N A T I O N

Angry Oppn forces adjournment
New Delhi, March 1
Due to continued violence and loss of life and property in Gujarat the Opposition benches in Parliament vehemently protested against the incidents in the state, forcing the Lok Sabha Speaker and Rajya Sabha Chairman to adjourn the two Houses.

Swami: ISI hand can’t be ruled out
New Delhi, March 1
Even as the Opposition sought the intervention of President K.R. Narayanan to impress upon the Vajpayee government to take immediate steps to control the situation in Gujarat, Union Home Minister L.K. Advani today asserted that the government was taking all steps to ensure that communal violence was not allowed to escalate.

Godhra may be phase-1 of larger ISI gameplan
New Delhi, March 1
The Vajpayee government has reports that Pakistan’s Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) may create large-scale trouble in Ayodhya in the already surcharged atmosphere, well-placed sources here said today.

Muslim women to help contain violence
New Delhi, March 1
Fearing clashes following the Godhra (Gujarat) carnage, the Muslim Women’s Forum, a registered body has decided to dissuade people from getting swayed by communal elements.

SP demands President’s rule
Lucknow, March 1
The Samajwadi Party today demanded the dismissal of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Gujarat and imposition of President’s rule on the ground that the government had “failed to safeguard life and property, especially of the minorities, in the state.”

Several trains cancelled
New Delhi, March 1
Railways has cancelled and diverted routes of 23 Mail/Express and Passenger trains of Northern and North Eastern Railways till March 15 for operational reasons.

Jaya to head 27-member Cabinet
Chennai, March 1
The AIADMK General Secretary, Ms J. Jayalalithaa, who will be sworn in as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu tomorrow, will head a 27-member Council of Ministers. Ms Jayalalithaa will hold the portfolios of Home, Public, General Administration, All-India services and a few others.

Tiwari invited to form govt Dehra Dun, March 1 After two days of uncertainty, senior Congress leader N.D. Tiwari is all set to become the next Chief Minister of Uttaranchal tomorrow after he was invited today to form the new government. Senior Congress leader and Uttaranchal CM designate Narain Dutt Tiwari poses for the cameraman just before going to meet Sonia Gandhi outside her residence in the capital on Friday. — Photo Mukesh Aggarwal

Angry Oppn forces adjournment
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 1
Due to continued violence and loss of life and property in Gujarat the Opposition benches in Parliament vehemently protested against the incidents in the state, forcing the Lok Sabha Speaker and Rajya Sabha Chairman to adjourn the two Houses.

As soon as the Lok Sabha sat for the day’s proceedings, angry Opposition members stormed into the well of the House immediately after the obituary references in protest against the government’s “failure” to contain communal violence in Gujarat, compelling the Speaker, Mr G.M.C. Balayogi, to adjourn the House till 12 noon.

The Rajya Sabha was abruptly adjourned till 2 p.m. by Chairman Krishan Kant without any explanation, which took the Elders by surprise.

Earlier, Mr Balayogi made obituary references to three former MPs — Kailash Pati, S.S. Patil and Mr Indernath Bhagat.

As the Lok Sabha assembled at 11 a.m. Congress, Rashtriya Janata Dal, Bahujan Samaj Party, Left and other Opposition MPs were on their feet, shouting slogans against the government for its incompetence to maintain law and order in Gujarat.

Even the treasury benches’ MPs did not lag behind and raised voices asking the Opposition benches what they had to say about the killings of “Ram sevaks” in Gujarat on Wednesday.

Even before the Lower House had formally assembled, tempers ran high, with ruling NDA and Opposition MPs making allegations against each other. An RJD MP, Mr Raghuvansh Prasad Singh, was heard saying that the government had failed to contain violence.

Later when the Lok Sabha reassembled at 12 noon, the entire Opposition was again on its feet, raising slogans against the government for the failure of the Gujarat Government to save life and property.

Deputy Speaker P.M. Sayeed, who was in the Chair adjourned the House till Monday.

In the Rajya Sabha, when it reassembled at 2 p.m. senior Congress leader Arjun Singh alleged that the BJP government was being a mute spectator to the violence that had so far claimed many lives and has led to loss of property.

This was objected to by members of the ruling benches who immediately sprang on their feet protesting.

Congress MP Suresh Pachauri demanded the deployment of Army in Gujarat.

Chairperson Najma Heptullah tried to restore order, saying that if the members wanted a statement by Home Minister L.K. Advani, it could be done.

As Dr Heptullah sensed that the Opposition was not listening to her pleas, she adjourned the House till Monday.

Swami: ISI hand can’t be ruled out
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 1
Even as the Opposition sought the intervention of President K.R. Narayanan to impress upon the Vajpayee government to take immediate steps to control the situation in Gujarat, Union Home Minister L.K. Advani today asserted that the government was taking all steps to ensure that communal violence was not allowed to escalate.

The Home Minister voiced confidence that the situation in Gujarat would be brought under control.

Defence Minister George Fernandes is in Gujarat and “government believes that the situation will be brought under control,” Mr Advani told mediapersons. The Army had already staged a flag march in Ahmedabad, he noted.

Mr Advani said the government efforts were aimed at establishing peace and communal harmony in the country and it was in constant touch with the Gujarat Government.

“We will ensure that the communal situation is not allowed to escalate,” he added.

The attack on Sabarmati Express on Wednesday and the communal flare-up in Gujarat were “so serious” that these had shaken the entire country, he said, strongly condemning the violence.

Meanwhile, Minister of State for Home I.D. Swami today said that involvement of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence in the Sabarmati Express attack on Wednesday could not be ruled out.

“Gujarat is a communally sensitive place and a border state. It is next door to Pakistan, which is the epicentre of cross-border terrorism. There is something beyond that meets the eye in the Godhra incident. In the present scenario, the involvement of the ISI cannot be ruled out,” he said.

Recalling that the ISI had tried to create a wedge between Hindus and Christians by engineering attacks on churches in southern India, Mr Swami said communal tension in the country served ISI designs.

Godhra may be phase-1 of larger ISI gameplan
Rajeev Sharma
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 1
The Vajpayee government has reports that Pakistan’s Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) may create large-scale trouble in Ayodhya in the already surcharged atmosphere, well-placed sources here said today.

Besides, there are reports that the ISI, using a new strategy, may fan communal hatred in several communally sensitive states of India.

The January 27 Godhra incident and its aftermath may well be a turning point in Pakistan’s proxy war as it shows that in the changed international security scenario the hostile neighbour would continue to make India bleed greater, according to an assessment of the Vajpayee government.

Or in simple words, Pakistan and the ISI would continue to foment trouble in India while at the same time taking care not to leave any incriminating evidence. The Godhra incident may well be phase 1 of the ISI’s larger game plan.

Sources said though the Godhra incident might be the handiwork of the ISI, as Union Home Minister L K Advani also stated in his interaction with reporters today, evidence of ISI involvement in the incident might never be found.

The government is worried about much more serious and sinister implications in case Ayodhya were to explode.

It is understood that the government has taken top leaders of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Ram temple movement and Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh into confidence about classified reports on the ISI’s game plan. The government has urged the Sangh Parivar for cooperation in the larger national interest.

Muslim women to help contain violence
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 1
Fearing clashes following the Godhra (Gujarat) carnage, the Muslim Women’s Forum, a registered body has decided to dissuade people from getting swayed by communal elements. To prevent vulnerable sections from developing prejudices against certain communities, the forum plans to revive its post-Babri Masjid demolition efforts of mohalla mobilisation in and around Jamia in South Delhi.

Founder member of the Muslim Women’s Forum and former member of the National Commission for Women, Dr Syeda Hameed told The Tribune here this afternoon that although they “plan to get to the bottom of the incident in Gujarat,” their priority is to contain and stop the spread of violence.”

The forum also joined activists of the All-India Democratic Women’s Association, the Indian Social Institute and the Inter-community Peace Initiative to keep a candle-light vigil for peace and harmony at Rajghat from 5.30 pm to 7 p.m today.

SP demands President’s rule

Lucknow, March 1
The Samajwadi Party today demanded the dismissal of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Gujarat and imposition of President’s rule on the ground that the government had “failed to safeguard life and property, especially of the minorities, in the state.”

Talking to the media here, SP General Secretary Reoti Raman Singh alleged the police remained a spectator to murder, arson and looting taking place in the aftermath of the Godhra carnage. The Centre also delayed deployment of the Army to check the spread of violence, resulting in huge loss of life and property.

He accused the BJP government in the state and at the Centre of “deliberately instigating violence and creating tension to gain political mileage.” UNI

Several trains cancelled
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 1
Railways has cancelled and diverted routes of 23 Mail/Express and Passenger trains of Northern and North Eastern Railways till March 15 for operational reasons.

According to an official release issued here on Friday, the trains of the Lucknow-Faizabad-Varanasi section which have been cancelled include 9163/9164 the Ahmedabad-Faizabad Sabarmati Express (cancelled between Lucknow and Faizabad), 9165/9166 Muzaffarpur-Ahmedabad Sabarmati Express (cancelled between Lucknow and Muzaffarpur), 9167/9168 Varanasi-Ahmedabad Sabarmati Express (cancelled between Lucknow and Varanasi), 4017/4018 Muzaffarpur-Delhi Sadhbhavana Express (cancelled between Lucknow and Muzaffarpur), 4853/4854 Varanasi-Jodhpur Marudhar Express (cancelled between Lucknow and Varanasi), 135/136 Varanasi-Bareilly, 1 FBL/2FBL Faizabad-Lucknow Passenger (cancelled between Barabanki and Faizabad), 1 MP/2 MF Mughalsarai-Faizabad Passenger, 1 LV/ 2LV Varanasi-Lucknow Passenger (cancelled between Lucknow and Akbarpur). Trains of the Allahabad-Sultanpur-Faizabad section which have been cancelled include 1067/1068 Faizabad- Lokmanya Tilak Saket Express (cancelled between Allahabad-Faizabad), 4125/4126 Faizabad-Allahabad Saryu Express (cancelled between Faizabad and Sultanpur), 1/2/3/4 AF Allahabad-Faizabad Passenger (cancelled between Faizabad and Sultanpur). Apart from this, 437/438, 439/440, 441/442, 443/444 and 445/446 of Mankapur-Katra passengers trains have been cancelled.

Trains where have been diverted are 3009/3010 Howrah-Dehradun Express (diverted via Lucknow-Sultanpur-Varanasi, 3151-3152 Sealdah-Jammu Tawi Express (diverted via Lucknow-Pratapgarh Varanasi, 3307/3308 Dhanbad-Ferozepur Ganga Sutlej Express (diverted via Lucknow-Sultanpur-Varanasi, 4649/4650 Darbhangha-Amristar Saryu Yamuna Express (diverted via Lucknow-Barabanki-Gorakhpur-Chhapra) and 5107/5108 Chappra-Lucknow Express (diverted via Lucknow-Sultanpur-Varanasi-Mau).

A press release issued by Northern Railway here said that 3483 Malda Town-Bhiwani Farakka Express will be diverted via Lucknow-Sultanpur-Varanasi.

Jaya to head 27-member Cabinet

Chennai, March 1
The AIADMK General Secretary, Ms J. Jayalalithaa, who will be sworn in as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu tomorrow, will head a 27-member Council of Ministers.

Ms Jayalalithaa will hold the portfolios of Home, Public, General Administration, All-India services and a few others.

Outgoing Chief Minister O. Paneerselvam has been given the portfolio of PWD, while Mr C. Ponnaiyan, who was holding the portfolios of Finance and Law in the outgoing ministry, will now hold only Finance, according to the list of ministers released by the Raj Bhavan this afternoon.

The Jayalalithaa Cabinet includes 14 new faces, while 12 ministers in the outgoing ministry do not find a place in the list.

Portfolios of some senior ministers in the outgoing ministry have also been changed. Mr Dhalavai Sundaram, who was holding the PWD portfolio, has been given Revenue, while Mr Nainar Nagendran, who held Transport, will be entrusted with Electricity. UNI

Tiwari invited to form govt

Dehra Dun, March 1
After two days of uncertainty, senior Congress leader N.D. Tiwari is all set to become the next Chief Minister of Uttaranchal tomorrow after he was invited today to form the new government.

The invitation by Governor S.S. Barnala to Mr Tiwari to form the new government came after a seven-member delegation of the newly elected party MLAs met him earlier in the day and formally staked the party’s claim.

The swearing-in would be held at 5.15 pm tomorrow, Secretary to Governor N. Ravishankar said.

Congress won 36 seats in the House of 70 and has the support of two Independents. Significantly, Uttarakhand Kranti Dal (UKD), a key regional party with four MLAs, declined to support the Congress contrary to the indications that it would back that party.

Uncertainty over the formation of a new government arose after most of the party MLAs held a series of meetings since Wednesday in New Delhi to chalk out their strategies after expressing reservations against party president Sonia Gandhi’s nomination of Tiwari as the new CLP leader. PTI