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Thursday,
March 7, 2002, Chandigarh, India  
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Oppn seeks Advani’s removal
Balayogi cremated
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Centre warns of terrorist attacks Kin still hopeful of PoWs’ release
MP Budget presented CBI books Customs officer for cheating Leave of Bihar cops cancelled
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Oppn seeks Advani’s removal New Delhi, March 6 Both the Centre and the state government “are totally unconcerned at the continuing violence in Gujarat. Chief Minister Narendra Modi should be removed. Home Minister L.K. Advani, who is equally responsible, should also be removed. There is a tacit connivance between the Home Ministry and the state government,” CPM leader Somnath Chatterjee told reporters after the Opposition leaders met at his residence this afternoon. The Opposition also asked the “secular” parties within the NDA to quit the ruling coalition by making their position clear on the Gujarat situation and the Ayodhya issue, he said. “There is total unanimity among the opposition parties on these issues and we will continue to press for our demands,” the CPM leader said, hinting at possible disruption of proceedings in Parliament tomorrow. The leaders also decided to hold a protest sit-in inside the Parliament precincts tomorrow to protest against the Gujarat incidents and government’s handling of the Ayodhya issue, besides pressing for removal of Mr Advani and Mr Modi. Those who attended the meeting included former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda, Shivraj Patil (Congress), Ramji Lal Suman (Samajwadi Party), Raghuvansh Prasad Singh (RJD), P.A. Sangma (NCP), Ajoy Chakraborty (CPI), Amar Roy Pradhan (RSP), Joyanta Rongpi (CPI-ML) and Simranjit Singh Mann (Akali Dal-Mann). On the Ayodhya issue, Mr Chatterjee said “mob frenzy is sought to be created. It seems that government’s functioning has been taken over by sarkari sadhus”. Several other opposition leaders and Muslim representatives at a press conference today squarely blamed the Gujarat government for the Godhra train carnage and its aftermath, saying what the “land of Gandhi” witnessed was not communal riots but “state-sponsored terrorism’’. Majority of the speakers, who included former Prime Minister I.K. Gujral, Samajwadi Party General Secretary Amar Singh, All-India Muslim Personal Law Board member Kamal Farooqi, CPM Politburo member Sitaram Yechuri and Rajya Sabha Member Obaidullah Khan Azmi, demanded that the Narendra Modi government be dismissed and the state be handed over to the Army. “It was highly reprehensible on the part of Chief Minister Narendra Modi to say that the events in Gujarat were a reaction to the train killings,” Mr Amar Singh told a conference on the Gujarat tragedy, jointly organised by the Foundation for Law Reforms, the Asian Academy of Film and Television and the Love India Forum.
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Move to trap community: Imam New Delhi, March 6 Addressing newsmen in his office in Jama Masjid, Shahi Imam said, “There is no dispute. The matter is in the court. What is being discussed between the seer, the VHP or the PMO is a mystery as no decision, whether disputed or undisputed, can be achieved without the stamp of the court.” The BJP -led Central Government was aware about the decision of the VHP six months ago and if such efforts had been initiated at that time, these could have been seen as a move to seek a solution. “Now the Centre is trying to dig the well when fire has already started.” He said the entire exercise was a move to “trap” the minority community. “Talks have been held with the Muslim Personal Law Board, who do not have any locus standi in the dispute,” he said. |
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CPM, Cong observe Solidarity Day Kolkata, March 6 The SUCI and other secular parties also took part in the marches which called for peace and amity among Hindus and Muslims in the wake of the recent communal clashes over the Ayodhya issue, in which more than 600 persons died. The Trinamool Congress, however, stayed away, alleging that the issue was being politicalised by the CPM and other vested interests. TMC MLAs also did not endorse the all-party resolution, which was moved by the ruling party’s chief whip, Mr Lakshmi De, condemning the communal riots in Gujarat and the BJP Chief Minister, Narendra Modi’s failure to handle the riots. Two marches were taken out from Shaheed Minar. Hindus, Muslims, Christians and people from different walks of lives , irrespective of their political and ideological differences took. Earlier, at a meeting at the Shaheed Minar, the Left front committee’s chairman, Mr Biman Bose, criticised the BJP’s playing the communal card at the cost of the country’s unity and integrity. He demanded that Army be given full control for bringing peace and normalcy in Gujarat. Mr Bose declared that they would mobilise all secular forces at Ayodhya for organising a counter-move against VHP’s construction of Ram Temple at Ayodhya by staging dharna and demonstrations near the disputed site, if the Centre did not resist the construction. Though TMC supremo, Mamata Banerjee directed her party men not to take out any march in the city on the issue, Mr Paresh Pal, MLA had taken out a big march in North Kolkata yesterday, directly defying the directives. Mr Pal said he felt it was necessary in the present situation. The TMC Yuva Congress President, Mr Sanjay Bakshi said the TMC would take out a similar peace march in the city on March 8 and for that Ms Banerjee’s permission had been obtained. |
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Balayogi cremated Amalapuram, (AP), March 6 As the buglers sounded the last post in the presence of thousands of mourners shouting “Balayogi amar rahe”, his 12-year-old son Harish Madhur lit the funeral pyre at 12.50 p.m. A state funeral was accorded with contingents of the Special Police Force firing 12 volleys into the air and reversing their arms. Earlier, the body, draped in the Tricolour, was brought to the cremation site in a flower-bedecked truck and laid on a specially-erected platform for the last rites. Amid tight security arrangements, Mr Vajpayee, Ms Gandhi, Andhra Pradesh Governor C. Rangarajan, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and his Karnataka counterpart S.M. Krishna, besides several Union State Ministers went round the platform on which sandalwood logs had been placed to pay homage to the famous son of Konaseema. Poignant scenes were witnessed when the Prime Minister, Ms Gandhi and other dignitaries went up to Ms Vijayakumari and offered their condolences. A wreath was placed on the body on behalf of President K.R. Narayanan. Earlier, prayers were held by Hindu, Christian, Muslim and Buddhist priests near the funeral pyre. The coffin of Mr Balayogi was taken to his native Edulanka village on March 4 after it was brought from Delhi. The police had made elaborate security arrangements by deploying about 7,000 personnel. As many as six helipads were erected at
Amalapuram, Ambajipeta and Perur for the safe landing of helicopters carrying
VVIPs.
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Centre warns of terrorist attacks New Delhi, March 6 The post February 27 communal violence in Gujarat and the ongoing Ayodhya agitation are a situation tailor-made for Pakistan’s Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) to pursue their policy of “a thousand cuts” and attempted “balkanisation” of India, well placed sources here said today. The intelligence agencies have warned of a major terrorist attack in Ayodhya or communally sensitive states like Maharashtra, West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh, which have been alerted by the Centre. Sources said the ISI had of late started working on a much higher degree of deniability in the post-September 11 world since when the international coalition’s war against terror has been going on. Meanwhile, the five Pakistani nationals whose presence in Godhra on February 27 was disclosed to the authorities by some of those who were arrested from the spot are believed to have fled the state. According to latest reports, these five could be in West
Bengal or Bihar. |
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Kin still hopeful of PoWs’ release New Delhi, March 6 And amidst the rising diplomatic and military noises emanating from either side of the fence, relatives are hopeful that their voice will remain audible enough for the powers-to-be on both sides. “Perhaps the biggest confidencebuilding measure (CBM) between the two countries could be the handing over of the PoWs from Pakistan. This may well set the path for further easing of tension between the two nations”, said Mr G.S. Gill, younger brother of Wg Cdr H.S. Gill, who is believed to have been taken PoW by Pakistan in December, 1971. The Wing Commander’s plane was shot down over Badin on December 13, 1971 and the Pakistan radio reported the news of his capture on the same day. |
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MP Budget presented Bhopal, March 6 New taxes will affect unprocessed grains and pulses, branded rice, flour, pulps, industrial bamboo and soft wood imported from outside the state. PVC footwear and chappals costing up to Rs 100 and spectacles costing up to Rs 200, which were hitherto exempts from taxes, have been brought under the tax net. Reduction of price of petrol in the Union budget has been offset by imposition of 15 per cent surcharge and 1 per cent entry tax on the commodity in the budget. The revenue receipts next year are estimated at Rs 14231.4 crore as against the revenue expenditure of Rs 14326.24 crore. The capital expenditure is estimated at Rs 2434.03 crore. |
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CBI books Customs officer for cheating New Delhi, March 6 Acting on a tip-off, sleuths of the CBI raided seven places, including the residential and official premises of the Joint Commissioner, Mr Stephen D’Souza, presently posted at Vishakhapatnam which yielded cash and documents relating to huge investments, the CBI sources said. According to the CBI FIR, D’Souza in connivance with a customs inspector allegedly entered into a criminal conspiracy with eight persons and cleared their inflated shipping bills. The CBI alleged that the accused official during his tenure as Deputy Commissioner of Customs at Mangalore had abused his official position and in pursuance of this conspiracy, the eight persons were able to submit over-invoiced shipping bills and claim duty drawback which was Rs 74.46 lakh in excess of the entitled amount. Following the registration of the case, the CBI carried out searches at seven places and recovered Rs 60,000 from the residence of D’Souza, the sources said. Besides, documents relating to investment of Rs 9 lakh and ownership of two flats in Mumbai worth Rs 40 lakh were seized. The CBI seized cash worth Rs 1 lakh and investments in various schemes worth Rs 7 lakh from his two bank lockers.
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Leave of Bihar cops cancelled Patna, March 6 Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Ashish Ranjan Sinha said that messages had been sent to the SPs not to sanction normal leave and cancel the leaves already granted to officials and policemen in their districts. He said though there was no report of communal tension in any part of the state, the decision had been taken as a precautionary measure.
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In video: Hindu
volunteers continue to trickle in small groups into Ayodhya
despite tight security and prohibitory orders. (
