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Wednesday,
July 10, 2002, Chandigarh, India  
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8 MDMK men
held under POTA UPCC chief vows to end
infighting Bengal
Oppn stages walkout |
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BJP
welcomes consensus on poll reforms New Delhi, July 9 The BJP today welcomed the political consensus on electoral reforms saying that the coming Monsoon Session was going to pass several Bills for making long delayed electoral reforms a reality.
Sinha to
visit Maldives, Sri Lanka KPS Gill for early poll in Gujarat Vice-presidential
poll: notification today Longowal
institute to remain in Central scheme Ravi
Chautala seeks security NCM
vice-chief seeks facilities for Sikh pilgrims India debunks statute changes
in Pakistan PM
condoles Qadeer’s death Runu Ghosh files appeal in HC
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8 MDMK men held under POTA Madurai, July 9 The arrested included former MP Ganesamurthy and former MLA P.S. Manian. Magistrate S. Venkatachalapathy declined to issue a warrant against Vaiko, the police said. The pro-LTTE remarks were made by the eight at a public meeting at Thirumangalam, about 30-km from here, on June 29, following which cases were registered against them under POTA, the Unlawful Activities Act and the IPC. The police said those arrested from Madurai and its outskirts included A. Sundaram, Nagarajan, P.S. Manian, Pulavar Sivandhi Appan, Bhoominathan, Madurai Ganesan, from Sivaganga, Veera Elavarasan, and from Erode, Ganesamurthy. The arrested were taken to Thirumangalam. Ganesamurthy, after his arrest, told reporters that they were “rewarded” by the government for their support to the Sri Lankan Tamils, who were fighting for their rights in their homeland. Meanwhile, MDMK chief Vaiko today charged the AIADMK government with letting loose repression against MDMK men by arresting main leaders of his party by invoking provisions of POTA. Describing the arrests as “political vendetta”, in a statement from Chicago, he appealed to the party volunteers to maintain calm and restraint, without giving room for violence. He said he would be returning to Chennai as scheduled on July 11. The MDMK presidium Chairman, Mr L. Ganesan, in a statement, said a conspiracy has been hatched to arrest Vaiko on his return. He said the MDMK would go ahead with its agitational programme on July 12, holding demonstrations in all taluk and district headquarters. Mr Ganesan alleged that Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa was bent upon portraying LTTE chief V. Prabhakaran and the Sri Lankan Tamils, who were fighting for protecting their “self-respect”, as terrorists and those who were supporting them like Vaiko as “anti-nationals”.
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UPCC chief vows to end
infighting Lucknow, July 9 But, the main task before Mr Munna is to bring unity among workers of the Congress. The division in the party was evident in the welcome addresses by party leaders. Whereas former UPCC president Salman Khurshid ridiculed all for calling Mr Munna (50) as a young leader, CLP leader Pramod Tiwari cautioned the new UPCC chief that his tenure was likely to be tumultuous. Mr Munna, in a reply to his detractors, said he would unite all groups of the party. Giving a rejoinder to Mr Khurshid and Mr Tiwari he said these leaders would be left alone now. Despite a rousing welcome accorded to Mr Munna by Congress leaders the voices of dissent were heard in the Nehru Bhavan — the party headquarters. The detractors of Mr Munna argued that he had been out of the politics for the past 12 years. In these years he had contested, but only to lose. Mr Munna had neither the stature nor the political acumen to unite the Congress leaders, said a senior leader. A state general secretary adds: “His organisational skill will be put to test. He had failed in his previous assignments.” What has gone in favour of Mr Munna is said to be his caste — Thakur. There is a feeling in the Congress that the state politics is dominated by either the Backwards or the Dalits. |
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Bengal Oppn stages walkout Kolkata, July 9 Both Sinha and Dr Ganguly had been picked up from their homes here by the Midnapore police on Sunday midnight for their alleged participation in the activities of the People’s War Group. They were allegedly beaten inside the thana lock-up. While Sinha’s mutilated body was later found on the railway track near the Dum Dum junction, Dr Ganguly, with multiple injuries on his body, remained in the lock-up. In both cases, the West Bengal Human Rights Commission, instituted an inquiry suo motu and asked the SP, Midnapore district, to submit his report on the incidents within a week. Incidentally, Sinha’s father-in-law is DSP, CID with the West Bengal police. Chief Minister, Buddhadev Bhattacharjee, who had ordered an inquiry into the incidents by the Special Secretary (Home), Mr Arun Mishra, said the government did not approve of police excesses on people. He, however, castigated the criminal activities of the PWG which was very active in Midnapore district. Opposition parties, including the TC, Congress and SUCI, yesterday staged a walkout from the state Assembly session, protesting against the police excesses on Sinha and Mr Ganguly. The CPI, RSP and Forward Bloc leaders also condemned the police excesses in the name of investigation. Teachers and non-teaching staff of Dr Jagdish Bose Science College wore black badges to register their protest against the police excesses on Dr Ganguly. But the most pungent criticism came from Naxalite leaders like Mr Kanu Sanyal and Mr Ashim Chatterjee. Both now support the CPM-led government. He said the police excesses on Sinha and Dr Ganguly reminded all of the police action against extremists in the seventies ordered by the then Congress Chief Minister, Mr Ray. Mr Bhattacharjee did not defend the police excesses on Sinha and Dr Ganguly, but he alleged that the PWG and MCC had been actively involved in the merciless killings of the CPM workers and supporters and others at Midnapore and other areas whom they called their class enemies. |
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BJP welcomes consensus on poll reforms New Delhi, July 9 Addressing newspersons, BJP spokesman Arun Jaitley said the National Democratic Alliance in the last few months had taken several steps in order to push the electoral reforms further. Political parties yesterday unanimously rejected the Election Commission’s (EC) guidelines asking candidates to disclose pending cases and declare their assets. The BJP spokesman said the EC had exceeded the Supreme Court directive regarding decriminalising the electoral system. The BJP did not agree with the non-legislative mechanism created by Election Commission as the scope for misuse was unimaginable, he added. Legislations which offered tax incentives to the corporate sector for their contributions to political parties through cheque were before Parliament. This would bring in transparency into the system and end the influence of black money. Another Bill allowed the families of armed forces to vote on behalf of personnel deployed for national security duty, he added. There was also an amendment Bill to the Representation of Peoples’ Act which permitted open voting in the Rajya Sabha elections to eliminate the use of money power, he said, adding that these Bills, when passed, would go a long way in ushering in electoral reforms. Meanwhile, a day after the all-party meeting refused to endorse the Election Commission’s notification on electoral reforms, the Law Ministry has begun drafting a Bill to curb criminalisation of politics. A high-level meeting was called by the Law Minister Jana Krishnamurthy to discuss the ways and means to incorporate various suggestions given by political parties at yesterday’s meeting, sources in the Ministry said. It was decided at today’s meeting that the “laudable” intention behind the judgement given by the Supreme Court on May 2 would be respected, they said. However, keeping in view the practical difficulties in implementing the Supreme Court directives, provisions would be made in the draft Bill to achieve the objective of curbing criminalisation of politics, the sources said. The Election Commission had said candidates failing to make a true disclosure of their criminal antecedents, assets and liabilities and educational qualification would be disqualified from contesting parliamentary and State Assembly elections. The drafting of the Bill would be complete in the next two days and then would be circulated among all political parties for their views, the sources said. |
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Sinha to visit Maldives, Sri Lanka New Delhi, July 9 A spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs told reporters today that Mr Sinha’s Maldives visit would focus on India’s ongoing political and developmental cooperation dialogue with that country. The Minister of Planning and National Development of Maldives visited India in April 2002. Joint India-Maldives developmental projects in health, education and infrastructure have been successfully implemented. The Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital in Male is testimony to these efforts. A large number of Maldivian students pursue higher studies in Indian institutions. Mr Sinha’s Sri Lanka visit follows the recent visit of the Sri Lankan Prime Minister to India in June 2002 and is part of the ongoing process of close interaction that the two governments wish to maintain. The visit is aimed at continuing the economic dialogue since the inception of India-Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement in Delhi. |
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KPS Gill for
early poll in Gujarat
New Delhi, July 9 Mr Gill in an interview to a TV channel said political parties and organisations were still attempting to destabilise community equations, but elections would force them to concentrate on peace and normalcy. Mr Gill’s remarks come close on the heels of Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani’s comments that a sense of insecurity still existed in Gujarat and three days before the planned Jagannath Rath Yatra in Ahmedabad. “The earlier the elections in Gujarat, the better it will be,” said Mr Gill. Mr Gill said although violence had stopped, a psychological fear still existed in the minds of minorities. The supercop said in his assessment the fear would go once the rath yatra got over since there was certain propaganda that the yatra was a “dangerous affair”. “The yatra is an acid test,” he added, asserting that there needed be no fears on the yatra proceedings. Elaborate security arrangements had been made and paramilitary forces deployed he added. Mr Gill said there were certain elements who would like to keep things a “little destabilised” till the time of the elections. “I am not blaming any group for this but it is right across the whole political spectrum,” he said.
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Vice-presidential poll: notification today New Delhi, July 9 The five-year term of the present incumbent Krishan Kant is to end on August 20. The last date for filing nominations is July 24, the scrutiny of the nomination will be taken up the next day and July 27 will be the last day for the withdrawal of candidature. Polling, if necessary, will be held on August 12 in the Parliament. The Election Commission has appointed Lok Sabha Secretary General G.C. Malhotra as the Returning Officer for the election. |
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Longowal
institute to remain in Central scheme New Delhi, July 9 The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs which met here this morning decided that the Sant Longowal Institute in Sangrur would remain as the central sector scheme during the 10th Five Year-Plan period with an outlay of Rs 20 crore. It also gave an ex-post-facto approval for incurring an expenditure of Rs 115.87 crore on the scheme since its inception. The institute was established in 1989 to provide technical education in the emerging areas of engineering and technology. It caters to the manpower requirements at various levels by adopting unique concept of modular system in imparting technical education with emphasis on
practical training in industry. |
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Ravi Chautala seeks security New Delhi, July 9 Talking to mediapersons here, Mr Ravi Singh Chautala accompanied by his father Pratap Singh Chautala, alleged that there was threat to his life from Haryana Chief Minister and his two sons due to political rivalry. Maintaining that “rule of jungle” was prevailing in Haryana, Mr Ravi Singh said political opponents were being booked by the state government in criminal cases and 129 cases had already been registered by the ruling regime against its political adversaries. Mr Ravi Singh alleged that the Chief Minister had recently got a metalled road constructed on their agricultural land “to connect his farm houses with the main road.” He alleged that threats were given to him to sell the agricultural land contiguous to that of Chief Minister and he had been “implicated in a false criminal case.” Mr Ravi Singh said he had supported Chief Minister’s younger son Abhey Singh in his election from the Rori constituency on the directions of senior leader Devi Lal. Mr Ravi Singh has also written to the National Human Rights Commission on the issue. |
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NCM
vice-chief seeks facilities for Sikh pilgrims New Delhi, July 9 In a letter to the minister, Mr Tarlochan Singh has requested that a special meeting be convened with the state government to popularise the route and destination with proper facilities. While hailing the minister’s efforts to accord the Vice-Chairman of the NCM priority to pilgrimage tourism, has said, “From June 1 to October 1, more than a lakh Sikh pilgrims climb this historic shrine which is in the memory of Guru Gobind Singh ji. |
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India debunks statute changes in Pakistan New Delhi, July 9 Official sources here said the Musharraf regime’s latest move was clearly “aimed at whittling down the democratic process in the country.” The Musharraf regime has recently amended the 1973 Constitution and incorporated a provision debarring those former Prime Ministers who had already served two terms. Though neither of the two former Prime Ministers had completed their respective tenures, the new order makes it clear that it would be taken as two tenures by each of them. |
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PM condoles
Qadeer’s death New Delhi, July 9 The Prime Minister rang up Afghan President Hamid Karzai and told him that the peoples and government of India and Afghanistan were determined to rebuff the efforts of those powers which were working for destabilising Afghanistan. |
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Runu Ghosh
files appeal in HC
New Delhi, July 9 Her counsel Satish Tamta said the petition against the trial court judgement was filed in the High Court registry today and it might be listed for hearing tomorrow. While Sukh Ram was sentenced to three years’ rigorous imprisonment, Ghosh, who is a General Manager posted in Gujarat, was sentenced to two years’ simple imprisonment in the Rs 1.66-crore telecom scam case.
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After Palekar, Rajeshwari quits jury Mumbai, July 9 |
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