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Tuesday,
September 4, 2001, Chandigarh, India  
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Check funds’ flow to insurgents:
Advani Jail those behind burqa drive:
Swami Rudy: Shadow trial not
fair Punish Haryana cops for atrocities: NHRC |
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SC: why only 25 kg foodgrains for BPL families? ISI ultras ‘enter’
Bihar via Nepal India flays Pak remarks at UN meeting CPM leader among
6 killed in Tripura BJP: move on MBC
quota not aimed at poll BJP workers burn
Madhuri’s posters Non-BJP parties
sidelined: Cong Notice to ministry on astrology
course Veerappan's associate
held Hearing in Tansi case on Sept 7 USA: no bargain
with China on
nuclear build-up SC takes exception
to SDMs carrying tag of Magistrates
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Check funds’ flow to insurgents:
Advani New Delhi, September 3 Asking the north-eastern states to be vigilant against government funds reaching the insurgents, the Home Minister called for the integration of the economies of the north-eastern States. Expressing concern over instances of post-election defections, Mr Advani said the recent developments in Manipur had taught a lesson to political parties that the game of manufacturing majorities through defections and floor-crossing would not only create chaos but would further imperil internal security. Mr Advani was inaugurating the 45th north-eastern council meeting here, attended by Governors and Chief Ministers of seven north-eastern states. Referring to the development of the region as a whole Mr Advani said: “Corruption and improper usage of funds thwarts development leading to unemployment and frustration.” “It is a sad fact that funds from the public coffers often go to the militants and, therefore, the Finance Ministry holds back the funds. It has not happened anywhere else,” Mr Advani said though these were isolated incidents “the situation should be of grave concern to all of us”. Stating that democracy could be strengthened only if the will of the people was reflected in the legislature he said it was a matter of concern that there were defections and floor-crossing after elections “in an attempt to manufacture an artificial majority”. He said the practice of giving ministerial berths to almost all legislators should be discouraged. “The Constitutional Review Committee is presently carrying out its work and I do not know what view they have on this.” The meeting, chaired by Assam Governor Lt Gen S.K. Sinha (retd) who is the NEC Chairman, was also attended by Deputy Chairman of Planning Commission K.C. Pant and Disinvestment Minister Arun Shourie, who now heads the new Department for Development of the North East. Stressing that in no case violence would be compromised, he said some misgivings had cropped up about the nature of the ceasefire between the Centre and the NSCN(I-M) for bringing lasting peace which led to unrest in Manipur. |
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Jail those behind burqa drive: Swami Thiruvananthapuram, September 3 “The Centre would support any action taken by the state government in this regard and the persons who perpetuate this act should be put behind bars,” he said while speaking at a Meet-the-Press programme here. Answering a question, he said though the militants were trying to Talibanise Kashmir, their attempts would never succeed. The people of Kashmir should also openly resist such social evils, he added. Referring to the allegations by Hurriyat Conference leaders that security forces in Kashmir were violating human rights, Mr Swami said clearly, what was happening in Kashmir was cross-border terrorism. The Centre was pursuing a three pronged strategy to bring back normalcy in Kashmir, he said, adding that it was building up infrastructure facilities in the state, trying to remove the grievances of the people, improve relationships with the neighbouring countries and fight the militancy with full force. He said six state governments, including Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, had asked the Centre to ban the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI).
PTI |
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Rudy: Shadow trial not fair New Delhi, September 3 “Is it fair to subject us to a shadow trial through media when the whole issue is being investigated by Venkataswami Commission?” Mr Rudy asked minutes after taking charge from Mr Digvijay Singh. “I will take measures (for stopping the campaign)... I am thinking what is to be done,” Mr Rudy, who was mentioned in Tehelka tapes by Samata Party leader R.K. Jain as the MP who would take the Tehelka reporter to Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha, said. Dubbing the reports in certain sections of media as a campaign against the NDA government, the new minister from Bihar said it was unfortunate that a national daily, which had published an apology to disassociate Mr Sinha’s name, had repeated the same story as the main column within three months. Mr Rudy said that his appointment as a Minister of State for Commerce and Industry was a challenging one and he was aware of the national importance of the portfolio he was holding. He expressed concern over the negative export growth and said he would soon identify the issues to be addressed on a priority basis. Meanwhile, the Venkataswami Commission, which is probing into the Tehelka expose, will send the interrogatories to the government for three sensitive defence deals of Simulators, Image Intensifying Tubes and Carl Gustav Rocket Launchers even as it starts its in-camera proceedings for Barak missiles. The commission has decided that the interrogatories for the past three transactions will be sent by September 7, Justice K. Venkataswami said during a hearing today and added that the government should file the replies by September 17. The commission, which has completed the oral examination of witnesses in two deals, Kornet E and Lightweight Binoculars, will begin its in-camera proceedings for Barak missiles from tomorrow.
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Punish Haryana cops for atrocities: NHRC New Delhi, September 3 NHRC sources today said the commission had asked the state government to pay Rs 20,000 each to the seven boys and file charge sheet against three guilty police officials under the appropriate provisions of the IPC and the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The directions were given on a complaint, besides media reports, received by the commission that the boys had been picked up by officials of the Haryana Police who had then stripped and paraded them in the streets of Omnagar and Shanti Nagar near Gurgaon. Earlier, in response to the NHRC direction, a report was received from the Superintendent of Police, Gurgaon, which indicted some members of the police force. However, a subsequent report was received which indicted some other persons while those named in the first instance did not figure in the later report. In view of the inconsistency, the commission directed its investigation division to inquire into the entire matter. According to the findings of the investigation team, some of children of the Balmiki community had been playing cricket in the park when their ball fell to the compound of the house of a police official. The official allegedly rounded up the boys, got them to strip and then paraded them on the streets. They were allegedly taken back to the park, made to kneel down and were physically assaulted and beaten up by the police. Accepting the report of the investigation team, the NHRC asked the Superintendent of Police, Gurgaon, to take action against the
erring policemen and recover the compensation to be paid to the boys from them, in proportions that were determined to be appropriate by the competent authority.
UNI |
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SC: why only 25 kg foodgrains for BPL families? New Delhi, September 3 Attorney General Soli Sorabjee informed a Bench comprising Mr Justice B.N. Kirpal and Mr Justice Ashok Bhan that the states of Orissa, Bihar, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Assam, Goa, Tripura, Manipur, Uttaranchal, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh and the Union Territories of Delhi, Pondicherry, Chandigarh and Lakshadweep had not yet identified the BPL families. The Bench issued notices to them asking why such exercise had not been completed. The court also expressed shock over the way state governments had handled starvation deaths and wanted to know as to why only 25 kg of foodgrains were provided to the BPL families per month despite a provision for a supply of 73 kg of foodgrains under the government regulation. The court was hearing a petition filed by People’s Union for Civil Liberties
(PUCL), which while drawing the court’s attention to various aspects of starvation deaths sought a declaration from the court that right to food should be termed as a fundamental right. However, it said the primary task at hand for the governments was to prevent anymore starvation deaths occurring in the country. The Bench asked the counsel for the petitioner Cecil Gonsalves to identify officers in each of the affected districts who had the “spirit, inclination and drive” to prevent such deaths by implementation of government schemes. “Let us target the areas which need immediate attention and Orissa appears to be in the greatest need,” the Bench observed. The court also issued notices to the states of Andhra Pradesh,
Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa and Rajasthan, which were identified by the petitioners as drought prone. It asked them to respond within a week as to what steps taken to alleviate the condition of the BPL families in their states.
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ISI ultras ‘enter’
Bihar via Nepal Patna, September 3 The ISI and Dawood’s money is being pumped in huge quantities in Nepal to encourage infiltration of mercenaries into India through the 750 km long and porous Indo-Nepal border. All this and other damaging facts for the Indian internal security were revealed during the interrogation of an Afghani national and ISI pawn, Damgul Khan, alias Nek Muhammad, who was arrested on August 13 at Raxaul on the Indo-Nepal border. The Union Home Ministry has sounded an alert to Bihar. In pursuance to the Union Home Ministry missive, the state Home Department has deployed 30 companies of Special Service Bureau (SSB) in the 27 ‘soft spots’ along the 120 km stretch in East and West Champarans and Sitamarhi districts, considered to be ISI-concentration zones by the IB. The East Champaran District Magistrate, Mr Hira Lal, informed that the SSB companies had been concentrated in Raxaul, Ghorashahan and Piprakothi areas to check the anti-national activities and infiltration. Police sources maintain that the arrested Afghan national Damgul Khan had admitted to ISI training in Pakistan. The interrogation also reportedly revealed the involvement of some of the madarsas in anti-India activities. The madarsa at Chandanbara near the Indo-Nepal border has also reportedly come under suspicion with reports that Pak Embassy officials in Nepal visited it and stayed there. |
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India flays Pak remarks at UN meeting New Delhi, September 3 Reacting strongly to the Pakistan Foreign Minister’s comments at the Durban Conference on racism, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Nirupama Rao said Mr Sattar gratuitously overlooked that there were more followers of Islam in India than in Pakistan. “India has never associated any one faith with terrorism. It has drawn attention to the reality of the involvement of Pakistan and the Taliban regime that it has fostered with international terrorism, including cross-border terrorism.’’
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CPM leader among 6 killed in Tripura Agartala, September 3 The police said here today that the heavily armed NLFT extremists stormed into CPM leader Hirendra Jamatia’s house when the victims were asleep. The ultras opened fire at the veteran tribal leader and his wife, Ms Alibala Jamatia, killing them on the spot. The rebels later attacked the nearby houses and shot dead four others, including a government school teacher and a surrendered NLFT militant. Before leaving the spot, they burnt down some houses in the tribal dominated areas. Senior police officials along with additional security forces launched a combing operation to nab the militants. The militants continued with their selective killings of CPM leaders and party workers in Tripura since June last. With last night’s killing, at least 25 CPM leaders and party members, mostly tribals, were killed by the ultras during the period. Talking to newspersons here today, CPM state secretary Baidyanath Majumder said a “protest day” would be observed all over the state tomorrow in protest against the killings of party leaders and workers by the NLFT militants. A 12-hour bandh would be observed tomorrow in Udaipur subdivision on the same issue, he added.
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BJP: move on MBC
quota not aimed at poll New Delhi, September 3 “The election in Uttar Pradesh is too far and the proposal regarding reservation for most backward classes (MBCs) made in the state is in line with the party’s ideology,” party spokesman Sunil Shastri told newspersons. When asked why the party has not brought such a proposal in other BJP-ruled states, Mr Shastri said: “Wherever we feel that injustice is being done to most backward classes, the party will decide on it.” He further said the Chief Ministers of the BJP-ruled states were competent enough to take decision on their own. Mr Shastri said a two-day meeting of the Central office-bearers would be held in Jodhpur on September 12 and 13 to chalk out the organisational strategy with regard to election in Uttar Pradesh. |
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BJP workers burn Madhuri’s posters Bhopal, September 3 Police said the BJP workers led by Rameshwar Sharma, leader of the party in Bhopal Municipal Corporation, were trying to move towards Raaz Talkies, where “Lajja” is being screened, when they were stopped in view of prohibitory orders in force because of the monsoon session of the Madhya Pradesh Assembly. According to BJP workers, Madhuri’s posters were burnt because the “objectionable dialogues” against Hindu gods and goddesses were uttered by her in the movie. “Lajja” is also being screened at the local Sangam cinema hall, but no demonstration was held there. This is the second time this year that a demonstration against a Hindi film has been staged in the city. On July 19, activists of the Youth Congress had staged a violent demonstration against Hindi blockbuster ‘Gadar’.
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Non-BJP parties
sidelined: Cong New Delhi, September 3 Congress chief spokesman Jaipal Reddy said the reshuffle heralds the ultimate dominance of the BJP and total eclipse of the non-BJP parties. Claiming that every non-BJP minister was a dispensable commodity, Mr Reddy said the non-BJP parties, who were posing to be vigilant defenders of secular faith within the NDA, had themselves been reduced to the status of absolute dependence. “They are now leading parasitic political existence subsisting on the ministerial alms doled out by the Prime Minister,” Mr Reddy said. He said the Finance Minister, whose standing had enormously suffered, could not be touched beacuse he knows “too much about the involvement of PMO and others in various scams.” |
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Notice to ministry on astrology course New Delhi, September 3 A Bench comprising Mr Justice S. Rajendra Babu and Mr Justice Doraiswamy Raju issued the notices to the respondents on the petition which sought to challenge an order of the Andhra Pradesh High Court refusing to intervene in the matter. The petitioners are scientist Dr P.M. Bhargava, Prof K. Subhash Chandra Reddy and Mr Chandana Chakrabarti, Counsel for the petitioner Prashant Bhushan assailed the decision of the UGC to start Jyotir Vigyan on the ground that astrology as a science had not been tested or proved. “The scientific community considered the action of the UGC and the HRD ministry in starting the course as a giant leap backwards, undermining whatever scientific credibility the country has achieved so far,” the petitioners said.
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Veerappan's associate held Coimbatore, September 3 STF sources said here the STF personnel and the “Q” Branch policemen, on a tip off, intensified their search operations in the forest area and nabbed Senni Nadar. After interrogation, he would be produced in a court at Bhavani later today, the sources added. UNI |
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Hearing in Tansi case on Sept 7
New Delhi, September 3 A Bench comprising Mr Justice S.P Bharucha and Mr Justice Y.K. Sabharwal, before whom a mention was made about filing of the petition by senior counsel K.K. Venogopal, declined to take up the petition today or tomorrow for hearing as sought by the counsel. A three Judge Bench headed by Mr Justice Bharucha had on August 30 stayed the proceedings in the three pending appeals before the high court on a petition filed by Mr K.V. Venkatapathi, a special public prosecutor appointed by the high court to conduct the proceedings in two Tansi (Tamil Nadu Small industries corporation) cases and another appeal regarding pleasant stay hotel, seeking the transfer of the cases to any other high court. Meanwhile a five judge Constitution Bench headed by Mr Justice Bharucha will begin hearing tomorrow on a batch of petitions challenging the appointment of Ms Jayalalithaa as Chief Minister by the then Governor Ms Fathima Beevi on May 14.
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USA: no bargain
with China on nuclear build-up
New Delhi, September 3 He recalled that President George W. Bush’s National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice had categorically stated that Washington was not about to propose to the Chinese that in exchange for Beijing’s acceptance of missile defence, US will accept a nuclear build-up. Mr Blackwill said on Saturday, the USA had imposed missile proliferation sanctions on China Metallurgical Equipment Corporation and the National Development Complex of Pakistan.
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SC takes exception to SDMs carrying tag of Magistrates New Delhi, September 3 “With the separation of judicial work, why the designation of Magistrate should stay with the revenue officers?” a Bench comprising Mr Justice B.K. Kirpal and Mr Justice Ashok Bhan asked the Delhi Government. This was posed to the Delhi Government counsel D.N. Goburdhan when the matter regarding sealing of polluting units in the Capital came up for hearing before the Bench.
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Lok Janshakti leader’s kin arrested New Delhi, September 3 The suspect, Virender Singh Bidhuri, younger brother of former MLA, Ram Vir Singh Bidhuri was arrested from his residence at Tughlakabad village in South Delhi. The suspect allegedly shot a person at a Mahapanchayat in Tughlakabad Fort area. The panchayat was called to protest against a demolition drive launched by the Archaeological Survey of India. |
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Sharad denies differences on disinvestment New Delhi, September 3 “There were no differences on the disinvesmtent issue and it is the prerogative of the Prime Minister to have his council of ministers,” he told reporters after taking over the charge of the labour ministry. To a query about his meeting with Prime Minister yesterday, he said it had been scheduled earlier. |
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USA wants good
Sino-Indian ties New Delhi, September 3 “Good relations between India and China are in the interest of America”, US Ambassador to India Robert Blackwill said here today. Cooperation between great powers was good for the international system, he said, adding “we hope that relations between the USA and China will be good”. Mr Blackwill was delivering a lecture on “Bush Administration’s Foreign Policy” at a meeting organised by the CII. |
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Govt: deaths due to
food poisoning New Delhi, September 3 The Naveen Patnaik government had deputed a team of medical experts from the MKCG Medical College of Berhampur on August 18 to examine the death of 15 persons who had died till then. “The medical team was of the view that the possible cause of death of these persons was due to food intoxication or poisoning”, said a statement issued by the Chief Minister’s Office here.
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EC, Delimitation
Panel hold meeting New Delhi, September 3 Although commission officials were tight-lipped on what transpired in the meeting, sources told The Tribune that the Election Commission was likely to finalise the draft for publication within the next two weeks. |
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