 |
| Tuesday,
March 20, 2001, Chandigarh, India   
|
Standoff in LS, RS continues Govt rushes through business in House BJP executive to meet on March 24 Army begins probe Jaswant takes over as Defence Minister |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| RSS wants govt to continue New Delhi, March 19 In a damage-control exercise a day after its harsh remarks on the PMO, the RSS said today that it wanted the Vajpayee government to continue even as it conceded that the BJP’s image had suffered in the wake of the tehelka.com graft expose. Clarify stand, BJP asks Trinamool DMK lays claim to 155 seats Farmers
lathi-charged Warrant extended against Quattrocchi North India in Parliament 6-month jail
for Editor Democratic Front suffers defeat Ministers ‘took’ 1 cr for officer’s transfer ED office calls Rakesh Roshan Attack on MC chief: 13 Cong councillors held Court exonerates
|
|
Standoff in LS, RS continues New Delhi, March 19 Though the Lok Sabha plunged into turmoil from the very moment it met, the Speaker, Mr G.M.C. Balayogi, managed to rush through with some of the important items on the day’s agenda, including the supplementary demands for grants for 2000-2001. However, crucial items, including the vote on account, discussion on farmers’ issue and Railway Budget besides a debate on the recent stock market crash could not be taken up. The entire Opposition closed ranks to rally behind the Congress in demanding the resignation of the government. Slogans like: “Government takes kickbacks while the Army sheds blood” rent the air. Members in the treasury benches tried to counter the charges but the Opposition chorus drowned their voices. The House was first adjourned for an hour when it met this morning and later for the day when it reassembled at noon. In the Rajya Sabha, Chairman Krishan Kant adjourned the House till 2.30 p.m. after obituary reference to former member Shanti Tyagi was made. When it reassembled, Deputy Chairperson Najma Heptullah adjourned the House within minutes after the supplementary demands for grants for Railways for 2000-2001 were tabled. There was a pause in the slogan shouting when the Chair pleaded that the members allow the constitutional obligation to be fulfilled. The slogan shouting began immediately after the papers were tabled. The mood and the fate of the day’s proceedings could be judged even before the presiding officers arrived at their respective Houses. The Opposition, led by the Congress, had begun raising slogans even before the proceedings began. Congress leader and leader of the Opposition, who normally desists from taking part in demonstrations, was seen on her feet when the other MPs raised slogans. The Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, was in the Lok Sabha on both the occasions when the House was adjourned. He was seen talking to the Home Minister, Mr L.K. Advani, who share the seat with Mr Vajpayee. The government’s determination to rush through some of The Finance Minister, Mr Yashwant Sinha, introduced the supplementary demands for grants in the Lok Sabha. What he said could not be heard in the din. |
|
|
Govt rushes through business in House New Delhi, March 19 But Speaker G. M. C. Balayogi invited the wrath of the Opposition, already protesting in the Well of the House, when he allowed several ministers to table key papers amid total chaos, obviously under a strategy devised after an earlier adjournment of the House at 11 a.m. While Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha thus moved his ministry’s supplementary demands, Minister of State for Railways O. Rajagopal did that for the Railway Ministry in view of the fact that Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee last week left Mr Vajpayee’s ruling coalition in a huff over the scandal. Virtually the entire Opposition, including the Congress Party, the Samajwadi Party and the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPM) had moved to the space directly in front of the Speaker’s chair as soon as the house reassembled at noon, an hour after similar scenes had forced adjournment for the fourth consecutive working day since the tehelka.com’s expose on corruption in arms deals. But they were in for a surprise when they found that the Speaker began to invite the ministers in succession to table the papers. Continuing to shout at the top of their voices, the Opposition members then surged forward to crowd the lower space in front of the Speaker’s dais. One member even threw a sheaf of papers at Mr
Balayogi, which brought Shiv Sena member Shivaji Mane to his feet in protest. For the 10-odd minutes that such proceedings lasted, Mr Vajpayee and Home Minister L. K. Advani sat in the front row. But the prime minister never looked up, speaking only once when Mr Advani leaned to him and held a short chat. The Treasury Benches emptied swiftly after Mr Balayogi adjourned the House again. Interestingly, except for those belonging to the BJP that leads the ruling coalition, most leaders and ministers belonging to other
coalition parties were conspicuous by their absence. They included Civil Aviation Minister Sharad Yadav, Heavy Industries Minister Manohar Joshi, Communications Minister Ram Vilas
Paswan, National Democratic Alliance (NDA) convener George Fernandes, who resigned as Defense Minister last week after his Samata Party’s then President, Jaya Jaitley along with Bangaru
Laxman, was among those who allegedly accepted bribes by a web site’s reporters posing as arms dealers. Rural Development Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu later defended the government tabling the supplementary demands before the House. “We hope the opposition would allow us to pass the vote on account before the end of this week so that the government can runs its financial business,” he told IANS. The urgency to pass the vote on account on Mr Sinha’s budget for 2001-02 presented at February-end is caused by the fact that this financial year would close March 31. The government, therefore, needs parliamentary approval to take out money from the consolidated fund of India and make payments after that date.
IANS |
|
BJP executive to meet on March 24 New Delhi, March 19 Stating this here today, party spokesman V.K. Malhotra told reporters that it was decided by the party leadership that the meeting be held immediately after Parliament adjourns for a three-week recess to take stock of the political situation in the country. Besides, with the NDA too launching a public awareness campaign from March 25 with a public meeting here on that day, the National Executive would enable all BJP leaders to be present on the day to attend the rally, he said. The NDA rally would be addressed by Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, Home Minister L.K. Advani and other leaders belonging to the coalition parties including Mr George Fernandes. To a question as to in what capacity Mr Fernandes would be addressing the rally, Malhotra said “He is the convener of the NDA coordination committee”. Hitting out at Congress President, the BJP leader said “She has shown that she has no respect for parliamentary system and nor is interested in a inquiry. We are prepared for a debate in the House, a vote of confidence. But, it seems the Congress just doesn’t seem interested in any of these procedures of parliamentary system”, Mr Malhotra said.
PTI |
|
Army begins probe New Delhi, March 19 Reports said while the Army officers, including two Maj. Generals who were summoned by the Army Headquarters (AHQ) had reported to the authorities, further action, if any, would be initiated against them only after the court of inquiry gives its preliminary report. The court of inquiry is being headed by Lieut-Gen S.K. Jain, who is Director-General E.M.E. and has Maj. Gen Mohinder Puri and Maj. Gen M. Mathew as the other two members. In its first hearing the court of inquiry apparently has gone through the statements given by the Army officers who are alleged to be involved. These included the statement given by Maj. Gen P.S.K. Choudhury, Additional Director General Weapons and Equipment, who has already been placed under suspension after he reportedly admitted to having accepted gratification from the Tehelka reporters posing as representatives of a defence firm. Sources said other Army officers who are allegedly involved have been attached to the AHQ and have been instructed to not to move out of Delhi till the court of inquiry completes its investigations. They would also not be reporting to their units. |
|
Jaswant takes over as Defence Minister New Delhi, March 19 Mr Jaswant Singh briefly visited the Defence Ministry this afternoon to meet Defence Secretary Yogendera Narain and other top officials of the ministry at the conference room. The three service Chiefs Gen S. Padmanabhan, Air Chief Marshal A.Y. Tipnis and Admiral Sushil Kumar called on him. Mr Jaswant Singh barred television camera and reporters with the ministry officials explaining that he did not want any fanfare. Ministry sources said Mr Jaswant Singh would be operating from his room in the External Affairs Ministry at the other end of the South Block and ask for files to be sent there. Meanwhile, China today expressed the hope that Mr Jaswant Singh, who had been given additional charge of the Defence Ministry, would work hard to promote understanding and trust between the two countries and militaries so as to further bilateral relations, a PTI report from Beijing said. “We congratulate External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh on his joint appointment as Defence Minister,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhu Bangzao said adding “Mr Jaswant Singh is an experienced politician.” “We hope and believe that during his term as Defence Minister, Mr Jaswant Singh will advance the understanding and trust between our two countries and military and continue to work hard to further the development of Sino-Indian relations,” Zhu said. PTI |
|
RSS wants govt to continue New Delhi, March 19 “We want this government to run. There is no change in our view in this regard. What is the alternative to this government? What is their (Opposition’s) credibility”, RSS joint general secretary Madan Das Devi told PTI when asked about the RSS-government relations in the wake of the expose. RSS chief K.S. Sudershan’s observations about “incompetent officials” in the PMO and “extra-constitutional authority” had elicited a strong rebuttal from the latter yesterday. PTI |
|
Clarify stand, BJP asks Trinamool New Delhi, March 19 BJP Vice-President Kailashpati Mishra told a group of newspersons after a meeting with Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee in which party’s acting President K. Jana Krishnamurthi was also present that while “we are ready for seat sharing arrangement with the Trinamool Congress and would be contesting 39 seats in West Bengal in the forthcoming Assembly elections, she should make her position clear whether she was with the NDA, against it, or was neutral”. Mr Mishra said the stand was taken after consulting the party’s state unit which is ready to contest 39 seats. |
|
DMK lays
claim to 155 seats Chennai, March 19 Mr Karunanidhi announced this to newsmen at the party headquarters Anna Arivalayam after concluding agreements with the TMC Democratic Forum, floated by rebel TMC leader and former Finance Minister P Chidambaram and the MGR Kazhagam led by former AIADMK minister R.M. Veerappan, apportioning three and two seats to them respectively. It has been decided that both these parties will field candidates under the DMK’s rising sun symbol, senior minister and DMK election committee chief Arcot N Veerasamy said. With this the DMK has finalised agreements for 67 seats, including the deal to give 21 seats each to the BJP and the Marumalarchi DMK (MDMK). With Mr Karunanidhi asserting that the DMK would contest in a minimum of 155 seats, this leaves just 12 seats to be shared with others allies, including the Puthiya Tamizhagam, the Tamizhaga Rajiv Congress (TRC) and the MGR ADMK led by Mr S Thirunavukarasu. The state Assembly has a total of 234 members. |
|
Farmers
lathi-charged New Delhi, March 19 The farmers, assembled under the banner of the National Coordination of Farmers Movement (NCFM) for an all-India rally, had planned to gherao Parliament after the speeches of their leaders, including Mr Mahendra Singh Tikait of the BKU and Prof M.D. Nanjundaswamy of Karnataka. The police, however, insisted that the farmers stage their demonstration at Kisan Ghat and prevented them from marching to Parliament. But the demonstrators attempted to break through the cordon, forcing the police to resort to a mild lathi charge. The farmers, who had assembled at the mausoleum of former Prime Minister Charan Singh around 11 a.m., were still squatting there when last reports came in. A large number of farmers under the banner of “Bharti Kisan Union (BKU), Punjab” today held a massive “Kisan Panchayat” at Kisan Ghat here to demand early announcement of a better MSP for rabi crops and to save agriculturists from the adverse impact of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) agreement. Addressing the farmers, the national president of the BKU, Chaudhary Mohinder Singh, demanded that the prices of wheat and other rabi crops be announced immediately according to the wholesale price index (WPI). “According to the WPI, the price of wheat comes to Rs 912 per quintal,” he said. Chaudhary Mohinder Singh also demanded that sugar mills should pay the farmers immediately after receiving their sugarcane. Prof Manjeet Singh Kadian, Secretary-General of the BKU, said since 1966-67 the government employees were paid 40 to 60 times hike in their salaries and the average income of industrialists and big traders had increased by more than 100 times. But during this span of time the prices of Agricultural produce had increased just between 7 to 9 per cent. “In these circumstances the farmers too should be saved from poverty,” he said, adding that due to meagre returns for their produce, the Punjab farmers were in debt to
cooperative and commercial banks to the tune of Rs 7,200 crore. Professor Kadian demanded that all loans extended to farmers be written off and while giving new loans the banks should be asked to charge only 4 per cent annual interest so that farmers may be able to return their loans. Mr Puran Singh Shahkot demanded that all Punjab farmers who were forced to sell their paddy below the government prices of Rs 510 and Rs 540 per quintal should be compensated immediately out of Rs 100 crore already announced by the government. Prof Nanjunda Swamy appealed to the Central Government to take action with the help of big groups of developing nations to take “agriculture sector” out of the WTO so that agricultural trade can continue as was the position before 1994. “If this is not possible, then India, along with big groups of developing and poor nations, can trade among themselves and this will benefit farmers, labour and the poor of the Third World countries,” he said. Chaudhary Yudhveer Singh demanded a moratorium on genetic agriculture till it was proved that food produced by this technology was harmless for human consumption. He said 300 doctors of 32 countries after a long investigation and research wrote a book in which they claimed that after consuming the food produced with genetic technology the white cells in blood were destroyed resulting in an AIDS like ailment. |
|
Warrant extended against Quattrocchi New Delhi, March 19 Special Judge R.L. Chugh, hearing the sensitive case for the first time after Ajit Bharihoke’s transfer early this month, extended the NBW till further orders following the CBI’s submission that extradition proceedings against Quattrocchi in a Malaysian court would take more time. Besides Quattrocchi, Europe-based Hinduja brothers — Srichand, Prakashchand and Gopichand, former Bofors agent Win Chadha, former Defence Secretary S.K. Bhatnagar, then Bofors chief Martin Ardbo and the Swedish arms manufacturer AB Bofors have been chargesheeted in the case. They have been accused of criminal conspiracy, cheating and corruption in the Rs 1,437-crore deal for the supply of 400 155mm Howitzer guns by Bofors company to India in 1986. The court directed the CBI to supply legible copies of certain documents to the Hinduja brothers and the Bofors company, now renamed as Kartongen Kemi Och Farvaltning AB, by the next date and adjourned the proceedings for March 30 with the direction that the case file be sent to the High Court which is scheduled to hear on March 23 the Hindujas’ plea seeking permission to leave the country. The direction came in the wake of applications moved by Hindujas’ counsel Arvind Nigan and Bofors counsel Alok Sen Gupta saying certain documents supplied by the CBI were not legible.
PTI |
|
North India in Parliament New Delhi, March 19 LPG pipeline: Minister of state for Petroleum and Natural Gas told the Lok Sabha that Public Sector oil marketing companies do not have any plan for laying a pipeline for transportation of LPG to Chandigarh. Punjab Wakf Board: Replying to a question in Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, Maneka Gandhi said the Punjab Wakf Board became an inter-state body corporate having jurisdiction of Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh and the Union Territory of Chandigarh following the reorganisation of the Punjab in November 1966. She said the board was being administered by the Central government. The minister said in 1981, following allegations of mismanagement and corruption, the board was superseded. Since then, the Board has recovered from a position of deficit to generating income including surplus. Quake safety: Minister of State for Urban Development and Poverty Alleviation Bandaru Dattatreya told the Rajya Sabha that the government had appointed a committee of officers to examine the capability of buildings like the Rashtrapati Bhawan, Parliament House, Prime Minister’s Office, North Block and South Block to withstand a Guajarat-type earthquake. Mr Dattatreya informed the House that the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) has instructed the owners of 128 multi-storeyed buildings falling under its jurisdiction to take necessary steps for ensuring that their houses are quake proof. DDA scam: The minister denied that any action was being contemplated against the DDA Vice-Chairman, Commissioner (Personnel) and the Chief Vigilance Officers in the case of alleged bungling in the allotment of self-finance scheme flats. He said the CBI had registered an FIR against nine DDA officials. All officials have been suspended. 6-month jail for Editor Bhopal, March 19 The court initiated contempt proceedings following publication of a news item in the daily which quoted SAIL as saying “the court decision to acquit the killers of trade union leader Shankar Guha Niyogi was rubbish”. The Division Bench, comprising Mr Justice C.K. Prasad and Mr Justice Usha Shukla, sentenced Editor Vijay Phanshikar, General Manager of the daily Rajendra Rohit, Assistant Editor Vijay Pachpore, Bhilai correspondent Ravi Dubey and trade union activist Rajendra. The court gave three-week time to the five to appeal to the Supreme Court against the judgement.
PTI |
|
Democratic Front suffers defeat Mumbai, March 19 The Shiv Sena-BJP saffron combine polled 110 votes even as the Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh announced that the Treasury Benches would not participate in the poll as never in the history of the state legislature a division of the House was demanded on the recommendations of the
BAC. |
|
Ministers ‘took’ 1 cr for officer’s transfer Bhubaneswar, March 19 The Opposition, which raised the issue during zero hour, trooped into the well, tore papers and shouted at the Speaker demanding a statement from the Chief Minister and an inquiry into the allegation. A peeved speaker Sharat Kumar Kar had to order the marshal to remove Congress MLA Umesh Swain from the House and announced his suspension for seven days. The Congress members walked out in protest. The Speaker later revoked his suspension order and asked the Congress members to come to the House and participate in the debate. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik rose thrice to make a statement but could not proceed because of the furore. Government Chief Whip Pradeep Maharathi expressing concern at the issue moved a privilege notice stating that such allegations had tarnished the prestige and dignity of the House. The issue was first raised during question hour by Congress member Suresh Chandra Routray and others but the Speaker asked them to raise the matter during zero hour. As the zero hour began, Leader of Opposition Ramakanta Mishra, drew the Chair’s attention to the interview of Mr Pyarimohan Mahapatra, a senior retired IAS officer of the state, alleging that three ministers had been bribed Rs 1 crore by the builder lobby to get the urban secretary transferred.
UNI |
|
|
ED office calls Rakesh Roshan Mumbai, March 19 Meanwhile, Film producer Nasim Rizvi was today produced before a special court and whisked away by Enforcement Directorate (ED) for questioning in regard to alleged hawala deals. ED’s counsel Arun Gupta obtained the permission of the designated judge A.B. Bhangale to interrogate Rizvi every day till March 22. Rizvi, producer of “Chori Chori Chupke Chupke”, is facing the charge of alleged nexus with the underworld. The police had intercepted his telephonic talks with Karachi-based gangster Chhota Shakeel. The police alleged that Rizvi’s film was financed by Chhota Shakeel, while co-accused Bharat Shah claims that he had provided finance to make the film. PTI, UNI |
Attack on MC chief: 13 Cong councillors held Rishikesh, March 19 A total bandh was observed in Rishikesh. There were reports of minor clashes between Congress and BJP workers but no one was injured. |
|||||
|
Court exonerates Chennai, March 19 Principal Sessions Judge S. Ashok Kumar rejected the complaint filed by Mr S.R. Shenbagamoorthy, a self-styled social worker, while accepting the preliminary report filed by the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption, stating that there was no prima facie case against Mr
Stalin. UNI |
|||||
4 BODIES FISHED OUT OF GANGA TRIBAL ULTRAS KILL CPM MAN 154-YR-OLD BRIDGE COLLAPSES TV SET EXPLODES, 3 HURT CHAUDHRY'S SACK ARBITRARY: INDIA JASSAL NEW ENVOY TO ISRAEL 4 HELD FOR NRI' |
 |
| 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 | |
