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Monday,
October 1, 2001, Chandigarh, India  
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State politics final aim:
Omar Tied to daily grind they know not
news Curfew relaxed in old Lucknow |
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Uttaranchal CM finds going
tough BJP leaders meet
over Gujarat reverses Dogri writers meet PM Huge cache of arms seized 2 jailed for impersonation
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An invincible Cong man New Delhi, September 30 Scion of the royal family of Gwalior, Mr Scindia, (56), has left a mark in all fields he served, including politics, government and cricket administration. Having never lost a parliamentary election, Mr Scindia began his political career with support from the Jan Sangh but drifted from it later to join the Congress. He successfully contested his first Lok Sabha elections from Guna in 1971 as an independent with the backing of the Sangh. Born on March 10, 1945 in Mumbai, Mr Scindia had politics in his blood, being the son of late Rajamata Vijayaraje Scindia, who died early this year. But he charted a political course starkly different from his mother’s saffron path. Mr Scindia lost his father at an early age and the dominant influence in his formative years was that of his mother. Mr Scindia was rated as a prime ministerial candidate along with leaders like Manmohan Singh before the 1999 Lok Sabha elections in the aftermath of controversy over Sonia Gandhi’s foreign origin. He not only had the distinction of winning nine times as a Lok Sabha member but registered the proudest moment of his career defeating Atal Behari Vajpayee by over two lakh votes in 1984 in Gwalior. Mr Scindia’s political graph in the Congress soared following his handling of the key Railway portfolio in the Rajiv Gandhi government (1984-89). It was during his time that computerised Railway reservation was introduced. Schooled in Gwalior, Scindia obtained his Master of Arts degree from Oxford University before taking a plunge into electoral politics. Mr Scindia resigned as Civil Aviation Minister taking moral responsibility following a crash of a leased Uzbek TU-154 plane in Delhi in 1993. He returned to the government two years later. In January 1996, Mr Scindia faced the biggest challenge of his political career when the Jain hawala scandal broke out which soon saw his exit from the government. He floated his outfit the Madhya Pradesh Vikas Congress’ after he was denied ticket for 1996 Lok Sabha polls. Scindia won the elections as MPVC candidate from Gwalior. Scindia returned to the Congress when Mr Narasimha Rao resigned and Mr Sitaram Kesri became the party president.
New Delhi, September 30 |
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CWC mourns Scindia’s death New Delhi, September 30 An emergency meeting of the CWC was convened by party President Sonia Gandhi, who was among the first to reach the Safdarjung Road residence of Mr Scindia. She, along with her daughter Priyanka, spent nearly three hours with the Scindia family. President K.R. Narayanan, Lok Sabha Speaker G.M.C. Balayogi, several Union Ministers, former Prime Ministers and political leaders expressed shock at the untimely and tragic death of Mr Scindia and four journalists in a plane crash today. Mr Balayogi, mourning the death of Mr Scindia, said: “I was shocked to know of the tragic air crash near Mainpuri killing veteran parliamentarian Madhavrao Scindia, four journalists and others. As the deputy leader of his party in the Lok Sabha, he played a significant and constructive role in resolving several contentious issues. His demise is an irreparable loss to the nation.” Former Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao said Mr Scindia’s loss was not only to the Congress party but to the entire nation while former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda in his condolence message said the death of Mr Scindia had created a void which was very difficult to fill. Railway Minister Nitish Kumar, Union Rural Development Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu BJP President Jana Krishnamurthi and former BJP President Kushabhau Thakre also mourned the death of Mr Scindia. Senior Congress leader Arjun Singh said: “I had the privilege of working with Mr Scindia for the past 25 years and fondly remember his grace and concern.’’ |
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State politics final aim: Omar New Delhi, September 30 “My final aim is to return to Kashmir politics and serve the people of my state,” Mr Abdullah said in an interaction with PTI journalists here, adding that he would do so only after his father and Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah retired or moved over to a higher post. The minister regretted that he could not devote more time to his state after becoming a Union Minister. Mr Abdullah, while questioning the credentials of the Hurriyat Conference said he was ready to take on its leadership in any elections free from violence. “Let people come out in large number to cast their ballots. The result of that elections will be acceptable to me because I am sure that it will explode the myth of the amalgam leadership about representing the aspirations of people of the state.” The minister said the aspirations of the people of the state had been thwarted by the presence of so many guns. “The wishes are thwarted from across the border and Pakistan continues to send in more armed mercenaries into the state to boost their campaign,” he added. Asked what would happen if a referendum was held in Jammu and Kashmir, the minister said, “Well, I will quote a study made by a Danish organisation which reported that majority of people in the state will go with India.” Asked about his comments on the last Friday’s hartal call in the Kashmir valley, Mr Abdullah said “this rendered a big slap on the face of the Hurriyat Conference and exposed them that they were nothing without the support of militants.” Meanwhile, he said lifting of sanctions imposed by the USA against Pakistan after the 1999 coup by Gen Pervez Musharraf would send “wrong signals” to those upholding democracy. If any such decision was taken by Washington, it would appear that “democracy is no longer a concern for democratic countries like the USA but it is only the fight against terrorism,” he said. Mr Abdullah said the USA was recognising India’s concerns over cross-border terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir. “What they will do only time will tell,” he said in reply to questions whether India could expect US help in dealing with Pakistan-backed terrorism. Asserting that Washington had the ability to ask Pakistan to stop backing terrorism in the valley, he, however, said India should have no illusions that the USA would strike militant camps in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) with cruise missiles. He hoped that the USA would stand by its commitment to deal with terrorism globally in the next phase of its fight against the menace. However, Mr Abdullah favoured taking pre-emptive measures against militants operating out of bases in the PoK as India had a credible case that would stand the scrutiny at international fora. “We can also hit the militant camps being run by Pakistan in the occupied territory as we have a fit case that Jammu and Kashmir is facing international terrorism for decades,” Mr Abdullah said. Stating that these views were his personal, the minister said “we can go around international fora on the same ground of international terrorism on which the USA has been roping in the world community.”
PTI |
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Tied to daily grind they know not
news Barmer, September 30 Taliban regime is something they cannot comprehend. And plainly they do not care. For these simple hardy folks, New York is a place they haven’t heard and Afghanistan is just another name. They live in isolation and their only contact with the outside world — read the men mostly — are rare visits to the city, about 150 km 200 km, depending on the distance from their cluster of thatched huts called dhanis. They have reason to do so. Most of them depend on rain for sustenance and this year the rain gods have been kind after four consecutive years of drought. Their herds of sheep and goats saved them through the hard and very dry years and now that bajra is being harvested, do they have the time to ponder on an event which happened in another country they can’t even pronounce correctly. One feels strange sitting among people in a rickety state roadways bus, totally unaware of the turn of events which may affect India. While reams of newsprint have been exhausted on the genesis and the effects of global terrorism, these people, a great asset to the forces in the Indo-Pakistani war in 1971, these are a non-event. The conversation with this correspondent, as translated from Rajasthani by a companion, centered around the crop and the need to go in for better seed for the next one and means of conserving water. It was also time to sell some goats and sheep and earn a few extra bucks. The watermelon harvesting too would bring in much needed money. At the chaupal of Hathai village the elders and a few young men give empty stares as the issue of terrorism is aired. What is terrorism? Where is New York? Who is Osama bin Laden ? What have got to do with it ? No, we do not have radio or television and nobody has the time to read newspapers which one does get anyway in this wilderness. As one tries to explain, it is evident that they were listening out of politeness and the moment one walks off, the conversation veers round to local issues and problems. Resident at Gadra, the village where the rear guard of the Border Security Force (BSF) is located and was vacated during the 1971 war, are not any wiser in respect of the events but added that everything must be right since the movement of the BSF was normal. “We have nothing to worry about when the boys are here to protect us,” the villagers echoed. Children playing in the Gagria village school too did not know about Bin Laden and ditto for some people eating watermelons in the village chaupal. Mr Noor Mohammad commented “We are surprised that that someone could kill so many people for nothing. It is tragic but our religion does not preach hatred or revenge, he added amid nods from his companions. This was the theme of conversations at some other villages. Every- where main topic was good rains and the bumper crop. Marriages would be solemnised and new houses built. Even semi-educated persons like Likhma Ram of Jaisar village showed no enthusiasm to know about the war clouds looming large over the continent. The national and international news is only what we hear from outsiders or from some teachers in the village schools. Chinia Khan, a villager from Malaon en route to Jaisindher, said in his dialect that “who is Laden and what is America?”. Mahadev who runs a small jewellery shop in Gadra is the only one in the bus who knows something about the conflict and said that many villagers left for safer places during the Kargil conflict. That too after increased military and BSF presence along the border. This time they are sitting tight since no movement is visible,” he informed. |
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Curfew relaxed in old Lucknow Lucknow, September 30 A relaxation of three hours from 10 a.m. was given on Saturday. Additional security forces, including the RAF, have been deployed in the sensitive areas. More than 70 persons had so far been taken into custody for their involvement in arson.
UNI |
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Uttaranchal CM finds going
tough Dehra Dun, September 30 While inter-party competition has taken a backseat, intra-party factional conflicts have come to the fore. In the panchayat elections due in November, the fortunes of the candidates would be decided by the intensity of the local power struggle within the respective political organisations rather than the challenge from other opponents. The process is being seen as the evolution of a new political set-up, culminating in the creation of a fresh breed of leadership in the state. The scene has shifted to mass protests, dharnas, agitations in the state. Farmers, businessmen, teachers, students, doctors, employees and journalists are peeved at what they call the “anti-peopl” policies being advocated by the BJP government in Uttaranchal. But the Chief Minister has remained unperturbed. However, Mr Swami says that the government has already started off firmly in formulation of policies and programmes for long-term benefits. Nothing can be done in overnight. It takes time to have better results. As far as the discontentment among the people is concerned, the CM termed it as a “baseless issue” raised at the behest of opposition parties to divert the attention of the government from developmental works. The most challenging task before the government is to come out from the political and social unrest in the state. Earlier this month, the situation took an ugly turn in Mangalore when one farmer was killed and more than 20 injured in police firing that further fuelled the agitation for the exclusion of Hardwar from Uttaranchal. |
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BJP leaders meet
over Gujarat reverses New Delhi, September 30 The BJP lost the Sabarmati Assembly seat, part of Gandhinagar constituency represented by Mr Advani, in the recent byelection, bypoll triggering demand for Mr Patel’s ouster. BJP president Jana Krishnamurthy also parried all questions, saying, “if there is any development I will call you.” The names being mentioned as successor of Mr Patel, include Gujarat Minister Kanshi Ram Rana and BJP leader Narendra Modi. Mr Patel said Prime Minister Mr A.B. Vajpayee had summoned him to discuss the election results since he could not attend the last meeting held on September 26. PTI adds: The BJP high command set up a high-level committee headed by party president Jana Krishnamurthy to go into the issue of leadership change in Gujarat. The decision on the committee was taken after the meeting Mr Patel had with Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and attended by Mr L.K. Advani, BJP president Jana Krishnamurthy, vice-president Madan Lal Khurana in-charge of Gujarat and general secretary Narendra Modi. The committee will talk to a state party leaders for views on the demand for removing Mr Patel that has arisen in the wake of the BJP’s defeat in the recent bye-elections in Sabarkantha Lok Sabha seat and Sabarmati Assembly seat in Mr Advani’s Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency. |
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Dogri writers meet PM New Delhi, September 30 The delegation, which met Mr Vajpayee at his residence for about 40 minutes last evening, told him that Dogri was spoken by over 12 million people in Jammu and its adjoining areas. The delegation said the issue had been lying pending for a long time. The language, recognised by the Sahitya Academy in 1969, represented the rich heritage and patriotism of the Dogra community, the
delegation said. According to Mr H.C. Jalmeria of the Dogri Sangrash Morcha, the delegation included representatives of political parties, Dogri writers and intellectuals, including Mohan Singh, Padma
Sachdev, Narsingh Dev Jamwal, Shivdev Singh Sushil, Ghulam Mohammad, Balraj Puri, Veena Gupta, Nilamber Dev Sharma, Pradhuman Singh
Jandryia, Lalit Magotra, Union Minister Chaman Lal Gupta, Mirza Abdul Rashid (NC), Mr Dhanraj Bargotra (Janata Dal-S), Mr Kashmir Singh (BJP), Mr Randhir Singh
(NCP) and Mr Hari Chand Jhalmeria (CPM), Mr H.R. Sathe, Satpal Sharma and Murari Lal. |
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Huge cache of arms seized Bhopal, September 30 A senior state police official said over 100 US, Czech and South African guns were seized in Chhattarupur district on Friday. The two persons arrested said they had bought the weapons in Meerut, he added.
Reuters
New Delhi, September 30 The court, however, released the woman on probation of good conduct for a year on furnishing a sum of Rs 20,000 with a condition that she will maintain peace and not be involved in unlawful activities in future.
The Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Mr V.K. Maheshwari, passed the order on Friday after the prosecution proved the case.
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