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Friday,
August 23, 2002, Chandigarh, India  
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J&K ignores PM on Azad’s security Cong, SP may tie up in Gujarat
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BJP attacks Sonia’s stand on yatra Waive interest on farmers’ loans: BJP
Gas victims to protest in Johannesburg India to oppose dilution of
Rio principles Presidency college closed sine die
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J&K ignores PM on Azad’s security New Delhi, August 22 Jammu and Kashmir Congress Committee chief Ghulam Nabi Azad told The Tribune here that despite several reminders by the two leaders, his security remained poor and unaltered. "I have not been given even one additional ‘sipahi"’ Mr Azad said. He alleged that the NC government, on the other hand, had given security of its own leaders all over the valley ignoring the genuine security threats posed to Congressmen of the state. The directions from the Centre had come as a result of five letters written by Congress President Sonia Gandhi in which she called for greater security for Mr Azad in the militancy-hit state. Mr Azad falls in the top security category and his security in the national Capital is looked after by the Delhi police. In view of the disturbed conditions in Jammu and Kashmir, Mr Azad is entitled to greater security which, police officials say, includes a bullet-proof vehicle and escort. However, his security in Jammu and Kashmir has not been beefed up since he went there as Pradesh Congress Committee chief. While the Centre’s directions to the NC government speak of giving Mr Azad security "over and above his categorisation,’’ he says that the secuirty given was far less. "What is the credibility of Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister? The PM and Deputy PM have written five letters, not to me but to the Leader of Opposition, saying that they have directed the state administration (for more security). But despite the directions of both the leaders, not a single ‘sipahi’ has been added. If the PM and Deputy PM do not have the power to add even one constable extra.. what the hell can they give directions that will happen," Mr Azad asks. The problem of security has been plaguing Congress leaders in Jammu and Kashmir with one of its senior Congress leaders in the valley even threatening against participating in the Assembly poll in case the Congress workers were not given adequate security. Mr Azad says that there is a lot of pressure on Congress workers in the valley and some parts of the Jammu region. Against 4,000 National Conference leaders, only about 50 Congress leaders have been given security, he points out. The Congress, he emphasises, is the biggest national party and is claiming to come to power in Jammu and Kashmir. Referring to the response of Jammu and Kashmir government, Mr Azad says that the Home Ministry’s letters have been put in the dust bin. "The Deputy Prime Minister’s directive has simply been put in the dust bin. The Deputy Prime Minister might say anything in Parliament, but in Kashmir, I don’t think even an inspector of police is ready to listen to him," he says. Mr Azad maintains that an inspector in the security wing of Jammu and Kashmir can get four or five constables added for security duty. "A security inspector of the Jammu and Kashmir police has more powers than the Home Ministry....his powers are more than of the Prime Minister and Home Minister in J-K. Had I approached an inspector for more security, I would have got it," rues Mr Azad who has held 95 public meetings since he took over as PCC chief about four months back. Mr Azad says that in her subsequent letters, Mrs Gandhi had even pointed out that the directions given by the Home Ministry were not percolating down. "But despite fresh instructions having apparently been sent to the state government, nothing changed," he says. The PCC chief says that he had told the Congress President that the party will now make its own security arrangements. "Can Leader of Opposition write more than five letters to Prime Minister?" Mr Azad asks. |
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Cong, SP may tie up in Gujarat New Delhi, August 22 An understanding between the two, if properly pursued and put in action, may prove to be the beginning of a political process having a significant impact on the political scenario of the country, observers said. The 30-minute meeting, held this evening without any aides, focused on possible seat adjustment for the Gujarat Assembly elections, the sources said, adding that elections in the communally sensitive state were very crucial for the political future of the country. Both the Congress and the Samajwadi Party are under sustained pressure from non-BJP parties, particularly the Left parties, that the two should forge a common understanding for keeping communal forces at bay. With this in view, common friends took the initiative and initial groundwork was done, the sources said, adding that the Congress was likely to leave six to eight Assembly seats in Gujarat for the Samajwadi Party. Upon being told that the Congress was not totally averse to a political understanding between the two parties, Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav asked Mr Amar Singh to meet Ms Gandhi. Mr Yadav, who is very keen to get national status for his party, is seeing an opportunity to open the SP’s electoral account in Gujarat. At the moment, the SP has its presence in the Maharashtra Assembly. If an understanding between the two develops, then the two could jointly challenge the BSP-BJP government in Uttar Pradesh. |
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BJP attacks Sonia’s stand on yatra New Delhi, August 22 “I am surprised to note the response of the Congress with regard to the “gaurav yatra” to be launched by Chief Minister Narendra Modi in Gujarat. How could the Congress President, who had herself addressed rallies, and her party, which had launched
several campaigns, attacking and making all sorts of allegations against Mr Modi when the situation was not so good, ask the BJP to stop its political campaign,” Mr Naidu told a press conference here. Mr Naidu ducked repeated questions on the party’s stand on the observations of the Election Commission, suggesting postponement of elections in Gujarat, and the Governor speaking to the contrary. Asked to comment on the conflicting reports appearing in the media over the Godhra train massacre, Mr Naidu merely said, “An inquiry commission has been constituted. Let it arrive at a conclusion.” The BJP President also said that the 12-member Election Campaign Committee constituted for Gujarat under the chairmanship of former Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel would hold its first meeting in Gandhinagar on Monday. Other members of the committee were Mr Rajendrasinh Rana, Mr Narendra Modi, Mr Kashi Ram Rana, Mr Harin Pathak, Mr Vallabhbhai Katharia, Mr Suresh Mehta, Mr Ashok Bhatt, Mr Vajjubhai Wala, Mr Bhavanaben Dave, Mr Mangubhai Patel and Mr Faqirbhai Vaghela. On elections in Jammu and Kashmir, Mr Naidu justified the party’s decision to ally with the RSS-backed Jammu State Morcha, saying the party had made a conscious decision to prevent division of votes of nationalist groups. |
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Waive interest on farmers’ loans: BJP New Delhi, August 22 As short-term measures, the committee, led by former UP Chief Minister and party General Secretary Rajnath Singh, has recommended grant of agriculture subsidy at the rate of Rs 1,000 per hectare for all farmers owning non-irrigated land up to 5 hectares in relaxation of the 2 hectare eligibility norm, waiver of interest on loans drawn by small and marginal farmers for the current year and extension of crop insurance up to the end of August. Besides, it calls for issue of foodgrains free of cost for generating additional employment to create durable assets, including issue of cash component, close monitoring of availability and prices of oilseeds, pulses, onions, cotton and imports, if necessary, arranging substitute fodder and transport of drinking water by rail to affected areas; immediate release of sugarcane by states; early commissioning of tubewells sunk by the Central Ground Water Board; gearing up the public distribution system and creation of an effective delivery and monitoring system, and adoption of appropriate strategies to make up for the possible slippage in the GDP. As long-term measures, the committee has recommended realisation of the major rivers linkage project conceived by the late K.L. Rao, preparation of an action plan based on review of the status of major and minor irrigation projects; full utilisation of 99.75 million hectare irrigation potential created by the government and removal of all bottlenecks on top priority and creation of the remaining 40 million hectare potential from the ultimate irrigation potential within the next 10 years. |
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Gas victims to protest in Johannesburg Bhopal, August 22 Union Carbide Corporation (UCC), responsible for the December 1984 disaster, which had killed thousands and incapacitated hundreds of thousands in Bhopal, had merged with Michigan-based another US multinational Dow Chemical company in February, 2001. The survivors now insist that Dow Chemical take over the UCC’s liabilities such as care of the victims and removal of the thousands of tonnes of toxic wastes dumped at the site of the defunct pesticide plant which was the source of the MIC gas leak. Interestingly, Earth Summit’s inauguration coincides with the date when the Chief Judicial Magistrate of Bhopal is scheduled to announce his decision regarding the dilution of criminal charges against Warren Anderson, former Chairman of Union Carbide, from “homicide” to “negligence”. The Indian Government’s move for the dilution is aimed at protecting the Dow Carbide combine from criminal and other liabilities of Bhopal disaster and is a result of pressure from the U S Government, according to Ms Rashida Bi of the National Campaign for Justice in Bhopal (NCJB). Ms Rashida Bi said the anti-Dow Chemical protesters from Bhopal and elsewhere would fast for justice for the Bhopal victims wearing red armbands and taking their protest into the “belly of the beast”. “If there’s one protest the police can do nothing about, it is our hunger strike, and we’ll take our protest against the racism and hypocrisy of Dow Chemical and other multinational corporations right into the summit venue” she said. Ms Rashida Bi had, along with others, undertaken a 19-day-long fast in Delhi last month for the same cause. |
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President composes poem for children New Delhi, August 22 The President sang a poem for the children which he himself had composed, explained its meaning to them in his characteristic style and asked them to repeat it, Rashtrapati Bhavan sources said. The poem titled “My brother and I” says: “I will pass through this planet earth probably only once. My brother and I will remove pain of at least a few fellow human beings and enrich their lives with love.” The poem told the group of children from a Gurgaon school that the aim of every individual should be to spread love and do good to others. Another group of children from a government school in South Delhi where children from lower strata of the society are studying was given a pep talk by the President. The President asked the girls in the group to read a message with him. In the evening, a group of orthopaedically-challenged children and those from the weaker sections from the Capital also met the President. In all, over a hundred schoolchildren in three groups visited Rashtrapati
Bhavan. |
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India to oppose dilution of
Rio principles New Delhi, August 21 At a press conference here yesterday, the minister outlined India’s concerns and expectations from the summit, which is taking place as a 10-year follow-up review of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (Earth Summit) held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992. Mr Baalu said that developed countries were trying to interpret Rio principles and other agreements to their
advantage, besides bringing in social issues as labour and health standards as disguised trade barriers at the WSSD negotiations. |
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Presidency college closed sine die Kolkata, August 22 Clashes occurred between two groups of students at the Hindu hostel yesterday and the principal, who is also the rector of the hostel, suspended two “guilty students” and asked them to vacate the hostel. But a section of their inmates protested. In the morning, the students themselves, however, withdrew the gherao but still stuck to their demand of withdrawal of the disciplinary steps against their colleagues, which has refused. Apprehending more trouble, the management ordered closure of the college sine die. But another section of students led by the CPM union, SFI, demanded immediate re-opening of the college and they began indefinite squatting in front of the college on College Street. These students also demanded strong disciplinary actions against the students of the Hindu hostel. |
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