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Tuesday,
October 15, 2002, Chandigarh, India  
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Al-Qaida behind Bali blasts: BJP Pak bashing abroad to what avail? President, PM
greet people
ULFA confused over peace talks Mamata expresses wrath in novels |
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BJP stir in Cong-ruled states Anti-collision device in trains next yr: Nitish SC ruling on dying declaration
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Al-Qaida behind Bali blasts: BJP New Delhi, October 14 In a statement, BJP spokesman Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said the suspected hand of Al-Qaida, which had a base in Pakistan and had “selected” “Hindu-dominated” Bali Islands in Indonesia, was an instance of the tentacles of terrorism spreading to peaceful parts of the world. He said the massacre, which left hundreds of innocent dead and injured, and the selection of Bali for the terrorist act was “very significant” in Indonesia, which was home to the highest number of Muslims in the world. “All peace-loving nations should take a serious note of this inhuman act of terrorists and pool their resources to eradicate this menace from the face of the earth,” he said. Stating that it was time for the world to realise that Pakistan was the “nerve centre” of terrorism and the Al-Qaida, he said as long as Pakistan was in control of anti-democratic forces, the war against terrorism would yield nothing. Extremist forces had attained legitimacy in the so-called election processes in Pakistan, Mr Naqvi said. Commenting on Musharraf’s criticism about the elections in Jammu and Kashmir, the BJP spokesman said his criticism had not come as a surprise to anybody in India. “We expect no certificate of democracy from an autocratic military dictator about the fairness of the electoral process”, he said. Meanwhile, BJP Mahila Morcha president Kanta Nalawade has constituted a 12-member office-bearers’ team and a 21-member national executive of the morcha. Ms Sunita Dayal (UP) has been made general secretary while Ms Purnima Sethi, (Delhi), Ms Abha Mehto (Jharkhand), Ms Asha Tandon (West Bengal) and Ms Vijaya Shanti (Andhra Pradesh) are the new vice-presidents. Ms Anita Agarwal (Chhattisgarh), Ms Mamta Kumar (Haryana), Ms Rakesh Sharma (Himachal Pradesh) and Ms Shakuntla Shetty (Karnataka) have been appointed secretaries. Ms Archana Chitnis (Madhya Pradesh) has been made treasurer of the morcha, while Ms Nira Shastri (Delhi) is in charge of media. Ms Indira Sharma (Delhi) will be the office secretary. The new national executive members are Ms Vijay Lakshmi (Orissa), Ms Veena Pandey (UP), Ms Vishakha Jayaprakash (Jharkhand), Ms Indira Sharma (Uttaranchal), Ms Santosh Atreja (Haryana), Ms V. Nandrani Devi (Manipur), Ms Bhagwati Baldeva (Andhra Pradesh), Ms Komli Mosang (Arunachal Pradesh), Ms Andre Menses (Goa), Ms Shahnaz Sayed (Maharashtra), Ms Nita Khedkar (Maharashtra), Ms Ramawati Devi (Andaman Nicobar), Ms Kiran Chaddha (Delhi), Ms Jayshree Nayak (Mumbai), Ms Harjit Kaur (Punjab), Ms Sipra Gun (Assam), Ms Sukhda Pandey (Bihar), Ms Anita Badhel (Rajasthan), Dr Ramanna Choudhary, Ms Rakhi Tyagi (UP), and Ms Anita Gehlot (Delhi). |
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Pak bashing abroad to what avail? New Delhi, October 14 If the same yardstick is to be applied, then why did the Indian Prime Minister have to denigrate the elections in Pakistan? Why state the obvious? According to an official, the Pakistan elections were predetermined. He said soon after the referendum President Musharraf realised that political parties were using their hold and fundamentalists were gaining in popularity. Indian information gatherers revealed several meetings that Musharraf had with fundamentalists. Other than the army, these were the only people who were willing to do business with Musharraf. According to the Indian official this rise of fundamentalists will prove more dangerous for Afghanistan than India. If that was so then the question remains unanswered as to why India should comment on the political and democratic standards and events in Pakistan, however, flawed they may be. Foreign Minister Yashwant Sinha went so far as to say that India gave no credence to these elections. The Prime Minister designate, whoever he may be, will already have his hackles up by now. A senior Indian government official also said he had cautioned the USA about the outcome of the elections. The USA wants to do business with Musharraf, regardless of what Indian officials advise them. Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee in London and in Denmark admitted that western nations were supportive and sympathetic when it came to violence in Kashmir but expressed their inability to apply any further pressure on Musharraf. As if the “good” general is a delicate piece of crystal that could shatter and create a mess difficult to mop up. The mopping up exercise in Afghanistan is turning out to be expensive and time consuming. India can cry itself hoarse about the rise of fundamentalism and the simultaneous burial of democracy in the “sham” elections, but the fact is that neither at the EU nor in the UK could the Indian side get their counterparts to be critical of the elections. Denmark and England had a lot to say about guns in Kashmir but nothing substantial about gun runners in Pakistan. Cheist Patten, External Relations Advisor to the
EU, advised India not to look at the world through the prism of Pakistan and when he came face to face with Mr Vajpayee he did a volte face. Asked by this reporter as to why sops were given to Pakistan by way of halving textile quotas when the country did not comply with democratic norms, he replied, “Why should that affect India? India should do business on a one to one basis with the EU”. That such textile sops hurt Indian textile exports has of course been ignored by the
EU. Amit Mitra, Secretary-General, FICCI, one of the organisers of the EU Indian business summit, said the issue of sops and protectionism in textiles did come up but the EU expressed its inhability to change Pakistan’s status. They were told that it was 9/11 leveraged and so might not be there for long. But on the other hand it would be safe to bet that it would be there as long as Musharraf is there. At a meeting between Indian and EU political level officials, India’s Principal Secretary was very “forceful in his intervention, supported by statistics”. The result was that the Danish chip on the shoulder became a boulder. The Indian Foreign Secretary might feel that the EU leaders became defensive but to the media it seemed as if shutters had come down and the Danes just wanted us to be placated yet accept that Musharraf is the white man’s best bet. So India better face facts and open that “narrow window of opportunity to begin contact with Pakistan”, since conclusion of the elections in Jammu and Kashmir and Pakistan. It remains to be seen whether the mandarins of South Bloc will allow the venerable Prime Minister to undertake another laborious journey to Pakistan. “No dates have been set”, said an Indian official on board the flight to New Delhi from London. He also said there was no possibility of a dialogue. Return to democracy in Pakistan is dismissed with the same nonchalance as Pakistan dismisses elections in Kashmir. No hope for any change in stance here it seems, whatever else the world may think.
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President, PM greet people New Delhi, October 14 In his greetings, Dr Kalam said: “May the festival inspire every citizen to come together and work for the unity and wellbeing of the country and strengthen the spirit of brotherhood and oneness in our society”. The Prime Minister said: “Dasehra symbolises the supreme invincibility of the right and the virtuous. The festival inspires us to re-dedicate ourselves to moral and truthful path of life”. Vice-President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat also greeted the people on the occasion and said Dasehra symbolised the victory of good over evil and “reaffirms our faith in all that is good, noble and virtuous in our lives.” Leader of the Opposition and Congress President Sonia Gandhi also greeted the people. Delhi Assembly Speaker Prem Singh and Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit also wished the people of the capital and other parts of the country. PTI, UNI |
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ULFA confused over peace talks New Delhi, October 14 According to latest inputs available with the Vajpayee government, ULFA chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa, based in Bhutan for the past six months, has been making efforts to travel to Dhaka to meet the outfit’s commander-in-chief, Poresh Barua. The Naga peace process has brought about a semblance of peace in Nagaland as well as a positive and optimistic mood in the people. This, in turn, has impacted on the NSCN (IM) itself, leading to an improved sense of cohesion and created a positive outlook in its cadres. With the peace process, the NSCN (IM) leadership has been able to enthuse its cadres with hope. According to objective observers here, there are substantial gains not only for the people of Nagaland but also for the NSCN (IM). However, other insurgent groups, like the ULFA and the Manipuri groups, by maintaining their stance of keeping away from dialogue with the Government of India, are in danger of losing both political space and time. Rajkhowa’s attempts to fly to Dhaka from Bhutan have created extreme nervousness among Bangladeshi security agencies. As a result, the ULFA chairman has chosen to give up this route. Alternative options of flying into Dhaka via Bangkok or Kathmandu are considered too risky by the ULFA leadership. The ULFA leadership is well aware of the situation it may put itself in where it risks not only losing public sympathy but also deterioration of morale among its cadres if it keeps itself away from the peace process. These dangers are already evident in the case of the ULFA in Assam. The outfit has suffered severe losses in the past year, including the death and surrender of important leaders and commanders. The ULFA’s flip-flop for the past year on the issue of talks with the Indian Government has only illustrated the outfit’s insincerity and confusion over the issue. Sources say that in this situation, and given the pressing need for the two leaders to interact for a length of time, the ULFA chairman has no option but to consider travelling overland and across Assam to reach Bangladesh. A plausible route is across North Bengal through the Kamtapur Liberation Organisation (KLO) dominated Cooch Behar district. This route will be attractive for ULFA, given its close links to the KLO and the shorter distance that would be needed to cover to get into Bangladesh. However, recent KLO strikes against targets in Cooch Behar district has put not only the West Bengal police but also other Central agencies in a state of high alert. The ULFA will be well aware of this and chary of taking such a risk with respect to its chairman, it is understood. |
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Mamata expresses wrath in novels Kolkata, October 14 The two books entitled, “Asubha Sanket” (an evil indication) and “Anubhan” (feelings), have been written primarily to express her wrath against the Railway Minister, Mr Nitish Kumar, and the Eastern Railway’s bifurcation which despite her all-out attempts, she had failed to stop. In the books, she has also explained why it could not be possible for her to rejoin the Cabinet in the last reshuffle even after deciding to. Ms Banerjee has disclosed in her novels that she had agreed to accept the Surface Transport Ministry and return to the ministry with another TMC MP as state minister after her meeting with the Prime Minister prior to the reshuffle in July. But it was Mr Nitish Kumar and a Samata Party leader who had conspired against her returning and blackmailed the BJP leadership which made it impossible for her to rejoin the Cabinet, alleged Ms Banerjee in her novels. A Kolkata publisher has published the books written in Bengali, each book priced at Rs 40. When her CPM adversaries and Congress rivals have been engaged in utilising the Puja festival as their weapon to expand party activities and woo new supporters by developing larger public contact, the Trinamool Congress leader, has been occupied in selling her novels in her another attempt to convey to people the danger ahead in the bifurcation of the Railways. Ms Banerjee, now disappointed and depressed in her failure to resist the bifurcation, has been facing a problem from within the party on the question to leaving the NDA once again which she had initially decided after October 1, when the new Hajipur zone came into being with the bifurcation of the Eastern Railway. She and some other leaders like Mr Pankaj Banerjee, leader of the Opposition in the Assembly, Mr Sovandev Chattopadhyya, MLA, Mrs Krishna Bose, Mr Khonaker Ahmed, both MPs, supported her decision to once again quit the NDA after the Eastern Railways bifurcation. But others like Mr Sudip Bandopadhyya, Dr Ranjit Panja, Dr Nitish Sengupta, Mr B.Sarker and several other MLAs strongly opposed the decision. As a result, the decision to quit the NDA again has been now hanging in the balance, admits Ms Banerjee. Ms Banerjee, however, has made it clear that the Trinamool Congress will not make any alliance or seat adjustment with the BJP in Bengal’s forthcoming panchayat poll early next year, since she still considers the BJP in Bengal as a burden and liability. |
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BJP stir in Cong-ruled states New Delhi, October 14 Still reeling under the petrol stations scam expose, which forced the BJP-led government to cancel all 3000-odd petrol stations and kerosene and LPG depots, has decided to hold two-day central office bearers’ meeting in Mumbai beginning October 19. The BJP leaders under the chairmanship of party president Venkaiah Naidu will draw up agitational programmes to be launched in various Congress-ruled states and especially draw up plans for the proposed massive political rally in Delhi in the first or second week of December this year. While only office-bearers will meet on October 19, the next day Presidents and General Secretaries of all state units will meet to take stock of the impact of the “Gaon Chalo Abhiyan” (go to villages campaign) in all states and union territories. |
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Anti-collision device in trains next yr: Nitish Patna, October 14 Flagging a new inter-city Express between Patna and Sahebganj at Patna junction here, Mr Nitish Kumar told reporters that all possible steps were being taken for high standard safety measures. “We are all set to introduce anti-collision device which will facilitate emission of satellite signals to the engine, the guard, level-crossing gates and railway stations when two trains are on the same track to enable the drivers to slow down the trains within a radius of 3 km”, he said. Stating that the new system would be introduced next year, he said efforts were on to strengthen the distressed bridges.
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SC ruling on dying declaration New Delhi, October 14 “If the person recording such dying declaration is satisfied that the declarant is in a fit mental condition to make the dying declaration then such a declaration will not be invalid solely on the ground that the same is not certified by the doctor as to the condition of the declarant to make the dying declaration,” it said in a recent judgement. This ruling was given by a Bench comprising Justice N. Santosh Hegde and Justice B.P. Singh while upholding the conviction of one Rambai accused of pouring kerosene on her sister-in-law Vidyabai and setting her afire.
PTI |
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Karisma has over 20 hit films to her name and her
brilliant repertoire extends to both mainstream commercial as
well as offbeat cinema. (
