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Saturday,
June 29, 2002, Chandigarh, India  
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India admits seeking Israel
anti-missile system USA justifies travel advisory CBI files charge-sheet against Agarwal |
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Nepal King sacrifices animal again
Kolkata, June 28 Ms Mamata Banerjee, who had given a call for a nation-wide agitation against the Railway Minister, Mr Nitish Kumar’s move to bi-furcate the zonal railways, withdrew the decision after receiving an indication from the PMO that in the Cabinet reshuffle on July 1, she would be taken back into the ministry. |
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CBI
notice to Tehelka reporter BJP govt a repressive police state, says Congress Plea against DSGMC voter list dismissed Tarlochan writes to Punjab CM Rain claims 17 lives in Gujarat Villagers await compensation from IAF Dev Dutt Shastri dead
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India admits seeking Israel anti-missile system New Delhi, June 28 While confirming a recent ‘secret’ visit of the Director-General of Israel’s Defence Ministry, Major-Gen Amos Yaron, outgoing Defence Secretary Yogendra Narain said the talks had not centered on these systems as they were not operational yet. However there was no denial from the Defence Secretary over India holding talks with Israel over acquiring the two critical systems. Newspaper reports this morning, while quoting the Jane’s Foreign Report had said New Delhi had sought not only the spy satellite to keep an eye over Jammu and Kashmir but also the Arrow anti-missile system. It had said General, Yaron had made a secret visit to Delhi, specially for the purpose. However India’s request had been turned down as Israel needed to keep the Ofek satellite over the Iran-Syria-Iraq orbit. Besides, the Arrow system was still to be fully developed. The Defence Secretary, however, said India had acquired the Green Pine radar system for the advance research purposes. “After discussions for the past three to four years, we have acquired a Green Pine radar”, Mr Narain said adding that the radar, which was mainly used in the role of air-borne warning and control system (AWACs) when mounted on a flying platform, would be used for “advanced research” purposes. On the Israeli Phalcon AWACs project, the Defence Secretary who was speaking on the sidelines of a function held in connection with the successful NCC expedition to the Bandarpunch peak in Garhwal Himalayas said these were highly operational matters and could not be disclosed. Mr Narain said as part of moves to check infiltration across the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir, the Defence Ministry had cleared purchase of all varieties of night vision devices in large numbers. On the visit of the Israeli delegation headed by General Yaron, the Defence Secretary said it was part of “frequent interaction” between the two governments and added that Israel had in the recent years become one of the largest arms supplier to India. On night vision devices, the Defence Secretary said the Army had projected these as “prime requirement” in checking infiltration and counter insurgency operations and the ministry was trying its best to ensure that a large number of hand-held thermals were provided to the forces. On the US offer of sale of advanced remote sensing sensors to check infiltration, Mr Narain said New Delhi was trying to find the best available technology to check infiltrations. Asserting that there would not be pull back of troops from the borders till October, Mr Narain said some tactical re-deployment could take place. Lauding the feat of NCC climbers in scaling the formidable Bandarpunch peak, Mr Narain said as part of efforts to universalise the corp, the government during the past 20 months had sanctioned an augmentation of the force by 75,000 cadets. He said new cadets would be mostly drawn from the north-eastern states and Jammu and Kashmir and all expenses would be borne by the Central Government. Mr Narain handed all 22 members of the expedition, which put 13 persons atop the peak on June 12, certificates and mementoes. The Additional Director-General, NCC, Major-Gen T.P.S. Brar, and senior officers of the force were present at the function. |
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USA justifies travel advisory New Delhi, June 28 “It was a touch and go affair as Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee said about the possibility of an Indo-Pak war following the Kaluchak incident,” US Ambassador Robert Blackwill told television news channels. He said, “We also believe the possibility of war was serious and under these circumstances as an Ambassador it is my obligation to protect my citizens.” Mr Blackwill said the US Administration had already “loosened” the travel advisory in view of the improvement in the regional situation. “But it is not yet off.” The Ambassador admitted that the Indo-US business ties had been affected due to the travel advisory. Meanwhile, Mr Backwill ruled out imposing economic sanctions against Pakistan, stating the Pervez Musharraf government had already taken concrete steps to stop infiltration into India and promised to dismantle terrorist training camps in PoK. “Why should we apply economic sanctions when the Pakistan’s Government is moving in the right direction,” Mr Blackwill told television news channels. He described as “a positive step” the decline in infiltration into India and said “this trend is in the right direction to enable India and Pakistan to enter into dialogue to resolve their differences.”
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CBI files charge-sheet against Agarwal New Delhi, June 28 The charge-sheet filed in the court of Special Judge R.K. Gauba alleged that Agarwal and Abhishek Verma (now an approver) entered into a criminal conspiracy to implicate a Delhi-based jeweller Subhash Chandra Barjatya in a FERA case by forging valuable security and planting false evidence against him. Agarwal has also been charged under various sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act for abusing his official position as Deputy Director in the Enforcement Directorate (ED). The CBI faced seven months of uncertainty in proceeding with the case since neither the Finance Ministry nor the ED was according sanction on grounds that Agarwal was not their cadre officer. Finally, after intervention from the Delhi High Court, the Revenue Department, in consultation with the Central Vigilance Commission, accorded sanction to the CBI on June 24. The CBI charge-sheet alleged that Agarwal entered into a conspiracy with Verma in December 1997 and plotted a forged letter on the fax of Mr Barjatya. The fax message, purportedly sent by Swiss Bank Corporation from Switzerland, indicated a “debit advice” of $ 1.5 lakh in his account. On the basis of this fax message, Mr Barjatya was picked up for questioning by the ED on January 3, 1998 but was released the next day after the businessman complained of illness. He was again picked up and arrested formally by the ED on charges of FERA violations on January 28, 1998. However, the wife of the businessman sent their Chartered Accountant Mandeep Kapoor to Zurich for finding the veracity of the fax message received on Mr Barjatya’s fax machine. Mr Kapoor brought a signed statement from the Attorney of the Swiss Bank, Mr Eric Huggenberger and Indian Embassy at Berne that the fax message received by Mr Barjatya was a forged one and that the bank had never issued it, the CBI claimed. Verma, who was in Thailand when the ED had conducted the raids at Mr Barjatya’s premises, was reportedly in regular touch with Agarwal to know about the progress in executing their plans. During interrogation, when Mr Barjatya denied his involvement in the transaction mentioned in the fax, Agarwal directed Verma to arrange for credit advice of the said transaction from Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC) as a piece of corroborative evidence, the agency said. The CBI alleged that Agarwal had abused his official position and taken Rs 10 lakh from Verma as part of his share from the reward money which Verma would have got on the conclusion of the case. The agency also accused Agarwal of making back date entries into the case file against Mr Barjatya with the sole motive to implicate him in a false case. In the charge-sheet, the CBI stated that Verma, who had become approver in the case, had been granted pardon by the Special Judge S.L. Khanna on September 7, 2001.
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Nepal King sacrifices animal again Kolkata June 28 The sacrifice was made a day after five animals were offered by the monarch at the Kamakhya temple in Guwahati in the face of protests by animal rights groups. Nepal’s royal priest at Kalighat Kamal Mukherjee said the King and Queen Komal Rajya Lakshmi offered a goat for sacrifice and that he had consecrated the animal in front of the royal couple. The slaughter took place after the dignitaries had left the temple premises apparently in a move not to ruffle the feathers of animal activists. The royal couple, who arrived at Kalighat sharp at 9.15 am without their daughter, Princess Prerana Rajya Lakshmi, stayed inside the temple complex for about 15 minutes propitiating the Goddess Kali. “The King and the Queen, accompanied by Nepalese priest arrived at the temple and offered the puja in the traditional Hindu way. They also touched the deity’s feet and prayed for peace in Nepal and India,’’ Mr Mukherjee said. As part of the puja, the couple offered the deity a red handloom sari, a matching ‘chunri,’ glass bangles, garlands, joss sticks and 12 varieties of fruits, Mr Ajoy Banerjee, executive member of the temple’s Council of Sevaits (priests), said. King Gyanendra also donated Rs 400 for the daily service to the Goddess, Mr Banerjee said. Before leaving the temple complex, the King, attired in the traditional Nepali style churidar-kurta, jacket and cap and the Queen, in a dazzling red sari, posed for photographs responding to requests by mediapersons. Meanwhile, security personnel, who took over control of the temple complex yesterday, remained on high alert. All shops in the densely inhabited area were ordered to remain closed till 10.00 am today. Shortly before the arrival of the VVIPs, the city police’s sniffer dog squad and Army’s bomb disposal squad began searching for explosives under the supervision of senior police officials. Heavy police deployment was also seen along Jawaharlal Nehru Road, Ashutosh Mukherjee Road and Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Road, leading to Kalighat from Hotel Oberoi Grand where the royal family is staying. Traffic from these roads was diverted from 8.45 am, putting office-goers into difficulty.
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Mamata withdraws stir call Kolkata, June 28 PMO reportedly advised her not to go for any agitation against the Centre at this stage which would send wrong signals to the NDA partners affecting ultimately her chances of returning to the ministry to which Ms Banerjee responded, said BJP central leadership in Kolkata. The state Transport Minister, Mr Subhas Chakraborty, however, said in the Assembly they would stick to their decision of agitation against the bi-furcation of the Eastern, South Eastern and several other zonal railways for vested interests. He hoped the Trinamool Congress, the Congress and others too would join the proposed stir against the Centre. But prior to that they would call on the Prime Minister and Mr Nitish Kumar in New Delhi with the request to withdraw the decision of bi-furcation of the zonal railways, Mr Chakraborty announced. He said the decision had already been taken to send an all-party MLAs delegation to meet Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee soon against the Railways move. He hoped the Trinamool Congress MLAs would also join them in the delegation. He criticised Ms Banerjee’s sudden decision of withdrawing of the agitation. The Chief Minister, Mr Buddhadev Bhattacharya, said he had already sent a letter to the Railway Minister requesting him to withdraw the decision. But so far, there was no response. He assured the MLAs they would not allow the Eastern Railways and the South Eastern Railways, which had their headquarters in Kolkata, to get bi-furcated against the interests of the employees and the state government. TMC leader, Mr Pankaj Banerjee, however, denied that they had withdrawn their decision of agitation following an indication from the PMO that Ms Banerjee would be taken back in the Cabinet in the re-shuffle on July 1. He said since the Prime Minister had already assured Ms Banerjee that he would personally talk to Mr Kumar and persuade him to stop the bi-furcation of the Railways they had suspended their agitation for the time being. Mr Banerjee said Ms Mamata Banerjee’s re-joining the Cabinet had nothing to do with the decision of agitation against the Centre’s wrong move. He said he himself take part in the all-party MLAs delegation to the Prime Minister against Mr Kumar’s move. He declared that the TMC would launch movement if the decision of bi-furcation of the Eastern and South-Eastern railway was not withdrawn. The Railway Minister, however, said today that there was no question of withdrawing the decision of bi-furcating some zonal railways since it had been already approved by the Cabinet. |
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CBI
notice to Tehelka reporter
New Delhi, June 28 The notice was served to Kumar Badal at his residence and he was directed to appear before the CBI, agency sources said. He was not available during the searches conducted at his residential and official premises by the CBI on June 26 and at both places the agency sleuths were informed that the reporter was not available, the sources said. Following this, the CBI had issued a “look out” notice for the reporter so that he could be interrogated. However, his counsel Siddarth Luthra had claimed that Kumar Badal was available and would present himself once the agency served a notice under Section 160 of the CrPC.
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BJP govt a repressive police state, says Congress New Delhi, June 28 Congress chief spokesman Jaipal Reddy said the Prime Minister's office had chosen to repudiate everything alleged in the article about Mr Vajpayee but the latest turn in the story was that the correspondent of ‘Time’ had not only refused to retract but had, in fact, emphatically stood by every part of his article. Mr Reddy said the party would take up the issue of “onslaught on media” in the monsoon session of Parliament. In view of the situation created by the reaffirmation of the contents by the correspondent of ‘Time’ and a loud denial by the PMO, people of India have a right to know about the actual truth of the contents, he said. “One way of getting the alleged untruth in article is by Prime Minister filing a libel suit against the prestigious magazine so that facts can be established or refuted. That's also one way to contain damage to the prestige of the Prime Minister,” Mr Reddy said. “The way Alex Perry has been subjected to harassment and humilation has brought disgrace to our democracy. We do not still know as to why Perry has been summoned and quizzed so many times,” he said. Referring to yesterday's CBI raids on the Tehelka office, Mr Reddy said the manner in which Tehelka company and its correspondents had been harassed was an unprecedented story of assault on the freedom of press. “The raids by the CBI on the office of Tehelka and on the house of one of its correspondents were only one part of this unending saga,” Mr Reddy said. He recalled that premises of the owners of ‘Outlook’ had been raided by the government earlier. “The BJP government is baring its semi-fascist fangs,” Mr Reddy maintained. Asked about the raid by the Congress-led the Antony government in Kerala on premises of a TV channel, Mr Reddy said he was not aware of the development. |
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Plea against DSGMC voter list dismissed New Delhi, June 28 Mr Justice M.A. Khan dismissed the petition, filed by Mr Baljeet Singh, claiming that 2,500 persons — including a candidate — filed applications for their names to be included in the voter list on May 27, a day before official notification for the election was issued. While no changes are allowed to be made to the list once the notification is announced, it can take up to 28 days before a name is added to the list in accordance with the procedure. For seven days, the name of the person seeking such an addition is displayed, inviting objections if any, and if there is no objection then the name is added to the list after another 21 days. The petition alleged that the names of 2,500 persons had found their way into the list. The petitioner prayed that Sunday’s poll be held using the existing list and any additions or revisions be made later. The court dismissed the petition finding no merit in it.
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Tarlochan writes to Punjab CM New Delhi, June 28 In a statement, Mr Tarlochan Singh said that Giani Kartar Singh Giani was responsible for evacuation and rehabilitation of lakhs of Punjabis at the time of Partition. Giani Kartar Singh, who was also a Cabinet Minister in Punjab, died in 1974. His birth centenary falls on September 12. Mr Tarlochan Singh has also approached the SGPC and the SAD to honour the memory of the departed leader. |
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Rain claims 17 lives in Gujarat Gandhinagar, June 28 Seventeen deaths due to rain-related incidents were reported from Navsari, Valsad, Baroda, Surat, Amreli and Sabarkantha districts of the state, official sources said here today. Pardi taluka of Valsad district in south Gujarat received the highest rains so far, recording 900 mm of rainfall even as many talukas of the arid Kutch region remained dry. In Una taluka of Junagadh, over 3,500 people were shifted from low-lying areas while the local authorities removed another 2,500 persons from Navsari and Billimora in south Gujarat to safer places amidst heavy rains. All major trains from Ahmedabad and Vadodara to Mumbai have been cancelled till July 2 following breaches in the bridge between Palghar and Boisar stations of Western Railway, they added. Incessant rains and strong wind have also disrupted road traffic between Mumbai and Vadodara due to flooding and uprooting of many trees on the highway. Many areas of central and south Gujarat had to go without electricity as power lines were snapped on account of falling of trees. Flooding in these areas have also affected the drinking water supply, the sources said.
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Villagers await compensation from IAF Hanumangarh, June 28 The reason behind all there are that the villagers had agreed to give their lands to the IAF in 1991, for constructing a runway, but till date they are waiting for compensation. On the other hand, it is learnt that the AF is now not going to construct the runway, but as the land under its acquisition, no development project was being undertaken. According to sources, a scheme for preparing the runway near Gosanisar village of Suratgarh tehsil was prepared in 1984. A survey of Sriganganagar and Hanumangarh districts was conducted and
Dhandusar, Dhildesar, Motesar, Baggasar and Bannasar villages were chosen and the procedure for the acquisition of the land was started. For completing the legal proceedings notices were issued in the newspapers. The famine-affected villages did not object hoping for a good bargain. The state government on May 22, 2000, approved an award of Rs150 crore and wrote a letter to the IAF authorities to send the amount. According to the sources, in between this period the priorities of the IAF changed and the Suratgarh thermal plant also raised some objections. Now the IAF is reportedly adopting hands-off approach. Residents of Moter village also sent a memorandum to the Parliamentary Security Committee President in February, 2002, in which they listed their problems. In the memorandum it was stated that because of publishing of notification of land acquisition under the Land Acquisition Act and issuance of an award, no development projects were being taken in these five villages. The memorandum said though the Defence Minister had stated a few months back that there was no restriction on carrying out development projects in these villages. But, whenever they approached officials for any project they showed less interest. For instance in January, 2001, when the PHED contacted the district administration for laying pipelines, the administration referred the land as under acquisition. In August, 2001, the office of the Electricity Board in Rawatsar refused to supply electricity to these villages, citing the same reason. The Executive Engineer,
Nohar, in July, 2001, also expressed same reason for not connecting these villages with roads. The Panchayat
Samiti, Nohar, in March 2001, also pulled its hands on the issue of constructing a room in a school in Moter village. |
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Dev Dutt Shastri dead New Delhi, June 28 Born in Bilhour, Kanpur, in 1919, Shastri led various movements and rallies against Emergency. He was President of Urdu Muhafiz Dasta, UP from 1967 to 1970, a patron of Police Union of UP from 1970 to 1974 and one of the founder members of the AIFB. He was also Chairman of TUCC (Trade Union Co Ordination Centre), AIFB trade union wing and editor of the party journal ‘Jan Garjan’. |
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