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| Friday, December 22, 2000, Chandigarh, India   
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All set for Sukhbir’s entry in RS MPs divided over women’s Bill
Minister’s son involved in illegal mining? |
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Conduit between
Rizvi, Chhota Shakeel held NEW DELHI, Dec 21 — An underworld gang based in Dubai has started kidnapping and extortion in Haryana and Delhi, the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell), Mr Ashok Chand, said. No threat to Rabri govt,
says Laloo BJP using Bofors
case politically, says Sonia Dosanjh favours boosting of ties North India in Parliament Sea of humanity at CITU leader’s cremation I was misquoted
on Ayodhya issue: Deshpande Survey finds flaw in power situation
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All set for Sukhbir’s entry in RS NEW DELHI, Dec 21 — Decks have been cleared for the possible entry of former union minister Sukhbir Singh Badal in the Rajya Sabha following the vacancy created by the disqualification of Barjinder Singh Hamdard, an Independent member of the upper house from Punjab. Mr Hamdard’s disqualification as a member of the Rajya Sabha became imminent when he missed more than 60 consecutive sittings of the Rajya Sabha during the winter session of Parliament in November. His resignation to Vice-President and Rajya Sabha chairman was rejected as it did not
conform to the rules and procedures of the House. Compelled by the prevailing circumstances, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pramod Mahajan moved a motion seeking the permission of the House to unseat Mr Hamdard. The motion was adopted by voice vote. That provides the much needed opening to Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to propel his son Sukhbir Singh Badal recently elevated as general secretary of the Shiromani Akali Dal once again to the complex political arena at the Centre. Though other lobbies have activated themselves in the SAD with an eye on the vacant seat, the decision rests solely with the Chief Minister. Judging by the indications available here, the dice appears to be loaded heavily in favour of Mr Sukhbir Singh Badal. That can pave the way for enhanced Akali Dal representation in Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee’s Council of Ministers. If Mr Sukhbir Singh Badal comes to the Rajya Sabha, it might be a most needed reprieve for the prodigal son who lost the Faridkot Lok Sabha seat in the last general elections. Ever since then he has been biding his time and is believed to be keen to play an active role on behalf of the SAD at the
Centre. |
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MPs divided over women’s Bill NEW DELHI, Dec 21 - Lack of consensus among the political parties on the Women’s Reservation Bill had its echo in Parliament today with the Lok Sabha being adjourned without transacting any business. The Rajya Sabha too was adjourned for an hour on the issue. Indications of trouble in the House were available in the morning itself when an all-party meeting convened by the Speaker, Mr
G. M. C. Balayogi, in his chamber failed to arrive at a consensus. The Samajwadi Party, the Bahujan Samaj Party and the Rashtriya Janata Dal disrupted the proceedings in the lower House, demanding the withdrawal of the Bill seeking to reserve 33 per cent seats for women in Parliament and state legislatures. Women members belonging to the Treasury benches, the Congress and the Left parties raised slogans demanding that the Constitution’s 85th Amendment Bill be taken up for discussion and passage. They were supported by the AIADMK members. The House had to be adjourned twice, the second time for the day, as the members of the three parties refused to allow any business to be conducted. The Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, and the leader of the Opposition, Mrs Sonia Gandhi, were present in the Lok Sabha when the Speaker adjourned the House for the day after his pleas to restore order went unheeded. The three parties demanded that there should be provision for reservation for women belonging to the Other Backward Classes and the minorities in the proposed legislation. Members from the Samata Party and the Janata Dal (U), two key allies of the ruling BJP, were seen supporting from their seats the Opposition demand for sub-quota in the Bill for minorities and OBCs. In the Rajya Sabha, the matter came up during Zero Hour with members of the Congress, the Left parties, the Telugu Desam Party and the Tamil Maanila Congress protesting against the delay in bringing the Bill to the House. As the bedlam in the Rajya Sabha continued, the Chairman, Mr Krishan Kant, adjourned the House till 2 p.m. Soon after, the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, who was present in the House, was mobbed by women members of the Congress, Left Front and BJP allies, including the TDP. The members wanted to know the fate of the Bill from the Prime Minister. The Bill, which has been hanging fire since 1996, was discussed at an all-party meeting by the Speaker to ensure that the House proceedings were not disrupted like on earlier occasions. Cong ‘willing’
to back women’s Bill NEW DELHI, Dec 21 — The Congress today said it was willing to support the women’s reservation Bill even if some “sub-reservations” were provided and blamed the government for failing to evolve a consensus on the issue. The Congress spokesperson, Ms Margret Alva, accused the government of being non-serious about the Bill. She rejected suggestions made at the all-party meeting convened by Speaker today that changes may be made in the People’s Representation Act. |
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Minister’s son involved in illegal mining? DEHRA DUN, Dec 21 — The Uttaranchal Government’s determination to wipe out liquor and mining mafia from the state got a setback when a local mafia don claimed that the Forest Minister, Mr Matbar Singh Kandari’s son was involved in the mining business along with him. He was recently arrested by the Doon police for his illegal involvement in the extraction of sand and gravel from dry river beds of the area. He is on bail. Producing the legal documents of the partnership deed exclusively to The Tribune, David Pal, a resident of 26-Inder Road, Dehra Dun, alleged that many ministers and senior bureaucrats were involved in illegal mining. He has registered a firm along with his partners to get approval from the state government for the extraction of gravel and sand from dry river beds. According to the partnership deed signed on October 10, 2000 David Pal holds 51 per cent share while the remaining is with six other partners — Navneet Parmar (7 per cent) Lalit Mohan, (7 per cent) Rajiv Kandari, son of Mr Matbar
Singh Kandari, (5 per cent) Kuldip Singh (15 per cent) Ganesh Swaroop (5 per cent) and Dinesh Gosain (10 per cent). Enquiries reveal that Ganesh Swaroop is the brother-in-law of Mr Sunder Lal, District Magistrate, Tehri district. David Pal has alleged that for the past few weeks Rajiv Kandari was demanding money from him without a proper audit. Since he refused to provide money according to his demand, Rajiv allegedly used his influence to get him implicated in a case of extraction of gravel and sand. He however, claimed that he and his partners were involved in legal business with the approval of the state government. Meanwhile, Mr Matbar Singh Kandari denied that his son was involved in the business. The District Magistrate of Tehri was not available for comments. |
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Conduit between
Rizvi, Chhota Shakeel held MUMBAI, Dec 21 (PTI) — The police today arrested a youth suspected to be acting as a conduit between film producer Nasim Hassan Rizvi and Karachi-based gangster Chhota Shakeel. Twentyfive-year-old Abdul Rahim Allah Baksh was produced before designated Judge A.P. Bhangale who remanded him in police custody till December 27. He has been booked under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) and the IPC on the charge of aiding Rizvi in establishing links with the underworld. The police alleged in the remand application that Rizvi had established contact with Chhota Shakeel through Abdul Rahim. The contents of the remand application have been kept secret. The accused was arrested after Rizvi revealed his alleged involvement during sustained interrogation. Abdul Rahim informed the court that he had no grievance against the police. He was not represented by any lawyer. The police produced before the court seized negative prints of Rizvi’s film ‘‘Chori Chori Chupke Chupke’’ following which the court directed that a public notice be issued in English and Marathi newspapers to invite within 15 days claims if any to the seized property. Police remand for
Rizvi’s co-producer MUMBAI, Dec 21 (UNI) — co-producer of Hindi movie “Chori Chori Chupke Chupke” Rahim Khan Allabaksha Khan was today remanded in police custody till December 27 by a special court here after he was arrested yesterday for his alleged links with the underworld. |
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No threat to Rabri govt,
says Laloo NEW DELHI, Dec 21 — The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) President, Mr Laloo Prasad Yadav, today pooh-poohed the banner of revolt raised by senior party MLA Ramdas Rai, who resigned on Tuesday from the Rabri Devi ministry. “There is no substance in what he is saying,” Mr Prasad told reporters here when asked to comment on Mr Rai’s claim that more than 50 party MLAs and ministers had contacted him and appreciated his stand. Brushing aside reports of threats to the Rabri Devi ministry, the RJD chief said, “ Mr Rai wanted the Cabinet rank, that is why he is sulking.” “If he (Rai) really has the strength, let him form the government,” Mr Prasad said. Mr Rai, who resigned on Tuesday from the Bihar government, has demanded removal of Mrs Rabri Devi from chief ministership and the installation of Rajya Sabha member Ranjan Prasad Yadav in her place. Dubai-based gang
operating in Delhi NEW DELHI, Dec 21 — An underworld gang based in Dubai has started kidnapping and extortion in Haryana and Delhi, the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell), Mr Ashok Chand, said. The police came to know about the Fazal-ur-Rehman gang following the arrest of four accused yesterday who made an unsuccessful attempt to kidnap a businessman, Mr Deepak Kumar, from Rajouri Garden in West Delhi. The accused were identified as Lizo John, Vinod Veeru Goda, Baldev Singh Negi and Vivek Azad. One Chinese made pistol of 0.30 bore with seven rounds, one Webley Scott revolver of 0.32 bore with six rounds, one country-made fire arm with two rounds and a white Maruti Esteem were seized from them. |
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BJP using Bofors
case politically, says Sonia NEW DELHI, Dec 21 — Congress President Sonia Gandhi said today that no member of her family was involved in the Bofors case and accused the BJP government of “using it politically.” Speaking at the
Iftar party hosted by her at the AICC office here, she said her husband had made it clear that neither he nor any member of his family was involved in the Bofors case. Denying BJP’s allegation that she was silent on the issue of arrest of Italian businessman Ottavio
Quattrochhi in connection with the Bofors case, Mrs Sonia Gandhi said the law would take its own course. “The government is trying to use it (Bofors case) again and again. Let them come up with proofs,’’ she said. A surprise, but politically significant presence at the
Iftar party was of Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee. |
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Dosanjh favours boosting of ties NEW DELHI, Dec 21 — Prime Minister of Canada’s British Columbia province Ujjal Dosanjh called on Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee here today and exchanged views on the ways and means of putting Indo-Canadian relations on the same high footing as before India attained nuclear capability in May, 1998. “This does not mean that relations between Canada and India are not good. Bilateral ties are extremely good, though Ottawa’s cooling off in the wake of Pokhran II is still simmering,” he observed during an informal interface with mediapersons. Speaking at a luncheon in his honour by Capt Amrinder Singh, President of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee, the Premier of British Columbia said he was overwhelmed by the warmth and love showered on him both by the central leadership and everybody from Punjab. Speaking in Punjabi, Mr Dosanjh laid stress on managing fiscal resources properly and focussing on social development for the larger good of the people, be it education, medicare, employment etc. |
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North India in Parliament NEW DELHI, Dec 21 — The number of educated (10th standard and above) job-seekers, all of whom are not necessarily unemployed, on the live register of employment exchanges in Himachal Pradesh as on December 31, 1999 (latest available) was 5.40 lakh, Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Mr Muni Lall informed the Rajya Sabha today. The approach to the Ninth Plan envisages priority to agriculture and rural development with a view to generating adequate productive employment and eradication of
poverty, he said. Representation regarding problems of paddy procurement: Representations were received from the governments of Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan and Maharashtra requesting among other issues, to relax the specification of paddy and to increase procurement of paddy by the FCI in some states, the Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Mr Sriram Chauhan informed the Upper House. To reduce hardship of farmers and to ensure procurement by the agencies, the government has relaxed the specification of paddy in respect of the states in Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh permitting the procurement of paddy with damaged, discoloured, sprouted and weevilled grains up to a maximum limit of 8 per cent as against 3 per cent provided under uniform specifications, he said in a written reply to Mr A Vijaya Raghavan. Distribution of unutilised funds: The balance along with accrued interest of unutilised funds by seven MPs from Punjab have been distributed amongst the successor members of the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Statistics and Programme Implementation Arun Shourie informed the Upper House. In a written reply to a question from Mr Sukhdev Singh Libra, the minister informed that the Punjab Government had collected and furnished the information regarding unutilised funds, including interest, of seven Rajya Sabha members who retired in April/July, 1998. Among the MPs who could not utilise the full amount before retirement include of Mr Jagir Singh Dard, Mr Venod Sharma, Mr Suriender Kumar Singala, Mr Balbir Singh, Mr Iqbal Singh, Mr Mohinder Singh Kalyan and Mr Virendra Kataria. The unutilised funds, including interest, have been distributed amongst the sitting Rajya Sabha MPs Mr Balwinder Singh Bhunder, Mr Lajpat Rai, Mr Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, Mr Barjinder Singh Hamdard, Mr Sukhdev Singh Libra and Mr Raj Mohinder Singh, the minister said. Cases against IAS/IPS officers:
The CBI had registered cases during 1997-2000 (up to October 31, 2000) against one IAS and one IPS officers in Haryana and two IAS officers in Punjab, which were under investigation, Minister of State for Personnel and Training, Mrs Vasundhara Raje informed the Upper House. Demand for natural gas: The Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Mr Santosh Kumar Gangwar, today denied that there was any proposal under consideration of the government to set up a core study group for estimation of demand of natural gas/regasified LNG in Punjab. |
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Sea of humanity at CITU leader’s cremation SRIGANGANAGAR, Dec 21 — The body of the Rajasthan unit of the vice-president of the Centre of India Trade Union (CITU), who was murdered on the evening of December 18, was cremated today amid heavy security arrangements before noon. The district administration and state police authorities managed to bring the agitators who had been staging a dharna since December 18 at Gandhi Chowk in Gole Bazar with the body to press the authorities concerned to arrest the assailants, including former minister Kundan Lal Miglani, on the negotiation table after the Superintendent of Police, Mr R.K. Mehdra, was transferred to Pali district last evening. The state civil and police authorities, who held many rounds of talks with the agitators, pacified them by assuring them the murder of Darshan Kaura would be investigated by the DIG, Bikaner, Mr Laxman Meena and the accused would be arrested soon. The funeral procession of the deceased CITU leader started at about 9.30 am. A sea of humanity joined the funeral procession. As tension had been building up since December 18 in the town, the Rapid Action Force (RAF) personnel were deployed in adequate number here to avoid any untoward incident. Senior police officials were themselves monitoring the situation. Darshan Kaura, who was very popular among the industrial workers, was beaten to death in a factory while he was coming to this town from the nearby town of Gajsinghpura after addressing a rally of workers who were observing a strike. He was forcibly taken out of the bus by the assailants and beaten up. He died while he was being shifted to a hospital in Padampur town. The body was cremated after about 65 hours of the death of Darshan Kaura. The agitators kept the body on the ice blocks wrapped in a red flat at Gandhi Chowk. The business establishments of this town which remained closed for two days opened today only after the mortal remains of the trade union leaders were consigned to the flames. Leaders of various political and social organisations addressed the agitators who were staging a dharna. Police sources said the situation in the town was limping back to normalcy and all preventive measures were being taken to maintain the law and order situation. Sources added that 10 persons, including former minister Kundal Lal Miglani, were suspected to be involved in the brutal murder of the union leader. Two of the accused had been arrested after the registration of a criminal case under Section 302 of the IPC at Padampur police station. |
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I was misquoted
on Ayodhya issue: Deshpande NEW DELHI, Dec 21 (UNI) — Veteran Gandhian Nirmala Deshpande today categorically denied that she had ever said that the disputed structure in Ayodhya was brought down by a bomb explosion on December 6, 1992. In a television programme, Ms Deshpande said she had been quoted out of context. She was replying to a question about RSS chief K.S. Sudarshan’s statement before the Liberhan Commission yesterday. that he had based his statement on Ms Deshpande’s observation when he said that the structure was brought down by an explosion. |
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Survey finds flaw in power situation NEW DELHI, Dec 21- Power situation in the Northern region remained unsatisfactory and peak hour load restrictions continued in all states during November, a survey done by PHDCCI says. Though power supply in Punjab was regular there were unscheduled cuts, voltage and frequency variations. In Haryana, there were wide-ranging unscheduled and unannounced power cuts in
different parts of the state. Power supply in Himachal Pradesh was normal except for scheduled and unscheduled power cuts. The situation in Uttar Pradesh was unsatisfactory affecting the industrial units. |
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