 |
| Thursday, February 15, 2001, Chandigarh, India   
|
Bharat Shah, Rizvi get remand till Feb 28 Cong awaits Sonia’s decision on TN Centre may lower retirement age ‘J&K Muslims must
stand up for Sikhs’ Cong seeks package for quake-hit |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Relief material
lying unused
VHP to adopt villages, orphans Sarsawa poll: BJP road thorny CWC shuffle leaves many hurt Hindujas: CBI’s fear baseless SC dismisses plea
on CJI’s age Panchayat samiti meeting held
|
|
Bharat Shah, Rizvi get remand till Feb 28 MUMBAI,
Feb 14 — Film financier Bharat Shah, producer Nasim Rizvi and his assistant Abdul Rahim Allah Baksh, facing charges of nexus with the underworld, were today remanded to judicial custody till February 28 by a special court here. They were produced before designated judge A.P. Bhangale who directed the police to file charge sheet as early as possible. Shah was whisked away to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) office for interrogation regarding alleged hawala deals. The court allowed ED counsel Arun Gupte’s prayer to question Shah the entire day. Earlier, he was grilled on two other occasions. In a related development, the special court has called for a report from the Superintendent of Central Prison here on allegations made by Abdul Rahim that he was threatened by an undertrial when he was brought to the court in a police van. Abdul Rahim’s counsel Rakesh Parikh, filed a petition urging for the transfer of his client from Central Prison in Mumbai to Thane Jail on the same ground. His plea will be heard after the Jailor submits his report. Shah’s lawyers Shiraz Rahimtoola and Vibhav Krishna said the remand application did not justify further custody of their client and urged for a direction to the police to file charge sheet so that Shah could apply for bail. The court had earlier rejected Shah’s bail plea but allowed him to plead for liberty after the charge sheet is filed. Public prosecutor Rohini Salian submitted that the police had yesterday obtained a sample of gangster Chhota Shakeel’s voice. It would be sent to laboratory for testing. She said the charge sheet would be filed within the stipulated 90 days. The judge perused crime reports and observed that investigations were in progress. He asked the investigating officer to complete the probe as early as possible and file charge sheet by the end of this month. The police claims to have recorded telephonic talks between Rizvi and Karachi-based gangster Chhota Shakeel which reveal the Bollywood-underworld nexus. They allege that the film “Chori Chori Chupke Chupke”, produced by Rizvi and financed by Shah, was funded by Shakeel. According to the police, Abdul Rahim was Shakeel’s man in Bollywood and acted as a conduit between the Karachi-based gangster and Rizvi. Rizvi had told the police that the film was his own venture while Shah has claimed that he paid Rs 12.55 crore to Rizvi to make the film. The court has attached the film and appointed well-known distributor S.S. Jain as the court receiver to release the movie and deposit sale proceeds thereof in a bank. At the end of the trial, the money would be handed over to the person who is legally entitled to it.
— PTI |
|
Cong awaits
Sonia’s decision on TN NEW DELHI, Feb 14 — According to AICC sources, party General Secretary Ghulam Nabi Azad had discussions with the leaders of the Pradesh Congress Committee, including PCC President E V K S Elangovan. Although the PCC is divided on having an alliance with the AIADMK after the PMK joined the alliance, sources said the PCC members have agreed to abide by the decision of party President Sonia Gandhi, who returns from a tour to quake-affected Gujarat today. Replying to a question by newspersons, Congress spokesman Anand Sharma maintained that the party’s endeavour would be to establish a secular government in Tamil Nadu. Asked whether the party is planning to send an emissary to Tamil Nadu with AIADMK Chief J Jayalalitha setting Sunday’s deadline for the Congress to make its stand clear on alliance, he merely said “we will let you know when we send one.” On the formation of Samata Party-led People’s Front government in Manipur, Sharma said: “It reflected the expediency and political opportunism on the part of the NDA and the BJP.” He further stated that the Congress was not bothered about who has become the Chief Minister or the party to which he belonged but was very much concerned about the manner in which the political instability in the sensitive border state is “undermined repeatedly”. “It was the same set of people who were demanding the dismissal of the Nipamacha Government and were maintaining that they do not have numbers in the Rajya Sabha to impose President’s rule,” he said adding that “though the proposal for President’s rule was mooted it was to buy time to split the Congress.” The party also condemned the attacks on Valentine’s Day revellers and “cultural policing” by Shiv Sena and the Sangh Parivar saying “such acts questioned the intelligence of Indian people and their creativity.” Mr Sharma said such a campaign and imposition of views have no place in a liberal civilised society and when there is a rule of law no society can allow a free run for such lumps and bigots. “The cultural facism must be opposed and condemned,” he said. |
|
Centre may lower retirement age NEW DELHI,
Feb 14 — The Central Government is contemplating a reduction in the retirement age for its employees from the existing 60 to 58. Authoritative sources in the government confirmed that an exercise to this effect was on but then the final decision would depend on several factors, including the government’s financial position. It is estimated that advancing the retirement age by two years would entail an expenditure of around Rs 6500 crore on superannuation and pension payments in the next financial year. Word about the proposal has already spread like wildfire in the government offices in the Capital and the employees say that they have been told to prepare for an advanced retirement age. The retirement age was increased by two years to 60 when the first BJP-led coalition government was formed in 1998. Public sector units were given the option to implement the scheme. However, several cash-starved PSUs opted not to implement the scheme. The Fifth Pay Commission had recommended increasing the superannuation age and the BJP-led government had accepted it promptly. For a tottering BJP at the Centre, the move then was also politically wise as it had a large voter base among Central Government employees. It also helped the government exchequer as payment of significant amount of funds as retirment and pension benefits could be postponed. Priorities are changing now with the emphasis shifting on having a leaner and efficient government. The government had indicated its desire to cut the size of employees in its previous Budget but then the implementation of the proposal was tardy. Some cosmetic pruning with secretary-level postings in some departments was done but there was no serious action. The compulsions of a coalition government and the muscle-flexing by some individual ministers has ensured that there is no let-up in the recruitments. The Expenditure Commission, too, has suggested that the government staff be reduced by 10 per cent over a five-year period. Talk about the cut in retirement age has gained ground ever since the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, said categorically that the government should cut its size. |
|
‘J&K Muslims must stand up for Sikhs’ SRIGANGANAGAR, Feb 14 — It is the moral duty of every Muslim in the country to stand up for the Sikh community in Jammu and Kashmir in the interest of secularism and internal peace. If sikhs leave the valley, the possibility of a Muslim state within the Indion Union will become a grim reality,” swaid Mt Tarlocahan Singh, Vice-Chairman of the National Minorities Commission. He was in the city to preside over the annual function of Sri Guru Nanak Postgraduate College here last evening. He was part of a committee deputed by the Prime Minister to look into the killing of innocent Sikhs in Mahjoor Nagar, Srinagar, by militants. In an exclusive interview with The Tribune, he said: “After having driven the Hindus out from the valley, it is now the turn of the Sikhs. Such was the outrage among the 60,000 strong community spread out in 129 villages of the state that the decision to migrate en masse was taken at a huge congregation a few days ago,” he revealed. “As many as 70 representatives of the community met to discuss the attack. Most were of the opinion that they were sitting ducks with the state government failing to protect their lives”. It was after assurance by Defence Minister George Fernandes and the Hurriyat leaders that the migration plan was shelved. At one point of time, the situation almost got out of hand when irate members of the community shouted at the Hurriyat team which wanted to offer condolences, he said. Mr Tarlochan Singh said:
“The Muslim in the valley have to understand that once the Sikhs migrate, the populace would have acknowledged that they tacitly approved severing of their last link with secularism”. He said it was the duty of the media not to highlight the utterances of an “individual with vested interests” which could have an adverse impact on any minority community. Earlier, addressing a select gathering of eminent dignatories at the college, he warned that if the migration of labourers in Punjab continued, there was the danger of demographic imbalances in the state. He also said a majority of rural youth were moving away from farming to acquire “meaningless” degrees. “This is a serious matter and needs to be highlighted”, he added. |
|
Cong seeks package for quake-hit Ahmedabad,
Feb 14 — Covering essentially an elaborate compensation for deaths for those maimed and injured and compensation for loss of earnings, the Vice President of the Gujarat Pradesh Youth Congress, Mr Paranjayaditya Parmar, alleged that the state government was still not fully geared to meet the challenges of rescue, relief and rehabilitation. In a press statement issued here today, he said the NGOs, the Army, the NRIs and the Congress and its frontal organisations were carrying out the relief work while the government agencies lacked cohesion and coordination. Mr Parmar further added that during the visit of the All-India Youth Congress President, Mr Randeep Singh Surjewala, to the quake-affected places of Bhuj, Anjar, Bacchau and Mandvi, it was seen that the government had miserably failed to record all deaths or provide succor to the heirs and dependants. While expressing dissatisfaction with the package announced by the Gujarat Government, it was felt that any package announced should include compensation for damage to properties, for crop loss, business loss. |
|
Relief material
lying unused HANUMANGARH, Feb 14 — In Gujarat in the absence of proper distribution most of the relief material is lying unused, said the volunteers of the Hanumangarh Jan Sahyog Samiti. The volunteers, who returned after organising a langar for five days at Tapper, 30 km from Anjaar town, Bhuj district of Gujarat. The volunteers said the things required most were tents and fodder for animals. The volunteers further said there was no use of sending relief if the volunteers to distribute them properly were not sent along with it. Volunteers of the samiti added that the problem arose where rich families preferred to remain hungry instead of asking for help. |
|
VHP to adopt villages, orphans NEW DELHI, Feb 14 — The Vishwa Hindu Parishad today outlined its rehabilitation programme for the quake victims of Gujarat, which includes adoption of villages, construction of homes for orphans and destitutes and financing the construction of temples destroyed by the Bhuj quake. The Krishna temple at Bet Dwarka, damaged by the quake, would be reconstructed and made into an integrated pilgrim centre, said Dr Pravin Togadia, international general secretary of the VHP. Talking to newspersons here today, he said “over 5000 temples in Gujarat had been destroyed by the quake and the VHP would help in the reconstruction of these.” “We would not undertake the construction of these temples. We would provide financial and other helps to the villages and they would construct the temple,” Dr Pravin said. The VHP also plans to adopt seven villages along the international border with Pakistan. These villages are inhabited by Kolis and Dalits. “These villages were being adopted by the VHP, so as to prevent anti-national activities in the region,” he said. The organisation also plans to provide educational facilities to 300 villages along the border. He said the VHP would set up “Vatsalya Mandirs” to take care of the orphans and the destitudes. Such “mandirs” or homes would be formed on the basis of family relationship and not on blood relationship. The VHP has set aside Rs one crore for the establishment of one such “mandir” in Anjar, which is 60 km from Bhuj, was one of the worst affected region. Asked about the VHP perspective on adoption of orphaned children, Dr Pravin said there are not many children in quake hit region to be adopted. “The best age for children to be adopted is around two years. Most of the children orphaned are above that. And, most of them have been taken away by the relatives,” he said. “The relatives of those orphaned children, if they are brought to the VHP ‘mandirs’ would be brought up as per the tradition of the people of Kutch and then re-united with their families,” he said. Denying the allegations of communal bias in the VHP relief operations, he said more than two lakh persons were provided with food items. “The VHP, the RSS, Swaminarayanan and a few NGOs were the first ones to provide relief and rescue operation in quake affected region. And, this has been acknowledged by the state government in its own survey,” he said, adding that “none of the Christian or Muslim organisations were there in the initial days after the quake.” The VHP stated that 1,69,78,591 people spread over 7904 towns and villages in 182 tehsils were affected by the quake. Over 40,000 VHP and RSS workers were taking part in the relief and rehabilitation programme in the state. A weeklong yajna beginning tomorrow is being organised in the Capital for the peace those killed in the quake. The function would be attended by VHP working president, Vishnu Hari
Dalmiya, VHP vice president, Acharya Giriraj Kishore and other senior functionaries of the
organisation. |
|
|
Sarsawa poll: BJP road thorny SARSAWA (Saharanpur): Another factor which has given sleepless nights to the BJP leadership is that the general elections to the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly are due within the next one and a half years. The victory or defeat in the Sarsawa byelection will definitely provide a cue and indication to the voters about the popularity of the ruling party in the state. In this quadrangular contest, the BJP is pitched against the Samajwadi Party, the Congress and the Lok Dal led by Mr Ajit Singh. The difficulties of the BJP are far more than other parties as it has failed to put up a leader of the stature of Mr Nirbhay Pal Sharma in the election. The BJP has nominated Mr Raghav Lakhan Pal, son of the late MLA, as its candidate in order to ride the sympathy wave consequent to the death of Mr Nirbhay Pal Sharma. But the task before the BJP is arduous as Mr Raghav Lakhan Pal is totally a novice in the state politics and also the BJP party apparatus. In order to ensure the smooth sailing of the BJP candidate, the top leadership of the state is camping in the constituency. Three BJP ministers of the state i.e. Mr Hukam Singh, Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Mr Virender Siroha, Revenue Minister, and Mr Jagpal Singh, Animal Husbandry Development Minister, are camping in the area, Besides, the party chief, Mr Kalraj Mishra, has also visited the constituency. He addressed a big election rally in Chailkana town. The party chief has also deputed presidents and secretaries of different committees of the BJP to widely tour the constituency and be amongst the voters till the election day. Mr Mishra also tried to win the sympathy of the Sarsawa voters by making poignant references to the brutal killing of Mr Nirbhay Pal Sharma. However, the difficulties of the BJP have been compounded because of the choice of popular and right type of candidates by the other parties. Another factor against the BJP is that Mr Kalyan Singh, a former Chief Minister who had floated the National Kranti Party after being expelled from the BJP, is making an all-out effort to ensure the defeat of the BJP candidate. Mr Kalyan Singh has a fair clout amongst backward voters here as he himself belongs to a backward community i.e. Lodh. The Samajwadi Party has put up Mr Jagpal Singh Gurjar, son of Mr Ram Sharan Dass, state President of the Samajwadi Party. As the Gurjars are in a near-dominant position alongwith Muslims and Sainis in the area, the Samajwadi Party candidate can not be taken lightly. The Congress has also chosen to put up Mr Sitam Singh, a Gurjar by caste. He is stalwart of many electoral battles in the western Uttar Pradesh politics. He had earlier also fought from Sarsawa against Mr Nirbhay Pal Sharma and lost by a very small margin. Even in the last general election, the Congress candidate, Mr Sahab Singh Saini, who is now the President of the Saharanpur District Congress Committee, had polled 47,274 votes and figured at the second place in the election. The deceased Mr Nirbhay Pal Sharma could only scrape through hardly with a margin of 304 votes. Mr Jagpal Singh of the Samajwadi Party was also a candidate in that election. The Lok Dal has put up Mr Firoz Aftab. His campaign is being run by Mr Rashid Masood, another Muslim stalwart of the area. Mr Aftab had also fought the last general election from this seat. The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) has given its ticket to Mr Dharam Singh Saini. The BSP, which at one time was a force to reckon with in the area, has experienced a slidedown in its popularity during the past years. At one time, the Saharanpur area was considered the backbone of the BSP support and its state Chief, Ms Mayawati, had won the Harora seat against bitter opposition.
|
|
CWC shuffle leaves many hurt HYDERABAD, Feb 14 — The persons who had supported the move to selection instead of election with the intention of keeping the moneybag who could otherwise have influenced the election process are regretting that it has led to personal factors like loyality and closeness than experience and party interests playing greater role in the selections to the working committee. Several senior leaders like Mr N. Janardhan Reddy and Mr K. Vijaya Bhaskar Reddy, both former Chief Ministers, and Mr Shiv Shankar and Mr G.Venkataswamy, both former Union Ministers, have been canvassing for themselves since over a month for a berth in the CWC. None of them has been picked. The reason might be that each of them has been opposing the other and the party high command might not want t o displease either. Instead, the chance has come to Mrs Sarojni Pulla Reddy who has been inducted to the committee.
|
|
Hindujas: CBI’s fear baseless NEW DELHI, Feb14 — Pressing for permission from the Delhi High Court to go out of India, the Hinduja brothers today said the cbi’s apprehension that they would run away from the Bofors pay-off case trial was “baseless” and assured that in future they would appear before the designated court during the proceedings in the case. Counsel for London-based S.P. Hinduja and G.P. Hinduja and Geneva-based P.P. Hinduja contended before Mr Justice S.K. Agarwal that the cbi’s apprehension was an “excuse” as the brothers had appeared voluntarily before the trial court on January 19. |
|
SC dismisses plea
on CJI’s age NEW DELHI,
Feb 14 — The Supreme Court today dismissed a petition by the Madras High Court Advocate Association seeking to revive the controversy over Chief Justice of India A.S. Anand’s age issue and asked the president of the lawyers’ body to show cause why criminal proceedings be not initiated against him for making false averments in his affidavit. A three-judge bench of Mr Justice K.T. Thomas, Justice R.P. Sethi and Justice B.N. Agrawal dismissed the petition without issuing notice to respondents saying the age of Mr Justice Anand was determined to be November 1, 1936 by the President of India as far back as 1991 and it has attained finality. President of the association R. Karuppan, who had argued the petitioner in person, had alleged that the court should determine the age of Justice Anand as November 1, 1934 and declare that he has attained the age of
superannuation. |
|
Panchayat samiti meeting held HANUMANGARH, Feb 14 — A general meeting of the local panchayat samiti was held here yesterday evening. The president of the samiti, Ms Krishna Godara, accused the district council of paying attention towards the Nohar and Bhadra samitis and ignoring the local samiti. She complained that the officers were not considering the problems of the rural areas seriously. In the meeting, sarpanches of various villages raised the issues of non-availability of drinking water, electricity and inadequate irrigation facilities. The Development Officer of the panchayat samiti, Mr Tej Singh Kakkar, gave information about various schemes under the panchayat samiti. He said from MP’s development fund, 37 works were approved, out of which 24 had been completed. From the MLA quota, 38 out of 66 projects were completed in the Hanumangarh, Tibbi, Sangaria and Pilbangan tehsils. In the meeting, information was also given about various schemes of the district council. |
 |
| Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir | Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs | Nation | Editorial | | Business | Sport | World | Mailbag | In Spotlight | Chandigarh Tribune | Ludhiana Tribune 50 years of Independence | Tercentenary Celebrations | | 121 Years of Trust | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
