 |
Sunday,
May 12, 2002, Chandigarh, India  
|
Cong used Chandraswami, says Avaidyanath Bypoll test for BSP-BJP alliance BSP not to support Rabri government NDA to undertake peace marches Credibility intact: Jaswant Elected eunuchs unite for rights |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
32 scientists awarded Closure of relief camps opposed
|
|
Cong used Chandraswami, says Avaidyanath New Delhi, May 11 “Dwarkapeeth Shankaracharya Swami Swaroopanand is associated with the Congress. He has formed a separate trust and given the proposal to construct Ramalaya. He has made a separate architectural design for the Ram temple. His design for the temple also includes the disputed area,” he said deposing before the commission, probing the sequences that led to the demolition of the disputed site in Ayodhya on December 6 in 1992. However, Mahant Avaidyanath clarified that he had not seen the design of the temple prepared by Swami Swaroopanand. He said he had heard about it from sadhus associated with Swami Swaroopanand. Besides, the Dwarkapeeth Shankaracharya had given statements regarding the Ramalaya. Branding Chandraswami as a “government-sponsored sadhu”, who was opposed to the Ram Janmabhoomi Samiti, he said he had performed a yajna in Ayodhya when Mr N.D. Tiwari was the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister. However, only Chandraswami’s own men had taken part in the yajna and not the sadhus or the locals, Mahant Avaidyanath, a Hindu Mahasabha leader who was elected on BJP ticket, maintained. About the mood of the police and the security forces after the demolition of the disputed structure in Ayodhya on December 6, the former MP said he could not say who was very happy, but nobody seemed unhappy. “The police was afraid thousands would die if it fired and hence like many others, it remained a silent spectator,” he told the commission. However, he denied that many security personnel on duty at Ayodhya on the fateful day were happy with the turn of the events. Meanwhile, Mahant Baba Dharam Das, the main trustee of the Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas, today accused VHP leaders of misappropriating the funds of the trust and demanded its dissolution. At a press conference here, he also proposed the formation of a non-political front comprising representatives of Hindus and Muslims to work out a peaceful solution of the Ayodhya issue. He said he would donate 10 acres for the construction of a mosque at an alternative site in Ayodhya. |
|
Bypoll test for BSP-BJP alliance Lucknow, May 11 Elections will be held in four constituencies — Dobbai, Harora, Kunda and Bahedi. First two constituencies — Dobbai and Harora — have fallen vacant after Mr Kalyan Singh and Ms Mayawati vacated the seats. Both of them won elections from two constituencies each. The Election Commission ordered re-election in the Kunda constituency alleging large-scale rigging while re-election was ordered in the Bahedi constituency after the sitting MLA from there was shot dead. As the BJP and the BSP have decided to contest next parliamentary elections together, these byelections will help both parties to test the political waters. “We will do well and win all seats,” the state president of the BJP, Mr Kalraj Mishra said. “The indications have come in the recently held civic elections where the alliance has won majority of deputy mayoral posts,” he said. In the deputy mayoral elections, held in 11 municipal corporations of the state, the BJP-BSP alliance won nine seats while the rest went to the Samajwadi Party. Political pundits feel that in the coming political equation the BJP stands gainer. The state president of the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee (UPCC), Mr Sriprakash Jaiswal, said the BSP had a potential to shift its vote bank to the BJP, while the same was lacking in the BJP. The media in charge of the BJP does not agree with it. “The BJP and the BSP are partners, and thus both will work in such a way that their efforts can benefit both partners,” he said. Both BJP and the BSP are yet to declare their candidates. The senior leaders would meet soon to decide about candidates, Mr Pathak said. As far as indications are available the BJP will contest the Bahedi seat and will support independent candidate Raghuraj Pratap Singh in Kunda, while the BSP will contest the Harora and Dobbai. These elections are likely to see another political coalition — this time between the SP and the Rashtriya Kranti Party (RKP) of Kalyan Singh. “We will fight together to defeat communal forces,” said Mr Kalyan Singh. |
|
BSP not to support Rabri government Patna, May 11 Mr Mahabali Singh, president of the Bihar BSP, which provides outside support to the government, said today that district presidents and executive committee members of the party met here on May 9 and 10 and unanimously adopted a resolution to this effect and appealed to party supremo Kanshi Ram to make the final announcement. Criticising the state government for its alleged failure to check the “continuing cycle of violence” on Dalits, Mr Mahabali Singh said, “We can’t be mute spectator to the growing lawlessness in Bihar.” He said, “We provided outside support to the RJD on the condition that the government would not be found wanting in administration of justice to Dalits.” The recent killing of Dalits in Bhojpur, Patna and Gopalganj districts had exposed the chinks in the armour of the state administration, he said. Political analysts say BSP’s decision would not affect the government in Bihar.
PTI |
|
NDA to undertake peace marches New Delhi, May 11 While officially, NDA convener Defence Minister George Fernandes refused to take any question on the issue, maintaining that “no discussion of that nature took place”, sources said that Trinamool Congress leader Mamta Banerjee and Janata Dal (U) leader and Labour Minister Sharad Yadav were vociferous on the issue. The NDA offered to send its MPs to help restore peace in different parts of the state and affected localities. The meeting was briefed about the overall situation in Gujarat by Union Home Minister L.K. Advani and the issue figured in normal course, Mr Fernandes said. Asked when he expected the NDA MPs to commence the peace marches, he said some of them might do it today and tomorrow while many would be doing it after the conclusion of the Parliament session on May 17. Meanwhile, as part of steps to ease the communal situation, security adviser to the Chief Minister, Mr K.P.S. Gill, today held a marathon meeting at Gandhinagar with minority community leaders from across the state. |
|
|
Credibility intact: Jaswant New Delhi, May 11 Speaking at a seminar here on "Indo-US relations -- a convergence of interests", Mr Jaswant Singh said it was not true that India’s credibility had touched rock bottom since the Godhra carnage and subsequent violence. He pointed out that no other country in the world could have had a debate as witnessed in the two Houses of Parliament for 40 hours to discuss the issue threadbare and the Rajya Sabha adopting a motion in one voice. The minister made it clear that India would continue to remain non-aligned and would not join any military bloc. The USA, he said, would have to learn on the "limits of power" as there were "inherent pitfalls" in its position of pre-eminence militarily, politically and economically. On the issue of terrorism, he said India’s fight against the scourge did not begin on September 11, 2001, but several decades before that. He disclosed that during his talks with the then US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and her deputy Strobe Talbott, he had forewarned them that terrorism could hit their shores. He pointed out that of late Washington had increasingly been recognising that closer Indo-US relations were vital for the cause of convergence of mutual interests. He said in the past six months, there had been visits to India by 54 senior-ranking American officials and politicians of importance, reflective of the significance the USA attached to further consolidating ties with this country. Former Indian Ambassador to the USA, Naresh Chandra and retired Army Chief Shankar Roy Choudhry were present at the function. The two-day seminar will discuss the new world order, trade and economy, science and technology and defence and security in the context of Indo-US relations. |
|
Elected eunuchs unite for rights Bhopal, May 11 Kamla had last month resigned, alleging that the BJP was not allowing her to work and that she apprehended threat to her life. Chief Minister Digvijay Singh, however, persuaded her to withdraw her resignation and provided security to her. Now she complains that the Commissioner of the Katni Municipal Corporation and other bureaucrats are not cooperating with her. Like other eunuchs, Kamla was elected against the seat reserved for women, defeating the BJP’s Alka Jain who has, through an election petition, challenged a eunuch’s right to contest from a seat reserved for women. It was mainly Kamla Mausi’s case that inspired the elected eunuchs to join hands against what they called the gender bias of some people in society. The initiative was taken by Hirabai, veteran among the eunuchs and a Corporator in the Jabalpur Municipal Corporation. She got in touch with other eunuch representatives over the telephone. While others agree that something should be done to protect their rights, a concrete form of action is yet to emerge. They are planning to meet, preferably at Jabalpur, soon to finalise the plan of action. While the Sohagpur constituency in Shahdol district sent a eunuch, Shabnam Mausi, to the Madhya Pradesh Assembly, several municipal corporations and municipal councils have eunuch representatives. |
|
32 scientists awarded New Delhi, May 11 The awards, given on this day to remember the contribution made by Indian scientists in Pokhran II nuclear explosions in 1998, are also given for successful commercialisation of indigenous technology. The awards which include two for the Department of Science and Technology (DST), three for the Department of Bio-Technology (DBT) and 17 for the National Research Development Corporation (NRDC), were given away by Planning Commission Deputy Chairman K.C. Pant. Minister of State for Science and Technology Bachi Singh Rawat and DST Secretary V.S. Ramamurthy were also present. Later addressing a press conference, Mr Rawat said a “traditional knowledge digital library”, a depository of information on traditional sciences which would be helpful to the Department of Science and Technology, was being built in coordination with the Indian Systems of Medicine. He said that as far as patenting of the inventions was concerned, there was great awareness about it in the country and the organisations concerned were exchanging information on the subject. After presenting the awards, Mr Pant said the objective of such awards was to reach those “unsung’’ scientists, technocrats and entrepreneurs who silently contribute to the scientific and technological development. The award committee also announced one gold medal, sponsored by the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), a specialised agency of the United Nations, to “Chemical Detectors for Toxic Gases — Detector Strips, Short-term Detector Tubes and Dosimeter Tubes’ as the best invention for 2002. The WIPO Gold Medal will be presented to the team leader on the Technology Day in 2003.
UNI |
|
Closure of relief camps opposed New Delhi, May 11 The AIIC President Mr Shakeel Ahmed Sheri, in a letter to Mr Vajpayee, said he had learnt from “reliable sources” and through “telephonic conversations with respected citizens” of Ahmedabad that the Modi government had planned to close down all the relief camps being run in various parts of Gujarat. |
|
Cong releases Goa list New Delhi, May 11 Monday is the last day for filing the nomination papers. Mr Rane will contest from Poriem, Mr Khalap from Mandrem Ms Sawant fights from Cumbajua and Mr Ravi S.Naik will be the Congress candidate from Ponda. |
|
Area commander of MCC held Hazaribagh (Jharkhand), May 11 Acting on a tip-off, special task force personnel raided a hideout at Dumari village and arrested the hardcore ultra.
PTI |
 |
| Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir | Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs | Nation | Editorial | | Business | Sport | World | Mailbag | In Spotlight | Chandigarh Tribune | Ludhiana Tribune 50 years of Independence | Tercentenary Celebrations | | 122 Years of Trust | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
After
two months of rioting and violence in Gujarat following the
Godra massacre, people throng Mount Abu, Rajasthan, for
relaxation.
(
