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Tuesday,
May 21, 2002, Chandigarh, India  
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Congress keeps cards close to chest CPI disfavours war with Pak Advani for change of strategy on proxy war Tribune photographer assaulted
HC bans strike
in AIIMS |
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Govt fined for inaction
on Bleach’s plea ISI agents held from Kanpur Cabinet reshuffle may be delayed 2 children killed in bomb blast 18-yr-old youth
set ablaze Samata gen secy’s resignation rejected Heatwave toll
rises to 745 Dainik Tribune
Asst Editor bereaved
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Congress keeps cards close to chest New Delhi, May 20 Party spokesman Anand Sharma said Mr Vajpayee and Leader of Opposition Sonia Gandhi had informal consultations on the issue at their meeting yesterday which was primarily focused on the threat of cross-border terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir and the emerging situation on the border. The government, he said, apprised the main opposition party of its assessment of the prevailing situation. He said details of the meeting, which touched sensitive issues, could not be divulged. However, Mr Sharma added that the Congress had given its broad support to the government on tackling cross-border terrorism, which was a national issue. The Congress had made its position clear after the December 13 attack on Parliament and party President Sonia Gandhi had conveyed the party’s support to the government in the Lok Sabha in the debate following the Kaluchak massacre, Mr Sharma said. He said the government should take “considered and effective” steps to contain terrorism, for which it had the party’s broad support. Asked about the consultations over the next President, Mr Sharma said an informal and brief reference was made to the issue at yesterday’s meeting. He refused to answer questions on any names being discussed by Mr Vajpayee and Ms Gandhi at their meeting. Mr Sharma said the Prime Minister would hold formal consultations with the Congress in the coming days on evolving a consensus over the choice of next President. To persistent queries, he said the party would disclose its choice of President after meeting the Prime Minister. He did not confirm if Mr K.R. Narayanan’s name figured in yesterday’s meeting. Though the Congress had not officially declared its candidate, party leaders were in favour of another term for Mr Narayanan. |
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CPI disfavours war with Pak New Delhi, May 20 After 45-minutes talks with the Prime Minister here on the tension between the two neighbouring countries on the border, CPI General Secretary A.B. Bardhan told mediapersons that he had conveyed this view to Mr Vajpayee. All attempts should be made to avoid a war, he added. The international community appeared to have been convinced about India’s stand on the Kashmir issue and cross-border terrorism being abetted by Pakistan, said Mr Bardhan, pointing out that several Muslim countries were also friendly with India and they should be taken into confidence about India’s fight against terrorism. “Speaking the language of war or war will not bring a solution. We should take economic and diplomatic measures against them (Pakistan) with firmness,” the CPI leader said. He said asking Islamabad to recall its envoy was a declaration of intent in this direction, “but this is not enough”. Mr Bardhan also said India should ask the USA to put pressure on Pakistan to shut down all terrorist camps and cut down all economic aid to it. “You say the USA is our natural ally in the fight against terrorism. But they are playing a double game,” he pointed out. However, he refused to divulge what the Prime Minister’s response was, saying it would not be right for him to do so. Although the meeting was convened by Mr Vajpayee as part of his exercise to apprise the opposition leaders of the latest developments between India and Pakistan, Mr Bardhan took the opportunity to inform him about the Left parties’ view on the Presidential elections to be held in July. “We conveyed to the Prime Minister our preference for election of President K.R. Narayanan for a second term. He was well versed with the developments in the country and its problems. Therefore, there should be no contest for the post. A consensus on the issue should be achieved,” Mr Bardhan said. He replied in the negative when asked whether the Prime Minister disclosed any name proposed by the government for the Presidential elections. Asked if he would support the candidature of Maharashtra Governor P.C. Alexander, understood to be the BJP’s choice for President, Bardhan categorically said “we will not support Alexander.” Meanwhile, the Communist Party of India ( M-L) took strong exception to the government’s policy of diplomatic disengagement with Pakistan, saying it would lead to greater American intervention in the region. “War and jingoism must be out, diplomacy and dialogue must be in,” CPI (M-L) General Secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya said in a statement here. Stating that America’s growing intervention would cause loss of initiative for India, the CPI(M-L) leader maintained that urgent measures be initiated to de-escalate India-Pakistan tension. |
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Advani for change of strategy on proxy war New Delhi, May 20 “The government is of firm belief that the way we are retaliating against the proxy war will have to be changed,” Mr Advani said while inaugurating a charity centre here. On the change of strategy, the Home Minister said any decision in this regard would be taken in consultations with the armed forces. The statement assumes significance as there is a lot of speculation about a possible limited military attack against Pakistan, especially, on the terrorist camps in the Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK). Referring to the way the government is tackling the situation, Mr Advani said, “The issue was debated by Parliament on the last day of the budget session. On that basis and in consultations with the Army, the government would go ahead and win the proxy war like we did in 1971.” In an apparent reaction to the often repeated statement of the USA asking India to use restraint, Mr Advani pointed out that on September 11 when terrorists attacked America, President George Bush declared that: “It was a war against America” and went on to attack Afghanistan, while “we have been facing such a war for the past 15 years.” |
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Tribune photographer assaulted New Delhi, May 20 The victim, Mukesh Agarwal of The Tribune, was attacked when he was clicking a Bajrang Dal activist taking water because of the ongoing heatwave in the national capital. Bajrang Dal activists, who were demanding an outright attack on Pakistan for sponsoring terrorism, also termed the media present there as “anti-national”. They also raised slogans against the media and said that journalists were “supportive of the anti-national movement in the country.” Later, the photographer filed a complaint at the Parliament Street police station alleging that the demonstrators of the Bajrang Dal had assaulted him and even pointed swords and “Trishul” at him. He alleged that the activists had threatened him with dire consequences and punched him several times during the scuffle. None of the Bajrang Dal leaders, present at the scene, were willing to comment on the incident and instead chose to abuse the mediapersons of “serving against the country’s interests.
PTI |
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HC bans strike in AIIMS New Delhi, May 20 Devising a mechanism for the redressal of problems of the employees, the court said no agitation would be permitted within a 500-metre radius of the premier health institution. Approving a series of measures on the issue suggested by Additional Solicitor-General R.N. Trivedi, who was appointed as counsel to assist the adjudication of a suo motu writ petition by the court, a Bench comprising Mr Justice Devinder Gupta and Mr Justice S. Mukerjee said: “No employee or staff or faculty member will cease work for any reason whatsoever or disrupt the work or aid or abet such disruption in the institute”. The court said no meeting, shouting of slogans, agitation, demonstration, dharna or use of loud speakers would be permitted within a 500-metre radius of the AIIMS premises. Approving the constitution of a permanent negotiating machinery (PNM) in the form of a committee to resolve all those issues relating to employees where no policy decision was involved, the court said the Dean of Faculty, Deputy Director (Administration), Medical Superintendent and senior most professors from each of the four research centres of AIIMS would be its members. It also approved the setting up of an arbitral tribunal to decide those cases, which “cannot” be resolved by the PNM.
PTI |
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Govt fined for inaction on Bleach’s plea Kolkata, May 20 Bleach, convicted in the Purulia arms dropping case along with five Russian pilots, was serving a life term in a city jail, while the Rusians were released on an order by the President. Judge Asoke Kumar Ganguly, who heard Bleach’s submission, observed, “It is distressing to find that no affidavit-in-opposition to Peter Bleach’s petition has been filed on behalf of the Union Government before the court though sufficient time has been given”. The court, holding the Union Government responsible for the delay, imposed the fine of 100 gems. “As a last chance, time is granted to file an affidavit-in-opposition to Bleach’s petition by June 11 next”, Justice Ganguly held. The CBI, which chargesheeted Bleach in the Purulia case in 1996, today filed an affidavit in the court, replying to his petition seeking equal treatment. In its reply, the CBI said, “The Russian pilots’ sentence was remitted by the President of India under Article 72 of the Constitution. Thus, the power of the President is not open to judicial review in the manner it has been asked for and as such the petitioner cannot be released or his sentence remitted.” Bleach, who argued in person, told the court he was unwell and yet to recover from tuberculosis. “The delay in reply to my petition on the part of the government is regretted.”
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ISI agents held from Kanpur Lucknow, May 20 In the last 10 days, at least six Pakistani nationals have been arrested from Kanpur. Four of them are said to be ISI agents. |
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Cabinet reshuffle may be delayed
New Delhi, May 20 The sources said Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee appeared to have postponed the exercise in view of the importance of the presidential election where every vote would count in the event of a contest. With the NDA coalition comprising about 24 parties and some of them having barely four to six members, anyone of them getting a berth in the Union Council of Ministers leaving out others could upset the electoral balance, the sources said. “It is felt that at this stage it is not advisable to do anything to upset the balance, specially when there does not appear to be a consensus on the presidential candidate,” the sources said.
PTI |
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2 children killed in bomb blast Tehri, May 20 The injured were immediately rushed to the government hospital. Doctors reported that one of the injured was serious. |
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18-yr-old youth
set ablaze Chennai, May 20 The incident came to light when the parents of Prabhu, a resident of Ekkatuthangal, went in search of their son who had failed to return home from a gymnasium. Some passers-by informed them that they saw a body burning at Nandambakkam.
UNI |
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Samata gen secy’s resignation rejected New Delhi, May 20 Mr Srivastava had tendered his resignation last month in the wake of Gujarat incidents, demanding the removal of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi.
UNI |
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Heatwave toll rises to 745 New Delhi, May 20 Around 666 had died in Andhra Pradesh alone. The heatwave in Rajasthan claimed six more lives today, two of them women, in Kota Baran and Jhalawar districts, as the toll rose to 47 in the state. Four persons died of sunstroke in Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh, where day temperature touched the 46°C mark. In Uttar Pradesh six persons succumbed to the heat in the past 24 hours, taking the toll in the state to 27. Three died in Meerut while one death each was reported from Agra, Kanpur and Allahabad. Three more persons died in Bhind, Madhya Pradesh, taking the toll in the state to 18, while six persons died in neighbouring Chhattisgarh. In Orissa, two deaths were reported from Kanderapara district. In western and coastal areas of the state, a rise in maximum temperature paralysed life. UNI
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Dainik Tribune
Asst Editor bereaved New Delhi, May 20 Shastri leaves a wife, three sons, one daughter and grand children. |
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