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April 24, 2001, Chandigarh, India   
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Pro-Pak lobby behind Dhaka
skirmish? Panel to summon MoD,
Tehelka 2 Malaysian firms get highway project SC directive on Srikrishna
report CBI case against communication
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SC notice to CBI in fodder cases Medha’s affidavit irks SC
PIL on aircraft
use: govt told to give reply
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Pro-Pak lobby behind Dhaka
skirmish? New Delhi, April 23 While it is true that incidents in the Meghalaya sector of the Indo-Bangladesh border at Pyridwah village and Baroibari village could be engineered by a pro-Pakistan and anti-Indian lobby in Dhaka because of a long standing border
dispute in which both India and Bangladesh are in “possession” of each other’s territory, but the timing of the border flare up is indeed intriguing, which requires a deep probe. Pyrdiwah village, according to official survey records, where the incident occurred, is mentioned as Bangladeshi territory under the Indian possession. Similarly, Baroibari, where the BSF jawans were killed, is referred to as Indian territory in “possession” of Bangladesh. India and Bangladesh have a 4000-km long common border of which majority of it has been demarcated barring 6.5 km of stretches in Assam. Tripura and West Bengal, which is yet to be demarcated. The exchange of territory under “possession” between New Delhi and Dhaka, particularly at a time when even bilateral ties are “favourable and friendly” has not been possible because of a number of reasons. One of the main reason is political as this would require a constitutional amendment by Parliament of India, which needs support of at least two-third strength of the two Houses. This cannot be done without a consensus among major political parties. Some of the political parties have deep vested political interest as people living in these areas are looked as a potential votebank by them. An intense power struggle is going on in Bangladesh, where the ruling Awami League government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is being challenged by an alliance led by former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia. The BNP-led alliance, consisting of radical Islamic parties like the Jammat-e-Islami, the Islamic Okiya Jote and the Jatiya Party of former President General Irshad has been accusing Ms Hasina being pro-India. Sources said the operation at Pyrdiwah was put into action by a “junior minister”, some top bureacrats and a section of the BDR and was masterminded by the Inter Services Intelligence of Pakistan. The objective of such an undertaking was to put Ms Hasina into a corner labelling her as an agent of New Delhi. Even the Bangladesh government has admitted publicly admitted that “the BDR action was taken without their knowledge” and External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh informed this to the Indian Parliament today. How far this incident influences the course of domestic politics in Bangladesh is a moot question at present but a determined attempt to derail the forward-looking emerging bilateral ties was made by Islamabad is beyond doubt. |
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Panel to summon MoD, Tehelka New Delhi, April 23 “We will send the notices to the parties concerned starting with Tehelka followed by MoD in the next day or two,” Justice Venkataswamy, who is heading the commission, said. Evidence, including the unedited footage, will also be asked for, Mr Venkataswamy said, adding that a timeframe of a week to 10 days would be given to the parties concerned to submit the evidence and documents. Asked whether Army officials would be summoned by the commission as there was already an Army court of Inquiry going into the involvement of the personnel and ex-officials into the defence deals, the Justice said, “Whosoever will be required and whatever documents will be needed, the commission will summon and investigate.” About the other parties to be summoned by the commission by individual notices, he said the commission was still in the process of finalising the names. After screening the footage, it would decide on other persons and documents. The commission has already given May 8 as the last date for the response to its public notice. On the commission taking services of the investigating agencies for conducting investigation during its proceedings, Mr Venkataswami said besides taking help from the government agencies, if required, it might engage private agencies also. According to its ‘regulations of procedure’, “the commission may, in its discretion, utilise the services of any officers of any department or investigating agencies for conducting any investigation.” Hoping that the commission will be able to complete the investigations in the given timeframe of four months, he said though it was the commission’s endeavour to finish the task in the stipulated time it depends on “cooperation” from everyone.
PTI |
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2 Malaysian firms get highway project New Delhi, April 23 The Jammu and Kashmir Government had submitted a pre-feasibility report in December 1997 on pollution abatement of the Jhelum in the four towns of Anantnag, Srinagar, Sopore and Baramulla, the Minister of Environment and Forests, Mr T.R. Baalu, said in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today. As per the Indus Water Treaty, the entire water of the Ravi, the Beas and the Sutlej rivers are to be utilised by India except for notional use by Pakistan and the entire water of the Indus, the Jhelum and the Chenab river are to be utilised by Pakistan except for some used by India. About 50 per cent of the 126 km stretch of the National Highway project from Gurgaon in Haryana to Kotputli in Rajasthan has been awarded to a consortium of two Malaysian companies - Road Builder Malaysia and Progressive Automation Technology International (PATI). B. Seenaiah Company Limited (BSC) of India holds 50 per cent of the contract stake in the stretch. The Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways, Maj General B.C. Khanduri, told the Lok Sabha today in a written reply. There are 40,815 persons in the waiting list of the telephone connections in Himachal Pradesh as of March 31, 2001. The most of the applicants are from Kangra district with the figure standing at 12,897. The Minister of State for Communications, Mr Tapan Sikdar, informed the Lok Sabha that the existing waiting list was likely to be cleared by March, 2002, subject to the availability of the equipments and other associated material. |
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SC directive on Srikrishna report New Delhi, April 23 Not satisfied with the affidavit, dated March 26, filed by the state government, the three-judge Bench comprising Mr Chief Justice A.S. Anand, Mr Justice R.C. Lahoti and Mr Justice Brijesh Kumar said in its order that the affidavit should mention the following details: (i) number of chargesheets filed (ii) number of cases in which charges have been framed and (iii) number of cases in which trial has commenced. The affidavit should also mention the number of cases in which compensation has already been paid and the number of cases in which the question of compensation is still under consideration. The direction was issued in view of the fact that whereas the commission found 173 persons missing and presumably dead in the riots, but compensation as per an interim order had only been paid in 40 cases. The directions were issued during a resumed hearing on a public interest petition filed by the action committee for implementation of the Srikrishna Commission report. The committee had approached the apex court because of the failure of the then Shiv Sena-BJP government in the state to act on the report, which indicted sena chief Bal Thackeray, former Chief Minister Manohar Joshi and many police officers.
UNI |
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CBI case against communication
firm New Delhi, April 23 M/s Dev Communications at Sushant Lok-I in Gurgaon, run by Maj Atul Dev (retd), was allegedly receiving international voice calls illegally from the USA and other countries by bypassing the VSNL network, a CBI press note said here today. The case against the company was registered after CBI sleuths conducted a raid in association with technical experts of the VSNL on the premises of the company and confiscated sophisticated equipment attached with the satellite antenna installed on the roof top. According to the CBI, the firm had obtained 195 telephone connections to facilitate the transfer of calls. The firm did not obtain the required licence/permission from the VSNL and the Wireless Programme Coordination (WPC) to install the equipment, thus making the installation and maintenance of such equipments illegal under the Indian Wireless Telegraphy Act 1933. The CBI has also seized various deposits worth about Rs 60 lakhs of the firm lying with different banks. |
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SC notice to CBI in fodder cases New Delhi, April 23 The notice, returnable by July 23, was issued by a three-judge-Bench, comprising Mr Justice K.T. Thomas, Mr Justice S.S.M. Quadri and Mr Justice U.M. Banerjee, while hearing a special leave petition by former Chief Minister of Bihar Laloo Prasad Yadav, challenging the Patna High Court order. The impugned high court order was passed on February 7.
UNI |
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Medha’s affidavit irks SC New Delhi, April 23 Though both of them and advocate Prashant Bhushan denied the allegations that they made derogatory remarks against the court, a Bench comprising Mr Justice G.B. Pattanaik and Mr Justice U.C. Banerjee said “the tenor of the affidavits may itself be contemptuous”. It said there were two courses open for the court — either to drop the proceedings against them on the basis of their denials or to inquire into the incident and asked Additional Solicitor General Altaf Ahmed to suggest as to what course of action the court should adopt.
PTI |
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PIL on aircraft
use: govt told to give reply New Delhi, April 23 A Division Bench of Chief Justice Arijit Pasayat and Justice
D.K. Jain said the reply must be filed by May 10. On May 12 last year, the Bench had diverted the same PIL to the Prime Minister’s Office as a public representation. Advocate
B.L. Wadehra said no response came forth despite his repeated reminders — either from the PMO or from the Cabinet
Secretariat. UNI
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2001 ‘Year of the Book’ New Delhi, April 23 Two brothers get life term Hanumangarh, April 23 On August 14, 1998 Jangir Singh and Rajinder Puri were going Panawali from junction. Two brothers Harveer Singh and Jangveer Singh and two others Bhura Ram and Karnail Singh sprinkled petrol on Jangir Singh and Rajinder Puri and burnt them alive. The Additional District and Sessions Judge, Mr Bhagwan Singh, awarded life imprisonment to Harveer Singh and Jangveer Singh and acquitted the other two. S. N. Tripathi Sriganganagar, April 23 |
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