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| Sunday, December 24, 2000, Chandigarh, India   
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Centre’s nod to rename Calcutta NEW DELHI, Dec 23 — After about three centuries, Calcutta had shed its colonial legacy with the Centre formally allowing the renaming of the “city of joy” as Kolkata. The home of Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore, Kolkata, has become the third metropolis in the country to change its name in the recent past. RSS backs UP ban on beauty contests Hotel spruced up to receive PM Uttaranchal to set up border
checkposts Cong happy with its role in Parliament |
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| BJP playing Hindu card: Mulayam CHENNAI, Dec 23 — Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee’s statement that building a Ram temple at Ayodhya was a “national aspiration” was a well thought out “political conspiracy” to play the Hindu card, according to Samajwadi Party President and former Defence Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav. He was here to attend a rally of a newly formed Yadav-dominated party, Tamil Makkal Katchi. Ram Temple issue 50 yrs old Reflections The Red Fort recalls I am your Lal Qila or the Red Fort, a witness to history. I did not sleep on Friday night after nine, and each cell within me — made of sandstone, marble and sturdy binding material — is untranquil and literally shell-shocked. Khurana courts arrest NEW DELHI, Dec 23 — BJP national vice-president Madan Lal Khurana today courted arrest along with party workers against shifting of industries in the city even as the Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee (DPCC) announced launching of a “jail bharo” drive on the issue from December 26. Ceasefire: Pak smells a rat Tributes paid to Charan Singh Christmas gift for blast accused
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Centre’s nod to rename Calcutta NEW DELHI, Dec 23 — After about three centuries, Calcutta had shed its colonial legacy with the Centre formally allowing the renaming of the “city of joy” as Kolkata. The home of Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore, Kolkata, has become the third metropolis in the country to change its name in the recent past. The financial Capital Bombay has been changed to Mumbai and the capital of British India Madras Presidency had changed its name to Chennai. “The Government of India after careful consideration, have accepted the proposal of the state government of West Bengal to change the name of the city of Calcutta to Kolkata,” an official release said. The probable first official usage of the name Calcutta was on September 11, 1794, through a proclamation by Governor-General Lord Cornwallis, fixing the city boundaries in detail for municipal and judicial purposes. The
nomenclature of Calcutta was derived from Kalikata, one of the three villages which later came to be known as Calcutta. The other two villages were Gobindapur and Sutanati where Job Charnok landed on August 24, 1690. The village of Sutanati and Gobindapur feature in maps like Thomas Bowery’s of 1687 and George Heron’s of 1690. Kalkata was situated between the two but it had no settled native population making it easy for the British to occupy it. The rent roll of the Mughal Emperor Akbar refers to the city as “Kalikata”, while according to a 17th century document Kolikata and two other villages were taken on lease by Joe Charnok who made these as a trading post of the British East India Company. The city was founded in 1690. Fort William, built in 1696, was captured and destroyed on June 20, 1756, by the Nawab of Bengal, Siraj-ud-Daula. About a year later Robert Clive defeated the Nawab at Plassey. Clive’s victory gave all Bengal to the British. In 1772, Warran Hastings made Calcutta the Capital of the British India and the city continued to be the most important till 1911 when Delhi became the Capital. |
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RSS backs UP ban on beauty contests NEW DELHI, Dec 23 (UNI) — Backing the ban on beauty contests in Uttar Pradesh, the RSS has advised state Chief Minister Rajnath Singh to stick to his decision despite adverse reactions and impending pressures from several quarters. An editorial in the RSS mouthpiece Panchjanya has warned him to be prepared for the impending pressures to revoke the ban in the name of ‘‘human freedom’’. RSS spokesman M.G. Vaidya said there must be a distinction between freedom and permissiveness. “All these pageants are aimed at provoking sensuality and are therefore against our cultural value system,’’ he said. The ban imposed last week snowballed into a controversy after the Loktantrik Congress Party, the main ally of the BJP Government in Uttar Pradesh demanded its revocation. Following the ban, an event management firm, Fantasies of Lucknow had even filed a petition in the Allahabad High Court seeking permission to organise a beauty contest, but it was dismissed. “It is but natural that those who are making money by provocative display of flesh and their associates have been frustrated by the ban,’’ the Panchjanya editorial says. The real challenge before Mr Rajnath Singh is to continue the ban, it says. “He will be under pressure from several quarters. Among them will be friends, well-wishers, some girls and their mothers who will claim the ban on beauty contests is tantamount to murder of human freedom,’’ it says. Suspecting a design behind India suddenly emerging as an assembly line for beauty queens at the global level, the editorial says it is a well-planned strategy to enhance the sales of cosmetic products manufactured by foreign companies. Announcing the ban, Mr Rajnath Singh had said that beauty contests were a manifestation of nudity and had nothing to do with intellect. He had also accused multi-national companies of spreading the culture of beauty contests to boost their business. |
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Hotel spruced up to receive PM KUMARAKOM (Kerala), Dec 23 (UNI) — The Taj Garden Retreat at Kumarakom, near Kottayam, is all decked up to receive the Prime Minister, Mr A.B. Vajpayee, who arrives here on December 26 on a week-long vacation. This beautiful hotel on the shores of Vembanad Lake is well spruced up with state-of-the-art facilities to make the chief guest feel at home. “Each and every aspect of the hotel management has been meticulously taken care of to please the Premier,” a top functionary of Taj Kerala Hotels and Restaurants (Kerala) Limited said. Hotel employees are excited and awaiting his arrival. Mr Vajpayee’s knees are also likely to get the expert ayurvedic touch of Kerala. It is learnt that preparations are being made to bring in a team of physicians from the Coimbatore Arya Vaidya Pharmacy for rejuvenating therapies with medicated oil. National Geographic Traveller has rated Kerala as one of the 50 finest tourist destinations in the world. This is only reiterated by the Prime Minister’s visit to the state, often described as “God’s own country,” said a Kerala tourism official. The bird sanctuary at Kumarakom normally has migratory visitations from June to August, but the winged visitors are on an extended stay this time around. Though Mr Vajpayee is not scheduled to go on a boat ride, it is likely that he will spend a few hours boating or in a house boat, a special attraction at Kumarakom. Hotel authorities said security officials had already identified one of the 22 rooms in the resort for Mr Vajpayee’s stay and it had been given a facelift. During Mr Vajpayee’s stay, no tourist would be allowed to stay in Taj Garden Retreat. All previous bookings have been cancelled with effect from the afternoon of December 24. The tourists, mostly foreigners, have been provided alternative accommodation in other hotels by the management. Though the PMO was yet to finalise the menu, the Taj Retreat has made arrangements to bring in a team of chefs from its hotels in Mumbai. The menu would include “karimeen”, a special variety of fish found abundantly in the backwaters. The hotel is also arranging for a one-hour cultural programme in the evening, featuring Kerala’s traditional art forms like Kathakali and Ottanthullal. Except for attending a BJP meeting at Mammen Mappillai Hall at Kottayam on January 1, the Prime Minister has no other engagements during his week-long stay, BJP sources said. However, political analysts attach some significance to the visit as Mr Vajpayee is likely to meet spiritual leaders as part of the BJP’s political strategy in the background of the coming Assembly elections. |
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Uttaranchal to set up border checkposts DEHRA DUN: The Uttaranchal Government has decided to set up new checkposts along its international borders with China and Nepal to check infiltration of terrorists and smuggling of arms and foreign goods into the state. A senior police official told this correspondent that more than 50 checkposts were being set up in Chamoli, Uttarkashi, Pithoragarh and Champawat districts. The decision had been taken following reports from the Central and state intelligence agencies that illegal trafficking of goods and arms was going on unchecked from Tibet and Nepal, he added. The state government has issued orders to withdraw the powers from the revenue police in the border districts, 10 km inside the Indian territory, and transfer them to the civil police. Although the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and the Border Security Force (BSF) were deployed along the borders of China and Nepal, yet due to lack of cooperation from the Uttar Pradesh Government in the past, illegal trafficking of goods and arms was going on unchecked from many years. The Uttaranchal Government is of the view that more checkposts need to be set up along the border with Nepal. As the border between the two friendly nations is open, smugglers and intruders find it a safe route for illegal trafficking of goods and arms. Reports have also reached the police headquarters that hundreds of people along the border of the Terai region are engaged in the manufacture of arms and ammunition. The raw material is smuggled from China through the Nepal border. “The border with Nepal is more sensitive than China as most of the activities of the Pakistan’s ISI are controlled from Nepal. And on many occasions the ISI has tried to push trained militants from Nepal”, says Mr Anil Thapa, who recently retired as Commandant from the ITBP. Meanwhile, the Nepal Government has banned the Indian currency note of Rs 500 within its territory. The decision has been taken following a flood of fake currency notes in Nepal. A communication regarding the ban on Rs 500 note by the Nepal Government was received by the state’s Home Department from the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, last week. |
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Cong happy with its role in Parliament NEW DELHI, Dec 23 — Happy at the party adopting an aggressive posture in the winter session of Parliament, Congress leaders feel that they have been able to deepen and expose the chinks in the ruling National Democratic Alliance. The presence of Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee at the Iftar hosted by Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Thursday is being seen by the party leaders as a sign of her trying to distance herself from the BJP. Significantly, Ms Banerjee was not present at the Iftar hosted by Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee. The party has welcomed Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee’s attendance at the Iftar party. Describing the session as the best in the current Lok Sabha from the party’s point of view, a senior Congress leader said that it was for the first time that the party has directly targeted Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee. “From being seen as soft in its role as the main Opposition, the Congress today is virtually setting the agenda for the nation,” he said. Congress President Sonia Gandhi has been unsparing in her criticism of Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee. In her concluding address to the Congress Parliamentary Party on Thursday, Mrs Gandhi described Mr Vajpayee’s handling of the Babri Masjid question as “wholly inept”. “The country has started asking whether it was not mistaken in thinking of the Prime Minister as the human face of the Sangh Parivar. It is now clear beyond doubt that the Prime Minister is committed to the philosophy of the Sangh Parivar,” she asserted. Apart from victory in the Opposition-sponsored censure motion in the Rajya Sabha, the party feels that it had put the government on the defensive on the issue of union ministers’ resignation. “The government agreed to a debate in the Lok Sabha only after it was sure of the support from allies. As a result, proceedings were disrupted for a week for which only the government is to be blamed,” a party leader said. “That the NDA allies were not satisfied with the position of the BJP on the Ayodhya issue was evident from the way the Trinamool Congress sought a categorical assurance from the Prime Minister before the crucial vote in the Lok Sabha that the court verdict would be respected,” he added. The Congress, which plans to launch a country-wide agitation on the farmers’ issue in next two months, feels that it has succeeded in bringing the issue to the centrestage by moving an adjournment motion. The BJP faced criticism from its own allies on the farmers’ issue and the Prime Minister had to speak of restraint on the part of allies after the TDP MPs vociferously raised the issue of problems faced by farmers in Andhra Pradesh. Blaming the government for the “badly disrupted session,” Congressmen say that the government failed to evolve consensus on the women’s reservation Bill. Party spokesperson Margret Alva said that important issues like the Kargil Committee report could not be discussed due to loss of time. The party, however, made its views known on the issue of
disinvestment. Congress leaders feel that not only had the party succeeded in “denting the halo of a liberal” around Mr Vajpayee but had pushed the allies into seeking clarifications from the government. |
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BJP playing Hindu card: Mulayam CHENNAI, Dec 23 (UNI) — Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee’s statement that building a Ram temple at Ayodhya was a “national aspiration” was a well thought out “political conspiracy” to play the Hindu card, according to Samajwadi Party President and former Defence Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav. He was here to attend a rally of a newly formed Yadav-dominated party, Tamil Makkal Katchi. He told mediapersons here that there was a steady slide in the support to the BJP in Uttar Pradesh, the largest Indian state where it was ruling, as the minorities, the backward classes and the Dalits were opposed to its policies. The Prime Minister’s statement on the temple was with a view to wooing the upper castes’ people, whose votes were crucial to the party, keeping in view the Assembly elections in the state early next year, Mr Yadav claimed. Even the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) was playing into the hands of the BJP in the matter, he alleged. In the recent local body polls, his party had established its “pre-eminence” in the state, he further claimed. When a reporter drew his attention to Mr Quattrochhi’s statement that his arrest was meant to hit Congress President Sonia Gandhi, Mr Yadav said: “It is between Ms Sonia Gandhi and Mr Quattrochhi. I do not know their relationship”. Mr Yadav said his party was opposed to 33 per cent reservation for women in its present form and would agree only for a 10 per cent reservation through the Election Commission. “It should also not be at the cost of men,’’ he said. Presently, 22 per cent of the seats were reserved for SCs and STs and a further 33 per cent reservation for women would leave only 45 per cent open seats. This would severely hit men from the backward classes and minority communities who want to contest the election, he pointed it. The election commission could order political parties to mandate a certain percentage of seats for women and those parties which violated the norm could be de-recognised by the commission. This did not necessitate any constitutional amendment, Mr Yadav suggested. Replying to a question, Mr Yadav said the Congress had not done anything for women although it was headed by a woman. |
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Ram Temple issue 50 yrs old AYODHYA, Dec 23 (UNI) — Much water has flown down the Saryu river meandering through the ancient town ever since the issue of Ram Temple in Ayodhya came to the fore more than 50 years ago, but it still shows no signs of being resolved in the near future. Nobody would have thought that ghosts of the past would continue to haunt the country’s secular ethos for years to come when the idol of “Ram Lala” was installed in Ayodhya on this day in the year 1949. The lull that followed on the Ayodhya front was broken in 1984 when “Ram Janaki yatra” was taken out from Sitamarhi in Bihar by religious leaders of different Hindu sects. The issue of the temple construction again came to the fore when on October 8, 1989, the then state government withdrew police force deployed at the site in Ayodhya saying it was “undisputed”. Public support for the construction of Ram Temple at Ayodhya swelled after “shila pujan” ceremonies were performed following announcement on November 9, 1989, regarding the laying of the foundation stone of the temple. Later, in October, 1991, the state government acquired 2.77 acres of land at Ayodhya for the temple construction, and the demolition of Babri Masjid structure at Ayodhya by Hindu zealots on December 6, 1992 marked the climax of the dispute. The BJP governments in four states, including Uttar Pradesh, were dismissed following the incident. On October 5, 1993, the Central Bureau of Investigation filed a charge sheet in the court against 40 accused, including three present Union Ministers. Even as the dispute is pending in the Supreme Court for adjudication and a legal battle related to Babri Masjid demolition is going on in a lower court, the drama shifted to Parliament last week. No business could be conducted for several days in both Houses of Parliament after Opposition protests over Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee’s statement on the Ayodhya issue and demand for the resignation of three chargesheeted ministers. |
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Reflections I am your Lal Qila or the Red Fort, a witness to history. I did not sleep on Friday night after nine, and each cell within me — made of sandstone, marble and sturdy binding material — is untranquil and literally shell-shocked. Three men, whom I sheltered and shielded from the excessive heat of the day and the chill of Delhi's immense nights, have gone away dead from my lap. They had the Army's authentic stamp on them — even the civilian employee. I have not seen such a happening although I have experienced much tumult over the centuries of my existence close to the banks of the holy Yamuna. I never felt that those living within my ramparts were unguarded in recent years. The Army has chosen to locate a whole garrison. The Intelligence Bureau has brought in an important office. I was known as one of “the most magnificent palaces of the world” constructed by Emperor Shahjahan under the successive superintendence of visionaries and specialists like Izzat Khan, Allah Vardi Khan and, finally, Makramat Khan, who saw me in full glory in 1647 AD. My master did not leave Agra, the city of his love, for nothing. You can go back in time to official historian Mohammed Salih to hear the stories of his fondness for me. You can turn to Bernier for learning about my glorification and uglification inside the two great palatial gateways of the world: Lahori Gate and Delhi Gate (the Diwan-e-Aam, the Diwan-e-Khaas, and the Naubatkhana — naqqarkhana or music hall). Fergusson will tell you much about music and mirth that thrilled me — a creation worth Rs 100 lakh by the 24th Rabi II, 1058 AH. But on this hapless day, December 23, 2000, when I hear the strange name, Lashkar-e-Toiba, and the contents of guesswork leading to guesswork amidst the sound of jackboots, I want you to remember certain situations. Do not (m)utter expressions such as “investigation”, “tightened security”, “the foreign hand”, or “security lapses” and rashly conclude: “The rest is history”. I symbolised glory for some time. I represented tragedy much longer. Under my gaze, Nadir Shah accepted the submission of Emperor Mohammed Shah and robbed him of his treasures in 1739. In 1757, Ahmed Shah Abdali indulged in murderous plunder and took with him a Mughal princess as his consort! In 1788 Ghulam Qadir (Rohilla the Terrible) blinded Emperor Shah Alam. In 1803, Lord Lake played his tricky game. However, in 1857, I saw the nationalist forces proclaiming Bahadur Shah II “the emperor of Hindustan” once more. Again, Bahadur Shah was tried under my tearful eyes and exiled to die away from home in Rangoon. I had listened to discussions on the Quit India Movement in 1942 and seen the trial of three INA officers — Captains P.K. Saigal, Shah Nawaz Khan and G.S. Dhillon. And I had heard the proceedings of the Godse prosecution. I shall not let the nocturnal chill shatter me anymore, for a true witness has to have a strong will rooted in suffering. It was on my ramparts that Jawaharlal Nehru unfurled the Tricolour after I, like you all, achieved freedom from British rule. He called himself the “first servant of the Indian people” and observed: “If we aim at the big things of life, if we dream of India as a great nation giving her the age-old message of peace and freedom to others, we have to be big ourselves and worthy children of Mother India. The eyes of the world are upon us watching this birth of freedom in the East and wondering what it means... Strife and violence disfigure and degrade us and injure the cause of freedom”. Are you listening? I won't be able to sleep even tonight. My enemies have hurt me too deeply. |
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Khurana courts arrest NEW DELHI, Dec 23 (PTI) — BJP national vice-president Madan Lal Khurana today courted arrest along with party workers against shifting of industries in the city even as the Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee (DPCC) announced launching of a “jail bharo” drive on the issue from December 26. Leaders of both the parties in Delhi had launched a protest against Union Urban Development Minister Jagmohan’s drive to shift the polluting industries from non-confirming areas and his refusal to amend the city master plan. But leaders of both the parties have been accusing each other for the present mess in the Capital. Mr Khurana, while courting arrest, demanded setting up of a tribunal for redressal of factory owners’ grievances and said no industry should be sealed as this amounted to harassing the public. Criticising the authorities for stopping the electricity and water supply to the areas vacated after sealing of the industrial units, Mr Khurana demanded immediate restoration of the supply to those areas. Meanwhile, the DPCC today announced it would launch a “jail bharo” agitation from December 26 till the master plan was suitably amended to accommodate industrial units. “The Congress will continue with the `jail bharo’ programme till the demand to amend the master plan is met,” DPCC chief Subhash Chopra told reporters. |
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Ceasefire: Pak smells a rat NEW DELHI, Dec 23 (UNI) —Pakistan Chief Executive Gen Pervez Musharraf is of the view that New Delhi’s recent unilateral ceasefire during Ramzan in Kashmir was meant to project India as a peace-loving country to the world and Pakistan as the villain. Reporting for BBC (Urdu) on a meeting General Musharraf had with Editors of national dailies in Islamabad yesterday, Dawn newspaper’s correspondent Shaheen Sebai said the gist of the meeting was that Pakistan’s announcement on “maximum restraint” and partial withdrawal of troops from the Line of Control were aimed at testing India’s sincerity about ushering in peace in Kashmir, following New Delhi’s announcement on unilateral ceasefire during Ramzan and its subsequent extension by a month. He said participants at the meeting were of the view that after Pakistan’s announcements on restraint and partial withdrawal, India was “looking for an escape route.” Most of what transpired at the meeting was off the record. The meeting was organised to brief the Editors on these two recent moves of Pakistan. Pakistan announced maximum restraint on December 2, followed by Indian announcement on December 20 regarding ceasefire extension. |
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Tributes paid to
Charan Singh NEW DELHI, Dec 23 (UNI) —The nation, led by Vice-President Krishan Kant, today paid tributes to former Prime Minister and peasant leader Chaudhary Charan Singh on his 98th birth anniversary. Mr Krishan Kant along with Delhi Chief Minister Shiela Dikshit and Public Works Department Minister Parvez Hashmi paid respects to the late leader at his samadhi, Kisan Ghat, this morning. Union Home Minister
L. K. Advani and other parliamentarians paid floral tributes at Charan Singh’s portrait in the Central Hall of Parliament House. The dignitaries who joined Mr Advani in paying their respects to the late leader were Rashtriya Lok Dal President and the late leader’s son Ajit Singh,
P. D. Elangovan, Ms Shyama Singh (all MPs) and many former MPs and the Secretary Generals of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. A booklet containing the profile of Charan Singh, brought out in Hindi and English by the Lok Sabha Secretariat, was also presented to those who attended the function. Meanwhile, a farmers’ rally was organised by the Rashtriya Lok Dal at Pragatipuram Ground, Sadabad in Hathras district of Uttar Pradesh. Mr Ajit Singh and former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda addressed the rally. |
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Christmas gift for
blast accused MUMBAI, Dec 23 (PTI) — As many as 100 accused, including film star Sanjay Dutt, on bail in the Mumbai serial blast case, have been permitted to visit any part of the country during the Christmas vacation from today till January 7 next, subject to certain conditions. The permission was given by designated TADA Judge P.D. Kode on a plea made by defence counsels Subhash Kanse and Farhana Shah. The CBI prosecutor A.S. Kulaye gave no objection, subject to the accused following the procedure laid down by the court. The accused have been permitted to move anywhere within Maharashtra provided they report back on January 8, refrain from establishing contact with absconding accused and misusing liberty. The court has also allowed them to move outside the state provided they submit a detailed programme of their tour to the registrar with a copy to the prosecution. On a plea by defence lawyer Farhana Shah, Dutt has been allowed to visit Gurgaon, near Delhi, to inaugurate a fun pub. |
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