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Sunday,
April 28, 2002, Chandigarh, India  
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DMK to go with govt, TDP yet to decide CNG price hiked by 28.5 pc in Delhi
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I funded Yashwant Sinha’s poll campaign: scam accused Four CMs back Jaya’s demand
Laden cassettes worry Bengal CM Shankaracharya meets Ayodhya leaders Chandni Bar raided, 65 barmaids held Bhutan’s aid sought to locate MiG Army denies reports on growing impotence AICC annual session on May 10 VHP for debate on Kashmir
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DMK to go with govt, TDP yet to decide Chennai, April 27 “We are in the NDA front” was his reply when reporters asked him about the stand his party would take during voting. In a brief interaction with the press tonight at his constituency office in Chepauk in the city, he said he had written a reply to the PMK leader, Dr S. Ramadoss, offering the DMK’s support to PMK in the Achirupakkam bypoll. In the other two places — Vaniyampadi and Saidapet in the city — the PMK would offer its support to the DMK in the bypolls on May 31. He said his party was yet to take a final decision on moving a no-confidence motion against the Speaker, Mr K. Kalimuthu, for his ‘partisan attitude’ towards the DMK. Asked to comment on Chief Minister Jayalalithaa’s remarks that her party would maintain ‘equidistance’ from both the Congress and the BJP, Mr Karunanidhi said, “it is her habit to change colours”. TIRUPATI: The TDP would decide in the next two days its stand on the Opposition-sponsored censure motion in Parliament on the Gujarat violence, party supremo and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu said on Saturday. To a question on the AIADMK’s decision to remain neutral during the voting on the motions, he said the AIADMK was not an ally of the NDA, “They can take any decision, but the TDP, being an ally of the Vajpayee Government and believing in secularism, has to make a proper move on the issue.” The TDP, a key outside supporter of the NDA government at the Centre, had earlier demanded the resignation of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi.
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NCP to vote against
Govt on Gujarat Jaipur, April 27 The entire Opposition and a few National Democratic Alliance members were in agreement that Chief Minister Narendra Modi should quit, former Speaker of the Lok Sabha Purno A Sangma said today. Striking a nationalist posture, he asserted that though the events in Gujarat had tarnished the country’s secular image, foreigners should not interfere in the matter.
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Move on motion against
Bihar, Bengal flayed New Delhi, April 27 Describing the Modi government as “the virtual perpetrator of the Gujarat carnage,” the CPM and the CPI said the Vajpayee government had lost its balance as it failed to distinguish between “state-sponsored terrorism” and a routine law and order problem. CPM General Secretary Harkishan Singh Surjeet said the state government should not resort to such ‘acts of reprisal’. Mr Surjeet said the discussion on Gujarat under Rule 184 would focus on the culpability of the state government in “patronising, encouraging and executing an inhuman fanatic pogrom.” He rebuffed the BJP’s argument that discussion in both Houses would set a bad precedent. On many occasions in the past, Parliament discussed situations in various states when it affected the national interests, Mr Surjeet added. CPI National Secretary and spokesman Shamim Faizi said the Vajpayee government’s attempt to reduce a discussion on Gujarat to a mere law and order problem is ‘immature and an act of desperation.’ |
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CNG price hiked by 28.5 pc in Delhi New Delhi, April 27 “The increase was necessary in view of the increase in input as well as other costs in the past 10 years,” IGL Managing Director A K Dey told newspersons here today. The current price of CNG, the only fuel for public transport in the Capital following recent Supreme Court order, is Rs 13.11. Transporters, environmentalists and the Delhi government have reacted sharply to the CNG hike, stating that the increase was “unjustified” and “uncalled for”. Mr Dey said the cost of natural gas3 had increased by Rs 2.29 per kg since 1992 and other charges like electricity expenses, salary and wages had also gone up by 70 per cent since. The cost of imported equipment also was doubled with the devaluation of the rupee and now the entire project of laying CNG infrastructure worked out to more than Rs 522 crore. Mr Dey said the present cost of procurement of natural gas was Rs 5.41 per kg and after adding costs and wages of employees, the cost was Rs 12.44 per kg. With the addition of profit margins and 16 per cent excise, the cost worked out to be Rs 16.83 per kg, he said. Comparing the CNG prices with other cities, Mr Dey said price in Mumbai was Rs 19.71 per kg and Rs 20.34 per kg in Surat. The Managing Director of the company said in case the government proposed to increase the base natural gas prices, the IGL would also review and revise the prices. |
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I funded Yashwant Sinha’s poll campaign: scam accused Ranchi, April 27 Demanding a “proper’’ CBI probe into the “involvement’’ of the Union Finance Minister in the fraud, Ajmani said his continuation in the Cabinet had not only hampered the BJP’s credibility but also gone against the nation’s interest. Talking to newspersons here on the court campus, Ajmani, at present under judicial custody, pleaded not guilty, saying that charges levelled against him by the CBI were “concocted and fabricated’’. Ajmani alleged that he was being implicated in the case because some people in power were “irked’’ by his “revelations’’ against three top functionaries of the party. He said his statement to the CBI under Section 161 of the CrPC in 1998 regarding the alleged involvement of Mr Sinha and two other senior leaders — Mr Kailashpati Mishra and Mr K.N. Govindacharya — in the fodder scam should be “properly’’ looked into by the investigating agency. Denying his association with Adarsh Pharma, a fodder supplier, Ajmani said he was “wrongly implicated’’ on the charges which were based on a statement made by a former company manager, Pradeep Vasisth, also under the same Section. However, he admitted that he had accepted a bank draft for Rs 15 lakh from Pradeep Vasisth in 1995, who by then had “left’’ Adarsh Pharma and “floated his own company in partnership with a BJP leader’’. Ajmani claimed that he then handed over three cheques for Rs 500,000 each to Mr Sinha, Mr Mishra and Mr Govindacharya for party work, including electioneering of Mr Sinha who was then contesting Assembly poll from Ranchi in 1995. He claimed that Rs 15 lakh were taken by him allegedly on the instructions of the three BJP leaders for Assembly poll in Ranchi. The actual expenditure made by Mr Sinha on his elections in 1995 from Ranchi bore ample testimony to his allegations, he alleged. Not less than Rs 15 to 16 lakh were spent on his electioneering, Ajmani claimed.
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Four CMs back Jaya’s demand Chennai, April 27 These Chief Ministers, Mr Vilasrao Deshmukh (Maharashtra), Ms Rabri Devi (Bihar), Mr Navin Patnaik (Orissa) and Mr Tarun Gogoi (Assam), have told Ms Jayalalitha that they would impress on Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee to convene a meeting of Chief Ministers to ‘streamline’ the financial structure, an official press note said here today. Ms Jayalalitha wrote to Mr Vajpayee on March 25 requesting a special package for the state. She had sent a copy of her letter to all Chief Ministers. |
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Laden cassettes worry Bengal CM Kolkata, April 27 The district police during the past three days seized huge stocks of pirated Laden cassettes from Darjeeling, Siliguri and adjoining Jalpaiguri. Laden cassettes had also been seized from Phulbari, Phansidewa, Talma and Rangapani villages — all located in the Indo-Nepal border areas. A few months ago, the police had seized over 300 pirated video cassettes and other papers and leaflets on Laden from the border areas. Six persons also were arrested in this connection. The cassettes are the translation version of Arabic audio-clips into Hindi, Bengali and Urdu and in which Laden has been described as the ‘messiah’ of the Muslim world. Original cassettes of Arabic version have also been seized from the market. Each cassette has been priced at a nominal price of 50 paise only. But in some places the cassettes have been distributed free of cost. The Bengali version cassettes are in the form of a musical drama, depicting Laden’s ‘heroic deeds’ in Afghanistan and other Muslim worlds. There are other cassettes which depict Laden’s life and teachings and his jehad against the US imperialism. Some cassettes also bear references to the terrorist attack on September 11 in New York and Washington for which Laden has been praised. All cassettes bear Laden’s picture on the folders. The CID has been probing how such cassettes could be on sale openly when the state government has planned to initiate a drive against the ISI and Laden followers active in various parts of the state and other adjoining areas. Only yesterday the state Cabinet sanctioned a proposal for setting up a special para-military force to combat the terrorists who have set up a wide network in the state particularly, in the border areas. This force will supplement the central forces like the CRPF, CISF and BSF. |
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Shankaracharya meets Ayodhya leaders Ayodhya, April 27 Talking to newspersons here today, the Shankaracharya said a court verdict in the matter would obviously cause displeasure to one of the two parties involved. To avoid such a situation, it is
desirable to create a viable atmosphere for mutual settlement between the two, he said. The Shankaracharya held hour-long talks with local Hindu and Muslim leaders of Ayodhya and Faizabad at Maniram Das Chawni here late last night. He said he was happy with the outcome of the talks which “might pave the way for the creation of a viable atmosphere to solve the issue”. Both parties have shown ample willingness to peacefully solve the protracted issue, he added. Talking about the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), he said the organisation had contributed a great deal in bringing publicity to the issue of the Ram temple construction. However, only the Ram Janmabhoomi Trust would finally carry out the construction work, he emphasised. Earlier, the Shankaracharya took a holy dip in the Saryu river and went for darshan of “Ram
Lala” at the disputed site. He was accompanied by Sri Ram Janmabhoomi Trust vice-chairman Mahant Nritya Gopal Das. He also held talks with the officials of the district administration and left for Delhi in the afternoon.
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Seer meets Vajpayee New Delhi: Continuing his peace moves on the vexed Ayodhya issue, Kanchi Shankaracharya Jayendra Saraswati, met Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee on Saturday night. The seer is believed to have discussed, among other things, his deliberations with local Muslim leaders in the temple town last night.
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Chandni Bar raided, 65 barmaids held Mumbai, April 27 This is being described as the major swoop in the recent past. Earlier, there have been raids on bars and beauty parlours in the city and several commercial sex workers were arrested, but this is for the first time in the recent past that 85 persons were picked up at one go which included 61 barmaids and 22 waiters, besides the manager and cashier. There were several complaints against the bar and acting on a tip-off the entire operation was carried out last night under the direct supervision of Deputy Commissioner of Police Archana Tyagi. Senior police Inspector Shirish Inamdar said the prostitution racket was being run from this bar, which promoted the Social Service Branch to carry out the raid. Meanwhile, Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate V.P. Taware, who presides over the third Esplanade Metropolitan Court here, granted bail to all arrested persons and asked them to furnish a bond of Rs 7,500 each and surety in like amount. Inspector Pramod Makeshwar, who is the investigating officer in the case, opposed the bail saying he owner of the bar, Subhash Shetty, has absconded.
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Bhutan’s aid sought to locate MiG New Delhi, April 27 The IAF, which has carried out extensive search operations over the past seven days in its bid to locate the wreckage, is not overlooking the possibility of the MiG crashing in the Bhutanese territory. An IAF spokesman said the Royal Bhutanese Government and its army, the Assam Government and the local population were assisting the IAF in search operations. Squadron Leader T.J.A. Khan and Flying Officer D. Dahiya were the pilots of the aircraft. So far, more than 50 helicopter sorties had been launched to track the pilots and the wreckage of the aircraft. Satellite imageries of the ground areas had been obtained to locate the crash site. The entire exercise was being coordinated by the Eastern Air Command headquarters at Shillong and senior officers at the Air Headquarters were maintaining a close watch. The spokesman said the search teams were facing difficulties as the area was absolutely inhospitable with dense forests covering a large area. |
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Army denies reports on growing impotence New Delhi, April 27 “The incidence of impotence among people at high altitude regions are more in comparison with people in the plains. This is as true of defence personnel as people in any other field,” Lt-Col Rajeev Sood, classified specialist-surgery and urology at the Army Hospital (Research and Referral) here, told UNI today. In one such effort, the Army conducted a live demonstration of penile implant on an affected soldier at the workshop at the Army Hospital (Research and Referral) today. Col Sood, who is also the organising secretary of the workshop, said there were multiple reasons for impotency among defence forces which were always there. “Trauma, injuries, being away from the family for long durations, depression are some of the factors for the problem,” he added.
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AICC annual session on May 10 New Delhi, April 27 A brainstorming event where AICC delegates and senior Congress leaders from all parts of the country discuss national, economic and international issues, the timing of the Congress session is significant as it is taking place in between the Budget session of Parliament. Normally held over two days, the AICC session has been squeezed to a day this time due to the preoccupation of the Congress leaders in Parliament and the “non-availability of requisite facilities.” Worried over the events in Gujarat, which the party sees as a blatant attack on the country’s secular ethos, the Congress wants its message of secularism to reach the masses across the country. Seeing itself as a carrier of the legacy of Mahatma Gandhi, the party has been holding most of its demonstrations for the removal of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi at places associated with the memory of the Father of the Nation. Congress President Sonia Gandhi will begin her day-long visit to Gujarat on May 1 with a visit to Porbandar, the birth place of Mahatma Gandhi, and end it with a peace march at Sabarmati Ashram. Keen to contain the political fallout of communal polarisation in the forthcoming Gujarat poll, the party is also wary of such a feeling spreading to other parts of the country. With the BJP now openly accusing the Congress of stoking communal passions in Gujarat, the Congress also does not want to pull its punches. Piqued over “shift” in the NDA government’s approach towards the “time-tested policy of non-alignment,” the Congress has been critical of the government’s stand in the recent West Asian crisis. The international resolution at the AICC session would focus on the situation in West Asia with the party likely to reaffirm its support for the rights of
Palestinians. The economic resolution would target the government over its policies of “unbridled privatisation” and the downturn in the
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VHP for debate on Kashmir Mumbai, April 27 These remarks came in the wake of both Houses consenting to the Opposition-sponsored motion of having a discussion on the communal violence in Gujarat under rules which entail voting. VHP’s international general secretary Dr Pravin Togadia told reporters at the Mumbai Marathi Patrakar Sangh here that the jehadis were responsible for inflaming communal passions and triggering hatred. “In the past 12 years, more than 40,000 persons, including personnel of the police and the armed forces, have been killed in the valley,” he pointed out. He said if there was a demand for a debate on Gujarat, there should also be demands for discussion on jehad, the Tableeghi Jamaat, the over one lakh madrasas in the country, the Kashmir valley and the attack on
Parliament. UNI |
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Elections to RS
on May 30 New Delhi, April 27 The Rajya Sabha seat in Punjab fell vacant after Mr Balwinder Singh Bhuder resigned from the House on March 7 this year. His term of office was till April 9, 2004. The other vacancies are in Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand and Tripura. The Election Commission said the issue of notifications would be on May 10, the last date for making nominations on May 17, the scrutiny of nominations on be May 18 and last date for the withdrawal of candidatures on May 20. |
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NHRC to discuss
Centre’s response New Delhi, April 27 The commission, which is to prepare a comprehensive report on the communal riots in Gujarat, had asked for the responses, both from the state government and the Centre to “enable further consideration of this matter by the commission without any avoidable delay.”
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