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Friday,
April 5, 2002, Chandigarh, India  
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Gorshkov deal: Russia contradicts India Azad’s reluctance: Cong probing ways out
Wireless set, weapon of SPG officer ‘stolen’ |
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Jan Shatabdi fares to be affordable ANALYSIS Bangaru not to attend BJP executive meeting Vajpayee govt ‘bowing’ to synthetic lobby Pay hike for primary school teachers
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Gorshkov deal: Russia contradicts India New Delhi, April 4 "The work is on to equip it. It is going on successfully. There is no alarm about the status of the deal," Russian Ambassador to India Alexander Kadakin told newspersons here. He said further discussions would be held on the Gorshkov deal when Defence Minister George Fernandes visits Moscow next week. "The Indian media has been mis-reporting that the deal is not final. There is a misconception that the Gorshkov deal has not been concluded. The contract was signed when President (Vladimir) Putin visited India in 2000," Mr Kadakin said. Mr Kadakin said several contracts would be signed on the upgradation of the aircraft carrier. The Russian Ambassador’s comments came when reporters asked the visiting Secretary of the Russian Security Council V.B. Roushailo whether the Gorshkov deal would figure in talks between Mr Fernandes and his Russian interlocutors. Although Admiral Gorshkov was a ‘gift’ from Russia, it would cost India more than $ 700 million for re-fit, besides the price of the aircraft that the ship would carry. Mr Kadakin said Indo-Russian cooperation in various sectors of defence had got a boost and the joint development of the anti-ship cruise missile Brahmos was a conspicuous example. The two countries were currently not only talking of sale of arms, but also about research and development of military hardware, the Russian Ambassador said. |
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Fernandes, Brajesh to visit Moscow New Delhi, April 4 The visit of Mr Fernandes is expected to be followed by a visit by National Security Advisor Brajesh Mishra in June to attend an international security conference in Moscow to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Russian Security Council. |
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Russia urges India to sign CTBT New Delhi, April 4 Mr Vladimir B. Roushailo, Secretary of the Russian Federation’s Security Council, addressing the media here, said, “We know about the opposition (by some countries), but Russia will continue to provide assistance to India on nuclear energy.” Mr Roushailo, who delivered a personal message from President Vladimir Putin to Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee yesterday, has met Home Minister L K Advani, Defence Minister George Fernandes, National Security Adviser Brajesh Mishra during his two-day visit here.
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Azad’s reluctance: Cong probing ways out New Delhi, April 4 The
uncertainty over Mr Azad not taking up his new assignment has cast its shadow on the proposed reshuffle at the AICC, with Congress President Sonia Gandhi having fresh consultations over the changes. As a possible compromise, the party may decide to appoint working presidents in Jammu and Kashmir, with Mr Azad going to the state only for important meetings and functions. Mr Azad continues to be a member of the Congress Working Committee. Though it has been a week since Mr Azad was removed as General Secretary, no one else has been given responsibility of the states in his charge. It is believed that some more general secretaries may be made PCC chiefs. Mr Azad, who attended today’s interactive session of party leaders from Andhra Pradesh, is undergoing physiotherapy. Meanwhile, 57 Congress leaders from Andhra Pradesh, attended the day-long interactive session held by the Congress in the capital today.
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Rousing welcome to Aamir Mumbai, April 4 Earlier, Aamir’s father Tahir Khan told reporters that he was sad about “Laagan” failing to bag the Oscar. Bharatiya Yuva Janata Party workers were present at the airport in large numbers to receive Aamir. Film actor Shah Rukh Khan, who had gone abroad on a personal visit, was also on board the same flight. Outside the airport, several fans of Aamir waited patiently to have a glimpse of their favourite actor.
PTI
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Wireless set, weapon of SPG officer ‘stolen’ New Delhi, April 4 The police said senior officers of the SPG, responsible for providing security to the Prime Minister and his immediate family, had been informed. The serial number of the wireless set and the weapon had also been flashed to all police stations. According to the police, the incident occurred last night when the official was to board Orissa bound Purushottam Express at 10 p.m. from the railway station and found the two items missing. After an intensive search by the official and other policemen present, a first information report (FIR) was lodged with the New Delhi railway station police. The alleged theft has caused considerable concern among the security and intelligence personnel here because of the existing security scenario and the heightened threat perception to some of the senior members of the Cabinet. The SPG is likely to hold its own inquiry to ascertain the circumstances under which the two pieces of crucial equipment went missing. |
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Jan Shatabdi fares to be affordable New Delhi, April 4 Replying to a question at a press conference here today, Nitish Kumar said the fare structure of Jan Shatabdis was being finalised and would be notified before the first Jan Shatabdi between Mumbai and Madgaon was flagged off on April 16. He assured mediapersons that the fares would be quite affordable. He said these trains would have non-AC second class coaches and their optimum speed would be 120 kmph. He added that efforts were being made to minimise the impact of heat and sound. Railway Board Chairman I.I.M.S Rana told mediapersons later that the remaining 15 inter-city trains would be on the tracks in this financial year. The remaining Jan Shatabdis were proposed to be introduced on the Chandigarh-New Delhi, New Delhi-Dehradun, Chennai-Vijayawada, Guwahati-Dimapur, Katihar-Patna, Raigarh-Bilaspur-Durg, Ahmedabad-Bhuj, Tatanagar-Ranchi, Bangalore-Hubli, Ernakulam-Trivandrum, Kota-Nizamuddin, Howrah-Bhubaneshwar, Howrah-Malda Town, Lucknow-Varanasi and Habibganj-Jabalpur routes. National Rail Museum Director, Rajesh Aggarwal said the logo and mascot would be released by the Prime Minister. He would also flag off a special run of the Fairy Queen, the World’s oldest working steam locomotive on the main line. He said the second rail museum at Chennai would be opened to the public on April 10. A seminar on Railway Vision 2025 would be held at Vadodara in the first week of July. Replying to a question, the Railways Minister said a Cabinet note on amendment to the RPF Act had been prepared to give more powers to the Railway Protection Force to enable them shoulder responsibility of passenger security. Talking of the torching of the Sabarmati Express, the minister said an inquiry had shown that the RPF personnel alleged to be mute spectators had performed their duties and had prevented the situation from worsening. |
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ANALYSIS Kolkata, April 4 But the response from states, so far, has been poor. Neither the Congress controlled states of Assam, Delhi, Punjab, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala nor the CPI(M)-led front in West Bengal and Tripura and the BJD’s Rabri Devi government would exercise the law, calling it ‘draconian’ in character. The Chautala government in Haryana and Ms Jayalalitha’s AIDMK in Tamil Nadu have yet to make up their minds. Mr Chandrababu Naidu supported the Bill, but will not implement the Act in Andhra Pradesh, arguing that the state had already been empowered with a similar law passed in the state Assembly to tackle the problems of terrorism and other crimes. Now, the law has been left with a few BJP- ruled states like Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh (under Governor’s rule). But will that solve the present ISI activities and terrorism problems which have already assumed a serious dimension. West Bengal’s CPI(M)-led Left Front government has been adopting POCA (Prevention of Organised Crimes Act), instead of POTA to tackle all organised crime including killing, kidnapping, arson and looting and terrorism. The Bill is yet to be placed in the Assembly for adoption following objections raised by some partners of the Left Front. Even in a large section of the CPI(M), there has been confusion and misgivings about POCA vis-a-vis POTA but Chief Minister, Buddhadev Bhattacharjee is determined to carry out
the same for tackling crimes encouraged and perpetrated by foreign agencies like the ISI, country’s various extremists groups and other professional gangsters. The CPI(M) politburo and central leadership, particularly, Mr Prakash Karat and Mr Sitaram Yechuri had been opposing tooth and nail the state’s proposed POCA as they did in case of POTA. At the 17th party congress in Hyderabad, Mr Bhattacharjee could persuade and convince the party leadership that POCA and POTA were not the same and that POCA had been much needed for handling crime and terrorism which had assumed at an alarming proportion in his state. Still Mr Bhattacharjee has yet to decide when the proposed Bill will be placed in the Assembly since the three major front partners — RSP, CPI and FB — have declined to okay the Bill. Even the Bill is passed in the Assembly, which the CPI(M) alone by virtue of its strength in the Assembly can, it will have to be sent to the President for assent. But whether the President will endorse the bill or return it to the state for re-thinking finding both POTA and POCA virtually the same, is not known. Neither the CPI(M) state leadership nor any other front partners have any basic knowledge about POCA and POTA. Even senior officials of the Home Department and state judiciary have found little difference between POTA and POCA. Chief Minister, Buddhadev Bhattacharjee’s main concern is that even real culprits arrested in connection with heinous crimes like kidnapping of Khadim owner, Partha Roy Burman and the terrorist attack on the American Center cannot be punished because they cannot be kept for a long period to enable the police to complete their inquiry and be finally charge-sheeted within the stipulated shortest period. But instead of drafting a separate Act for this purpose, Mr Bhattacharjee could have easily opted for the Centre’s POTA which could have served his purpose. The purpose of both laws is virtually the same. Whether a law is draconian or not will depend on how it is applied. If adequate precaution is not taken, POCA could also be turned into a ‘draconian law. But with its proper application, POTA might also be taken as ‘non-draconian and purposive’ for tackling terrorism and other organised crimes. |
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Bangaru not to attend BJP executive meeting New Delhi, April 4 "I am not able to understand why I was not given a second term in the Rajya Sabha...More upsetting is the fact that the party, which I have served for over three decades, did not even bother to consult me before taking a final decision," Mr Laxman said here today. "I really wonder what exactly there is in the mind of the party...By not giving me a second term in the Rajya Sabha, has the party come to a conclusion even before Justice Venkataswami Commission has given its report," Mr Laxman said. Emphasising that by dropping him the party has not sent a good message to the Dalits, OBCs and minorities, Mr Laxman, who had to relinquish the post of BJP presidentship following the Tehelka expose last year, said, "The party should have been prudent enough to nominate another Dalit, if not me." "Every two years the party gets a chance to nominate people belonging to Dalits and Muslims... This time elections were held when a Muslim
(Sikander Bakht) and a Dalit (myself) were retiring," Mr Laxman said, adding "it will not do good for the party, especially when this has been done at a time when it received a severe beating in the recent Assembly elections in four states and also in municipal corporation polls in Delhi." The senior BJP leader also expressed his ire over the party not defending him against the Tehelka expose in the manner in which Samata Party chief and Defence Minister George Fernandes was being defended. When asked he would attend the Goa National Executive, he replied in the
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Vajpayee govt ‘bowing’ to synthetic lobby New Delhi, April 4 Addressing mediapersons, CPM leader Somnath Chatterjee said while earlier the government had taken away fertilisers and cement from the purview of the Act, now even food and sugar are also being taken out from the compulsory list. The government decision would have a disastrous impact on millions of jute growers, industrial workers and mill owners in the eastern states of West Bengal, Orissa and Bihar, Mr Chatterjee pointed out, adding that this was being done under pressure of the MNCs and a powerful domestic lobby. West Bengal Chief Minister Budhadeb Bhattacharya had drawn the Centre’s attention to the problems which the jute industry and growers would face as the consequence of such a policy which is doing away with the
packing of sugar and foodgrain in jute bags, the CPM leader said, adding that the Left Front MPs have
sought a meeting with Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee. Terming the government’s decision as “anti-people” and “anti-national”, Mr Chatterjee lashed out at the Vajpayee government saying that there was a deliberate attempt to malign the NHRC. The Prime Minister had found time after five weeks to go to riot-affected Gujarat, Mr Chatterjee said, adding that Mr Vajpayee had no time for national problems as he was busy saving his position. |
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Pay hike for primary school teachers
New Delhi, April 4 This was announced by Union Minister for Human Resource Development Murli Manohar Joshi when a group of Central Government teachers called on him to thank him for the revision of pay-scales. According to a press note issued by the HRD Ministry, while 21,000 teachers will get enhanced pay ranging from Rs 750 to Rs 1,500 every month, the remaining 4,000 will get a salary hike ranging from Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,250 per month. The teachers will get arrears ranging from Rs 36,000 to Rs 1,08,000 as the scales have come into effect retrospectively with effect from January 1, 1996. Addressing the teachers, Dr Joshi said the financial implications of the hike would work out to about Rs 30 crore per annum and the arrears upto 2002 would amount to Rs 120 crore. |
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CBI Chief bereaved New Delhi, April 4 He was 76. He is survived by a son, a scientist based in the USA and a daughter who is married to the CBI chief. |
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In video: Russia's National
Security Adviser, Mr Vladimir Roushailo, says his country backs India in
its long-standing military stand-off with Pakistan. (
