits to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. He also demanded disbanding of the Constitution Review Commission. Addressing “Save reservation and Constitution rally” here today, he demanded a national debate on the impact of privatisation policies on the poor. Lauding rallyists for launching the “struggle” to achieve their rights, he said Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee should fulfil his promises made to the SCs and STs. Demanding immediate disbanding of the Constitution Review Commission, he said it was an unconstitutional move. Mr Ram Raj, chairman, All-India Confederation of SC/ST Organisations, demanded that the Department of Personnel and Training should withdraw its three “anti-reservation” orders. He also said there should be a uniform school education in the country. |
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HC directive to govt on postal strike NEW DELHI, Dec 11 — The Delhi High Court intervened today as the deadlock between the six lakh striking postal employees and the government continued for the seventh day. Even as the High Court asked the Centre to state by Wednesday whether it was planning to invoke the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) to end the strike, the government indicated that it would not consider the striking employees’ key demand, regularisation three lakh extra departmental employees. A Division Bench, comprising Chief Justice Arijit Passayat and Mr Justice D.K. Jain, told Additional Solicitor-General K.K. Sud to take instructions from the government by December 13 as to what action it was taking to normalise the postal services. The court while passing the direction came on a public interest litigation seeking to end the strike posted the matter for hearing on Wednesday. The court said postal services are essential services and should not be allowed to be affected like this. “The government may take whatever step it deem fit but we want that the postal services are normalised,” the Bench observed. Coming down heavily on the postal employees union class-III, which wanted to intervene in the PIL, the court said there was no logic for them to go on strike. The court told employees’ counsel Ashok Aggarwal “you (employees) should not be entitled for the salary for the strike period”. Meanwhile, the postal union representative met the Deputy Chief Labour Commissioner, Mr G.R. Majhi, but refused to soften the stand despite government offer to refer demand relating to upgradation of pay scales to an “anomaly committee” arguing that such a committee was yet to be formed. A union representative said as the government has not given any firm commitment on internal demands of the union would be settled within the department, there was no question of calling off the strike. The postal services across the country were disrupted today with the unions, spearheading the indefinite strike, reaffirming their stand that the stir would continue till the government agreed to meet wage-related demands. The three employees’ federations —the National Federation of Postal Employees, the Federation of National Postal Organisations and the Bharatiya Postal Employees Federation — demand the immediate implementation of the Justice Talwar Committee recommendations on wage revision and related benefits. UNI: The government today indicated that one of the key demands for regularising the 300,000 extra departmental employees would not be considered as signs of a breakthrough between the government and agitating federation leaders seemed remote on the seventh day today. Bharatiya Postal Employees
Federation (BPEF) secretary-general V.S. Yadav said the representatives of the government today said they would not consider the demands for regularising the services 300,000 extra departmental employees and for their pensions. “The issue of ED employees has been referred to the Solicitor General of India”, Mr Yadav said. The government meanwhile is adamant that no pay would be given to the striking employees. The government incurs an expenditure of seven crore a day on the employees. “The government continues to lose Rs five crore a day because of the strike especially at a time when the postal department is reeling under losses,” a top ranking Postal Department official told UNI. Postal services continued to be paralysed. Those who have mailed just before the strike would have to wait for their posts to be delivered. “The mail is safe in our custody and is right now piled up in the various post offices and rail mail centres across the country”, National Federation of Postal Employees, general-secretray Chandran Pillai said. He assured the customers that the ‘sent mail’ was safe. An official release added that head post offices in Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Tamil Nadu were kept open even on Sundays. “This is to deliver mail, particularly speed post articles”, an official spokesman said. |
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Celeste calls on Advani NEW DELHI, Dec 11 — The US Ambassador to India, Mr Richard F. Celeste today called on the Union Home Minister, Mr L.K. Advani, and conveyed Washington’s “keen interest” in the peace initiative taken by the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee on Kashmir. “The USA was very eager to support the peace initiative and hopeful of efforts in this direction,” Mr Celeste told reporters after a 35-minute meeting with Mr Advani here. Asked whether Washington felt that conditions were conducive for the resumption of bilateral talks between India and Pakistan, stalled since the Kargil conflict last year, the US Ambassador said “My government has been consistently encouraging a dialogue between India and Pakistan on a whole range of issues.” Mr Celeste said during the discussions he had an opportunity to share with the Home Minister, US Government’s “keen interest” in the initiative taken by Mr Vajpayee in announcing a unilateral ceasefire in Kashmir. |
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CID files appeals
against Jaya CHENNAI, Dec 11 (UNI) — The CID today filed appeals in the Madras High Court, seeking to convict former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalitha, her close aide Sasikala Natarajan and former Chairman and Managing Director of Tansi T.R. Srinivasan for offences under Sections 169 and 109 IPC, in the Tansi land deal cases. Special Judge-3 P. Anbazhagan had on October 9, while convicting and sentencing the accused to three years RI in the case, acquitted them in respect of offences under Section 169 (public servant unlawfully buying or bidding for property) and Section 109 (abetment). The CB-CID has preferred the appeal against the acquittal. |
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I wanted to earn name as scribe: PM NEW DELHI, Dec 11 (PTI) — “I didn’t play too much mischief,” Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee said recalling his school days, nearly 70 years ago. The Prime Minister rarely holds a formal press conference but today he found himself under intense questioning by a group of children on subjects ranging from his school days to the current situation in Jammu and Kashmir. “I was also scared of mathematics. In exams I used to do only the algebra and leave the other arithmetic,” he admitted to the children during a half-an-hour interaction with them on All India Radio (AIR) on the occasion of the International Children’s Broadcasting Day. About being punished in class, he said “I never got beaten up but my master used to twist my ears. These days beating children in schools has been stopped. We used to be made to stand on the bench.
Murga bhi banaya jaata tha”. “I used to get punished sometimes but I didn’t play too much mischief. This does not mean that I was always just studying. I was not a bookworm. I used to play in my hockey team.” Asked whether his goal in life was to be a Prime Minister, he said, “I wanted to be a journalist. I became a Prime Minister. Even today if I am relieved of my duties as a Prime Minister I will become a journalist. I wanted to make a name but not as a politician, but as a writer, as a journalist.” He said his ideal in life was Swami Vivekananda. To queries about children in the slums and other backward classes, Mr Vajpayee said each child should be given the opportunity to study. He said there were several countries where all children had education and “we are trying to make India like that.” On child marriage in the country, the Prime Minister said the percentage was very low and that with proper social awareness the problem could be eradicated completely. On Kashmir, he said though India had declared a unilateral ceasefire during Ramzan, some gun-toting elements were bent on disrupting the peace initiative. “But India is doing its job. We will secure the country and make complete efforts to bring peace.” To a child’s concern about brain drain, Mr Vajpayee asked “where does everyone get a chance to go? It is too expensive and one has to get permission from the country one desires to go to.” The Prime Minister said: “Students go for better opportunities. If the courses are available here, there is no need to go abroad.” However, many of them are drawn back out of love for their country, he said. |
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UP CM says no to beauty contests MATHURA, Dec 11 (UNI) — Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Rajnath Singh today announced that no beauty contest would be allowed in the state. It may be recalled that Mr Rajnath Singh had, only a few days ago, congratulated Miss World 2000 Priyanka Chopra, who belongs to Bareilly. Addressing a gathering after inaugurating the Vatsalya Gram Yojna here, he expressed his dislike for beauty contests. Sadhvi
Rithambhra, who is the brain behind the yojna, said the Indian women should not lose their identity as a mother. |
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Higher dearness relief on pension
to NEW DELHI, Dec 11 — The Central Government has issued orders enhancing dearness relief payable on pension to freedom fighters and their eligible dependants under the Swantantrata Sainik Samman Pension Scheme, 1980. The dearness relief on pension has been raised to 24 per cent with effect from August 1, 2000. Earlier it was 20 per cent. A Home Ministry spokesman said while ex-Andaman political prisoners would now get Rs 960 per month as dearness relief, freedom fighters who suffered outside British India (other than INA) would get Rs 840; other freedom fighters, including INA and widow/widower all categories of freedom fighters Rs 720; unmarried/unemployed daughters — eldest daughter Rs 144 and other two daughters Rs 84 each; and mother and father Rs 240 each, he said. |
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Mosque attack: 2 lakh
for kin of victim CHENNAI, Dec 11 (UNI) — Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi today announced a sum of Rs 2 lakh for the family of Abdul Rasheed who was hacked to death inside the precincts of a mosque near Palayamkottai in Tirunelveli district yesterday. Mr Karunanidhi announced that the state government would provide employment to the next of kin of the deceased. Abdul Rasheed was hacked to death while he was preparing food inside the mosque along with another person,
Ismail, when unidentified persons entered the mosque and hurled hand grenades at them. Daughter-in-law of Barnala moves NCW NEW
DELHI, Dec 11 — Uttaranchal Governor and Punjab's former Chief Minister Surjit Singh Barnala's daughter-in-law's mother has moved the National Commission for Women, alleging maltreatment of her daughter Perveshbir by the family. |
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65 die of meningitis NAWADA, Dec 11 (PTI) — With four more deaths, meningitis has so far claimed 65 lives in Kauakal and Rajaul blocks in Bihar’s Nawada district in the past month, official sources said. The civil surgeon in-charge of Nawada said here today that four of a family died of the diseases at Dudhiyatand village under Kauakal block last evening. |
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