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Wednesday,
December 25, 2002, Chandigarh, India  
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Farooq,
Mamata likely to join Cabinet Quota for
STs: Sonia writes to Advani
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Domicile
issue rocks Jharkhand Assembly Sajjan’s
acquittal to be challenged in HC 1 dies in violence in Vadodara India to
head Conference on Disarmament Suspect’s
blood sample taken in rape case Naga
leaders’ visit postponed NDRI
project for Lalukheri village
Book on
military law released SI
shoots at senior, gets remand
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Farooq, Mamata likely
to join Cabinet New Delhi, December 24 An expansion is ruled out in the first 27 days of the next month because of the tight schedule of the Prime Minister in January, sources said adding that the Union Cabinet reshuffle would take place before the Budget session of Parliament. Mr Vajpayee has not yet fully applied his mind, but the induction of Dr Abdullah is almost a foregone conclusion with the Prime Minister forwarding Mr Omar Abdullah’s resignation as Minister of State for External Affairs to President
A.P.J. Abdul Kalam and the latter accepting it. Sources said the Prime Minister was seriously thinking of bringing in BJP General Secretary Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi into his Cabinet for sending a positive signal to the minorities but that would not in any case mean the dropping of Syed Shahnawaz Hussein. In view of the Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections next year, the party high command is also thinking of shifting Union Coal Minister Uma Bharti to the state for leading the party
campaign. Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee’s inclusion has been pending for a very long time and along with it some more faces will be brought into the government. The Prime Minister would have expanded his Council of Ministers earlier but for his heavy schedule early next year. Mr Vajpayee is travelling to Bangalore on January 2 for two days to inaugurate the National Science Congress. He also has to travel to Andamans and Cochin next month. |
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Quota for STs: Sonia writes to Advani New Delhi, December 24 In a letter to Mr Advani, she said the Government of India, vide Ministry of Home Affairs notification dated October 14, 1955, had declared that the percentage of reservation prescribed for recruitment of Scheduled Tribes on an all-India basis should be followed in Delhi. “The BJP government of Delhi headed by Mr Sahib Singh
Verma, however, decided to withhold this provision for reservation for Scheduled Tribes for recruitment to posts under the Government of NCT of Delhi. Subsequently, in keeping with the commitment of the Congress for the welfare of the Scheduled Tribes, the Delhi Government under Mrs Sheila Dikshit resolved to revive and continue the reservation for Scheduled Tribes as was being done earlier,” Mrs Gandhi said. She said despite the unambiguous decision of the Congress government in Delhi, it was a matter of distress that the Home Ministry had advised the state government that the execution of the decision should be kept in abeyance. “We are informed that the Ministry of Home Affairs has referred the matter to the Attorney-General even when the opinion of the Law Ministry was already available. In the absence of a clear decision by the Government of India, the matter has already been pending for more than a year,” the Leader of the Opposition said. |
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Domicile issue rocks Jharkhand Assembly Ranchi, December 24 The Opposition Jharkhand Mukti Morcha and the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) raised the issues as soon as the House sat, demanding a definition of local residents from the government. Repeated pleas by Speaker Inder Singh Namdhari failed to pacify the agitated members, who continued to raise slogans denigrating the government and demanding a categorical statement on the matter from the Chief Minister. The Speaker had to adjourn the House for 10 minutes. When the House re-assembled, Chief Minister Babulal Marandi informed members regarding the all-party meeting called on December 26 to evolve a consensus on the definition of local residents who were to be extended preference in the Class III and Class IV grade government jobs. Mr Marandi also informed members about the decision taken at a hurriedly convened meeting of leaders of various political parties during the adjournment to hold a special debate on extremism on December 28. The issue of extremism was raised on the floor by Congress Legislature Party leader Furkan Ansari describing as “unfortunate” a statement reportedly made by state Director-General of Police that “night patrolling would be not be conducted in the Naxal-hit areas.” However, the RJD members, who had been demanding the constitution of the Scheduled Caste Development Corporation, finding no mention of their demand in the Chief Minister’s statement, trooped into the well describing the government as “anti-Dalit” and charging it with having failed to initiate positive steps for the uplift of the weaker sections. The agitated RJD members even sat on dharna inside the well in support of their demand. After a while, these members returned to their respective seats on the Speaker’s request, although they continued to raise the issue. However, amid the din, the Speaker called for a debate on the second supplementary Budget, extending the pre-lunch sitting of the House up to 2.15 p.m. The second supplementary Budget, to the tune of over Rs 198 crore, was later adopted by a voice vote.
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Kalam, PM extend
Xmas greetings New Delhi, December 24 |
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Sajjan’s acquittal to be challenged in HC New Delhi, December 24 Leaders of various Sikh groups are planning to hold a meeting in the Capital tomorrow to decide on the strategy. A group of Sikh leaders have also planned to hold a demonstration outside the residence of Congress President Ms Sonia Gandhi, tomorrow to express their anger. Delhi unit president of the SAD, Mr Avtar Singh Hit, said the decision of the court to acquit the Congress leader and 12 others was “undemocratic” as rioters had brazenly violated the human rights of minorities. “There was substantial evidence and everybody knew the hand of Congress leaders in inciting violence against the Sikhs. But they have been let free,” he said. Additional Sessions Judge Manju Goel yesterday acquitted all accused in the case saying that the prosecution has failed to produce enough evidence to link Sajjan Kumar and other, accused to the killing of Sikhs in the aftermath of the assassination of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1984. Stating that the prosecution has failed to prove the commissioning of the offence by Sajjan Kumar and others, the Judge observed that there were serious contradictions in the statements of witnesses produced by the investigating agency. Only three witnesses had been examined and there were lots of flaws in their testimony, the Judge said. The case against Sajjan Kumar was instituted on a complaint by Anwar Kaur, who had alleged that a mob instigated by him killed her husband in the Sultanpuri area in West Delhi on November 1, 1984, a day after Indira Gandhi’s assassination. The Judiciary had earlier acquitted another Congress leader, Mr H.K.L. Bhagat, in the riot case. |
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1 dies in violence in Vadodara
Vadodara, December 24 The police said the deceased, a 55-year-old man, was killed in stone-throwing. The victim, who was reportedly riding a two-wheeler, was shifted to a nearby hospital where he was declared brought dead. The police used teargas shells to disperse members of two communities who indulged in arson and stone-pelting. The violence, which started around 9.20 pm at
Mehboobpura, soon spread to Ansari and Mali Mohallas localities. The mobs, which set a couple of scooters ablaze, also made an abortive attempt to set afire a house, the police said. The situation was, however, brought under control after an hour with the arrival of a heavy contingent of central
para-military forces. No arrests have been made so far. UNI |
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India to head Conference on Disarmament New Delhi, December 24 Issues like Fissile Material Control Treaty (FMCT) and prevention of arms race in outer space are likely to be discussed at the conference, sources in the Ministry of External Affairs said today. Asked if contentious issues like North Korea-Pakistan nuclear nexus and Pyongyang’s recent act of dismantling monitoring equipment from its nuclear facilities would come up, sources said it was a hardcore negotiating body and not a talking show. It was the sole multilateral negotiating forum on disarmament where decisions were always by consensus. The body had set the agenda for the first UN Session on Disarmament in 1978. India’s Ambassador to the Conference on Disarmament, Rakesh Sood, will be functioning as its president during its January sitting. |
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Suspect’s blood sample taken in rape case New Delhi, December 24 Metropolitan Magistrate Bharat Parashar had on December 20 ordered the DNA test of Rahul after his counsel Ajay Digpaul said he did not have any objection to the prosecution plea. Co-accused Amit was taken to Safdarjung Hospital for ossification test to ascertain if he was a minor after his counsel S.K. Sharma claimed that he was a juvenile. Both reports were likely to be submitted to the court by January 4, the next date of hearing in the case. Rahul and Amit are in judicial custody while two other accused are at Juvenile Observation Home. Ashok, who was arrested for allegedly giving shelter to Rahul, has been released on bail. The sixth accused, Mohan Lal, from whom the cell phone of the victim was recovered, is also in judicial custody after a sessions court rejected his bail plea on December 11.
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Naga leaders’ visit postponed New Delhi, December 24 The sources attributed logistical reasons to the availability of the top Indian leaders for the talks, besides Isak and Muivah getting their travel documents and air tickets. The sources said the two Naga leaders, who would be coming here from Europe, would be given Indian travel documents. This will be their first visit to India in the past 30 years for negotiations to resolve the decades-old Naga insurgency problem. While Muivah, who already possesses an Indian passport, is expected to arrive from the Hague, Isak and three others have been issued passports by the Indian mission in Oslo and will arrive here from the Norwegian capital, the sources said. The meeting between the Naga delegation and Mr Vajpayee will also be attended by Mr L.K. Advani. |
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There was no time for marriage: PM
New Delhi, December 24 The poet-politician also says that what he misses most, now that he is the Prime Minister, is “a life without responsibility (fakkadpan).” He says he joined politics through poetry. On the eve of Mr Vajpayee’s 78th birthday tomorrow, Minister of State in the PMO Vijay Goel, who has been associated with him for 25 years, has compiled unknown facets of his personality.
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NDRI project for Lalukheri village Muzzaffarnagar, December 24 Ms Anuradha Chaudhary, Minister for PWD (Uttar Pradesh), while inaugurating the project stressed that rural economy could further be geared up through scientific dairy farming. She stated that the project was initiated in six districts of UP for which Rs 4.90 crore would be spent. Mr Chaudhary said the project had been undertaken under the leadership of Mr Ajit Singh, Union Minister of Agriculture. Dr Nagendra Sharma, Director, NDRI, said as compared to agriculture dairy farming provided regular income to rural families. The Director said under the project breeds of dairy animals would be improved and dairy farms would be planned on scientific lines. Dr N. Balaraman, Joint Director (Research), NDRI, said the project would be undertaken in other areas also. Dr Ram Chand, nodal officer and head, dairy extension, said a large number of technologies had been developed for animal breeding, feeding, management and milk processing. He stressed that these technologies should be adopted by the farmers. Dr Omvir Singh Kokhar, Dr Khajan Singh, Dr S.K. Jha, Dr Ashwani Sharma and Mr Dalip K. Gosain, scientists of the NDRI were behind the launching of the project. On the occasion a cattle show and an exhibition was also organised. |
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Book on military law released New Delhi, December 24 Releasing a book titled ‘Case Studies on Military Law’, authored by Maj-Gen Nilendra Kumar, Judge Advocate-General (Army) Lt-Gen Vij said there was need for such procedures to be followed. “The book will serve as a useful reference material in the units and formations, helping the officers prepare for professional courses,” the Vice-Chief of Army Staff said. The book is the first of its kind containing detailed analyses of procedural and statutory errors noticed in the processing of legal and disciplinary cases in the Army. The illustrations are based on actual instances pertaining to different aspects concerning disciplinary action. The situations highlighted relate to the duties in peace as well as combat situations. A special feature of the book is its focus on human rights, defence procurement procedures and investigation processes. It is the fifth book on military law by General Kumar. The foreword to the book has been written by Chairperson of the Law Commission of India M. Jagannadha Rao who has described it as the need of the hour and help for those who administer military law. Meanwhile, General Vij also flagged off a 13-member Army team for the 22nd Antarctic Expedition. The team, headed by Capt Kumar Parkram, will leave Mumbai for Cape Town on January 6. The team will sail for the Antarctic from Cape Town the following day. The expedition will last 16 months. |
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SI shoots at senior, gets remand Mumbai, December 24 Bhoir was arrested on December 16 and remanded in police custody till yesterday. Reportedly enraged over a memorandum issued to him by senior police inspector H.S. Saeed for not registering an FIR of a complainant, Bhoir allegedly entered his cabin and shot at him.
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