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Monday,
May 6, 2002, Chandigarh, India  
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Paswan
quit over Mayawati: Nitish A TRIBUNE SPECIAL NDA to hold Speaker’s election on May 10 |
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Abstention
may cost NC post of Vice-President CM
shielding Biswas: Trinamool Conserving
traditional crops
Mizo CM to
join Naga peace talks SDO
(Phones) arrested for taking bribe
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Paswan quit over Mayawati: Nitish Patna, May 5 Mr Kumar told newsmen here that the NDA would remain unaffected with the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) national President Paswan resigning from the alliance. “Mr Paswan was never a politician of either left or right origin and always indulged in politics of opportunism” the senior Samata Party leader said, adding, “His resignation from the ministry at the crucial juncture was an open testimony of this.” Mr Kumar opined that Mr Paswan, a “self-proclaimed leader of Dalits”, was “unhappy” with the NDA government for a long time. “He was also upset with Mayawati’s emergence as Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and a popular Dalit leader” the Railway Minister said. “Mr Paswan was also uncomfortable in the NDA following the BJP’s alliance with Mayawati’s Bahujan Samaj Party and hence, chose to abandon the alliance on the pretext of the Gujarat issue,” Mr Kumar observed. Mr Kumar alleged that the Lok Janshakti leader, while projecting RJD chief Laloo Prasad Yadav as the country’s Prime Minister, “manipulated” to get the Hajipur seat from Mr Yadav in 1998. Mr Kumar alleged that Mr Paswan always created trouble in the NDA. “A number of parties like the Telugu Desam Party, the Trinamool Congress and the National Conference were also against the government on the Gujarat issue, but did not toe the line of Mr Paswan to ventilate their grievances,” he said. The Railway Minister claimed that the third front would never succeed in Bihar, adding that Mr Paswan was left with no other alternative as he had left the politics of “anti-Laloo forces”. He said the Samata Party would support the BJP candidate in Danapur and the Janata Dal (United) candidate in Chatapur reserved constituencies in the coming byelections.
UNI |
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A TRIBUNE SPECIAL New Delhi, May 5 In the present atmosphere of uncertainty and unease, it is all the more relevant to spread his views, says Mr Kultar Singh, 84. Mr Kultar Singh, who was in the capital for a function, told TNS that more people today thought in terms of caste and community which was not the case in the past. On Gujarat, he says the enemy of the country wants to create trouble and the political parties should refrain from running down each other. “Bhagat Singh fought for the whole country and never thought on narrow lines,” he asserts. Now living in Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh, Mr Kultar Singh recalls how during the 12 years spent with Bhagat Singh, he saw his elder brother travel frequently between Lyallpur, Lahore and Jalandhar and work for the Hindustan Socialist Republican Army. The younger brother is proud of Bhagat Singh’s bravery and resolve at the time of death. His family, he recalls, was not allowed one last meeting with the martyr before he was hanged by the British in 1931 and his body was also not given for the final rites. Remembering the commitment and patriotism of Bhagat Singh, Mr Kultar Singh says that British quietly advanced the date of his hanging by a day and, for the first time, executed their warrant in the evening. “They did not want people to know about the hanging,’’ he says. Mr Kultar Singh, younger than Bhagat Singh by about 12 years, says the family was informed about the imminent hanging through a notice two days in advance.
"But the hanging was preponed and we were not allowed to meet him,’’ he says. The last meeting the family had with Bhagat Singh was about 20 days before he was hanged. Recalling the role of The Tribune, Mr Kultar Singh says every news about Bhagat Singh’s case found a place in the newspaper which played a pivotal role in arousing consciousness about freedom. “The newspaper was unbiased and infused the spirit of patriotism,” he says. |
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‘Legend
of Bhagat Singh’ artistes honoured New Delhi, May 5 Speaking at the “Inquilaab Divas” function organised here today by the All-India Anti-Terrorist Front
(AIATF), Mr Rao said freedom was the source from which everything else flowed. The former Prime Minister along with Mr
L.M. Singhvi, MP, honoured the artistes associated with the film “The Legend of Bhagat Singh,” including Ajay Devgan, Sonu Nigam, Amrita Rao, Farida
Jalal, Ramesh Taurani, Sandeep Marwah and Sushant Singh. They were presented the Bhagat Singh Award. Mr Kultar Singh, elder brother of Bhagat Singh, and family members of Rajguru and Sukhdev were also honoured. Music records of the movie were released at the function. Mr Rao said he was about 12 when the martyrs were hanged and the film on Bhagat Singh would provide another chance to look at the life of one of the greatest sons of India. Pointing to the actors, including Ajay Devgan, who is playing the role of Bhagat Singh in the film, Mr Rao said an artiste rarely gets a chance to be cast as a martyr. He said such a role, if properly executed by the actor, allowed him to create a distinct identity, with the people often imagining the real hero to be a replica of the actor. Urging the AIATF to organise trips of youth to Central Jail in Port Blair where freedom fighters were incarcerated for years in small cubicles, Mr Rao said visits to places associated with martyrs left a deep imprint on the minds of the youth. The AIATF chief, Mr Maninderjit Singh
Bitta, said people should be prepared for sacrifices to preserve freedom. He said the message from the lives of freedom fighters was specially relevant at a time when disruptive forces were raising their heads in the country. He hoped that movies would also be made on the lives of Chandershekhar Azad and incidents concerning the freedom struggle. In his brief remarks, Ajay Devgan said had Bhagat Singh been alive today, the state of affairs in the country would have been different. The actor said he had tried to convey the message of the life of Bhagat Singh in the movie.
Sonu Nigam’s rendering of a song from the movie on Bhagat Singh was greeted with waving of Tricolours by an enthusiastic gathering comprising freedom fighters and a large number of youth. Talking to TNS, Mr Bitta said “The Legend of Bhagat Singh” would be released in about a month. He said the AIATF would also honour other actors and directors who were making movies on patriotic
themes. |
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NDA to hold Speaker’s election on May 10 New Delhi, May 5 It was on May 13, 1952, that the Indian Parliament was constituted. As part of the celebrations, the new library building Parliament would be opened on May 7. However, President
K.R. Naraynan may not be able to attend the celebrations as he will be away from the Capital from May 8 to 26. As the election of the Speaker is scheduled for May 10, the new Speaker would be present on the occasion. Sources said that with the TDP rejecting the offer for the Speaker’s post, the BJP is likely to name its own candidate for the post. The NDA allies have apparently agreed to the BJP naming a person of its choice for the post though a formal decision would be taken at the NDA meeting. Expressing disappointment at the TDP’s decision to not accept the Speaker’s post, BJP leaders today said that the election of the new Speaker would be held on May 10 as the post could not be left vacant for a long time. Tourism Minister
Jagmohan, BJP Parliamentary spokesman V.K. Malhotra and Petroleum Minister Ram Naik are among the persons being considered by the BJP for the Speaker’s post. |
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Abstention may cost NC post of Vice-President New Delhi, May 5 “The post of Vice-President for my father was almost certain but the party’s stand on the Opposition-sponsored censure motion on Gujarat had hampered his prospects for the coveted post,” Mr Omar Abdullah told PTI in an interview. The minister said the parliamentary party of the National Conference had discussed this possibility before deciding to abstain but “my father was determined that we should register our dissent on the issue of continuing violence in Gujarat.” “Today, one can even say that the National Conference has itself axed the chances of Dr Farooq Abdullah becoming the Vice-President,” Mr Omar Abdullah said. Asked whether he would contest the forthcoming state assembly elections later this year, Mr Omar Abdullah said “given the present circumstances, I don’t need to hurry. My father is young enough to rule for many more years provided the people of the state give our party the mandate.” “But my final aim is to return to Kashmir politics and serve the people of my state,” Mr Omar Abdullah said, adding that he would do so only after his father and Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah retired or moved over to a higher post.
PTI |
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CM shielding Biswas: Trinamool Kolkata, May 5 The minister who was accused under Section 307, IPC had been evading arrest. But on last Friday he surrendered before Balurghat court and was granted bail on a personal bond. But the Trinamool Congress and the Congress has demanded that the minister be put under detention as done in similar cases with others. Both Mr Pranab Mukherjee and TMC leader, Ms Mamata Banerjee also demanded immediate removal of the minister. A section of the CPM also felt that Mr Biswas should be removed until the case was disposed of. However, the Chief Minister and the CPM Secretary, Mr Anil Biswas, rejected the demand on the plea that such a disciplinary step could not be taken until he was proved guilty. This step of the Chief Minister has been defined as double standard as on similar charges or even lesser charges, strong disciplinary action had been taken against several prominent leaders in the past. The Chief Minister, these leaders alleged had been forced to keep the indicted minister in the Cabinet because of his (the minister’s) close proximity to Mr Anil Biswas. They said Mr Bhattacharjee, who had a clean image, was quite unhappy that he had been forced to keep Mr Biswas in the Cabinet. Meanwhile, the Congress and Trinamool Congress has launched an agitation, demanding the minister’s removal from the Cabinet. Trinamool Congress MLAs have already led a deputation to the Governor, Mr Viren J.Shah, seeking his intervention. |
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Conserving
traditional crops Dehra Dun, May 5 Dr G.D. Sharma, NBPGR scientist said that trials conducted on six to 10 varieties of each selected crop in the hill villages situated at altitudes ranging between 1100 m and 1700 m were aimed to encourage conservation of locally cultivated traditional crops as well as their propagation in the hill districts of the state. The programme launched by the bureau under the provisions of “Jai Vigyan” National Agricultural Technology Project (NATP) on Household Food and Nutritional Security, is being conducted under the overall supervision of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). Another objective of the programme was to accord the status of cash crops to such crops by introducing their improved varieties, Dr. Sharma said. These varieties can also be grown in hill areas where irrigation facilities are entirely non-existent. He said that altogether six crops, including buck-wheat (ogal), horse gram (kulath), finger-millet (mandua), fox-tail millet (jhangora), amaranthus (chaulai) and rice-bean, were being successfully cultivated by the farmers in the hill areas. The success story of the programme at Palampur (HP), Rudraprayag district (Garhwal) and Almora district (Kumaon) was revealed to a participatory monitoring team headed by Dr C.S. Kar, ICAR scientist. The team which carried out an on-the-spot survey in the beneficiary villages found that the hill farmers had evinced a keen interest in the cultivation of the local traditional crops, which are also invariably disease and drought-resistant. HESCO, a Dehra Dun-based voluntary organisation selected for participating in the mission for conservation and propagation of traditional crops, feels that the crops which had ideally adapted to the local conditions over the years are best suited for the area. “Besides being able to cope with disease and drought, these coarse-grained crops are also rich in essential nutrients,” says HESCO founder Anil Prakash Joshi. It is also easier to cultivate these crops. He said that there were many traditional crops which were cultivated in Uttaranchal in the past, but over the years they were gradually replaced by the cash crops. The main objective of initiating this programme, therefore, is to encourage the cultivation of traditional crops. Dr Joshi said that the various objectives set for the voluntary agencies involved in the project were to conduct field trials of the crops selected for their yield and quality, production of quality seeds and training of farmers. HESCO director Rakesh Kumar said that this programme carried out in three Garhwal villages of Budhna (Rudraprayag), Ranichauri (Tehri Garhwal) and Gwar and Saldhar villages in Chamoli district had helped focus the importance of local crops grown traditionally and why it had become necessary to continue with their cultivation. He said even though the farmers in the hills traditionally cultivated foodgrains and pulses, their real commercial values was not known to them. He said that his organisation had now demonstrated the importance of these crops by cultivating their improved varieties in various districts in the hills, by actively involving the farmers at every stage. |
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PM promises help for disabled kids
New Delhi, May 5 “Compared to the number of physically handicapped persons, whatever efforts have been made so far are very little”, he said while spending some moments with a group of physically challenged children at his Race Course Road residence here. Mr Vajpayee praised them highly for winning a glittering trophy and 10 gold medals at the recent mini Para Olympics event in the United Kingdom. He also posed with the 10 children from Sucheta Kriplani Shiksha Niketan near Jodhpur in Rajasthan. The Prime Minister said while some people were born physically handicapped, others became disabled later due to some reason. “There is a need to educate and train them to make them self reliant,” he said, adding that it was necessary to ensure that they lived with dignity. Lauding the efforts being made by the school run by a social worker Narayan Singh Manaklao, Mr Vajpayee said people all over the country should be apprised of the noble work and wished that its activities expanded.
PTI |
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Mizo CM to
join Naga peace talks Aizawl, May 5 Mr Zoramthanga is leaving Aizawl for Kolkata tomorrow where he would be joined by Mr Vanlalzawma, the sources said, adding that the exact date of departure for Bangkok was not known. Earlier, both the Centre and the NSCN (I-M) leadership had asked Mr Zoramthanga to involve himself in the Naga peace process and he had met NSCN supremo T. Muivah in Bangkok. The Mizoram Chief Minister, however, said his role in the peace deal would be to create mutual trust between the two sides.
PTI |
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SDO
(Phones) arrested for taking bribe Sriganganagar, May 5 According to sources, the ASP in charge of the local bureau, Mr R D Gaur, received a complaint from 22 ML resident, Mr Vikram Kumar, that he had applied for allotment of an STD
PCO. It was sanctioned but SDO, K C Midha, demanded a bribe of Rs 5, 000 for signing the technical report from him. He pleaded with the offical to reduce the amount and was told to contact Deepak Goyal who runs a computer centre in the main market. He contacted Deepak who agreed to the request and told him to give Rs 4, 500. The former called up the SDO who too asked him to settle the matter on the reduced amount and this conversation was taped by the sleuths. As per the agreed plan, the complainant reached the shop of the conduit on May 2 and handed over the marked currency notes to Deepak. As he took the money, a team waiting nearby took Deepak in custody and washed his hands which turned pink from the powder residue used to mark the notes. Following this, the office of the department was also raided and the
official record pertaining to the case was taken into custody. Mr Midha was also taken into custody for demanding bribe. The residence of Midha was also raided. They were later released after furnishing a bail of Rs 10,000 each.
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New Delhi, May 5
In video(
