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Sunday,
June 17, 2001, Chandigarh, India  
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Ram Temple not to be poll issue:
BJP BJP raking
up Ayodhya for UP polls: VP Singh States consulted on truce: Centre Malaria
threatening hill regions: report
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Stop arms
training by Bajrang Dal: CPI
Mamata
welcome to NDA: George Confront Centre when needed:
Sonia Sonia
urges Mahila Cong to fight against AIDS PM to
return to Delhi on June 19
India,
Russia for upgradation of weapons Tribal
Council told to go by Governor’s directive Rain
throws life out of gear in Uttaranchal Drug factory auctioned Gehlot’s performance ‘dismal’
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Ram Temple not to be poll issue: BJP Saharanpur, June 16 “Ram Mandir is not on the NDA’s agenda,” senior BJP leader and HRD Minister Murli Manohar Joshi told PTI when asked whether the temple issue would be one of the planks of the party for the UP elections. He said the BJP favoured a consensus along with its allies on the issue. UP BJP chief Kalraj Mishra, when asked whether the Ram Temple would be among the poll issues, said “it is not a political issue but a national issue.” To a question, he said the “Ram Temple has been the BJP’s issue. It will be its poll plank if the party contests the election.” Mr Mishra said stability, development and welfare of farmers were the main issues on which the party would fight the assembly elections. Answering a question on the VHP, he said it was not a political party. Mr Mishra said the Ram Temple already existed at the disputed site at Ayodhya and it needed to be rebuilt either through a consensus or through a court order. He said other parties were talking on the issue more than the BJP. Mr Mishra said the state unit favoured an alliance with the RJD of Mr Ajit Singh and would talk to the Prime Minister in this regard. The PM will then talk to Mr Chautala,’’ he added. Earlier, Union HRD Minister and senior BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi said the central leadership would decide on the issue and the state unit would come up with a proposal. Asked about Mr Chautala’s reservations, Mr Joshi expressed confidence that the Prime Minister would pacify him and added in a lighter vein “he (Vajpayee) is a master in this’’. Mr Mishra told the press conference earlier that the BJP was ready to contest the next UP Assembly poll along with its partners in the government. “We are ready for seat adjustment also’’, he said. He said the party was open to the alliance with others also to “ensure’’ a victory at the hustings. “The BJP is the largest party and to forge an alliance is to ensure majority one can experiment,’’ Mr Mishra said, referring to how Jayalalitha experimented in Tamil Nadu. He ruled out post-poll alliance saying “there will be no need as we will get majority.”
PTI |
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BJP raking up Ayodhya for UP polls: VP
Singh New Delhi, June 16 “Having failed to deliver on the economic front, BJP leaders are giving untrue statements before the Liberhan Commission to play with the emotions of the people,” Mr V.P. Singh told newspersons here today. “The Ayodhya issue could result in riots,” he said, adding that “we will not allow this emotive issue to become an election issue. The people are not interested in it.” Reacting to the statements made by Union Home Minister L.K. Advani and Union Human Resource Development Minister Murli Manohar Joshi before the Liberhan Commission, he said: “My offer was straight, `kar sewa’ for construction outside the disputed area, and `karawas’ for inside it.” The former Prime Minister said Mr Advani, while referring to his offer, had used the term ‘adjoining land’ and cleverly stopped at that. “This has created confusion that my offer of `kar sewa’ was for the disputed area,” Mr V.P. Singh said. The Liberhan Commission is inquiring into the sequence of events leading to the demolition of the disputed structure in Ayodhya on December 6, 1992. The former Prime Minister said he would move the commission to depose before it again to clear the confusion created by the statements made by Mr Advani and Mr Joshi. On the ordinance, he said BJP leaders are making it appear as if the withdrawal of the ordinance of referring the Ayodhya dispute to the Supreme Court has turned the whole issue sour. “The Supreme Court refused to look into it when the Narasimha Rao government referred it. Vajpayee-led NDA government is in power now, and if the ordinance was such a magic ward, then why don’t they promulgate it and refer it to the apex court,” he asked. Calling for accountability on the part of the courts too, as the dispute has been pending for over four decades, he said the solution to the vexed issue could be either an amicable settlement reached between the parties or abiding by the order of the court. On the Kashmir issue, he asked the Vajpayee government to seek a consensus among all parties on the issue before holding talks with the Pakistan’s military ruler, Gen Pervez Musharraf. |
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States consulted on truce: Centre New Delhi, June 16 An official spokesperson said there was no question of Manipur rejecting the ceasefire as it was under Governor’s rule and even Arunachal Pradesh had not rejected it. He said all concerned state governments were consulted before a decision was taken by the government and the Centre assured them that the territorial interests of the states would be protected. He, however, said that “ consultation does not necessarily mean concurrence”. |
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Malaria
threatening hill regions: report Dehra Dun, June 16 According to a report of the National Malaria Eradication Programme, the hill regions of north-Indian states accounting for malaria outbreaks may lead to a high mortality rate. Details available from the health Department reveal that 2,205 cases of malaria were detected in Uttaranchal in the last year. Out of which, 411 patients suffered from the malignant variety of malaria known as P. falciparum malaria. Medical scientists say the topographical condition of the state is congenial for malaria transmission as most of this region is under dense forest and inaccessible. The lack of adequate health infrastructure has further compounded the problem. Dr Rajesh Uniyal, a senior practitioner said, “The reason for the resurgence is that the government health agencies have diverted their attention to family planning and AIDS, instead of malaria.” The instances of falciparum malaria have gone up by 20 per cent in the past two decades. At present, more than 30 per cent of the total malaria cases are of cerebral (falciparum) variety. Another problem for Uttaranchal is that the border areas of UP Saharanpur and Bijnour are the worst malaria affected areas of the north India. The Health officials of Uttaranchal do not rule out the possibility of transmission of this
disease from these areas to the hill state. In rural areas, the malaria control programme is based on the residual spraying of insecticide and there is no provision to control mosquito breeding. In the urban areas, the control programme is based on anti-larval methods. The malaria control organisation throughout the country have no control over the agencies responsible for creating mosquito-genic conditions. Parasitologists believe that success in vector control in the hilly regions can be achieved by inter-sectorial cooperation of various departments such as health, public health, forest, environment, agriculture, education etc. |
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Stop arms training by Bajrang Dal:
CPI New Delhi, June 16 In a statement, the CPI central secretariat said the open training in the use of firearms and other deadly weapons which was being given in camps organised by the Bajrang Dal right in the heart of the state capital, Lucknow, was a very dangerous signal. This was happening not merely under the nose of the state government but with help and facilities extended by it, the CPI said. The government guesthouse had been made available to them, the statement pointed out adding that a minister in the state government had openly justified this training. The open statements that were being made by the Bajrang Dal organisers were not only provocative but meant to intimidate those opposing their aggressive Hindutva agenda, the statement said. Their claim of fighting the ISI was only a pretext, the CPI said adding that task was the responsibility of the state, and had now been taken over by the Bajrang Dal. Obviously, this was part of the preparation of the Sangh Parivar for the forthcoming poll in UP, the CPI said, demanding an immediate stop to the arms training by the Bajrang Dal. On the issue of extension of ceasefire between the Centre and the NSCN-IM for another year, the CPI said while it supported the extension for a year it was opposed to its extension to the entire North-East. The statement said, “This amounts to conniving with the NSCN insurgent outfit on their demand for a greater Nagaland. The ceasefire would give them a free hand to extend their activities among the Naga population in all North-Eastern states, specially Manipur and Assam, the CPI said, adding that the so-called assurances given by this insurgent outfit not to extend help to other insurgent outfits operating in north-eastern states, such as ULFA, had no validity and could be enforced in the context of the ceasefire. |
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Mamata welcome to NDA: George Kolkata, June 16 Echoing the recent statement of Railway Minister and his Samata Party colleague Nitish Kumar, Mr Fernandes said at NSC Bose International Airport here, “I would welcome Mamata Banerjee if she returns to the NDA. However, no formal proposal was made by the Trinamool Congress till now.” Asked whether there was any possibility of him meeting Ms Banerjee today, Mr Fernandes said “no”. He was in the metropolis in connection with some party programme.
PTI |
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Confront Centre when needed:
Sonia New Delhi, June 16 “Of course, we have deep differences with the NDA and I expect you to highlight these at every opportunity even as you pursue avenues for cooperation,” she said in her opening remarks at a meeting of Chief Ministers of 11 Congress-ruled states here. “To that extent, some dichotomy is inevitable in our stance,” Mrs Gandhi said. Asking Congress-led states to “walk on two legs”, she said they had not only to implement Congress programmes and policies but also work with the Centre “which is governed or rather not governed by the NDA now.” Calling upon the Congress-ruled states to become model states for good governance and growth-oriented, equity-based economic management, she said people expected a lot more from the party. Mrs Gandhi asked the Chief Ministers of her party-ruled states to effectively implement schemes for those belonging to weaker sections and set an example of good governance for non-Congress ruled states. There was consensus among the Chief Ministers over the need for reforms in the power sector, wiping off revenue deficit according to a time-frame and right-sizing the government. However, it was emphasised that the interest of farmers had to be protected while bringing about reforms in the power sector. Briefing about the delibrations, senior Congress leader Manmohan Singh said the states had to spend a lot on infrastructure, irrigation, education, health and other social services. The CMs, he said, felt the need for tighter privatisation of public expenditure so that more resources flow for agriculture. Need was felt of moving towards value-added tax structure after a nationwide consensus on the issue. The CMs also discussed how the PSUs could be revitalised. Sources said the Chief Ministers of Congress-ruled states were unlikely to reply to any letter or questionnaire received from the Constitution Review Commission seeking their suggestions on the issues in its terms of reference. The Congress has opposed the commission, saying that it was an attempt to change the basic character of the Constitution. There has been considerable uproar in the party over the meeting of former Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao with panel members. The Chief Ministers present at the meeting included Mr Digvijay Singh (Madhya Pradesh), Mr Vilasrao Deshmukh (Maharashtra), Mr Ashok Gehlot (Rajasthan), Mr S.M. Krishna (Karnataka), Mr Tarun Gogoi (Assam), Mrs Sheila Dixit (Delhi), Mr Mukut Mithi (Arunachal), Mr S.C. Jamir (Nagaland), Mr Ajit Jogi (Chattisgarh) and Mr P. Shanmugham (Pondicherry). Kerala Chief Minister A K Antony could not come because of some pressing engagements, party sources said. |
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Sonia urges Mahila Cong to fight against
AIDS New Delhi, June 16 In her address at the national convention of the Mahila Congress here, Mrs Gandhi said the Congress had taken a revolutionary step in providing 33 per cent reservation for women in panchayats and nagarpalikas. Referring to the 2001 census results, Ms Gandhi expressed concern over the fall in sex ratio in the 0-6 age group, especially in Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh. Noting that the region had considerable economic prosperity, Mrs Gandhi called upon the Mahila Congress to create awareness about the declining sex ratio and make it a part of the organisation’s political mobilisation. Describing the trend as “disturbing,” Mrs Gandhi pointed out the NGOs had ascribed the fall in sex ratio to sex selection and female foeticide. Raising health and social issues, Mrs Gandhi talked about the threat from AIDS. She said four million Indians had been diagnosed as HIV positive and Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Manipur and Nagaland had been identified as high-infection zones. Complimenting the Mahila Congress for its five-point agenda covering education, healthcare, legal
literacy, environment and economic opportunities, Mrs Gandhi called upon the Mahila Congress workers to focus on the fight against AIDS as it had become the single most important public health issue in the country. Urging women to take initiative in launching self-help groups in villages, Mrs Gandhi said the Mahila Congress must explore the feasibility of setting up NGOs up to the panchayat level. She said the Mahila Congress should prepare an inventory of all schemes that governments had launched for the welfare of women and find out if these were being properly implemented. Calling the Mahila Congress a political entity with a larger social purpose, Mrs Gandhi conceded that the desire to get tickets for elections was a legitimate aspiration for its workers. In her address, the Mahlia Congress chief, Ms Chandresh Kumari, outlined the steps the organisation was taking for the empowerment of women. The convention, which was addressed by many senior Congress leaders, decided to hold training programmes in each state for enabling women to function effectively as public leaders. |
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PM to return to Delhi on June 19 Mumbai, June 16 The Prime Minister would be discharged from Breach Candy Hospital on Tuesday afternoon and immediately leave for New Delhi, they said. US-based orthopaedic surgeon Dr Chittaranjan Ranawat had performed the surgery on Mr Vajpayee on June 7. He had done a similar operation on the Prime Minister’s left knee in October last year. Dr
Ranawat, who has since left for New York, had expressed satisfaction over Mr Vajpayee’s recovery.
Mr Vajpayee has been responding well to physiotherapy sessions undertaken with assistance from a team of doctors led by city-based Dr Nandu Laud. A cheerful Prime Minister has been taking walks on the 7th floor of the hospital which is fully reserved for him, the sources said. He has also kept himself posted with world development and cleared some official files from his hospital bed. A 1-km-long cloth banner will be hoisted by BJP workers tomorrow along the street from the hospital to the famous Haji Ali
dargah, with good wishes for Mr Vajpayee scribbled on it by the people, according to party MLA Mangal
Lodha. Today’s visitors to the Prime Minister included Union Minister Maneka Gandhi.
PTI |
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India, Russia for upgradation of weapons New Delhi, June 16 Labelling the successful test-firing of the PJ-10 supersonic cruise missile as an example of upcoming hi-tech defence cooperation between the two countries, highly placed Defence Ministry sources said the keel for such a relationship had been set during the recent visit to Moscow by Defence Minister Jaswant Singh. Though the sources did not identify the aircraft Moscow was offering to New Delhi, they made it clear that it could be either of the Sukhoi or mikoyan range like the Su-35 or Mig 35, both still on the drawing board stage. The sources said the Russians had not offered this aircraft to any other country. “We have sought a concept paper on it”, they said. The top level sources said during the visit issues like joint designing and development of a multi-role transport and passenger aircraft, detailed project report on Admiral Groshkov aircraft carrier and a fresh look by New Delhi at the first-ever Russian advanced jet trainer Mig-at had come up for extensive discussion in the first-ever meeting of the inter-governmental working group on military and technical cooperation. “Top echelons of the Russian leadership are keen on expanding defence ties with India”, the sources said adding that the two sides had agreed to optimise lab to lab interaction in defence fields where agreement had been reached. They said New Delhi found Russian military hardware to be cheaper and availability more assured, but at the same time pointed out that the life-time costs of the equipment had yet not been worked out. The sources said as part of the growing new strategic relationship and to avoid delay in meeting obligations in defence cooperation, New Delhi and Moscow had decided that the joint working group would meet twice a year and other related separate groups would meet quarterly. On New Delhi’s suggestion on the export of armaments besides the upgraded Mig-21, being produced under licence in India, the sources said Moscow had asked proposals about the countries the exports were designated for. On the ticklish issue of national missile defence system proposed by the Bush administration, the sources said the two sides were against unilateral abrogation of the Moscow-Washington anti-ballistic missile treaty. He said the countries were in favour of ending hair-raising alert and reduction of nuclear arsenal, but with proper verification.
PTI |
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Tribal Council told to go by Governor’s directive Agartala, June 16 In a landmark judgement, Guwahati High Court Judge Mr Justice B.B. Deb, while rejecting a writ petition, observed that the TTAADC leaders had challenged the Governor’s directives by preventing the two nominated members from taking their oath. He gave the council till June 18 to comply with the directions. After elections to the 30-member TTAADC in April-May last year, the Indigenous People Front of Tripura (IPFT), a tribal based party, came to power with 18 seats, defeating the CPM-led Left Front, that won 10 seats. Two members — Molendhan Chakma and Sumitra Debbarma — were nominated by the Governor, but the IPFT has prevented them from taking oath for a year now.
UNI |
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Rain throws life out of gear in Uttaranchal Dehra Dun, June 16 Weather experts say that dryness of weather in the past winter brought about an early onset of summer, which in turn created low pressure. Although monsoon is yet to reach the Himalayas but low pressure has resulted in cyclonic rainfall. Many ponds in Garhwal and Kumaon Divisions of the state along with seasonal streams were full to the brim. Other reservoirs and rivers recorded rise in water level following heavy rain which ended the long dry spell in the region. Weather officials earlier predicted good rainfall in all parts of Uttaranchal, crossing average figures. Maximum rain was recorded in upper Himalayan regions of Uttarkashi, Almora, Joshimath, Mussoorie, Tehri, Nainital and many other areas ranging between 2.5 to 4.2 cm. |
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Drug factory auctioned Sriganganagar, June 16 The Rs 10-crore plant was set up in a portion of the local Ganganagar Sugar Mill in 1970 and was the brainchild of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. She felt that precious foreign exchange could be saved if such a plant was established in the country. Moreover, it would give a fillip to the production of low glucose sugar from the root and increase the affordability of the injection among the people of the country. Prior to this, the juice, rich in fermented sugar, betene and glumatic acid, was exported from various European countries at prohibitive costs. Indira Gandhi had directed that a study be conducted for selecting the best place to set up the prestigious plant and after two years of field tests in Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra, scientists from the Rashtriya Chini Sansthan, Kanpur, selected Sriganganagar. The machinery was imported and the pilot project went on steam in 1970. A former Chief Minister of Rajasthan, Mr Mohanlal Sukhadia, ensured that the project was completed in record time. Farmers of the district were given various incentives to grow beetroots, resulting in a boom production of the crop. The plant not only needed less water in the drought-prone state but also ensured two harvestings for the farmers as compared to a cash crop like sugarcane. Hence, over the years its popularity grew and more and more farmers cashed in on its popularity. Scientists at Rajasthan Agricultural University, too, are shocked at the sudden decision of the government to auction the plant despite repeated assurances from time to time by successive state governments. The experts point out that the cultivation of beet is more economical than sugarcane. It can be cultivated on thousands of acres of barren and unploughable land in the state. Its sugar content is more than sugarcane per quintal. It is also less susceptible to diseases as compared to sugarcane. The white seed of beet, imported from Russia, can withstand the intense heat witnessed in the state. Not only this, the pulp of the root cane can be used for assorted purposes. It has been used in the manufacture of distemper for walls, for animal feed and in the fermentation industry. Trials have shown that when given to milch cattle it increases the milk yield. There are three byproducts of the entire process. The vitamin rich pulp is used for animal feed and for making high-quality glue and fibre-rich bread. The press mud is used in distempers, calcium carbonate and chemical fertiliser. The juice is used for making Vitamin-B 12 injections, for making liquor yeast, glycerine and lactic acid, the experts reveal. On the other hand, various farmers have termed the closure as anti-farmer and have questioned the rationale behind closing a successful and that, too, only one of its kind in the country. At a time when the state is grappling with recurring droughts and the agricultural experts are advocating growing less water-intensive crops, this decision is highly questionable and contrary to ground realities. “It is also ironical that a project started with such fanfare in the regime of the Congress is being shut down in a state in which the same party is in power”, a farmer pointed out. Meanwhile, an agitation to scrap the sale and get the plant on steam is on the cards.  |
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Gehlot’s performance ‘dismal’ Sriganganagar, June 16 This was stated by former Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhairon Singh Shekhawat while addressing mediapersons at the local Circuit House here today. He was flanked by senior party leaders, including Mr Gurjant Singh Brar, former Irrigation and Power Minister. Launching a frontal attack on the dismal track record of the Ashok Gehlot government, he said the Chief Minister was interested in hiking taxes and was totally cut off from the ground realities. The relief work in the entire state was a shambles and no special measures had been announced by the state to make up for the crippling losses suffered by the farmers and the traders alike. The losses suffered by the farmers alone amounted to Rs 16, 000 crore since crops had completely failed in 30, 500 villages. As a result the industries and other units connected with the farming community too had collapsed. Although the Congress manifesto promised Rs 500 per acre as subsidy for the farmers whose crops had failed, nothing had been paid to them till date, he alleged. In the past two years the state has levied taxes to the tune of Rs 1, 732 crore, which does not include the massive increase in power tariff. The population here, including farmers, are unable to pay their bills, he added. Similarly, the state has failed to ensure that it
got canal water from Punjab. Theft of water was rampant and had been brought to the notice of the Chief Minister but he had done nothing to check it, Mr Shekhawat said. Adding further, he said the gates at the Harike and Hussainiwala needed urgent repairs to stop wastage of water. Although Punjab was willing to pay its share for the repairs, Rajasthan had failed to make a provision of even a small amount like Rs 2 to 3 crore. He said it was the need of the time to stand up against the misrule of the Congress since all sections of society were badly affected. Reacting to a query he said if his government was voted to power he would waive-off loans of the farmers totalling Rs 25, 000. Commenting on the issue of 12, 000 Pakistani ISI agents active in the border state, he said the government had failed to comment on the issue and was maintaining silence. On the visit of General Musharaff, Mr Shekhawat said there was bound to be a positive outcome as the dialogue initiative to solve problems should never be given up. He later interacted with party workers.
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