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Sunday,
October 27, 2002, Chandigarh, India  
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Sonia blames it on coalition politics PM non-committal on Pak visit |
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Sharma gave Shivani St Kitts documents CBI Director for action plan on international crimes
Conversion ordinance ‘black law’ Shourie fears fiscal collapse BJP to put
50,000 women on ‘poll duty’ Will PM follow RSS diktat, asks Cong Dilip Kumar in Ghai’s next film
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Sonia blames it on coalition politics New Delhi, October 26 “The state sponsorship of the carnage in Gujarat ... the ugly, organised, sustained attack on minorities and the terrorist strike at Akshardham, are the manifestation of the scourge that is communalism,” she said. Taking these “forces” to task a day after Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee patted himself on the back for the NDA becoming the first non-Congress coalition of political parties to complete three years in office, Ms Gandhi said the secular character of the nation ran the risk of being subsumed by the “distorted vision of Hindutva.” Delivering the inaugural address of a seminar on “Saajhi Virasat” (composite heritage) hosted by the Progressive Writers Association and Trust for Secular and Democratic Values, Ms Gandhi said the covert and overt assault by these forces on secular traditions was also manifest in Dangs in Gujarat, Orissa, communalisation of education and the denigration of the basic values of the Constitution. Likening contemporary Indian politics to an abyss, she went on to suggest that secularism, like liberty, called for eternal vigilance. “It is because of the people’s complacency that communal forces have sneaked back into the Indian polity. We need to concert our efforts to resolutely renew our common battle against it. I believe that enlightened, liberal and forward-looking people, especially writers and thinkers, hold the key to fashioning the nation’s response to this renewed challenge.” Launching an indirect attack on the Sangh Parivar, Ms Gandhi said there was no room for narrow-mindedness or the politics of dividing up society into competing interest groups. Though Hindu tradition was integral to the nation’s traditions, she felt there were many other traditions that had also gone into the making of the Indian nation. “It is this concept of our nationhood which is under challenge,” she added. The plenary session of the national seminar was also addressed by CPI general secretary AB Bardhan, Chief Minister of the NCT of Delhi Sheila Dikshit, litterateur Kamleshwar and Gandhian Nirmala Deshpande. Hoping that the phase of communal hatred “a nightmare” — would soon pass, Ms Dikshit, in her welcome address to the delegates, said people believing in the values of a composite culture should launch a mass struggle against divisive forces. Mr Bardhan said secularism was under attack now, he said, and felt Hindutva was a political concept used by people indulging in politics of seeking votes to grab power. “Efforts are being made to enforce the wishes of a Mathadhish (Hindu religious leader) on a majority of the people and propagate fanaticism and fascism. All should fight their nefarious designs,” he said. Kamleshwar and Nirmala Deshpande, in their addresses, said those attacking and killing minorities in Gujarat in the name of Ram had done more damage to the Hindu religion and Ram than even Ravana. Ms Deshpande called for consolidating the composite culture of the country. |
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PM non-committal on Pak visit New Delhi, October 26 Addressing the Combined Commanders’ Conference here, Mr Vajpayee today asked Islamabad to first talk about the substance of the seven-nation meeting before focussing on its proposed dates. “We do not want to trivialise the association through a summit without substantive content”, Mr Vajpayee said. Calling for sharpening of intelligence capabilities to ward off “unexpected” threats, he told the top commanders that “technology has now created chemical and biological weapons of great diversity, which are difficult to detect. Many of the techniques and weapons can fall into hands of non-state actors”. The Prime Minister again made it clear that India would not hold talks with Pakistan while “terrorist guns are held to our heads”. He said most countries have accepted the validity of India’s position that “we can have a meaningful dialogue only if cross-border terrorism ends”. Referring to the decision to pull back troops from the International Border with Pakistan, Mr Vajpayee said, “Our military mobilisation sharply focussed international attention on the ravages of terrorism”. He told the meeting, also attended by Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani, Defence Minister George Fernandes and External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha, that the international community had now acknowledged that the killing of men, women and children in Jammu and Kashmir “is not a freedom struggle but naked terrorism driven by Pakistan.” Stressing on the need for strongly countering the increasing activities of insurgent groups in the North-East, the Prime Minister said some of these groups were “receiving sanctuary, finance, training and assistance from some of our neighbours”. “It is time for us to take firm action on this”, he said, contending that “as on the Western front, India could not condone foreign insurgency, whose domestic support is dwindling” For the first time, Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani also spoke at the conference charging Pakistan with becoming the epicentre of global terrorism. In his address, Defence Minister George Fernandes said the allocation for defence in the Budget estimate had been
increased to Rs 65,000 crore in the current financial year, he said, “This presents both a challenge and an opportunity.” On various welfare measures for ex-servicemen, Mr Fernandes said the government had approved a new contributory health scheme, which would cover 90 per cent of the ex-servicemen in the country. Nearly two lakh dwelling units are being built for the serving defence personnel, he added. |
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Sharma gave Shivani St Kitts documents
New Delhi, October 26 In the charge sheet filed in the court of Metropolitan Magistrate J.P. Narain, the police alleged that the Haryana cadre IPS officer had given Shivani papers pertaining to “verifications” into the controversy surrounding the alleged bank account of Ajeya Singh, son of former Prime Minister V.P. Singh, in connection with the St Kitts case. The suspended Haryana IG (Prisons) had also given Shivani some papers relating to Jammu and Kashmir, the charge sheet alleged. Piecing together the evidence collected in the course of investigations, the charge sheet says Shivani had confided the fact of her alleged relation with Sharma to her sister Sevanti and Saijal Shah, her room-mate in London, where she was on a scholarship. Recreating the “plot”, the 45-page charge sheet said the conspiracy to eliminate her was hatched sometime between December, 1998, and May, 1999, at New Delhi, Gurgaon, Mumbai, Pune and other places. On December 24, 1998, Sharma met co-accused Satya Prakash Sri Bhagwan, Ved Prakash Sharma and Ved, alias Kalu, at the Ashoka hotel here. In order to create an alibi, Sharma arranged an official meeting with a senior government official, the police alleged, adding that the meeting, however, did not take place. Satya Prakash hired Pradeep with the promise to get back his job in the Haryana Urban Development Corporation, besides a remuneration of Rs 3 lakh, it added. On January 13, 1999 Sharma called Shivani at the Ashoka hotel, along with her child, so as to permit the other accused to identify her. Later, they went to the Navkunj Apartments in East Delhi where she stayed, so that her location could be known to the killers. Listing details of the telephone calls between the journalist and Sharma, the charge sheet said Shivani had made 50 calls to the senior IPS officer from her New Delhi residence between December 17, 1997, and February 24, 1998. Sharma even used the cellphone of one of his daughters to contact co-accused Sri Bhagwan, it said. Substantiating allegations of their relationship, the charge sheet quoted Sevanti as saying that Shivani was looking depressed, dejected and perturbed in the first week of January, 1999. Though Pradeep was paid an advance amount of Rs 10,000, the rest of the promised sum was paid after the execution of the crime. A day after the crime, Satya Prakash, Sri Bhagwan and Ved Sharma reached Mumbai on January 24 and stayed at Hotel Milan, Santa Cruz, where they took the delivery of Rs 3 lakh from R.K. Sharma, it added. Charging Pradeep with the substantive offence of murder, the charge sheet also rebutted theories of the presence of a second killer on the day.
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CBI Director for action plan on international crimes New Delhi, October 26 Emphasising that breeding grounds of terrorism would have to be identified and understood and suitable counter-measures initiated without compromising the sovereignty of the concerned nation states, Mr Sharma said the core group could lead to increased bilateral and multilateral cooperation and proceedings of the meetings could be circulated among the member-states, according to a CBI press note issued here. The CBI Director also suggested that the core group can help generate a determined international drive against transnational crime, especially, international terrorism. He was addressing the 71st General Assembly Session of the Interpol at Yaounde, Cameroon, recently. Mr Sharma is leading a five-member Indian delegation to the session being held from October 21 to October 24, in which 139 countries are participating. Mr Sharma who is also the head of Interpol, India, said that assured mobility of operators of organised transnational crime and international terrorism should be curtailed by tightening immigration checks/controls, by more comprehensive and prompt dissemination of information about wanted criminals worldwide and introduction of modern methods of interception. Pointing out that there are some countries where fugitives and ring-leaders of transnational crimes establish their bases or safe sanctuaries from where they operate and cause havoc in other countries, he called for identifying and defining the flaws in the legal framework or law enforcement in such countries and taking suitable initiatives to remedy the situation so that the fugitives are flushed out and compelled to face the law. In order to make the Red Corner notices effective instruments in fighting terrorism the Director asked the member countries of Interpol to accord the greatest importance and wanted effective monitoring on a monthly basis by the National Central Bureaux of member countries and Interpol Headquarters of all pending Red Corner notices. Stating that extradition is one of the most important tools used for bringing transnational fugitives to justice, Mr Sharma remarked that extradition is also an area which poses the greatest problem. He said that large number of countries had not entered into extradition treaties and even where such treaties existed, they were mostly embroiled in complicated procedures leading to undue delay in extradition. Mr Sharma emphasised the need for simplifying procedures and expediting the process. He asked the Interpol to draft a model legislation on forfeiture and confiscation of properties acquired through criminal activities and asked for enhancement of such a legislation by all member countries. |
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Conversion ordinance ‘black law’ Chennai, October 26 The DMK, the Congress, the PMK the CPI the CPM and other smaller parties, participated at a public meeting organised by the minority community as the culmination to a statewide fast observed by thousands of Christians, Muslims, Dalits and other minorities. Hindutva and Brahminism were the targets of attack by speakers headed by the DMK leader, Mr M. Karunanidhi. In their view, the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Ms Jayalalithaa, had a “hidden agenda” in sponsoring the ordinance, which was to be considered by the state Assembly next week. Mr Karunanidhi accused the Hindus of discriminating against the Dalits, pointing out that there were notices outside many temples in the state that non-Hindus and lepers would not be allowed inside the premises. “We will not permit sanskrit hegemony,” declared Mr Peter Alphonse, a former MP and senior Congressman. The General Secretary of the Congress, Mr G.K. Vasan, called the ordinance “unwarranted”, especially when so many other burning issues needed to be tackled. A resolution passed at the meeting demanded the withdrawal of the ordinance and a ban on the VHP, the RSS and the Sangh Parivar. Ms Jayalalithaa appears to be in no mood to relent in response to the growing protests, and next week’s debate in the Assembly could be stormy if the Opposition stays in the House to attack the ordinance. In any case, the ruling AIADMK has adequate majority on its own to see through the
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Shourie fears fiscal collapse New Delhi, October 26 “We may have atomic weapons but if we do not manage our governmental finances well, or if we let our foreign exchange reserves slip and have to turn to the IMF, we will be squeezed into submission”, Mr Shourie said while delivering the Field Marshall Cariappa memorial Lecture on ‘Forging a National Will’ here. He said India’s vulnerability was not inspite of the atomic weapons but because of them. “The way the Soviet Union collapsed.. the way Russia and Pakistan can be pressurised today are ready warnings”, Mr Shourie said. He came down heavily on a “dysfunctional” system and weakness of general governance was coming in the way of economic reforms. “Labour reforms, privatisation, financial reforms in the power sector... what have we not announced in the last decade? For which of them have we not in the last decade pledged ourselves to time-bound targets. Yet on everything a 20-metre sprint and
inertia overwhelm us”, the Disinvestment Minister said. He warned that the systemic flaws in general governance could also affect the armed forces. “Can it be that corruption in civilian life will become as pervasive as the very air that we breathe but that affairs touching defence forces will remain pure”, he asked. Drawing an analogy between the railing around a tree and that of the country’s security forces, Mr Shourie said the fence would not be able to save the tree, if the tree had been hollowed by termites from within. “This constitutes the central threat to our security in the coming decades — the
crumbling of the scaffolding of the state— and is the one all of us — soldiers and others — must work together to remedy”, he said. He cautioned that China could take advantage of India’s “acupuncture points” which included the country’s North-East states and progressive Islamisation of Bangladesh. |
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BJP to put
50,000 women on ‘poll duty’ New Delhi, October 26 According to party sources, the Gujarat State Mahila Morcha has decided to have a team of five women workers each for deployment in each of the about 10,000 polling booths whenever elections are held in the state. “If newspaper reports are an indication, the Election Commission is likely to hold elections in Gujarat sometime in the middle of December. So, we are already in the process of forming women groups to help and guide the woman electorate”, a mahila morcha leader said here. She said the process of selection of women for election duty would be completed soon and each woman election duty group would be given a broad guideline so that while extending help to the electorate to vote, they did not violate in any manner the model code of conduct and other Election Commission rules and regulations. These women groups would also be utilised to educate the electorate in the use of electronic voting machines and check any malpractices being indulged in by rival party members or groups, she added. |
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Will PM follow RSS diktat, asks Cong New Delhi, October 26 Mr Sharma said the stand taken by the government had lowered the dignity of the Prime Minister’s office. He said the RSS and its Sangh Parivar affiliates sometimes sought explanation from the Prime Minister and sometimes “reprimanded him.” Calling upon the NDA allies to make their stand clear on the issue, Mr Sharma said the allies were behaving as “mere servile subordinates” of the BJP. Mr Sharma gave no clear answer to questions about response of the Congress to the Samajwadi Party’s appeal to try and form an alternative to the besieged Mayawati government in Uttar Pradesh. Asked about the Supreme Court strictures against Karnataka Chief Minister S.M. Krishna on the Cauvery issue, Mr Sharma said the Supreme Court had not indicted him but made certain observations. |
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Dilip Kumar in Ghai’s next film Mumbai, October 26 This will be Ghai’s first directorial venture after the “Yaadein” that did not fare well at the box office. Ghai said his new film was a big-budget multi-starrer and that he had completed scripting it. “I have yet to complete the final sketching of my characters in detail. This is the best script I have ever got and the audience is in for many surprises,” he added.
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