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Tuesday,
September 18, 2001, Chandigarh, India  
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USA must ask Pak to close down
camps: BJP Cong may oppose US use of Indian soil Troops along LoC on high alert Starvation deaths: SC’s last chance to states |
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Resignations
of 76 MLAs accepted 21 pilgrims die
near Hardwar Krishnamurthy gets threats, writes to President March 21 date for
temple construction? Schools
await recognition Check population growth : DC
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USA must ask Pak to close down camps: BJP New Delhi, September 17 In a statement, BJP Parliamentary Party spokesman Vijay Kumar Malhotra said there could not be double standards about Taliban terrorists and Pakistani terrorists. The USA would have to tell Pakistan that Pak-trained terrorists in Kashmir could be treated as ‘freedom-fighters’ as being projected by Islamabad. The US campaign against terrorism should not be confined to nabbing of the Osama bin Laden. Prof Malhotra reminded the USA of India’s demand that Pakistan be declared a “terrorist state’’ for sponsoring terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir. He said the USA should not accept any of Pakistan’s conditions for extending cooperation to deal with Taliban vis-a-vis Osama bin Laden. Referring to Pakistan’s condition that the USA must assure mediation in resolving the Kashmir tangle with India, he said the matter could only be resolved bilaterally. No third party intervention would be acceptable to India, he added. The BJP leader expressed grief and serious concern at the indiscriminate attack on the Sikhs in the USA in the wake of the terrorist strikes on last Tuesday. He urged the US administration to take all possible steps to ensure safety of the Sikhs.
UNI |
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Cong may oppose US use of Indian soil New Delhi, September 17 Congress sources said the party had not given a “blank cheque” to the government on the issue of allowing use of Indian soil during possible US strikes and the party would spell out its stand as the situation develops. The Congress President Sonia Gandhi would meet top party leaders over the next two days to deliberate on the emerging situation in India’s neighbourhood. Though ideologically opposed to the India’s air space and other facilities being used to launch attack against a third country, the Congress was restrained in specifying its stand as the government itself had not been categorical on the issue. Congress leaders said it would be premature for the party to say anything as the situation was unclear. “It is still not known what kind of military action the US Government is envisaging. Moreover, the US government has not asked the Indian Government for any specific help,” a senior party leader said. The main Opposition party has been cautious in its response on the issue of US strikes as any hasty response could backfire on the party. The Congress President has recently returned from a successful visit to the USA and the party does not want to be seen as taking a stand which is perceived as anti-USA. However, with the Congress against any overt leaning towards the USA in foreign policy and advocating a middle-path, the party is likely to take an independent view once the situation was clear. Terming the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon as reprehensible acts, the Congress said those indulging in international terrorism and those aiding it should be given no encouragement and the world community should pool its wisdom, knowledge and experience to combat this evil. |
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Troops along LoC on high alert New Delhi, September 17 “Troops are maintaining a strict vigil all along the LoC and International Border to thwart any infiltration bid by militants,’’ Defence Ministry sources said. Besides the Army, the Air Force and Navy have also been put on a state of high alert to meet any eventuality. “Air Force radars and traffic control are on a high alert status and naval ships have increased patrolling on the waters off the western coast,” the sources said. The forces were put on normal alert immediately following the September 11 terrorist strikes. As reports trickled in about terrorist hide-outs in Pakistan being shut down, the Indian authorities feared increased infiltration by terrorists trying to sneak in through the border. The authorities are apprehending increased violence in Kashmir if the USA hits terrorist hide-outs in the neighbourhood.
UNI |
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United Airlines discontinues services to India New Delhi, September 17 Stating that the airlines has been fully committed to serving the Indian market and that it had recently announced non-stop service from India to the USA, it said “today’s announcement is a direct result of the terrorist attacks in the USA’’. “As United Airlines cuts capacity and services in order to respond to the new business and security environments that follow last week’s attacks, the Indian service is being discontinued’’, it said.
PTI |
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A-I flights to NY Mumbai, September 17 Air-India will operate its service to Chicago from tomorrow, the airlines said in a press note here today.
PTI |
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Traffic halts at 10.30 a.m. today New Delhi, September 17 |
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Starvation deaths: SC’s last chance to states New Delhi, September 17 The states have to send their responses directly to the Centre with copies to Attorney General Soli J.
Sorabjee, who in turn would apprise the court about the implementation of the Centre’s direction on the next date of hearing. “What we see from the affidavits filed by the states of Orissa and Goa and union territory of Delhi is a
tragi-comedy on their utter carelessness in dealing with the starving people,’’ observed Mr Justice
B.N. Kirpal heading a Divison Bench. The direction was issued during resumed hearing of a public interest litigation by the People’s Union for Civil Liberties alleging starvation deaths in several states including Orissa, despite godowns of the Food Corporation of India overflowing with foodgrain. The petitioner organisation also sought direction to the states and union territories to implement various central schemes meant for the poor, old and infirm. The other Judge on the Bench was Mr Justice Ashok Bhan. The states and union territories to whom directions were issued are Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Assam, Orissa, Arunachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Rajasthan, Goa,
Haryana, Gujarat and the union territories of Chandigarh, Delhi and Pondicherry. The court also directed chief secretaries of these states and union territories to send within five weeks to the Union Cabinet Secretary a status report on the implementation of various central schemes like Food for Work, Employment Assurance Scheme, Midday Meal Scheme, Integrated Child Development Scheme, National Benefit Maternity Scheme, National Old Age Pension Scheme, Annapurna Scheme, Antyodaya Anna Yojana Scheme and Public Distribution System Scheme and also state reasons in case some of them have not been implemented. Copies of the responses of the states and union territories should also reach the office of the Attorney General so that he could bring out the same to the notice of the court in order to help it to issue necessary directions. The court adjourned till November 5 further hearing in the case.
UNI |
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Resignations of 76 MLAs accepted Lucknow, September 17 Altogether 88 members, including five of the Left parties, have tendered their resignation from the House since September 11, but only 76 appeared before the Speaker for verification today. The MLAs were demanding Assembly election in October in a strident dispute with the BJP over when the term of the House comes to an end. Chief Minister Rajnath Singh has rejected the demand and said the election would be held in March next year. Meanwhile, the ruling BJP today suffered a jolt as Mr Pappu Chowdhry, its MLA from Siddhartha Nagar district resigned from the party and the Uttar Pradesh Assembly protesting the government’s “anti-farmer policy” and joined the Samajwadi Party (SP). Mr Chowdhry announced his resignation at a press conference organised by the SP Chief Mulayam Singh Yadav.
UNI/PTI |
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21 pilgrims die
near Hardwar Dehra Dun, September 17 The accident occurred when the overcrowded tractor-trailer carrying 34 pilgrims, who were returning after taking a holy dip in the Ganga in Hardwar on the occasion of “Somvati Amavasya”, fell into a 60-foot gorge on the Hardwar-Bijanour highway, Hardwar SP Harishanker Shukla told PTI on phone.
PTI |
Krishnamurthy gets threats, writes to President New Delhi, September 17 Mr Krishnamurthy, who had supervised the last Assembly elections in the state, said he has written to President K.R. Narayanan and U.P. Governor about the threat for “information and necessary action”.
PTI
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March 21 date for temple construction? New Delhi, September 17 "On March 21, emperor Babar would be dug out of his grave," an over-enthused VHP-convert and former BJP MP B.L. Sharma "Prem” spilled the beans during his speech. Not to leave any doubts among the minds of the audience, he further said: "Come what may, we will start construction of the temple on March 21." The VHP leadership so far has been maintaining that the construction work for the temple would begin any time after the Maha Shivratri on March 12. However, VHP vice-president Acharya Giriraj Kishore later mildly rebuked "Prem" for jumping the gun, saying that he was not authorised to announce the date. "Yudh mein kabhi vyuh rachna ki ghoshna nahin ki jati,’’ (in case of war, the strategy is never announced), the Acharya said. In a damage-control effort, he said this was not an "official announcement" of the date for the
construction. UNI |
President in Goa Panaji, September 17 |
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Schools
await recognition Hanumangarh,
September 17 With cases pertaining to providing recognition to
the private and nongovernment primary and middle schools lingering,
the students of these schools will not be eligible to sit in the
examination under the Collective Common Examination Scheme. Under the
scheme, in the current session the private schools have been asked to
deposit question paper fee and sports fee corresponding to the number
of students. The private schools have also been asked to deposit a
copy of the temporary recognition for the current session along with
the fee. Though the schools claim to have fulfilled all conditions,
yet these have not been recognised. The situation has reportedly
risen because the post of the District Education Officer (Primary) is
lying vacant.
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Check population growth : DC Hanumangarh,
September 17 Mr Chandellia was speaking at
a vasectomy camp at the local Bombay Hospital organised jointly by the
Medical and Health Department and the Lions club, here yesterday. The
District Collector said the population explosion could be controlled
with the cooperation of the public. He appreciated the efforts of the
Lions Club for providing assistance in the family welfare programmes.
He said the district had attained first position in the state in the
successful implementation of family welfare programmes last year. The
chief guest, Mr Shoy Narayan Bishnoi, said rising population leads to
unemployment and poverty. Mr Amar Setia, President of the Lions club
said the country should control rising population which was a
pre-requisite for its progress. He said size of family should be small
so that everybody should be fed properly. |
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