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| Friday, January 19, 2001, Chandigarh, India   
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Pakistani Hindus still rootless CWC formation by next week Algerian President to be chief guest
VHP strategy on Ram Temple Centre for new package on NE |
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NGOs up in arms against MP Special Areas Bill Talks on Samjhauta
inconclusive Harassed woman commits suicide Honorarium for anganwadi
workers Nursing home ‘vanishes’ 
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Pakistani Hindus still rootless SRIGANGANAGAR: About 35 families of Hindus which left Pakistan after 1971 and landed at Kalian village, 7 km from here, are still unsettled, trying for Indian citizenship. They arrived here on Pakistani passports which expired years back and which need renewal to legalise their stay. They have no money to review their passports and they are determined not to back, fearing persecution. Besides Kalian village, families of Pakistani Hindus, as they are called by local residents, also now reside at other villages and towns of Rajasthan like Jatsar, Vijaynagar, 3LC, Pandatanwali, Amargarh and Suratgarh, besides Rania and Ellenabad in Haryana and Jalandhar in Punjab. In total some 400 families of Pakistani Hindus are scattered in these areas. Many of them came in 1983-84. There are curbs on their movement. They can’t legally purchase property, but some have acquired houses, it is learnt. On paper they can’t send children to school or get employment, or even get married. Ishwar Das Sindhi, a spokesman of these families and residing at Kalian village, got a licence to work as a deed writer in the local courts. When someone complained that he was a Pakistani Hindu, the administration withdrew the licence. He has now gone to court to contest this. He is the only deed writer in English and Urdu here. He speaks Punjabi and doesn’t know Hindi. With such curbs and without any relief or help from anywhere, these nowhere people are now piqued at the latest directive of the Union Home Ministry requiring them to renew their passports. Renewal of each passport costs about Rs 1,800. Each family has at least three or four members. With limited or little income, they are hard pressed to cough up such amounts. For them the very survival is difficult. Besides, the directive makes no sense to them. Why should the Indian government tell them to pay such large amounts to a country it regards as hostile, they wonder. And why renew passports when they don’t want to go back? In a representation to the Rajasthan Home Secretary, a copy of which was made available to The Tribune, signed by 10 of their representatives based at Kalian, these families have demanded withdrawal of the directive, extension of the visas and grant of Indian citizenship to enable them to lead a normal life. Most of these families are from Sindh and Punjab provinces of Pakistan. Asked if they suffered harassment in Pakistan, Ishwar Das said they were under pressure to convert to Islam. Showing a news item in Roznama Jang with the heading in Urdu “Hindu nauzwan ka Islam kabool” and with a photograph of the youth, the report, as read out by Ishwar Das’s son, described how one Sewak Ram chose to become Shaukat Ali. Sewak Ram fled Pakistan and now lives in Faridabad. He is married to a girl of Kalian village. |
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CWC formation by next week NEW DELHI, Jan 18 — The Congress Working Committee (CWC), party’s highest body, is likely to be formed by the next week. Congress sources said party President Sonia Gandhi would finalise the first list, likely to contain about 16 names, by the next week. Remaining vacancies would be filled later. Though the names were expected to be announced this week, Mr Prasada’s death had delayed the decision by a week, party workers said. With the party due to hold plenary session in Bangalore in mid-February, the early constitution of the new CWC has become necessary. The suggestions of CWC members are being taken before finalising resolutions for the plenary session. Almost all CWC aspirants have met Mrs Gandhi over the past few days. Leaders who have been meeting the Congress president say she would strive to give representation to all regions and sections.
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Algerian President to be chief guest NEW DELHI, Jan 18 — Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, who will be the chief guest at this year’s Republic Day celebrations, will arrive here on January 24 on a six-day official visit. During his stay in the Capital, Mr Bouteflika will hold intensive discussions with the President, Mr K.R.Naryanan, the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, and other ministers for expanding and strengthening economic, political and cultural ties. After attending the Republic Day ceremonies, the Algerian President will visit Bangalore and Mumbai to acquaint himself with the Indian capabilities in the fields of agricultural research, informatics, aeronautics, space research, offshore oil drilling and ship building, a spokesman of the Ministry of External Affairs said. |
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Mistake by cops robs family of breadwinner NEW DELHI, Jan 18 — Dreams of a family today lie completely shattered, thanks to a peculiar case of mistaken identity by the Srinagar police resulting in the death of the family’s sole breadwinner. Nasrin (25), an enterprising Delhi-based businesswoman, fell victim to the bullets of the police on Tuesday, under the impression that she was an accomplice of militants involved in the aborted bid to blow up the Srinagar airport. However, her family members came to know of the incident only in the wee hours of Wednesday morning when anxiety had forced them to remain out of bed despite the chilling cold temperature and watch television news in the hope of getting some information about Nasrin’s state. The family is yet to come to terms with reality. More so, because Nasrin was falsely identified as a militant, a nomenclature which sends shivers of shock and angst down the spines of her near and dear ones. “Nasrin had nothing to do with militancy. She was a simple and enterprising girl and she had gone to the airport to receive her business partner, Mr Narender Kumar Pandit”, an inconsolably grieving mother, Qamar Jahan, told The Tribune. “She was due to get married shortly and we had already accumulated Rs 50,000 for the purpose. Now, half of that amount will be spent on transporting her body from Srinagar to Delhi”, Qamar Jahan said with a choked voice. Nasrin’s family members alleged that despite recovering her identity card and Delhi telephone numbers from her purse, the Srinagar police was not sensitive enough to convey the information to her parents living in Andheri street in the congested walled city area of the Capital. Interestingly, the Sringar police admitted a case of mistaken identity only after a shattered Bashir Ahmed, the victim’s father, contacted them upon hearing the news. Bashir Ahmed has reached Srinagar to arrange for the transportation of Nasrin’s body. Her cousin, Maulana Athar Hussain Dehlavi, complained that not much help was forthcoming from the government (both Central and state) despite repeated requests by the family. Even the Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah, who is currently in the Capital, has not been of much help, Maulana Athar said. Nasrin, a graduate from Jamia Milia and a beneficiary of the erstwhile Jawahar Rozgar Yojana scheme, was adopted by a childless Qamar Jahan. Nasrin, actually is Qamar Jahan’s niece. |
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VHP strategy on Ram Temple KUMBA NAGAR, Jan 18 (UNI) — Indicating its strategy over the Ayodhya issue, the VHP today said it would convince or even “coerce’’ the Vajpayee government to give away the disputed land acquired by the Centre in Ayodhya for construction of a Ram temple. On the eve of the dharma sansad, convened by the parishad to fix a date for starting construction of the temple, the VHP leaders here said that to begin with the construction work would be taken up at the ‘shilanyas’ site in accordance with the programme given by the dharmacharyas and the government would be persuaded to give the acquired land to the Ram Janmabhoomi Trust so that the sanctum sanctorum of the proposed temple could be built there. If the government did not accept their demand, the VHP leaders said they would ‘coerce’ it to do so through protests and demonstrations. Reacting to Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee’s recent remark that medieval wrongs could not be righted by committing similar wrongs in the present, VHP president Vishnu Hari Dalmia said, “The Prime Minister’s statement is not binding on us.’’
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Centre for new package on NE KOLKATA, Jan 18 — The Centre wants to allow fresh terms including the granting of amnesty, to the underground militants of north-eastern states for bringing peace and normalcy in the disturbed areas following continued anti-national activities in the region with the direct involvement of the ISI and other foreign agencies. The decision comes after Mr L.K. Advani’s meetings with Chief Ministers of various north-eastern states during the past one month in Delhi, when all Chief Ministers sought adequate help and assistance from the Centre in tackling the insurgency problems in their respective states. Assam Chief Minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta and Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarker met the Home Minister last week. They also held telephone conversations with Mr Advani more than once, urging him for immediate despatching of more Central forces for deployment in the militant-infested areas. Mr Advani will be visiting the north-eastern states on January 22 to make an on-the-spot study of the law and order situation. During his two-day stay in Guwahati and Shillong, he will again meet the Chief Ministers. A new package of concession to the underground militants, including the granting of amnesty, may be declared by the Home Minister after his meeting with the Chief Minister in Guwahati on January 23, official sources indicated. Senior Army officials of Eastern Command at Fort William, Kolkata, will also be present during Mr Advani’s visit. Joint Secretary (Home), G.K. Pillai has been touring the north-eastern states to assess the law and order situation and prepare ground for Mr Advani’s meeting with the Chief Ministers for implementation of the Centre’s new peace formula for the region. Recently, two militant outfits, HNLC and ANVC, have been banned in the state, following formal request by the state government. It is feared that these banned rebels might create trouble during the Republic Day in Shillong.
— SG |
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NGOs up in arms against MP Special Areas Bill BHOPAL, Jan 18 — Eleven non-government organisations (NGOs) of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh have formed a Jan Sangharsh Morcha to jointly fight for the withdrawal of the Madhya Pradesh Special Areas Bill, 2000, adopted by the state Assembly last month. The NGOs have described the provisions of the Bill as more draconian than those of MISA and TADA and fear that these may be used for curbing even their legitimate activities which the government may not find platable. Around 100 activists of these organisations, including over 30 women, were arrested by the police while taking out a rally from the Yadgare-Shahjehani Park to demand the withdrawal of the new law. Mr Alok Agrawal of the Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA), Mr Sunil of a Kisan Adivasi Sangathan, Ms Shamim of the Sharamik Adivasi Sangathan and Mr Abdul Jabbar of the Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Udyog Sangathan told mediapersons before taking out the rally that they would seek appointment with the President next week to draw his attention to the provisions in the Bill. They would also move the National Human Rights Commission in this regard. Besides, they would seek legal opinion about challenging the Bill in the court of law. The other organisations which have joined the morcha are the Ekata Parishad, the Adivasi Mukti Sangathan, Khedut Mazdoor Chetana Sangathan, the Chhattisgarh Mukti Morcha, the Kisan Sangharsh Samiti, the Madhya Pradesh Mahila Manch and the Baghelkhand Kisan Adivasi Mukti Morcha. The Bill was passed by the Assembly on December 27 with the a view to curbing Naxalite activities. Some of its more drastic provisions are: it empowers the state government to declare, through a notification published in the gazette, any organisation as “unlawful” even without assigning any reason. The notification will remain in force for one year and may be extended after a review (Section 3). Section 8 provides for imprisonment up to three years and a fine for any one who is directly or indirectly associated with an organisation declared unlawful. The District Magistrate can “notify” a place being used by an “unlawful” organisation and can take possession of the place along with the movable properties, including securities and assets (Section). |
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Talks on Samjhauta
inconclusive
NEW DELHI, Jan 18 (PTI) — Talks between Indian and Pakistani Railway officials to review and renew the 1991 agreement relating to the running of Samjhauta Express remained inconclusive today. The talks which began here yesterday are expected to continue for a few more days, a senior Indian Railway Ministry official said. “There is no hurry to conclude the talks as the Pakistani team will be here till January 21,” the official said, adding that both sides expressed their desire to have a comprehensive review of the entire gamut of rail communications between the two countries. The talks were proceeding in a cordial atmosphere, he said. A bilateral agreement for rail communication between the two countries was entered into in 1976. It was extended from time to time till 1991 when, after a review, a fresh agreement was signed. It was reviewed by the two governments in 1994 and 1997. The 1991 agreement was valid up to July 7, 2000. The two Railways agreed to extend it up to January 7 this year and then again up to February 7.
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Harassed woman commits suicide NOIDA, Jan 18 — Unable to meet the dowry demand by in-laws, a newly married woman has committed suicide. According to the information available from police headquarters, Babita (22) had recently been married to Pawan of Sultanpur village under police station, Sector 39 area. The in-laws of Babita were regularly torturing her for more
dowry particularly a brand new motor cycle. As Babita’s parents could not afford it the in-law’s started threatening her that they would throw her out of house. When the torture became unbearable, Babita committed suicide by swallowing sulphos tablets. A case under dowry death has been registered. The police has arrested the husband. Her mother-in-law, sister-in-law have, however, absconded. |
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Honorarium for anganwadi
workers NEW DELHI, Jan 18 — The government has decided to pay an additional monthly honorarium Rs 50 to anganwadi workers and helpers for implementing the nutritional component of the Pradhan Mantri Gramodaya Yojana (PMGY). Sources in the Ministry of Human Resource Development said payment of the honorarium will be limited to projects under the ICDS (Integrated Child Development Scheme) and anganwadi workers covered by the special nutrition programme initiated under the PMGY. Sources in the ministry said the aforesaid honorarium was to be provided subject to certain conditions spelt out in the guidelines circulated by the Department of Women and Child Development to all states and union territories. The scheme has been introduced during the current financial year with the aim of achieving sustainable development at the village level. |
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Nursing home ‘vanishes’ HANUMANGARH, Jan 18 — The escape the clutches of law, a private nursing home ‘vanished’ after a girl who had consumed poison, died there yesterday. According to the information, a doctor of Mahatma Gandhi Memorable Government Hospital, here was running a private nursing home in a laboratory in front of the hospital. The doctor specialised in treating patients who had consumed poison. He, it is alleged, used to charge the excess fee in suicide cases. It is alleged that relatives of the girl decided to take a legal action against the doctor alleging that the girl had died because of the negligence of the doctor. When the doctor came to know of this, he shifted all his patients to a nearby dharamshala. This was done so efficiently that nobody could guess that there was a nursing home at the place, a few hours ago. |
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10 trains rescheduled
due to fog NEW DELHI, Jan 18 — Ten trains have been rescheduled due to heavy fog. Sources in Northern Railway said trains which had been rescheduled are the 2015 Ajmer Shatabdi, 5622 N.E. Express, 2029 Swarna Shatabdi, 2412 Gondwana Express, 5610 Awadh Assam Express, 3040 Howrah Janata, 2952 Mumbai Rajdhani, 2304 Poorva Express, 2302 Howrah Rajdhani and 2392 Magadh Express. |
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Hearing on Cox and Kings case on Jan 20 Rs 7.55 cr sanctioned for Chhattisgarh roads Czech delegation visits IMA Lovelorn tusker dead Lata award for lyricist Kargil hero honoured More Judges for Bombay HC Patna HC asks CBI
to probe charges |
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