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Wednesday,
July 17, 2002, Chandigarh, India  
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CPM for joint
Opposition candidate for VP’s post
BJP
‘recruiting’ communal elements Bill on
homoeopathic institutions |
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No ‘move’ to
divide J&K Al-Qaida ultras may
join J&K outfits: minister NORTH INDIA IN PARLIAMENT Temple on verge of
submersion 14 convicted in
Coomer Narain espionage case Liquor baron, 12
others get life term Monkeys take class
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CPM for joint Opposition candidate for VP’s post New Delhi, July 16 Though the NDA had left the decision to Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee to choose the vice-presidential nominee, Mr Shekhawat’s nomination appeared to be a certainty. Describing the three-time former Chief Minister of Rajasthan as “a BJP man with close RSS connections,” CPM leader Somnath Chatterjee told a press conference here today that the Left parties were trying to project an acceptable and possibly an independent candidate. He said several names had been shortlisted and the CPM would be consulting the non-BJP parties, including the Samajwadi Party, which had parted ways with the Peoples’ Front for supporting NDA nominee A.P.J. Abdul Kalam for the high office of President. Mr Chatterjee did not rule out approaching certain NDA allies on the proposed independent vice-presidential candidate as there were saner elements everywhere. He said the Left parties would have discussions with non-BJP parties on July 17 after their meeting with Congress President Sonia Gandhi aimed at firming up the floor coordination to expose the NDA government and oppose its anti-people policies in Parliament. Criticising the Vajpayee government for not consulting the Opposition about the vice-presidential candidate as election for this office is due next month, Mr Chatterjee charged the government with abject failure in containing terrorist violence. He said while the Budget session of Parliament had closed with a discussion on the Kaluchak killings by terrorists, the monsoon session began with a debate on the July 13 massacre of labourers in Qasimnagar on the outskirts of Jammu. Mr Chatterjee accused the Vajpayee government of ignoring basic issues and making attempts to cash in on what he described as the communal divide in the country in the context of the Sangh Parivar’s demand for trifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir. |
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Speaker
talks tough on decorum New Delhi, July 16 Making observations during question hour over frequent disruption of proceedings, the Speaker said it was important to adhere to rules which have been framed, which included Rule 374 A for automatic suspension of members. Mr Joshi said:”I hope that such unpleasant occasions would not arise and we would be able to conduct our business as per rules. It would also be my endeavour to see that sufficient opportunities are made available to members for raising important issues in the House. I would also appeal to the government to address the genuine grievances of the members. These endeavours, to my mind, would be the best tribute to Mr G M C Balayogi who worked throughout his tenure to facilitate orderly conduct of the House business.” The Speaker made these observations while trying to raise various issues like the arrest of MDMK leader Vaiko under POTA. Mr Joshi pointed out that ‘The rule of procedure and conduct of business’ in the Lok Sabha lays down certain norms of etiquette and behaviour to be observed by members while the House is sitting. For example, he said, the rules prohibit members from reading any book, newspaper or letter except in connection with the business of the House; passing between the Chair when any member is speaking; leaving the House when the Speaker is addressing the House; sitting or standing with their back towards the Chair; approaching the Chair personally in the House; and leaving the House immediately after delivering speech. |
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BJP ‘recruiting’ communal elements New Delhi, July 16 “This is happening, I am told, even in the paramilitary forces. This trend can cause incalculable harm to the very fabric of the Indian state”, she said, addressing the Congress Parliamentary Party meeting here. She cautioned against the confrontation with Pakistan being used “cynically by the BJP to polarise our own society and stoke up communal feelings.” “The danger from Pakistan in Jammu and Kashmir is real and has to be dealt with firmly. However, we must guard against the confrontation with Pakistan which is being used cynically by the BJP to polarise our own society, to stoke up communal feelings”, she said. Mrs Gandhi said since her last meeting with MPs, the country had gone through a very tense period during which the threat of Pakistan appeared to loom large. The war of words reached a crescendo. The diplomatic community gave unprecedented alarm signals. She regretted that the recurrence of terrorist activities continued to cast their ominous shadows. “The nation was slowly coming out of the pain and trauma caused by the killings at Kaluchak when we experienced another horrible tragedy at Qasimnagar,” she said. |
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Bill on homoeopathic
institutions New Delhi, July 16 Moving the Bill for the consideration of the House, Mr Sinha said the Bill would give more powers to the Homoeopathy Central Council in giving permission to start new colleges. There had been an alarming increase in the number of colleges in the country. It had been observed that these colleges did not strictly observe the norms. |
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No ‘move’ to
divide J&K New Delhi, July 16 Minister of State for Home Vidyasagar Rao, while stating this in a written reply during question hour, also said the government had adopted a three-pronged strategy on Jammu and Kashmir. |
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Al-Qaida ultras
may join J&K outfits: minister New Delhi, July 16 Minister of State for Home Vidyasagar Rao in a reply during question hour said the government had been receiving reports indicating that a substantial number of erstwhile Taliban and allied fundamental groups have crossed over to Pakistan and Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) after the ouster of the Taliban regime in Afghanistan. The minister said these terrorists were likely to join terrorist outfits like the Jaish-e-Mohammad, the Lashkar-e-Toiba, Al Badr and the Hizb-ul Mujahideen for their eventual infiltration into Jammu and Kashmir . |
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NORTH INDIA IN PARLIAMENT New Delhi, July 16 The Centre has received a proposal from the Government of Rajasthan for the interpretation of Clause I and Clause II of the Ravi-Beas Agreement of 1981 and
non-finalisation of formulation for the distribution of Ravi-Beas river water between Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan, the Minister of State of Water Resources Bijoya Chakravarty told the Lok Sabha in a written reply today. As the subject of restoration of 0.6 MAF of Rajasthan’s total share of 8.6 MAF could not be resolved in the meetings of the Bhakra Beas Management Board
(BBMB), nor could a draft agreement made by the Central Government containing decisions on various water-related issues be signed by the Chief Ministers, the minister told the House. |
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Temple on verge of submersion Kolkata, July 16 The temple authorities have sought Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee’s intervention in protecting the historical temple and important place of worship against erosion. The temple was built by Rani Rashmoni during 1889-94 and Ramakrishna Paramhans was the main priest of the temple. A trustee now runs the temple. Every year, thousands of pilgrims and devotees from different parts of the country and abroad pay a visit to Dakshineswar, which is a sacred place of worship for them. The Kali temple apart, there are 108 Shiva temples in a row, temples of Radha-Krishna, Panchbati forest etc in the area. The main temple premises also include a two-room building where Ramakrishna used to live and where Swami Vivekananda first met him in the early 19th century. It has been stated by the temple authorities that a part of the Shiva temple and the Panchbati forest, where Ramakrishna used to perform his prayers have already submerged in the Ganga due to erosion and the river water has started gradually entering the temple’s main area. Besides writing to Mr Vajpayee, the temple authorities have also drawn the attention of Chief
Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee to the problem and requested him to come forward to protect the Dakshineswar temple. The Kolkata Port Trust, which maintains the Dakshineswar rail bridge and the adjoining embankment has so far turned a blind eye to the protection of the embankment against erosion. The rail bridge also needs repair and overhauling since at many places severe cracks had been detected. About a year ago, a Rs 1.5 crore anti-erosion scheme of the Ganga embankment near Dakshineswar was drawn by the port authorities but it has not been implemented. The trust authorities say they have no funds to spend on the protection of the Dakshineswar temple against erosion. |
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14 convicted in Coomer Narain espionage case
New Delhi, July 16 Special Judge R K Gauba, who delivered the judgement in a jampacked court at Tis Hazari here, however, acquitted two other accused — Ashok Kumar and B.K. Aggarwal — both exporters, as the prosecution failed to prove the case against them. Two accused, including main spy Coomer Narain, died during the protracted trial. While Narain died on March 20, 2000, accused A P Sarthy expired on September 20, 1986. Another accused Ashok Kumar Jaidka was discharged by the court on December 20, 1985. Those convicted in the case are: Yogesh T. Maneklal, P. Gopalan, T.N. Kher, S.L. Chandana, Swami Nath Ram, K.K. Malhotra, S. Sankaran, Jagdish Chander Arora, V.K. Palaniswamy, Amrik Lal, J.M. Tiwari, Kishan Chand Sharma, H.N. Chaturvedi and M/s S.L. Maneklal Industries Ltd. Five of them were working in the PMO when Dr P.C. Alexander was Principal Secretary to the then Prime Minister, Rajiv Gandhi, and three were in the Ministry of Defence. They have been held guilty under Section 120-B of the IPC (criminal conspiracy) and under various provisions of the Official Secrets Act. All the convicts, except the last one, were immediately taken into custody and sent to Tihar Jail. The court would pronounce its order on sentence on July 18.
PTI |
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Liquor baron, 12 others get life term
Kollam, July 16 Kollam First Additional Sessions Judge K. Chandradas Nadar observed that there was no doubt that Manichan was the ‘principal conspirator and main beneficiary of the crimes committed.’ He was convinced that the accused was completely propelled by profit motive, in wanton disregard of the life and health of public. Manichan, therefore, deserved maximum punishment, he said, sentencing him to a total of 57 years in prison, including life term, and slapped a fine of Rs 30.45 lakh on him. The judge, who had convicted Manichan and 25 others out of a total of 48 accused on July 9, had reserved the sentences for today. Manichan’s brothers Kochani and Anil Kumar and eighth accused Vinod Kumar were sentenced to life term and 11 years in total and a fine of Rs 7.55 lakh each. Another set of accused, Anil Kumar, Mohammed Shabu, Balachandran, Vijayan and Suresh, alias Sankaran were awarded life term and 10 years and six months under different Sections of the IPC and the Abkari Act. A fine of Rs 7.5 lakh each was also imposed on them. First accused Hayarunnisa, whose hooch den at Kalluvathuckal was the first to report deaths from the poisonous brew, and three others, Suresh Kumar(25), Manoharan(30) and Sajeendran(42) were awarded life term and 11 years and a fine of Rs 7.5 lakh each under different Sections of the Abkari Act.
UNI |
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Monkeys take class
Barrackpore, July 16 At Agarpara Mahajati Nagar Girls High School in North 24 Parganas district’s Khardah area, students and teachers have been facing a monkey menace, forcing the school authorities to suspend classes for the second day today. Some students were injured when they were slapped by monkeys inside the classrooms, where the simians often occupy the teacher’s chair. The authorities have asked police for assistance, but the cops have, however, failed to tackle the situation so far.
UNI |
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