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Sunday,
February 3, 2002, Chandigarh, India  
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S. Arabia ‘funding’ madarsas in Bengal Cong seeks Fernandes’ dismissal No cut in troop deployment: Advani
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UP poll: few takers for ‘Harit Pradesh’ Poll: Uttaranchal faces shortage of cops Dara innocent, says co-accused V.P. to launch protest movement Heavy security for PM’s visit India to avoid war with Pak: Mahajan Indore to have Police Commissioner Students damage prisoners’ van
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S. Arabia ‘funding’ madarsas in Bengal Kolkata, February 2 Most of these madarsas are unrecognised and students are taught fanaticism and to fight for the cause of the Muslim fraternity against people of other religions. Children are taught lessons of Osama bin Laden and other mujahideen. The school begins with the prayer of al jehad, the intelligence report revealed. The Murshidabad police yesterday cracked down on two such unauthorised madarsas in the border area of Barua village, where some 700 students, mostly Bangladeshis, attend regular classes under the supervision of two maulvis and 19 teachers. The police arrested the maulvis and teachers and sealed the madarsas. The police also discovered another such madarsa, “Al Madarsatus Salafia Dar-Ul”, in an isolated island on the Padma river near Rajsahi district of Bangladesh. The institution has been built on 20 bighas and so far only 10 students from the adjoining Firoxpur and Bajidpur villages have been enrolled. On interrogation the secretary of the local Madarsa Committee, Sheikh Nimuddin, admitted that a resident of Saudi Arabia, Mohammad Alfauddin, who has his ancestral house at Chandrapara village in Aurangabad, had funded the institution. The madarsa head Mohammad Emdadul Hoque, denied that anything anti-national was being taught to the students at the madarsa, which was built solely on donations. He said many such madarsas were functioning in the district. The state Home Secretary, Mr A.K. Dev, admitted that some serious complaints had been received about the functioning of the madarsas and the police had
been asked to look into their activities and take appropriate steps. He said the state Madarsa Board had been told to scrutinise the books and the syllabi. The state Minister for Minority Commission, Mohammad Selim, said he had met members of the Madarsa Board and several veteran maulvis and had sought their help and cooperation in identifying
madarsas which were involved in anti-national activities. He said he was against dismantling all unrecognised madarsas since many of these had become model institutions and were spreading education to the poor and hapless Muslim children. He admitted that the government could not provide necessary funds for setting up adequate number of madarsas in the state and hence Madarsas were being set up with the help of donations. According to the minister, over 1,300 unrecognised madarsas are functioning in the state while the number of recognised madarsas is only 507. A majority of these madarsas are located in Murshidabad, Nadia, North 24-Parganas, Malda and West
Dinajpur. |
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Cong seeks Fernandes’ dismissal New Delhi, February 2 Congress chief spokesman Jaipal Reddy said in a statement that in his letter to MPs commending the booklet on ‘coffingate’ written by Mr R V Pandit, the Defence Minister had admitted that he made the documents of Defence Ministry available to the “friendly journalist.” Mr Reddy said official expressions like ‘secret’ and ‘confidential’ had been deleted from the official document published in the booklet. Pointing to “misleading statements” in the letter, Mr Reddy described as false the Defence Minister’s claim that he made the documents of the Defence Ministry available to other pressmen. He said the Defence Minister’s assertion that the documents were non-classified was also untrue. He said the letter written by the US Ambassador, Mr Robert D. Blackwill, to the Defence Minister could not be treated as non-classified, nor could the letter of Indian Ambassador in Washington Mr Lalit Mansingh. “It is significant to note that both the letters were written on the same day, December 20, 2001, and their contents were also identical. This coincidence itself may require a separate scrutiny,” Mr Reddy asserted. The spokesman said in his “semi-official” publication, Mr Pandit mounts a “brutal assault” both on the Comptroller and Auditor-General of India and leading newspapers. “As if this is not bad enough, Mr Fernandes openly endorses this approach of Mr Pandit,” he said. Maintaining that the Defence Minister was party to the denigration of an eminent institution like the CAG, the party demanded his dismissal from the Vajpayee government. Earlier, CPM leaders in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, Somnath Chatterjee and Nilotpal Basu have drawn the attention of Prime Minister to the “open violation of all norms and conventions” by Defence Minister, George Fernandes in maligning the institution of the Comptroller and Auditor General. The leaders said that Fernandes’ continuation in the Cabinet had become “untenable”. In a letter to Mr Vajpayee here yesterday, the CPM leaders said that attempts of his government through the office of the Defence Minister to malign the institution of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) had earned nothing but outrage to all patriotic people. The aforesaid communication is sparked off by a letter received on Thursday from the office of the Defence Minister along with a booklet titled ‘Aluminium Caskets’. The booklet is authored by R.V. Pandit. Copies of the letters were circulated at a press conference addressed by Mr Chatterjee here on Friday. In his letter to Mr Chatterjee, Mr Fernandes credited Pandit, former journalist and editor with campaigning against corruption in public life. The Defence Minister has said that the booklet titled ‘The Whole Truth with all the Documents, about the Aluminium Caskets bought by the Defence Ministry in 1999-2000’ is comprehensive and documents how, why and when the Army got interested in the reusable aluminium caskets the US military and the UN uses and how the due process followed. Mincing no words, the CPM leaders have stated that “a perusal of the booklet (which is priced at Rs 50 and one doesn’t know who paid for the copies sent to the MPs) reveals a single point agenda to malign the CAG and wide sections of the Press who made critical observations on the defence establishment and the Defence Minister over the purchase of aluminium caskets on the basis of the references of the CAG in its report Union government (Defence Services) No. 7A of 2001, titled ‘Review of Procurement for Op. Vijay (Army).” Mr Chatterjee has further clarified in his letter to the Prime Minister that they are drawing his attention “primarily to the flouting of the established procedures of dealing with Comptroller and Auditor General reports by Parliament. It is an exclusive prerogative of the Public Accounts Committee to deal with the CAG report. But Mr George Fernandes has in open violation of all norms and conventions sponsored Mr Pandit to launch a frontal attack on the Comptroller and Auditor General and has approvingly forwarded the same with a view to join the campaign against a high constitutional authority.” |
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No cut in troop deployment: Advani Roorkee (Uttaranchal), February 2 Kicking off the campaign for the February 14 Assembly elections in Uttaranchal, Mr Advani said there was no need for any country to give us sermons on troop buildup. “It will remain at the same level along the borders till we are satisfied on the ground that there is decrease in cross-border terrorism and infiltration,” he reiterated. Mr Advani, who addressed a series of public meetings in Rudrapur, Uttarkashi and Roorkee, attacked Pakistan for indulging in a proxy war and only doing lip-service to please the international community. Highlighting the BJP’s decisive role in the formation of the new hill state, Mr Advani, who is the first senior leader of the party to campaign in the state, warned Pakistan against any misadventure and said India had registered thumping victories in all the open wars waged by the hostile neighbour. He was emphatic that India would also win decisively against the proxy war waged by Islamabad in the past 15 years. After humiliating defeats in open wars against India, Pakistan had indulged in a proxy war by way of terrorism and subversive activities. “But I promise you here that as in the past India will secure a decisive win against Pakistan once again.” He, however, pointed out that the Vajpayee government would take appropriate step at appropriate time, amidst the demand from the assemblage to attack Pakistan. The Home Minister described the Simla Agreement as a missed opportunity and said India could have settled the Kashmir issue had it been handled properly. As part of its goal to achieve Surajya, Mr Advani said the BJP gave maximum importance to the country’s security. it was the BJP’s consistent effort and strong nationalist outlook which had helped the party weather all political storms and increase its tally in Parliament from mere two seats to the present 181 seats. In 1984, when the Congress under Rajiv Gandhi had swept the Lok Sabha elections after the assassination of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, “Many of our own partymen suggested winding up of the party. But because of our commitment and the support of the people our party is now heading the government at the Centre,” Mr Advani said. He impressed upon people that although many organisations had launched the movement for the formation of a separate state, “It was the strong and decisive association of the BJP in the movement which ultimately resulted in the creation of Uttaranchal and the inclusion of Hardwar in it.” |
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UP poll: few takers for ‘Harit Pradesh’ Muzzaffarnagar, February 2 Interestingly, the local leadership of the BJP in all major cities of western UP is opposed to the very idea. In Bulandshahar, BJP leaders told this reporter that creation of a separate ‘Kisan’ or ‘Harit Pardesh’ would lead to more pronounced communalism in the area. They pointed out that Muslims would constitute 38 to 40 per cent population in the proposed ‘Kisan Pardesh’. That would affect the political prospects of the BJP. They also surmise that by all political calculations the new state would be headed by a Muslim Chief Minister. That was why the BJP was not lending active support to the RLD on the issue. On the other hand in the melee for political mileage, the INLD is raising the issue vociferously in all 125 constituencies for which it has put up its candidates. In fact, Mr Chautala rode the popularity wave on the issue and made it his party’s political plank. In all 10 political rallies which Mr Chautala organised under the banner of the Kisan Pardesh Sangharsh Samiti prior to the elections, the ‘Kisan Pardesh’ issue dominated his speeches. The INLD was formed in UP to fight for the cause and safeguard the interests of the farmers. The INLD is demanding votes on the issue. Figures are reeled out in every election meeting of how the formation of a separate ‘Kisan Pardesh’ was essential for ending the exploitation of farmers of western UP. But surprisingly the two leaders of the Jan Tantrik Congress Party — Mr Laxmi Narain and Mr Sardar Singh — who lent support to the issue under the banner of the Sangharsh Samiti have since been dumped by the INLD after the formation of its new unit in western UP. The RLD, on the other hand, does not consider it a new demand. Mr Ajit Singh has been pointing out from all political and other platforms that the demand for ‘Harit Pardesh’ is a long- standing one. He maintains that the RLD candidates — 37 in number — can become a forceful block to get a resolution passed in the new Assembly supporting this demand. The present situation, however, is that the demand gets warm to even a mute response from one constituency to the other. Therefore, it is unlikely that both the INLD and the RLD would be able to generate much sympathy and support on the issue. The other main poll issue is the price of sugarcane being paid to the farmers and the arrears of the farmers pending with the mill managements. The INLD raises the issue from all platforms. Mr Chautala stresses the point that in the adjoining Haryana, farmers are paid Rs 120 per quintal for sugarcane by the mills. The rates in UP are Rs 85 to 90 per quintal. Another tempting slogan of the INLD here is its track record of development in Haryana. Mr Chautala takes pride in telling his audience that the INLD will ensure development on the same pattern in western UP also. The BSP led by its Vice-President, Ms Mayawati, has desisted from raising the issue. Her concentration is on winning over the Muslim voters. The BSP has dumped its one time popular slogan of “Tilak, tarazoo aur talwar, inke maro joote char”. In fact, Ms Mayawati has been making assiduous efforts to win over the Sawaran castes also. In its list of candidates, a large number of Sawarans have found place. The BSP’s main plank is the exposure of the “communal politics” of the BJP, the lawlessness in western UP. The Congress, which has so far failed to revive itself in the western UP areas, is out to cash on the communal approach of the BJP on all issues confronting UP. Being a national party, it is at a disadvantage to raise regional issues. The main task of the party is to point out the failures of the BJP on all fronts relating to the development of western UP. Although in trouble on the Babri masjid dispute, the BJP is avoiding even a casual reference to it. The Chief Minister, Mr Raj Nath Singh has been harping on the “development phase” during his tenure. Mr Raj Nath Singh also tried to lead the farmers up the garden path with tempting proposals and slogans. The Samajwadi Party of Mr Mulayam Singh has also not raised the local issues. Its basic opposition is to the communal card of the BJP, its failures at the national front, the law and order problem and the BJP’s anti-farmer policies. The SP has not made any covert or overt effort to win over the Muslims which in the 1996 poll constituted the core of its popularity. |
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Poll: Uttaranchal faces shortage of cops Dehra Dun, February 2 “Of these, 552 booths have been Dehra Dun, Udham Singh Nagar and
Hardwar have been identified as the most sensitive districts. Mr Ravishankar said he had been informed of the availability of Home Guards jawans from Uttar Pradesh. He hoped to get a positive response from UP regarding the availability of its civil police force for the elections, he added. The commission has also made it known that effective from the date of election notification till the declaration of results, all state Returning Officers, Assistant Returning Officers, Presiding Officers, Polling Officers along with the entire police force will be deemed to be appointed by it. As such all these will remain under the command, control, supervision and discipline of the commission for the duration. He said all efforts were on to enforce the code of conduct for the elections in the state. The commission would take cognisance of malpractices and could also initiate action on the basis of press reports. |
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Dara innocent, says co-accused Bhubaneswar, February 2 In a written statement submitted in the court of the District and Sessions Judge M.N. Patnaik, Mahendra Hembram, who had confessed to his guilt in a startling disclosure in the court yesterday, said other accused arrested by the CBI were not involved in the torching of the vehicle in which Staines and his sons were sleeping. Hembram said it was he who had set the vehicles ablaze on the night of January 22-23, 1999, at Manoharpur village in Keonjhar district. However, he said 20 others, whom he did not identify, had accompanied him to the village on that night. He said the CBI was trying to frame other persons accused in the case who were presently lodged with him in the special jail at Bhubaneswar on the basis of false evidence. Stating that he was making the confessional statement as he could no more tolerate that innocent persons were facing punishment, he pleaded with the court to punish the guilty and set free the innocent persons. When Hembram submitted his two-page handwritten statement in Oriya in the court, the 13 other accused including Dara Singh were present in the dock.
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V.P. to launch protest movement New Delhi, February 2 While the entire spectrum of the Opposition parties, including the Congress has extended support to his
demand, the BJP’s response is still awaited, Mr V.P. Singh said and went at length to explain his meeting with Congress President Sonia Gandhi on last Wednesday. Making it clear that nothing more should be read in his meeting with Ms Gandhi, the former Prime Minister said while “I have been meeting her on many social occasions, this meeting took place at my request as I wanted to solicit the Congress support for ensuring that the MLAs should account for the constituency development fund so that transparency and accountancy could be established in public life”. In this regard, I also met Prime Minister Vajpayee and had a telephonic conversation with BJP President K. Jana Krishnamurthi, Mr V.P. Singh said adding that while Mr Vajpayee found the idea good but declined to extend support with a comment that he would have to consult his party. Mr Krishnamurthi also told me that he would have to study the proposal and then he would come up with a reply, Mr V.P. Singh said adding that the response, unfortunately, was still awaited. If the response does not come by February 7, then I will launch a protest movement from Uttar Pradesh Urban Development Minister Lalji Tandon’s
constituency which falls in the Prime Minister’s parliamentary constituency. Asked about the likely outcome of the Assembly elections in UP, Mr V.P. Singh said the Samajwadi Party was going to emerge as the single largest party. But once the results are out, horse trading is going to be on a much larger scale, he said, adding that the outcome of the UP Assembly results would determine the course of national politics. Stressing upon the need for evolving a national consensus on some issues such as elimination of corruption from defence purchase and deals, Mr V.P. Singh said that a permanent platform for people’s political action should be set up for this so that the opinion maker middle class of the country could build up public pressure. “Corruption in defence deals should be declared treason”, he demanded. Since the Congress is not in a position to defeat the BJP in UP, the SP is the best instrument to use to oust the anti-people government at the Centre, Mr V.P. Singh said. But coming together of the Congress and the SP after the elections cannot be ruled out, he said. |
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Heavy security for PM’s visit Patna, February 2 The PM is to (re) lay the foundation stone of the rail bridge at Digha with a remote-control button. The stone for the same bridge was laid on December 22, 1996 by the then PM, Mr Deve Gowda when LJP chief and Union Coal Minister Ram Vilas Paswan was the Railway Minister. |
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India to avoid war with Pak: Mahajan Solapur, February 2 Referring to the continued strained relations with Pakistan over cross-border terrorism, he said at a press conference here that India would try to avoid a war with Pakistan. He, however, ruled out the possibility of de-escalation of Indian troops on the border till “Pakistan mends its ways like not supporting terrorist outfits in Jammu and Kashmir”.
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Indore to have Police Commissioner Bhopal, February 2 Their fear was that the already unbridled police force of the state would become more haughty if vested with quasi-judicial powers. The Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister, Mr Digvijay Singh, had to assert his authority with the remark that this was his personal commitment. If the things go smoothly, a bill may be moved in the Budget session of the Assembly. The Indore Police Commissioner Bill 2002, as approved by the Cabinet, envisages that the Police Commissioner for Indore Metropolitan city will not be of the rank below that of Deputy Inspector General. The Police Commissioner will be assisted by Additional, Deputy and Assistant Commissioners whose jurisdiction and powers will be defined by the state government through a notification. There will be a City Police Authority to inquire into the complaints received against the police. The authority will have the local MP up to five MLAs of the metropolitan area, Mayor of the Indore Municipal Corporation, three to six members each of the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, other backward classes, minorities, women and other sections, as its members. The Police Commissioner will be the member-secretary of the authority while the state government will nominate its Chairman. |
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Students damage prisoners’ van Bhagalpur (Bihar), February 2 Agitating students destroyed the van at the Variety Chowk here this morning, official sources said. Meanwhile, local MLA Ashwini Kumar Choubey sat on an eight-hour-long fast in protest against the police firing. Chief Minister Rabri Devi has assured a high-level inquiry into the firing.
PTI |
DALAI LAMA DISCHARGED 4 ULTRAS SHOT IN MANIPUR BAIL GRANTED
TO BANTHIA KOLKATA ATTACK DETAINEES FREED 2 MORE TO JOIN PONDY CABINET |
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