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Monday,
May 20,
2002, Chandigarh, India  
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Pak
manoeuvres held before attack War clouds
are not hanging low Teething
troubles of ministers Nod to
rail museum upgradation Taslima
looks for home in Kolkata |
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Discipline
in House must: Barnala Trust
proposal on tourism welcomed Uttaranchal
gets cane centre Nasikrao
Tirpude dead
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Pak manoeuvres held before attack
New Delhi, May 19 Two Pakistani mountain brigades took part in the exercise which were held just 10 to 15 km from the Line of Control, according to Army sources here. A new element in the exercises, which went on for over two weeks, was that they were carried out in tandem with 3,000 to 4,000 armed jehadi militants from groups like Lashkar-e-Toiba, Jaish-e Mohammed, Harkat-ul Mujhaedeen and Al Badr. The war manoeuvres, Army sources said, were aimed at using the jehadis in the role of acting as advance elements of regular troops by teaching them highly lethal methods of sabotaging communications, hitting rear formations, snapping road links and ambushing troop convoys. The move comes in the wake of reports of similar massing of Al-Qaida and Taliban militants in Gilgit and Baltistan in northern areas of Pakistan occupied Kashmir apparently with a motive of infiltrating them into the Kashmir valley through Gurez and Tilel areas. The choosing of Kotli for undertaking a major war manoeuvre assumes significance as Pakistan for the past two years has been targeting the entire 165-km stretch from Jammu to Poonch by indulging in heavy shelling to give fire cover to infiltrating jehadis. According to official figures, more than 2,000 Pakistani mercenaries have been killed in Army operations in this sector for the past two years, with the top Army officials describing the sector as a “hot spot”. Massing of these jehadi groups in Kotli gives Pakistani army an additional option of either infiltrating them from mountainous routes in Poonch, Mendhar and Rajouri or taking them downhill to be pushed across the International Border between Pathankot and Jammu. According to Army sources, the Pakistan army has also massed sizable jehadi elements in the Pasrur-Zafarwal axis on the outskirts of Sialkot town and the suicide squad which carried out the Kaluchak carnage formed part of this group and were pushed across in the Hiranagar sector of Sambha. Sialkot after Karachi and Bhawalpur, Army intelligence officials said was the third largest recruitment centre for jehadi groups such as Lashkar and Jaish. They said the massing of these groups in three major areas indicated Pakistani designs to hit the vital national highway 1A between Pathankot and Jammu and then between Jammu and Srinagar and Srinagar and Leh in case of an armed conflict with India. Army officials said as per the existing agreement between India and Pakistan on advance notice on military exercise, no prior permission is required for conducting below division strength level exercises. However, the Pakistan army had not withdrawn these two mountain brigades even after the wargames were over in April.
PTI |
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War clouds are not hanging low New Delhi, May 19 Well-placed sources here said today that the decision of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) to expel Pakistan High Commissioner Ashraf Jehangir Qazi indicated that India would adopt a step-by-step approach and exhaust the remaining few diplomatic options to put pressure on Pakistan before taking recourse to the last resort — the military option. Mr Vajpayee is likely to visit a forward defence area in Jammu and Kashmir in the next few days, giving rise to speculation of a limited military offensive in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK). Significantly, Mr Vajpayee was earlier planning to visit a forward area in the Rajasthan sector, but later cancelled it on military advice. This gives rise to speculation that the Vajpayee government is not in a mood to launch a full-scale war against Pakistan by crossing the International Border. That is why the Prime Minister was advised to visit the Line of Control instead which, if crossed by India, would not amount to declaration of war as per the United Nations classification. In case India launches limited offensive in PoK, it will have to be completed before June-end when the monsoon normally arrives. Arrangements are being made to ensure that during his upcoming visit to forward areas in Jammu and Kashmir, the Prime Minister remains in touch with top military commanders all over the country by way of tele-conferencing. To the common man, the decision of the CCS regarding Mr Qazi may come as a sort of an anti-climax, but it is a well-thought out strategy aimed at keeping Pakistan on tenterhooks. Sources here said the government was well aware of the people’s mood, particularly after the Kaluchak massacre where families of soldiers were killed, but cautioned that a war is won by four S’s — surprise, stealth, strategy and swiftness — and not by another S — sentiment. One does not go to war by drumming about such intentions beforehand. In fact, the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had successfully turned the tables on Pakistan just before the 1971 Indo-Pak war by projecting that India wanted peace with Pakistan. Simultaneously, she had also launched a diplomatic offensive by sending special envoys to dozens of important countries to mobilise international opinion in India’s favour. The government’s decision to expel Mr Qazi also means that New Delhi has given Washington more time to respond to the Indo-Pak situation. In any case, sources said India cannot go to war with Pakistan with 5,000 American soldiers in Pakistan, Americans controlling four Pakistani military airbases and Americans having military equipment worth billions of dollars in that country. This equation may well change in the coming months and the USA may have to review its decision of having Pakistan as a strategic ally in its war against terror. |
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CPI(ML) flays
decision on Jahangir Qazi New Delhi, May 19 “In the name of intensifying diplomatic offensive, the Vajpayee government is effectively following a course of diplomatic disengagement with Pakistan. Experience clearly shows that such a course of action has not helped ease matters at all,” the party’s Politburo said in a statement here. The party felt that American interference in the region would only invite greater incidence of terrorism and the government should not stop making diplomatic efforts to ease tension. “There is no substitute for direct and effective diplomatic engagement.” The party asked the government not to indulge in shortsighted adventurism but, instead, engage the Musharraf administration in dialogue. |
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Teething
troubles of ministers Lucknow In the 22-minister cabinet of Ms Mayawati 12 are first-timers – seven are from the
BSP, three from the BJP and two are from the RLD. And their anecdotes vary – some do not know as what exactly their ministry means while others are learning as which paper to sign and which one to leave out. One minister has shown abhorrence towards Hindi language while another is stressing on
`chintan’ and `mannan’ – the BJP ishtyle’. The bureaucrats narrate as how the Social Welfare Minister, Mr Indrajeet
Saroj, stands up as and when an IAS officer goes to meet him. One occasion he even offered his chair to the Director, Social Welfare Department, when the later had gone to pay a courtesy call to the minister, recounts an officer grinning ear to ear. Embarrassed personal staff of Mr
Saroj, who is also state president of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), had to ask the minister not to greet bureaucrats this way. Wide eyed by the sheen attached to the ministerial position, Mr Saroj told The Tribune that bureaucrats are ‘malik’ of the country. “We are temporary here – maybe for just five years. Only they (bureaucrats) are permanent,” he said. If Mr Saroj is making news for his off-the-cuff behaviour, the PWD Minister Mrs Aradhana
Chaudhry’s, arrogant behaviour has made bureaucrats to sit up. A product of Lady Shriram College, New Delhi, Mrs Chaudhry was surprised to see official noting in the Devnagari script. She asked officials, herewith, to prepare notes in English. This created a problem for the officials as all the English typewriters were thrown in the lumber-room during the Mulayam Singh’s rule. She was shown this GO. Mrs Chaudhry has found a way out. She has appointed an OSD who will now translate official text for her. Then there is Mr Ram Prakash
Tripathi, the co-operative minister, and a senior BJP leader an erstwhile RSS
pracharak. He has started self-evaluation, which he calls as `chintan’ to know as why the co-operative sector has failed to take roots in UP. An hour-long meeting with officials is must. One of the officials told The Tribune that the topic of discussion, more often than not, takes religious turn and we get sermon on the Mahabharata and the Ramayana. One minister, Anis Ahmad alias Phool
Babu, is yet to start work, as he is not sure what his ministry – Agriculture Education – actually means. I do not have any secretary, he said and added: “Probably I will get another ministry in few days.” If Phool Babu does not have a secretary, there is one cabinet rank minister of Rural Engineering Services
(RES), Mr Kokab Hamid, whose secretary also doubles up for the Minor Irrigation Department. Interestingly, the RES and the Minor Irrigation used to be one department and therefore there used to be one secretary. |
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Nod to rail museum upgradation New Delhi, May 19 The NRM had proposed a project at an estimated expenditure of Rs 45 crore which includes showcasing models of railways of other countries and improving the museum. It had also proposed development options identified by national and international consultants. Individual and institutional consultants, besides societies concerned would be involved in the project. Presentation options proposed by the NRM includes the installation of simulators to enable visitors experience developments of railways in other countries. This alone will cost Rs 1.5 crore. Other suggestions are setting up of multimedia touch-screen kiosks with software for interactive viewing, expansion of souvenir, shop, development of souvenir items of other counties, construction of an IMAX theatre at an estimated cost of Rs 12 crore and creation of a show highlighting developments in railways. For improving the 25-year-old museum, recognised as one of the best transport and communication museums in the world, the NRM has proposed many options at an estimated cost of Rs 13.9 crore. These include archiving artifacts through professional agencies, internet and
e-business for sale of souvenirs, ropeway for aerial tour of the museum and visibility from the Motibagh flyover, development of the Fairy Queen and Heritage train platform restoration of Simla railcar and tramway track, disability access, eco-planning and disaster management. Chairman Railway Board
I.I.M. S Rana told TNS that the Railway Minister was keen on upgrading the museum. Mr Rana said Union Home Minister L. K. Advani’s suggestion to exhibit rail models of other countries such as France, Japan, the UK and the USA was a “starting point”. Mr Advani had made this suggestion at a function held in the NRM on April 15 to launch the nation-wide celebrations of 150th year of the Indian Railways. Asked whether the resource-starved Railways would be able to afford a Rs 45-crore project, NRM Director Rajesh Aggarwal said, “I am confident that if we make this investment by
choosing a proper consultant, we will get adequate returns. It will help us in resource mobilisation and support”. The museum has witnessed a steady rise in popularity and earnings. The earnings have increased from Rs 37 lakh last year to Rs 61 lakh this year. The museum gets about 1000 visitors a day and incurs an annual expenditure of Rs 90 lakh. Mr Aggarwal said they have proposed that a museum be set up at Navi
Mumbai, besides one in Kolkata or Varanasi. |
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Taslima looks for home in Kolkata
Kolkata, May 19 The writer, who enjoys such simple things as the wet touch of a nor’wester, cyclonic storms common to West Bengal and Bangladesh, said “I would like to buy an old building, with ornate pillars and tall ceilings and if needed renovate it.” Nasreen who has already scouted around for a suitable house, regretted that she could not live for even a day in Bangladesh where fundamentalists have issued a fatwa against her for the best-seller ‘Lajya’ (Shame) and the government has declared her persona non-grata. “But your city has given me love. Whenever I have left for Europe after a brief visit to Kolkata, I yearned to come back,” she told PTI in an interview here. She hoped to broach the issue of extending her three month visa to a six month one with West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadev Bhattacharjee, with whom she has sought an appointment. “I understand the Chief Minister is busy. I have to wait a while to get an audience with him”, Nasreen who would prefer to reside among the hustle and bustle of Chitpore, Shovabazar or Phariapukur, said.
PTI |
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Discipline
in House must: Barnala Dehra Dun, May 19 Speaking at the inaugural function of a three-day “refresher course” for members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) of Uttaranchal, Mr Barnala said the ruling party and the Opposition should follow the code of conduct and never resort to the use of unparliamentary language in the House. The Governor said raising issues and concerns should be the basic aim of the members, and they must rise above party lines. “Some think that they can attract the attention of the Chair by creating disturbances, but it is not so”, Mr Barnala asserted. Speaking on the occasion, Uttaranchal Chief Minister N.D. Tiwari said every minute of the House proceedings was valuable, and, therefore, must be fruitfully spent. |
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Trust proposal on
tourism welcomed Dehra Dun, May 19 Mr Prasad, who held discussions with trust members at the instance of the Chief Minister, later told mediapersons that a comprehensive proposal on the issue had been invited by the government from the trust. He said an appropriate decision would be taken on the proposal shortly. The trustees informed the government that the 140-year-old Baba Kali Kamli Wale Trust, based at Rishikesh, proposed to construct a ropeway between Gaurikund and Kedarnath, a guest house in Rampur (near Gaurikund), Baniyakund (Ukhimath road) and Panwalikantha, a motel and car parking in Garud Ganga, an inn at Shilkayra on the Yamunotri road, develop bathing ghat and herb cultivation facilities at Swargashram (Rishikesh), and establish an ayurvedic medical college, a yoga meditation centre and a Sanskrit school at Ramnagar, between Rishikesh and Hardwar. |
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Uttaranchal
gets cane centre Dehra Dun, May 19 Government sources said the centre was still functioning under the administrative control of the Uttar Pradesh Cane Research Board. After its transfer to the new state, the establishment had been placed under the Uttaranchal Cane Commissioner. |
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Nasikrao
Tirpude dead Mumbai, May 19 He was 82 and is survived by son Rajkumar, daughter-in-law and grandchildren. Mr Tirpude’s condition improved last night, but deteriorated this morning and the end came at around 7 a.m. the family said.
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