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| Sunday, December 17, 2000, Chandigarh, India   
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‘Red rioters’ rock Bihar police Lanka’s talks offer to LTTE Govt policy causing hardships: Sonia Court upholds decision on
beauty contest Delhi ‘delays’ due status to Punjabi Visva Bharati in financial crunch PM Dosanjh arrives tomorrow |
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Fernandes’ appeal to civil servants Panel recommends more Haj flights Tigers maul circus artiste to death Security tightened for
Hrithik, family 2 brothers kidnapped 21 writers bag Katha Awards Magsaysay Award winner Ghose dead Curfew in 4 areas
of Moradabad
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‘Red rioters’ rock Bihar police PATNA, Dec 16 — The Left-wing anarchist group, MCC, has once again jolted the morale of the state police force. The tall claims of the state police about the quick recovery of the abducted Block Development Officer (BDO) of Giddhaur, Naval Kumar Singh, fell flat as the MCC killed him. His body was found in a jungle. Challenging the might of the “Operation Greyhounds” launched by the state police on the lines of Andhra Pradesh, the MCC killed five more persons on December 13, four in Gumla area whom it had abducted, and one in Jehanabad. The “Operation Greyhounds” has been launched to put an end to the militant menace but the ultras seem undeterred. The cops face a new challenge from the MCC which has threatened to sabotage the peace talks going on between the Marandi government and the People’s War, another Left-wing militant group. The “Red rioters” versus “Greyhounds” war is on in Bihar. The killing of the BDO will have its repercussions. The Bihar Administrative Service Association (BASA) has time and again asked the state government to provide security to BDOs in the militant-infested areas as they had been receiving threats from the MCC. It is to be mentioned that BDOs’ offices and residences have not been given armed security. The MCC had earlier fixed “levies” on BDOs and threatened “action” if not paid. It is reported that more than 100 BDOs have received letters from the MCC to “pay levy or lose life”. The MCC brutality has sent shivers down the spines of officials. The said BDO was thrashed and tortured so much that he died of heart failure. Later the MCC chopped off his hand and threw the body in the jungle. Although the police claims success, it seems the militant are still way ahead. The cops are being assisted by the paramilitary force in the operation and they have also nabbed the killers of the Lohardagga SP. Lanka’s talks offer to LTTE NEW DELHI, Dec 16 — Indo-Pakistan strained relations were responsible for the present impasse in the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), visiting Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Laxman Kadirgamar said here today. Addressing newspersons, the Sri Lankan Foreign Minister said “the SAARC summit is not expected to be held in the foreseeable future and is not on cards”. Mr Kadirgamar, who held wideranging talks with External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh and also met Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, said “the situation between India and Pakistan does not allow” to hold a summit. Maintaining that the postponement of the SAARC summit though “regrettable” was not a devastating blow to the grouping, Mr Kadirgamar said both New Delhi and Islamabad were genuinely concerned about the regional organisation. Stressing that SAARC represented the aspirations of the people of the South Asian region, the visiting Minister said that a visit of senior Indian officials to Pakistan had scheduled in the first week of the new year to participate in the technical committee meeting. Informing that peace talks with the LTTE without any conditions were on cards in the near future, Mr Kadirgamar said that New Delhi’s views on the final solution of the ethnic conflict were of “paramount importance”. He said that his Government was prepared for talks “to get the grip of the core issue” and appealed to the LTTE for not insisting on any conditions. Stating that there has be no direct contact with the LTTE, the Minister said that there was no role for a mediator. Even Norwegians were told that their role was only that of a facilitator, he pointed out and ruled out India’s direct role in the resolution of the conflict. Informing that India did not even want a role, he stressed that New Delhi’s role in the entire peace process was of “paramount importance. “We have excellent communication and keep them informed of the developments”, he added. Asked to elaborate on his optimism, Mr Kadirgamar said this time the scenario for talks was different than in 1995 as there was a facilitator now. And further even the international situation and opinion had changed since then, he said adding that international community had made it clear that Sri Lankan territorial integrity must be protected. “This rules out a separate state”, he said. On the extradition of the LTTE chief V. Prabhakaran, Mr Kadirgamar said that India had put in a formal request few years back and a recent statement of the Union Home Minister, Mr L.K. Advani, was a reiteration of that request, he said adding that the issue had not figured at the talks with Mr Jaswant Singh. Asked whether his government was prepared to give some concessions to the LTTE for the talks, Mr Kadirgamar said it could be done once they showed their willingness for talks. “If we feel that talks can begin and the concession will truly facilitate the advent of the talks, we will do anything to facilitate”, he said ruling out any ceasefire offer. |
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Govt policy causing hardships: Sonia JAIPUR, Dec 16 (UNI) — Congress President Sonia Gandhi today said the present policies in the country had increased the problems and hardships faced by the people and led to a rise in unemployment. Inaugurating the two-day fifth national conference of the Sindhi Council of India (SCI) at Birla Auditorium here, Mrs Gandhi said the unity of the country could be maintained when “we keep our unity intact’’. “We have to maintain communal harmony, brotherhood and unity at all
cost,’’she asserted. As many as 750 delegates from across the country as well as from foreign countries are taking part in the conference to deliberate upon various issues and problems faced by the Sindhi community. Mrs Gandhi said all great people, including saints,
philosophers, leaders and thinkers had spoken about unity. Merely discussing and talking about their ideals and principles would not help and need to be followed in life by the entire society. Mrs Gandhi pointed out that she learnt this from the example of the Nehru family and added that when she decided to enter “politics’’ faced a big question in this respect. As there was a bigger fight within one’s heart rather than the
outside the congress leader said adding that she had pledged to maintain the ideals and values through the congress party. Court upholds decision on
beauty contest LUCKNOW, Dec 16 (UNI)
— A petition by a local event management firm seeking permission for organising a beauty contest after the administration denied the sanction has been dismissed by the Allahabad High Court. Fantasies, which was to organise Miss Lucknow and Prince Lucknow today, was denied permission by the local administration on the grounds that it might create a law and order problem. The administration said that a procession to mark the 19th day of Ramzan was proposed to be taken out in the city today due to which the police force would be busy and would not be able to provide adequate security arrangements. The Lucknow Bench of Mr Justice Jagdish Bhalla heard the case yesterday and upholding the administration decision as “correct” refused to grant permission to Fantasies to organise the beauty contest. Fantasies Chief Jiten Saxena said that the administration plea of lack of adequate security was merely an “excuse” and the decision was taken on the behest of the Chief Minister Rajnath Singh. He said he would approach the courts against the decision of Chief Minister not to allow beauty contests in the state. A government spokesman said they were willing to fight any legal battle but would never let any beauty contests within the limits of Uttar Pradesh.
Delhi ‘delays’ due status to Punjabi CHANDIGARH, Dec 16 — The claims of both BJP and the Congress notwithstanding, Punjabi and Urdu are awaiting the second-language status in the union Capital. Though the Delhi Legislative Assembly formally adopted the “Delhi Adoption of Punjabi and Urdu Official Languages Bill, 1999,” on April 3, it is yet to be sent to the Union Home Ministry for notification. According to Mr Balwant Singh Ramoowalia, MP, President of the Lok Bhalai Party, the Union Minister of State for Home, Mr Vidyasagar Rao, had informed him now that the “Delhi Official Languages Bill, 2000,” was yet to be received by the Central Government from the Delhi Government Interestingly, the previous BJP Govenment in Delhi, which was initially headed by Mr Madan Lal Khurana, had claimed credit for granting Punjabi the second-language status in the union Capital. In recognition of his action for the cause of Punjabi, Mr Khurana was profusely felicitated by the Punjabi Community in general and the Sikhs in particular. But between 1993 and 1998, when the BJP was the ruling party in Delhi, the Delhi Official Language Bill was never adopted by the State Assembly. Subsequently, the Congress came to power in Delhi in the last Assembly elections. The Congress, too, claimed credit for getting this Bill passed by the State Assembly but subsequently put it in the cold storage by not forwarding it to the Union Home Ministry for ratification and notification. As of today, the Delhi Official Languages Bill, 2000, is still to be notified by the Union Home Ministry. Mr Balwant Singh Ramoowalia, criticised the Congress Government of Delhi for “inordinately delaying the follow-up action on the Bill. It amounts to befooling and exploiting the minorities like the BJP.The present Congress Government is likewise dithering on it despite a lapse of about eight months from the adoption of this Bill. In reality, the grant of second-language status to Punjabi in Delhi has turned out to be a damp squib.” He has urged the Delhi Government to immediately forward this Bill to the Central Government . It may be recalled that Haryana has granted Punjabi its due status in the state. 
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Visva Bharati in financial crunch CALCUTTA, Dec 16 — Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore’s Visva Bharati at Santiniketan, Birbhum district of south Bengal, of which Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee is the Chancellor, has now been in doldrums following students’ unrest and political interference. This residential university also suffers from acute financial distress which has forced the Vice-Chancellor, Dr Dilip Sinha, to temporarily suspend all advanced academic activities as well as the university’s other development activities. Never before in the past, this historic university had been placed in such difficulties. Located in the
Naxalite-infested Bolpur subdivision, the students’ agitation which has now been a very frequent affair, had compelled the varsity authority to close the university for a fortnight in July. However, later at the intervention of the local MP, Mr Somnath Chatterjee (CPM), classes were restarted after a joint meeting held between the university authorities and the students’ union. But trouble broke out again in August inside the campus following a clash between two groups of students belonging to the CPM and the
Naxalites. Firearms and other weapons were freely used in the clash in which three students, including a girl student, sustained injuries. The Vice-Chancellor had to requisition the police to maintain peace and normalcy. Oddly enough, the students themselves fought inside the campus and later jointly protested against the decision to deploy the police at the university, which they alleged was unethical and against the sanctity of the educational institutions. Then again, the varsity authority had to close the university. Now, the university was again re-opened but the classes and other academic activities were frequently disturbed due to rivalry between two students’ unions. Financial shortcoming also has been a big handicap for the university to run day to day activities. The university has been running mainly with the financial aids from the Centre through the University Grants Commission (UGC) like many other universities. But while other universities have the right to mobilise additional resources by enhancing students education fees, Visva Bharati cannot. Of late, of course, the university had decided to raise funds by giving affiliation to different undergraduate colleges, which also was challenged by the UGC. The university authority admits that they have to suspend various academic activities for want of funds. The university sansad, the highest decision making body, urged the Prime Minister and the Union Minister of Human Resource Development, Dr Murli Manohar Joshi, to immediately sanction adequate funds for revamping the usual academic activities. The Sansad also requested the state government to help the authority establish peaceful atmosphere in the university. PM Dosanjh arrives tomorrow NEW DELHI, Dec 16 — Mr Ujjal Dosanjh, Prime Minister, British Columbia, Canada, and the first Indian migrant to Canada is arriving on Monday on a fortnight’s visit. According to a press note issued here today, Mr Dosanjh will call on the President and the Prime Minister during his four-day stay in Delhi. He will be honoured with special awards on Wednesday by the World Punjabi Organisation and the Bhai Vir Singh Sadan. He will also be honoured by the International Punjabi Society and the Antarashtriya Sehyog Parishad. The Canadian High Commissioner will hold a reception on December 19. The External Affairs Minister will host a reception in Hyderabad House on Wednesday. Mr Dosanjh will address principals and staff members of Sikh colleges and schools on Tuesday at a special reception hosted by the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee. He will receive an honorary Doctorate of Philosophy in Laws from Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar on Friday and will proceed to Chandigarh to attend receptions being hosted separately by the Chief Ministers of Punjab and
Haryana. A grand reception is also being organised in his village, Dosanjh, near Jalandhar on December 27. It will be presided by the Chief Minister of Punjab. |
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Fernandes’ appeal to civil servants DEHRA DUN, Dec 16 — Reaffirming the Centre’s commitment to end terrorism from the country, Defence Minister George Fernandes exhorted civil servants to play decisive role in eradicating the problem. Addressing the passing-out trainees of the Indian Administrative Service at Lal Bahadur Shastri Academy, Mussoorie, last evening Mr Fernandes said internal disturbances were creating more problems than the external ones. Terrorism in the north-eastern states had been identified as more dangerous to the nation than that of Kashmir. He said ULFA militants in a disguised manner were attacking the para-military forces and killing innocent civilians creating an overall atmosphere of fear among the common people. The Defence Minister said the situation in the southern states was also worsening. The main cause of unrest among the youth was unemployment. At present, there were more than four crore literate unemployed youth in the country. The Planning Commission had never taken any serious steps to eradicate this problem. Due to wrong policies in the past, the youth took to the wrong path. Unoccupied hands started handling the gun. He said the civil servants were pillar of the country’s democracy. He apprised the IAS officers in different departments must follow the path of honesty and discipline. They should also adopt the ideologies of Gautama Buddha and Mahatma Gandhi. This could help in ending corruption from the country. Speaking on the occasion, Mr Wajahad Avitullah, Director of the Academy, said there were many challenges before the outgoing civil servants of the institute but they should learn to accept them. They should work for the uplift of the downtrodden people. Earlier, the Defence Minister was welcomed by Ms Nivedita Shukla, District Magistrate, and Mr Avitullah at the Polo helipad. |
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Panel recommends more Haj flights NEW DELHI, Dec 16 — The Parliamentary Committee on Transport and Tourism has sought to increase the number of flights for the Haj pilgrims with the stress on starting new flights from Thiruvananthapuram and Nagpur besides increasing the frequency from Kochi. The committee, which had a meeting recently under the chairmanship of Mohammad Saleem, in its report on chartering and management of flights for Haj pilgrims, has also suggested that the flights from Calicut should be restored. This specially as a Haj House and a musafir khana were already in existence near the airport. It was of the view that efforts should also be made to start direct flights from Jammu and Srinagar to Delhi, exclusively for Haj pilgrims so that there was no delay for the Hajis to catch flights to their destination in Jeddah. The committee said Air India, which had vast experience of handling Haj flights, should be entrusted with the job of operating the flights instead of handing it over to another charter company. Instead of having ad hoc arrangements, there should be some regular
practice for handling Haj operations, the committee said. It also felt that the decision to hire charters should be taken at least three months in advance from the commencement of departure of flights to avoid inconvenience to Hajis. Since most Hajis were senior citizens and had to travel a lot to reach their respective airports to catch flights, the committee felt that some guidelines should be framed for the selection of airports based on the number of pilgrims from a particular centre. Efforts should be made that the airports selected are not very far from the native places of the Hajis so that, in case of delay, they could go back to their homes. In this connection, it recommended that there should be new flights from Thiruvananthapuram and Nagpur besides increasing the frequency from Kochi and restoration of Haj flights from Calicut. To ensure the qualitative air worthiness of the aircraft, the committee recommended that the terms and conditions while chartering of aircraft should be very clear and there should be very hefty penalties for companies changing the planes at a later date. The committee realised the constraints of the airlines but was of the view that Hajis should be allowed to bring back a reasonable amount of excess baggage on their return journey, keeping in view the sentiments of the pilgrims. To ensure the smooth and effective handling of the Haj flights, it said that Haj House, Air India booking offices, all disembarkation airports and Air India headquarters should be linked electronically to provide information to the pilgrims. Control rooms should also be set up at Jeddah, Mecca and Medina and these should be manned round the clock to enable pilgrims and their relatives to access latest and current information with regard to flight movement. There should also be improvement at the coordination level. |
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Tigers maul circus artiste to death HOWRAH, Dec 16 (PTI) — A circus artiste died after she was mauled in the ring by three tigers during a show here, triggering a near-stampede among the spectators yesterday. The police said today that the circus, held at the Golmohar ground, was into the day’s last show when the tragedy struck. Rita Chhetri (20) had laid down for the act, which called for nine tigers to jump over her and pass through a ring. But one of the big cats suddenly attacked her and was followed by two others, the police said. The ring master Ramanand Thakur and show in charge Pratap Biswas controlled the tigers and rushed Rita to a hospital, where she succumbed to her injuries. The police later arrested Thakur, Biswas and licencee Mantu Banerjee. They will be produced in the court today. Tension ran high in the crowded adjacent area since the incident and all shows were suspended from today. Subdivisional Officer Somnath Mukherjee said the circus authorities had been asked to keep the beasts under strict watch and withdraw all items featuring tigers and lions. He said details of all circus items had been asked to be submitted to him, besides a written assurance by the circus authorities for the security and safety of the performers and the audience. |
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Security tightened for Hrithik, family MUMBAI, Dec 16 — The police has tightened security for Hindi cinema’s actor Hrithik Roshan and his producer-director father Rakesh following the revelations of an underworld plot to harm them. A senior police official said that security for the Roshan family had been beefed up from November after phone tapping of film producer Nazim Rizvi had revealed that he was planning to harm Rakesh Roshan at the behest of alleged underworld gangster Chhota Shakeel. Rizvi was arrested on Wednesday for alleged underworld links that include obtaining illegal money to finance his latest film “Chori Chori Chupke Chupke.” Transcripts of Rizvi’s purported conversation with Shakeel from October till earlier this month have been made available to the media by the police. On October 28 Shakeel is said to have asked Rizvi to meet “Chikna” (a code name for Hrithik that means a man with good clean looks) and warn him that his life would be in danger if he refused to sign a film to be financed by him. “Tell him to make “Takla” (code name for Rakesh Roshan that means a bald man) understand and that I will not spare him if he refuses the film, Shakeel is said to have told Rizvi, according to the transcripts. On November 10, Shakeel was reportedly tapped as saying that he would harm Rakesh Roshan soon. “I will do something Tuesday or Wednesday,” the transcript quoting Shakeel said. “We had been providing police protection to Rakesh Roshan after the attempt on his life early this year. This has now been beefed up,” a police official told IANS. Rakesh Roshan’s film “Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai” starring Hrithik has turned out to be the biggest hit of this year thereby drawing attention of the underworld. The family has already engaged private security agencies. “We have advised them to take precautions to avoid being targeted by the underworld,” the police official said. Also they have unlisted their telephone numbers and only a privileged few are given access to their contact numbers. Even these numbers are changed frequently. Threats from the underworld notwithstanding, the Roshan family is trying to lead a normal life. Hrithik’s mother Pinky recently told local media that the family was still trying to finalise dates for the actor’s wedding with longstanding girlfriend Suzanne Khan, who is the daughter of producer Sanjay Khan. “If Hrithik tells us suddenly that he has a few days free, I may even have to suddenly arrange the marriage in my house,” she said. Sources close to the family say a quiet wedding may be held sometime early next year in Bangalore where Sanjay Khan is building a seven-star resort spread over 19 acres of land. The resort will be inaugurated in the next couple of months, sources say.
— IANS |
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2 brothers kidnapped NEW DELHI, Dec 16 — Four unidentified youths kidnapped Sanjay Kumar and his brother Rakesh and drove away with their Tata-407 tempo from Alipur village area of north-west Delhi. The victims were from Rajasthan. They were carrying compressors of Kelvinator refrigerator from Delhi. When the incident occurred the victims were asleep in the tempo. The victims were tied and taken to some distance in another tempo and dropped at a deserted place. Both victims untied each other and went back where they had parked their tempo. After returning at the spot they found their tempo missing. They reported the matter to the Alipur police station where a case of kidnapping-cum-robbery was registered. |
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21 writers bag Katha Awards NEW DELHI, Dec 16 (UNI) —
Twentyone writers and translators in 14 languages have won this
year’s Katha Awards that include a first-time award in Dogri
literature. The Dogri short story “Curfew” won its writer Manoj
and translator Shivnath the first Katha Award in Dogri literature.
The A.K. Ramanujam Award was won by Sara Rai for translating with
felicity from Hindi and Urdu to English. Gujarati writer Jhaverchand
Meghani won the Kathakaari Award for his rendering of an oral tale
from the Garasiya community of Saurashtra. The 10th Katha Awards for
Creative Fiction and Translation were announced today. The awards,
which carry Rs 2,200 and a citation each, will be presented here
tomorrow by Jnanpith-winning Malayalam writer M.T. Vasudevan Nair. Magsaysay Award
winner Ghose dead CALCUTTA, Dec 16 — Eminent journalist and Magsaysay Award winner Gourkishore Ghose died yesterday at a North Calcutta nursing home after a protracted illness. He was 78 and survived by his widow, two daughters and a son. He had donated his eyes and body for humantarian causes. Gourkishore, also a Bengali writer and novelist, had been a fighter for the cause of humanity and he always stood against any injustice. He was imprisoned during the Emergency for writing against the imposition of Emergency by Indira Gandhi. From a very ordinary position in the newspaper, Gourkishore rose to the highest status in the Ananda Bazar group of publication in the 1970s. He was also the founder editor of a leading Bengali daily of Calcutta, Aajkal. Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, West Bengal Governor Vireen J. Shah, Chief Minister Buddhadev Bhattacharyya and others condoled Gourkishore’s death. |
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Curfew in 4 areas
of Moradabad MORADABAD, Dec 16 (UNI)— An indefinite curfew was clamped in four police station areas in the city after a mob hurled bombs and stones on a police picket near Gokuldas Kanya College here yesterday. The Rapid Action Force and the Provincial Armed Constabulary had been deployed in all sensitive pockets and the police had been asked to keep a strict
vigil, Deputy Inspector- General of Police (Moradabad range) Rajnikant Mishra said. All educational
institutions and cinema halls in the city have been closed for today. |
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