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Monday,
September 17, 2001, Chandigarh, India  
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Chautala takes on Ajit Singh in Baghpat George serves notice on Tehelka, Zee Jaswant’s US visit likely by Sept-end |
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Left
against giving facilities to USA Suspected
ISI agent held in Kolkata Beware casanovas at workplace! Person named in charge sheet can be summoned: SC World Petroleum
Congress from today 10-year jail for raping minor Privatisation
of Railways
ruled out 11 PWG ultras
arrested
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Chautala takes on Ajit Singh in Baghpat Baghpat (Uttar Pradesh), September 16 However, it is difficult to say to what extent the Haryana Chief Minister succeeded in alienating the voters of Baghpat from someone whose father was once virtually the presiding deity of the area. Baghpat has remained a borough, first, of former Prime Minister, Charan Singh, and then of his son, Mr Ajit Singh, for decades. The farmers of the area still holds Charan Singh in high esteem. Conscious of the peasantry’s love for the elder Chaudhary, Mr Chautala strategically described himself as a follower of Charan Singh, Mr Chautala said he was an admirer of Charan Singh because after Sir Chhotu Ram, it was the late Prime Minister, who made the peasantry a potent political force in the country. It was due to his efforts that today no political party could afford to ignore the farmers’ lobby before the elections. However, Mr Chautala’s reverence for Charan Singh evaporated the moment he came to Mr Ajit Singh. Unsparing in his criticism, Mr Chautala said not only Mr Ajit Singh had failed his voters but had also proved to be an unworthy inheritor of his worthy father. This he said was not the opinion of his own. Even Charan Singh used to say that Mr Ajit Singh was used to a luxurious life style and, therefore, he could not lead the farmers ably. Mr Chautala alleged that Mr Ajit Singh had not only betrayed the cause of separate statehood for western Uttar Pardesh, but also let down the Jats on the issue of reservation for them. He said the reservation for the Jats had been undone in the name of reservation for the most Backward Classes. Mr Chautala, himself a Jat, knows that the community likes its leaders to be aggressive. Playing upon this sentiment, the Haryana Chief Minister told the people that while Mr Ajit Singh, as the Union Industry Minister, could not even give a licence to a cooperative sugar mill which was to be named after his father, Devi Lal named Haryana Agriculture University after Charan Singh. When the Congress wanted to rechristen the university as Haryana Agriculture University, Devi Lal thwarted the move by threatening to launch an agitation. Mr Chautala alleged that while Mr Ajit Singh conspired with Mr V.P. Singh to oust Devi Lal from the Union Cabinet, his father forced the Union Government to make the samadhi of Charan Singh on the banks of the Yamuna in Delhi. He said it was because of this temperament of Mr Ajit Singh, that many of old associates of Charan Singh like Mr Rashid Masood and Mr Amir Alam, had left his party. If this trend continued, he said, “only Ajit and Anuradha” would be left in the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD). Ms Anuradha is the Secretary-General of the
RLD. |
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George serves notice on Tehelka, Zee New Delhi, September 16 The notice, served by Mr Fernandes’ counsel Upamanyu Hazarika, threatens to institute civil and criminal proceedings against the respondents if they do not apologise to the NDA convener “in accordance with the terms and text of apology” within seven days of the receipt of the notice. “The news story ‘Operation West End’ makes a frontal attack on my client, who was the Defence Minister of the country at that time, making allegations of corruption against him and besmirching his reputation,” it says. Meanwhile, Mr Tejpal has ruled out tendering any apology to Mr Fernandes and described the legal notice served on him and others by him as another attempt to “muddy” the larger issues revealed by his portal’s defence deals expose. “We have not received the legal notice so far, but there is no question of our apologising,” Mr Tejpal said. On the reported clean chit he had given to Mr Fernandes in an interview to a leading Hindi daily, Mr Tejpal said, “I have been completely misquoted. I have never said it.”
PTI |
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Jaswant’s US visit likely by Sept-end New Delhi, September 16 The dates for his visit are being finalised through diplomatic channels. Mr Jaswant Singh was scheduled to be in Washington on September 19, but the terrorist strikes in New York and Washington on September 11 had necessitated rescheduling the visit. India believes that the USA has been compelled by a horrendous tragedy unleashed by airborne terrorists to come to grips with what has been hurting this country through Pakistan’s proxy war since 1989. New Delhi has consistently impressed upon Washington that concerted global action is required to deal with the menace of international terrorism. Mr Jaswant Singh spoke to his Russian counterpart Igor Invanov over the telephone this afternoon. Mr Invanov underlined the need for enhanced contacts and to give a push to the ongoing efforts to forge a coalition of democracies to deal with the menace of international terrorism. |
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Brajesh Mishra
in Moscow for security talks Moscow, September 16 He would also hold parleys with Russia’s National Security General Valdimir Rushailo on the emerging security scenario which could have serious implications for shaping the new democratic world order, sources said. Mishra, who is coming at the invitation of Rushailo, would hold two rounds of parleys with him on the whole range of issues pertaining to mutual and global political, economic and military security, official sources said.
PTI |
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Left against giving facilities to USA New Delhi, September 16 In a meeting held at the residence of former Prime Minister V.P. Singh here, the leaders of these parties assessed the situation arising out of the recent inhuman attacks in the USA and warned the government against participating in the “unilaterally declared” war by the USA. “While resolutely opposing terrorism and working for its elimination we oppose any effort by the government to provide facilities or to participate in any war efforts unilaterally declared by the USA. India cannot and should not forfeit its sovereignty and independent positions,” they said in a joint statement. The meeting was attended among others by former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda, CPM leaders Harkishen Singh Surjeet and A.B. Bardhan, CPI leader Sitaram Yechury, Samajwadi Party Chief Mulayam Singh Yadav, M.K. Pandhe, Shoaib Iqbal and Jai Bhagwan Jatav. “We strongly condemn terrorism and the recent inhuman attacks in the USA,” the statement said adding “we strongly denounce the hysteria unleashed in the USA in which Indian are also being attacked as well as attempts in India to communalise the atmosphere by
targeting the Muslim minority community.” |
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Suspected ISI agent held in Kolkata Kolkata, September 16 For Indians, no
passport or visa is required to visit Nepal. Kukreja concealed his real identity and introduced himself’ as an Indian national at the time boarding the flight. But on interrogation at the immigration check by the security staff, it was detected that Kukreja was an Afghan national who had lived at Ghoti near the Pak-Afghan border in West Pakistan. He was overstaying in Kolkata without residential permit or any other valid documents. The police seized some incriminating documents from Kukreja which could establish his link with the ISI. But he told the police that was as a sales agent of a multi-national company. A thorough inquiry was ordered. The state Chief Secretary, Mr Manish Gupta, said the police had been told to identify those foreign nationals, who had been living in the city and elsewhere without any valid documents so that they could be forced out of the state without delay. He said some Afghan nationals, who were in the money-lending trade, might be still living in Kolkata and elsewhere. The police had been ordered to detain them. |
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Beware casanovas at workplace! New Delhi, September 16 These stern provisions to curb the menace of harassment are part of the ‘Sexual Harassment of Women at Work Place (Prevention) Bill’, which is being drafted by the National Commission for Women (NCW), commission Chairperson Vibha Parthsarthi told PTI. The commission, which was in the process of consultations with various public and private organisations to discuss the implementation of the Supreme Court guidelines on sexual harassment at workplace, would come out with the comprehensive Bill on the issue by December end, Ms Parthasarthi said. According to the draft Bill, sexual harassment includes any act of verbal or gestural sexual advances, sexually explicit and derogatory statements or remarks, unwelcome sexually determined behaviour as avoidable physical contact and advances, touching or patting. Suggestive remarks, pinching, whistling, staring, sexually slanted and obscene jokes, compromising invitation, use of pornographic material, demand for sexual favours, threats, innuendoes, physical assault and molestation have been included in the definition of sexual harassment in the draft Bill. The NCW had completed consultations with nearly 200 public sector organisations, including the Indian Oil Corporation, the Food Corporation of India and Punjab National Bank, and was now trying to involve private companies and multinationals to participate in the discussion, the Chairperson said. However, she admitted that the response from private sector was not as “positive and encouraging” as from public sector organisations. The draft Bill said notwithstanding anything contained in any other law for the time being in force, the onus of proving the innocence should be on the accused and the sexually harassed woman should have the right to lead evidence in rebuttal. The Bill further said victims of sexual harassment should have the option to seek transfer of the perpetrator or their own transfer and where the conduct of sexual harassment amounts to misconduct in employment as defined by the relevant service rules, appropriate disciplinary action should be initiated by the employer in accordance with these rules. The commission had already devised a ‘code of conduct’ at workplace which was sent to ministries and departments of the Central and state governments and to various organisations coming under their control for implementation in a bid to provide safe work environment to women workers.
PTI |
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Person named in charge sheet can be summoned: SC New Delhi September 16 A two-judge Bench consisting of Mr Justice M.B. Shah and Mr Justice S.N. Phukan said a person, who was not an accused and only mentioned in the charge sheet, could be summoned by the trial court for recording of his statement. The Supreme Court quashed the orders passed by the Delhi High Court and the Kerala High Court and justified that Pillai could be summoned by the trial court.
UNI |
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World Petroleum
Congress from today New Delhi, September 16 During the meeting, Mr Naik is likely to raise crude pricing issues and their impact on the economies of net oil-importing countries like India while seeking concessions from OPEC for developing countries in the event of high prices. The minister is also likely to emphasis on stable crude oil pricing along with secured supply regime in the wake of possible US retaliation against the suicide strikes in New York and Washington. |
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10-year jail for raping minor Nagpur, September 16 The police said today, accused Mahesh Mansaram Patil hailing from Balaghat in MP had rapped a 12-year-old girl behind a temple here. Patial was immediately caught by people, who thrashed him and later handed over to the police. Ad hoc Sessions Judge, R.V. Jatale found him guilty of the crime yesterday and convicted him for offences under relevant section, the police added.
PTI |
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Privatisation of Railways
ruled out Vadodara, September 16 There is
consensus in the national workshop in progress here on the committee’s
recommendation that the Railways were in a financial mess. A way out
had to be found out in cooperation with the employees and others
concerned. Mr Nitish Kumar, who was delivering the valedictory
address at the workshop, sought to dispel apprehension about
privatisation of the Railways. “It (the private sector) is not
interested at all,’’ he said.
UNI |
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11 PWG ultras
arrested Patna, September 16 The Bihar and Jharkhand police in a joint raid yesterday arrested the
Naxalites from the Kaimur range of hills, he said. One company of the Special Task Force (STF) had been despatched to help in combing operation with the CRPF, Jharkhand police and the district police, he
said. Neelmani said the state police had also sought the cooperation of the Uttar Pradesh police to seal the adjoining district of Sonbhadra to prevent the ultras crossing the Bihar borders.
PTI |
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