 |
Friday,
February 1, 2002, Chandigarh, India  
|
Alert
sounded against terrorist attacks on jails BJP for
abolition of tax on farm inputs Narendra
Modi files papers Ajit may
face ire of Muslim voters |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
RLD
general secretary expelled
Cop
deposes in Jessica Lal case India cried with us, says Nepal envoy In
memory of an unsung hero Power
supply cut off to 15 monasteries ‘No FBI probe into
US Center attack’
Tribunal stays TRAI order Patkar
special invitee to WSF Dr
Ambedkar Chair for MP varsity MC fails to meet kiosk allotment target
|
|
Alert sounded against terrorist attacks on jails Kolkata, January 31 The arrested terrorists are: Abidur Rahman, Mohammad Arshad, Farasat Ali and Mohammad Syed Azmi lodged in Alipore jail, Kolkata; Happy Singh (a closed associate of Asif Reza) at Rajkot and Osman and four others at Hazaribagh. At Hazaribagh already two abortive attempts had been made for freeing the terrorists. A special team of the crime branch of the Delhi Police arrived in the city today to assist the Kolkata police in the American Center attack case in which another police constable, Sheikh Ashraf Ali (29) of the 5th battalion, succumbed to his injuries this morning raising the death tall in the attack to five. City police chief S. Chakraborty claimed that a major break through had been made in the January 22 attack following the arrest of Jamaluddin, alias Naser, yesterday, who was the chief organiser of the attack and was acting on behalf of the Dubai-based don, Afthar. The police is now looking for Mohammad Rezzek, another kingpin involved in the attack. Police sleuths interrogated Jamaluddin for long 18 hours at a stretch at Lal Bazar police station after he was remanded in the police custody. Jamaluddin is the son of a madarsa teacher at Beniapukur. The Delhi police officials today held meetings with Mr Chakraborty and Mr Somen Mitra (DCDD). They reportedly agreed to jointly operate in the state and elsewhere to make a concerted drive against the ISI activities in the country. The Delhi police also interrogated Jamaluddin and other terrorists in the jail. On November 14, the Delhi police arrested Asif Reza Khan, Arshad along with a woman, Anita Das, for kidnapping shoe merchant Partha Roy Burman. The police later discovered that they had links with the ISI. Anita, who was in Kolkata’s presidency jail, had been taken to Delhi for identifying some other arrested terrorists and establishing their links with Asif Reza and the Dubai-based operator Afthar. Mr Mitra said the police team which went to Hazaribagh after the killing of Mohammad Idris and Salim, two of the four terrorists involved in the American Center attack, returned to the city with the AK-47 rifle and some 50 cartridges, which were used by them during encounter with the police. They also gathered evidences and clues which suggested the involvement of the ISI in the attack. The blue Maruti car and the motor bike used in the attack had been seized from the premises of the Tiljala flat which Asif had bought along with two others in the same locality. The police is now inquiring how Asif got money to buy three flats at one time. |
|
BJP for abolition of tax on farm inputs New Delhi, January 31 It also made a strong case for higher interest rates on the deposits of a pensioner, senior citizen or a lower middle class man on his life savings. “The government should boldly come forward to abolish taxes and levies on agricultural inputs and implements. This bold step will enable our farmers to bring down the cost of production considerably,” party President K. Jana Krishnamurthy told newspersons here. Noting that the lower cost of agricultural inputs will spur competitiveness of industrial products dependent on these inputs, Mr Krishnamurthy said “If the cost of production of agricultural produce goes down, it will make the agricultural sector competitive especially in the face of WTO agreement and it will also help farmers in making their life much better than what it is today.” Drawing government’s attention to the plight of pensioners and lower middle class depositors especially of senior citizens, Mr Krishnamurthy said “Lowering of
interest rates has indeed affected them... Our suggestion will be whether there can be slightly higher rate of interest for deposits upto Rs 1 lakh which is normally the deposit limit of a pensioner, senior citizen or a lower middle class man of his life savings.” |
|
Narendra
Modi files papers Rajkot, January 31 Later, party leaders, including state unit President Rajendrasinh Rana, former chief minister Keshubhai Patel, Health Minister Ashok Bhatt, Union Textiles Minister Kashiram Rana and Union Minister of State for Heavy Industries Vallabhbhai Kathirya appealed to the people to ensure Mr Modi’s victory. The seat fell vacant after former Finance Minister Vajubhai Vala put in his papers to pave way for Mr Modi in the legislature after the latter took over the reins as Chief Minister following Mr Patel’s ouster. Mr Modi had found Rajkot-II as ‘most safe’ since Mr Vala won the seat for the fourth successive time. Besides Rajkot-II, the constituencies of Sayajiganj in Vadodara and Mahuwa in Surat are going for byelections.
UNI |
|
Ajit may face ire of Muslim voters Saharanpur, January 31 A visit to the area by this correspondent revealed that of late the Muslim attitude has hardened towards Mr Ajit Singh. The strong pronouncements by the VHP on the Babri Masjid issue have further consolidated anti-BJP feelings amongst the Muslims. It is but natural that even the die-hard Muslim voters who over the years had maintained unshaken faith in late Chaudhary Charan Singh have started looking at Mr Ajit Singh as the villain of the piece. There is a silent anti-RLD wave amongst the Muslims because they feel that Mr Ajit Singh would not be able to safeguard their interests till the later was in the company of the BJP. The local Muslim voters individually as well as collectively consider the BJP as a ‘communal’ party. It was because of this reason that a Muslim political stalwart like Mr Rasheed Masood parted company with Mr Ajit Singh when he saw that the RLD chief was slowly drifting towards the BJP. Mr Masood had not only been a comrade in arms of Mr Ajit Singh but was at one time a Union Minister. He remained under the political tutelage of late Chaudhary Charan Singh for a number of years. The Muslims here have come to understand that the RLD-BJP alliance was aimed at consolidating the Jat votes behind the BJP. It was because of this that in 1996 Assembly poll, the BJP was able to win 60 seats out of 84 segments in western Uttar Pradesh. It was during this period that even Mr Ajit Singh was defeated by Mr Som Pal Shastri, a BJP candidate from Baghpat which had remained a citadel of late Chaudhary Charan Singh and his family for decades. But after that the BJP started loosing ground to Mr Ajit Singh. The Jat voters also started drifting away from the BJP. It was between 1996 and 1998 that the Muslims saw their new godfather amongst Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav of the Samajvadi Party (SP) and the Kanshi Ram-Mayavati duo of the BSP. At one time the BJP and the SP have gained a foothold amongst the Muslims because both parties had given ticket to Muslim candidates in the 1996 Assembly poll. But the results of the 1998 parliamentary poll came as a shock for both the parties. The results showed that the “chhotta Chaudhary” as Mr Ajit Singh is lovingly known in the area, had proved his political following amongst the Muslims. Probably, this was the main reason which had tempted the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, Mr Rajnath Singh, to woo Mr Ajit Singh. But the Muslim voters have taken it otherwise. In the 37 Assembly seats which the BJP has allotted to the RLD in the western Uttar Pardesh, the Muslim voters seem to be in a fix. This was evident from a recent meeting of Muslims which was held at Chulkana town, about 40 km from Saharanpur. A consensus emerged here that the Muslim voters should not support the RLD whole-hog. However, the leadership of the community decided to “wait and watch”, till Mr Ajit Singh approached them with a valid stand of supporting the BJP. The SP’s popularity amongst the Muslim seems to be on the decline as Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav had failed to put up strong candidates. The Mayavati factor has also lost its shine to some extent. The Congress has not gained its full form here. Therefore, the Muslims face a dilemma till a “fatwa” from the Muslim clergy based at Deoband cleared the mist. |
|
RLD general secretary expelled
Muzaffarnagar, January 31 The action against Prakash followed his filing nomination papers against the official candidate of the party from the Thana Bhawan constituency, a press note issued by the party said today. Prakash, who was denied the ticket, is contesting as a rebel candidate in the coming UP Assembly elections.
PTI |
|
To be or not to be a politician Mr Amitabh Bachchan, why are you being so shy of saying that you have again joined politics? True, your earlier experience was not so happy and you resigned midway from the Lok Sabha. But you have inched towards it once again while you want to assure yourself and the world that you have not done so. Be courageous, Mr Bachchan. And be frank. We concede some of the points you are making. Yes, you are not fighting an election and you have not (as yet) made any political statements. But that is not all that makes anyone a politician. You have been appearing at public meetings in Uttar Pradesh. This is a state which is going to the polls in a few weeks. And at these meetings you have been accompanying leaders of a political formation, the Samajwadi Party, fighting a life-and-death battle to gain power. They are Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav and Mr Amar Singh, prime leaders of this party. Your doing this now in Uttar Pradesh’s political history shows you up in a certain political light. If you had shown up with leaders of the Congress, the BJP and the BSP it would have appeared that your affections were spread over the entire political stream. But that is not what has happened. The very fact that you are going round a state which is on the fringe of elections to elect its legislative assembly in the company of leaders of one (repeat, one) particular party is a political statement in itself. Not that there is anything wrong with it. The company you keep is your choice. The only thing wrong with it is when you say that you are not taking on a political role. One cannot help thinking that either you are shy of admitting it, or you think there is anything wrong with it. While you are doing all this and yet saying that you have not joined politics, do you realise that you are perhaps behaving like any other politician? The general image of politicians at least in our country is that they do one thing and affirm that they are not doing it. That frankly is another proof that you are behaving like a politician! You have said in newspaper interviews that “I have not said anything political. I have not said anything about politics.” But you should realise that you do not have to make a political statement to be in politics. Sometimes actions speak better than words. If you go to a state which is in the throes of an election and in the company of leaders who are going to fight that election, then clearly you are making a political point. In other words, you are giving expression to a political stance. Let your friends advise you what your being with them at this time and in Uttar Pradesh means. If they are frank with you, they will tell you that you, the top film personality in the country today, are helping them politically. Please do not be cross with anyone who says this. This is the only judgement outsiders can give. The only question is why are you shy of admitting it. It is not despicable to be in politics. In fact you were in politics some years ago and nobody took objection to it. Allahabad, which gave you birth, gave you tremendous support at the time in defeating Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna, a leader of much merit. Certain facts are inescapable and we should recognise them as they are. Mr Bachchan, you can be in politics without making political statements. Think of the people who sit on the dais of an AICC meeting or the pandal of the national executive of the BJP. Most of them do not make speeches but they cannot absolve themselves by saying that since they did not make any statement, they are not politicians. A man who does not fight an election but who goes about with the leaders of a political party particularly when it is election time cannot say that he is not a politician. |
|
Cop deposes in Jessica Lal case
New Delhi, January 31 Model Jessica Lal is alleged to have been shot dead by Sidharth Vashist, alias Manu Sharma, son of former Union Minister Vinod Sharma, after she refused to serve liquor to him at a party in the restaurant. Deposing before Additional Sessions Judge R.L. Chugh, Head Constable Devi Singh said he was on duty at PCR van E-43 as in charge under the Mehrauli police station. Soon after receiving a message that a girl has been shot at Qutub Colonade, he rushed to the venue at 2.17am. He saw that about six vehicles, including the black Tata Safari car, were parked near the main gate. The Tata Safari car was believed to have been used by prime accused Manu Sharma. He said “we went inside the restaurant, I saw a mark of firing on the ceiling over the bar counter (where Manu had verbal exchange with Jessica over a drink) in the restaurant.” The defence counsel is yet to cross-examine the witness.
UNI |
|
India cried with us, says Nepal envoy New Delhi, January 31 Speaking at the launching of a pictorial coffee-table book Memoirs of King Birendra by Shyam Goenka here on Wednesday evening, the Nepalese Ambassador said, “What impressed me most as Ambassador was that India cried with us. The level of emotional attachment and expression was as strong as it was in Nepal. That is what India-Nepal relationship is all about.” The book was launched by former Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao to the accompaniment of glowing tributes to King Birendra and a mention of cordial relations between India and Nepal. Looking back at the developments after the tragic incident at Narayanhity Palace, Dr Bekh Bahadur Thapa said, “Never in my life was I as lost as I found myself unable to express on the morning on June 2 when the entire Indian media came to the embassy and wanted an explanation on the tragic event about which nobody had any clue. |
|
In memory of an unsung hero
Kendrapara (Orissa), January 31 Raghunath’s sole claim to fame, as a gardener at the Birla House at Delhi, lay in the fact that he grappled and pinned down Godse after the assassin had fired the fatal shots 54 years ago. But Raghunath remained unknown and unsung throughout his life till his death in August, 1983, says Kali Prasad Nayak, a teacher of history at the local high school. “We the local villagers have formed a committee to observe martyrs’ day every year by paying homage both to the Mahatma and also Raghunath,” said a local lawyer, Mrutyunjay Samal. Mandodari, Raghunath’s widow, at present receives a monthly pension of Rs 25 from the former employers’ of her husband. Raghunath’s son Bidyadhar, who used to work as a driver in the state police, died in an accident while on duty last year. Mandodari treasures a letter from the then President of India, Dr Rajendra Prasad, dated February 1, 1955, appreciating Raghunath’s valiant act. The presidential recommendation of a grant of Rs 500 for Raghunath remained the sole recognition for him till the villagers came forward with the Martyrs’ Day celebration to pay tribute to the son of the soil, she said.
PTI |
|
Power supply cut off to 15 monasteries Gaya, January 31 The board has also decided to snap the electricity supply to other monasteries within a day or two, the BSEB Executive Engineer, Bodh Gaya, Mr Mahendra Sinha said here today. Mr Sinha said the board had revised the power tariff of the monasteries with effect from June, 2001, as the monasteries were being used for stay of Buddhist pilgrims on fixed payment per day. He said earlier the monasteries were availing power supply under the domestic consumer category but the board revised the tariff and put these monasteries under the commercial category. The monasteries where power supply had been disconnected include Tibetan Mahavihar where the spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, used to stay during his visit to Bodh Gaya.
PTI |
|
‘No FBI probe into
US Center attack’
Agartala, January 31 "There is no possibility of the FBI investigating the attack on American Center in Kolkata. We have full dependence on the Indian Government and the Government of West Bengal”, he told reporters here.
PTI |
|
Tribunal stays TRAI order
New Delhi, January 31 The stay came after BSNL moved the tribunal yesterday against TRAI’s order dated January 25, 2002. It stated that revenue occurring due to default calls, where customers do not specify choice of their call carriers (here in reference to state owned BSNL or private operators like Bharti), would be shared equally between existing operators. During the course of the stay, all default STD calls on mobile phones, where the consumers do not specify the choice of carrier, would be routed through BSNL as against the earlier arrangement where it was to be distributed equally between Bharti and BSNL. BSNL chief D.P.S. Seth said the TRAI order of January 25, 2002 would not permit of a systematic approach for change over to offer choice to consumers. He, however, refused to give detailed comments on TDSAT’s verdict saying it needed to be analysed.
PTI |
|
Patkar
special invitee to WSF Bhopal, January 31 The convention of hundreds of organisations from all over the world, especially from the Third World Countries, is being held at Porto Alegre in Brazil from January 31 to February 5. Medha Patkar is a special invitee to the WSF and will participate as a prosecutor along with Pakistan’s noted human rights activist Asma Jehangir on the International People’s Tribunal on External Debt. The tribunal will analyse the global implications and consequences of the foreign debt on a global scale. |
|
Dr Ambedkar Chair for
MP varsity New Delhi, January 31 A press note issued by the ministry here today said the scheme to set up Dr Ambedkar chairs was started in 1993 with a corpus of Rs 2 crore. This was subsequently raised to Rs 10 crore. The other universities/institutions which have Dr Ambedkar chairs include Jawaharlal Nehru University, Madras University, Calcutta University and Nagpur University. The main aim of the scheme is to provide well-equipped centres of learning with facilities to enable intellectuals, academicians and students undertake research on the socio-economic and cultural life of the marginalised and other weaker sections of society. |
|
|
MC fails to meet kiosk allotment target Hanumangarh, January 31 In the last financial year the state government had set a target of
allotting 265 kiosks, to the unemployed but the council decided to allot only 170 kiosks. The municipal council allegedly got the applications filed from certain persons without any advertisement in September, 2000. On learning this many unemployed youths also applied for the same. Of the total 721 applications received, 537 were rejected, sources said, adding that about 461 were rejected citing underage of the applicants as the reason. The other grounds on which the applications were rejected were non-availability of domicilies, caste certificates, etc. The eligibility conditions for the allotment of a kiosk included that the applicant should be in the age group of 32-56 years and should
be a local residents in addition to other conditions. The council decided to make the allotments to 184 persons, including 54 applicants from SC/ST, 22 OBC, 18 disabled, eight widows and 82 others, but now the council has decided to allot kiosks to only 170 applicants. Under the scheme only 74 candidates are being made available kiosks. The remaining applicants are being allotted land for constructing kiosks sources said. Moreover, varying amounts are being charged from the allottees depending over the location of the kiosks. The rejected applicants said the district administration and the municipal council had assured them of
allotting kiosks, but after two years they were still waiting for it. Similarly, many vendors and rehris were removed in the town and were assured of kiosks, but they were also waiting for them. |
 |
| 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 | |
Amitabh Bachchan draws
a thin line
In Videos
