 |
Friday,
June 22, 2001, Chandigarh, India  
|
Advani to meet leaders
tomorrow
Cong man held for
‘Gadar’ violence |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Fresh operations to
nab Veerappan India rejects UN figures on
AIDS
TMC dissolves
party structure Bharat Shah hospitalised Rs 1 lakh aid for Ambedkar’s widow
|
|
Advani to meet leaders
tomorrow New Delhi, June 21 The decision to hold the meeting comes in the wake of Manipur Governor Ved Marwah urging the Home Minister to “hold a meeting at the highest level on the issue.” Dr Marwah had called up the Home Minister with this request after holding over two-hour-long discussions with political leader in Imphal this morning, Home Ministry sources said here today. Meanwhile, when asked about the agenda of the proposed meeting, the Home Ministry spokesman said: “There is no fixed agenda. At least 10 political leaders will meet Mr Advani on the Naga ceasefire issue.” Asked whether the Centre was planning to review the ceasefire extension in the wake of large-scale opposition in Manipur and Assam, he said; “The truce has been extended beyond the territory of Nagaland to give peace a chance in the entire North-East and the Centre’s move will not affect in any manner the territorial integrity of other states in the region.” Meanwhile, former Assam Chief Minister Prafulla Mohanta, who called on the Home Minister in the evening, favoured the truce extension. “If the Centre’s decision will help in bringing peace in the North-East, then it is welcome,” he said. While emphasising the need for seeking permanent solution to the infiltration and insurgency problem in the North-East, Mr Mohanta refused to comment on the controversy regarding whether the Chief Ministers of the north-eastern states were consulted in “earnest” by the Centre before taking the all important step to enlarge the ambit of the Naga ceasefire. |
|
|
MLAs set July 31 as deadline
Imphal, June 21 The MLAs met last evening to chalk out the future course of action. The meeting, which was presided over by the Manipur Speaker, Dr S. Dhananjoy Singh, unanimously resolved to meet Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, Union Home Minister L.K.Advani and other central leaders and urge them to withdraw the truce. Altogether 19 MLAs from different parties, led by former Chief Minister and leader of the BJP legislature party R.K. Dorendra Singh, left for New Delhi today, a spokesman of the group told UNI here. They would ask the Prime Minister to revoke the agreement between the Centre and the NSCN (I-M) within July 31, the spokesman said, adding that the legislators would resign from their respective posts en masse if the Centre failed to withdraw the agreement. The spokesman said they would submit their resignation letters in New Delhi to the Manipur Speaker. Dr S.Dhananjoy Singh, former Chief Minister Rishang Keishing, along with other legislators will also leave for New Delhi tomorrow. Some MLAs are expected to join them soon. The meeting also condemned the setting on fire the Manipur Assembly hall and other buildings on June 18 by protesters and demanded a judicial inquiry into the police firing that claimed 13 lives. Meanwhile a report from Aizawl said the All-Mizoram Manipuri Association had condemned the extension of ceasefire to the Naga-inhibited areas of Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh. In a statement today the association said the ceasefire threatened the territorial integrity of the three states. It also criticised the Centre for not consulting the three states before taking a final decision on the issue. Earlier, with the situation remaining “very tense”, indefinite curfew was today reclamped in three Manipur valley districts after relaxation for two hours from 7 am, official sources said. A large number of people turned out to buy essential items when markets opened during the curfew relaxation. Several residents complained to the authorities that essential items which were to be brought from interior Manipur to Imphal and Greater Imphal areas could not reach as the relaxation period was “very short”, sources said. Indefinite curfew was reclamped in the districts of Imphal West, Imphal East and Thoubal, officials said. They said government offices remained closed for the third day today throughout the Manipur valley and added that no untoward incident was reported from any part of the state. Meanwhile, four social organisations spearheading the agitation against extension of the ceasefire to Manipur said today that they would socially boycott the MPs and MLAs in the state for being “anti-people.”
UNI, PTI
Imphal, June 21 The Speaker’s building inside the Assembly complex and his residence were gutted on June 18 by a mob protesting the extension of the ceasefire to the Naga areas in the state.
UNI |
|
|
Cong man held for
‘Gadar’ violence Bhopal, June 21 Chief Minister Digvijay Singh himself was said to have instructed the police to arrest Masood following a public outcry. Masood was said to have reached a city hotel from where a police officer took him to the headquarters. In what appears to be a damage control exercise, the Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) has constituted a two-member committee to inquire into the role of Masood in Tueday’s violence. Rajya Sabha member Abdul Ghayoor Qureshi and former Lok Sabha member Suraj Bhan Solanki are members of the committee. MPCC President Radha Kishan Malaviya has also announced that state Youth Congress President Govind Rajput will be asked to take appropriate action against Masood. Rajput is at present away in Himachal Pradesh. A mob of about 100 persons had on Tuesday afternoon attacked the people at Lily Talkies with rods, hockey sticks and swords, lobbed country bombs and set fire to over a dozen vehicles. The situation was brought under control only after reinforcements were rushed from various police stations. The police
lathicharged and then resorted to teargas. Several people received injuries and over a dozen vehicles were set afire. It is now learnt that Masood had just walked away after the arson and vandalism in spite of heavy police deployment. Later a 50-strong police contingent went to Masood’s house to arrest him. |
|
Fresh operations to nab Veerappan Chennai, June 21 A senior STF official at Bhavanisagar base camp told UNI that the STF led by Mr Walter Dewaram, had entered the forests but declined to give details about the exact strength of the force or the strategy. The Jayalalitha government, after assuming office, had reconstituted the Tamil Nadu STF by recalling retired DGP Walter Dewaram, who had headed the operations to nab Veerappan earlier, to head the STF. The STF men, who have undergone special training in the forest areas of Sathyamangalam, will camp for longer periods inside the forests, unlike earlier occasions when they were allowed to return to the base camp for rest. Tight vigil was being maintained in villages in and around the forests, the official said. The forest brigand, who carries a reward of Rs 25 lakh on his head, has killed more than 130 persons and 500 elephants. After lying low for some time, Veerappan once again struck in a big way by kidnapping popular Kannada actor Rajkumar last year and had held him hostage for 108 days. Following Dr Rajkumar’s release, the governments of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka had resumed operations to nab the brigand. COIMBATORE: A batch of the STF, headed by Tamil Nadu Inspector-General K. Vijayakumar, entering the forests early today to nab Veerappan. Mr Vijayakumar and 60 other STF personnel entered the forests in five batches from different sides in Erode district, STF sources said. Another group, led by DIG Tamilselvan, went into the forests from Mettur area, bordering Salem district, they said. Meanwhile, another STF batch, led by a senior officer, had reportedly taken up positions in the forest area coming under Sirumugai in Coimbatore district, STF sources said. Groups of STF personnel, comprising eight members each, had been posted at 22 police stations, coming under Erode, Salem, Dharmapuri and Coimbatore districts, considered “Veerappan-infested” areas, police sources from Erode said. The groups had been provided with sophisticated weapons and modern telecommunication gadgets, they said.
UNI, PTI |
|
|
India rejects UN figures on
AIDS New Delhi, June 21 “We do not accept this figure,” said Union Health Minister C.P. Thakur at a function marking the release of the UNAIDS report “Together we can — leadership in the world of AIDS.” The National Aids Control Organisation (NACO) Director, Dr J.V.R. Prasada Rao, said: “The reported figure of death due to AIDS that we have is 17,000. We have not made any estimate of the number of persons affected.” “We certainly cannot accept this figure of the UN.” The Union Health Minister, who would be attending the UN General Assembly special session on HIV/AIDS from June 25 to 27, said: “I would certainly raise this issue. The figure is unrealistic.” However, the UNAIDS struck to its figure. “At the moment, I am not withdrawing the figures. The estimates are based on some assumptions and I would check these,” said Dr David Miller, country programme adviser of UNAIDS in the country. The fact-sheet on the UN session said “at the end of 1999, the estimated number of orphans living in some of the worst-affected countries were: 211,000 in Burkina Faso, 900,000 in Ethiopia, 3,000 in Namibia, 970,000 in Nigeria, 317,000 in South Africa, 447,000 in Zambia, 623,000 in Zimbabwe and 560,000 in India.” Worldwide, 36.1 million people are now estimated to be living with HIV or AIDS. Already, 21.8 million people around the world have died of AIDS, 4.3 million of them children. In 2000 alone, 5.3 million people were infected with HIV. |
|
Drug to prevent AIDS from
mother to child New Delhi, June 21 “The drug would cost about Rs 1000 per patient and it would become part of the national programme very soon,” said the Union Health Minister, Mr C.P. Thakur, here today. He said it was not feasible for the government to provide subsidised antiretroviral treatment to the HIV-infected people, but some programme for subsidised treatment for opportunistic infection had been launched. “We have also assured provision of full antiretroviral treatment to health care functionaries who may suffer the risk of infection through accidental needle injuries,” he said. Mr Thakur also stated that India would seek more funds to check the spread of HIV/AIDS in Asian countries at the UN Special Session. |
|
TMC dissolves
party structure Chennai, June 21 TMC General Secretary Peter Alphonse, MP told reporters after the executive, attended by senior leaders, MLAs, MPs, representatives of local bodies and special invitees, that the dissolution of the party structure was meant to revamp the party and to face the coming local body elections in Tamil Nadu with confidence. TMC sources said new office-bearers would be nominated by Mr Moopanar in at least 10 days. To a question whether the alliance with the AIADMK would continue for the coming local body elections also, Mr Alphonse evaded a direct reply. When asked whether the abolition of the posts of office-bearers was a prelude to the eventual merger of the TMC with the Congress as speculated in the media, Mr Alphonse answered in negative and said the exercise was meant to revamp the organisation and to face the local body poll with confidence. The executive, the first after the recent elections, which saw the secular front headed by the AIADMK bounce back to power, congratulated the AIADMK and its leader J. Jayalalitha for leading the front to victory. Mr Alphonse said the TMC wanted all secular parties at the national level to unite to face the challenge posed by the “communal forces”. Asked whether the MDMK, a “secular party”, which had severed its connections with the DMK, was also welcome to join the secular forces in the state, Mr Alphonse said his party’s call was only to those outside the BJP fold. The executive congratulated the Tamil Nadu Government for waiving interest and penal interest on loans obtained by farmers from the cooperative banks. It urged the Chief Minister to extend similar benefits to those who had taken loans from the land development banks and also weavers who had borrowed from cooperative banks.
UNI
|
|
Bharat Shah hospitalised Mumbai, June 21 Shah was admitted in hospital yesterday after he complained of uneasiness. The hospital Dean Dr V R Bhutada said “Shah is under observation and fully conscious”. In keeping with court orders, he was brought from Thane jail to the hospital for medical check-up. On a plea made by Shah’s counsel, Designated Judge A P Bhangale also allowed him to take home-made food after the approval of the doctors and permitted his family physician Mahendra Thakar to visit him for consultation. Shah moved a petition through his lawyers alleging he was not given food yesterday and was made to wait for more than two hours in the hospital corridor without medical help resulting in the deterioration of his health. He urged for home-made food and permission to meet relatives. Special Public Prosecutor Rohini Salian denied Shah’s allegations. She said Shah was examined by a panel of doctors formed essentially to examine him. The prosecutor informed that Shah was given food by the hospital.
PTI |
|
Rs 1 lakh aid for Ambedkar’s widow New Delhi, June 21 This aid was given to her after learning that Mrs Ambedkar (90), had been suffering from health and financial problems, a Home Ministry spokesperson told newspersons today. The Home Minister also wrote to the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Mr Vilasrao Deshmukh, urging him to consider her case favourably for grant of family pension from the state government. |
|
Tandon to tour HP New Delhi, June 21 |
 |
| 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 | |
