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Friday,
February 7, 2003, Chandigarh, India  
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Private carriers to fly to SAARC countries 3 new hold areas created Mann writes to Pak Embassy |
Cops beat up Shankaracharya |
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Centre’s move belated: VHP Protests against killing of Army man |
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Karnataka told to release water BJP defends Centre’s move on temple Muslim bodies flay Ayodhya move Plea opposing oil PSUs
divestment dismissed Editors Guild to hold seminar Three acquitted of murder India not allowed to use bases: Iran USEFI offers fellowships CMs’ conference tomorrow
Sahara to launch news channel
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Private carriers to fly to SAARC countries New Delhi, February 6 While making a departure from the earlier government policy, the ministry is working on the finer details of the proposal and is likely to bring it forward for the Cabinet clearance soon. Civil Aviation Minister Syed Shahnawaz Hussain said here last night that this proposal would facilitate travel to the SAARC countries, specially for tourism purpose. “The Cabinet guidance will be sought for this. There are many places in the SAARC countries where there is a demand for flights due to tourism factors. These can be served by the private airlines.” Asked whether this would clash with civil aviation policy which disallows private carriers from flying on international routes, the minister said the policy could be always changed if the government so wished. The SAARC countries include Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, the Maldives and Pakistan. At present, Pakistani airspace is not open to Indian planes. Asked whether allowing the private carriers to fly overseas would affect the interests of Indian Airlines, which makes most of its money from international flying, the minister said a decision would be taken in the larger interest of tourism. He said the proposal for allowing domestic private carriers to fly to the SAARC countries had not yet been formally prepared by his ministry. The final proposal would take into consideration all factors which would protect the interests of the national carriers. Meanwhile, the Civil Aviation Minister has set up a committee to look into the rationalisation of routes of Indian Airlines and Air-India to bring more synergy in operations of the two carriers. This is being done as Indian Airlines is operating on many non-profitable routes. Also, the two carriers are flying to some of the same international destinations. Mr Hussain said the committee would be headed by the Additional Secretary in the ministry, Mr V. Subramanian, and would include the two Joint Secretaries in charge of the two airlines. The Managing Directors of Air-India and Indian Airlines would make presentations to the committee. |
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3 new hold areas created New Delhi, February 6 Civil Aviation Minister Syed Shahnawaz Hussain said yesterday that the three new hold areas had been created as part of the security measures. "A high-level committee was set up after the incident and it was decided to replace the Papa Lima hold area in the capital by three new hold areas in Uttar Pradesh and Haryana where aircraft can linger on if the skies are congested", he added. Speaking to reporters, Mr Hussain said there would be no hold area for aircrafts in Delhi's VVIP area. India has also decided to lodge a formal complaint with the International Civil Aviation Organisation(ICAO) about the Karachi Air Traffic Control giving wrong direction to an American Boeing 757 which flew over prohibited area in Mumbai on Monday, he said. Mr Hussain said the Karachi ATC misguided the crew of the Boeing 757, owned by the Conco company, which was why the aircraft flew over the N 519 flight path which was prohibited between 6 am and 6 pm. |
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Mann writes to Pak Embassy New Delhi, February 6 Mr Mann has requested the Deputy High Commissioner of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Mr Jilani, to allow one of the four Shiromani Gurdawara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) members of his party to visit jails in Pakistan where the Sikh youths have been kept. The Akali leader has requested Mr Jilani to grant SGPC members permission to use the land route through Wagah to verify the authenticity of news reports that Sikhs are being coaxed to convert to Islam. A member of the Consultative Committee, Ministry of External Affairs, Mr Mann has requested the Deputy High Commissioner to expeditiously repatriate 22 Sikhs from various jails in Pakistan to Punjab in India. While drawing the attention of Mr Jilani to the plight of the youths languishing in jails in Kot Lakhpat and Quetta, Baluchistan, the Akali leader has stated that these youths have been duped by unscrupulous travel agents. The letter also mentions names of youths from various places in Punjab. According to the list, Mahinder Pal Singh (Marnarian), Harminder Singh (Goraya village) and Kehar Singh (Begowal village) from Hoshiarpur district, Gurpreet Singh (Rounta village) and Kuldip Singh (Bhatnoora village) from Jalandhar disrict and Shiv Kumar from Kanour village in Nawanshahar are in the Kot Lakhpat jail. The 16 youths in Quetta jail belong to various districts in Punjab and Haryana. Names spelt out in the letter are as follows: Inderjit Singh from Brara Gurdev village and Sukhwinder Singh from Milk Shekha village in Ambala, Gurnam Singh from Gari Kanungon and Amarjeet Singh from Danowal Khurd villages in Hoshiarpur district, Gurmeet Singh from Timberpur village in Fatehgarh Sahib, Satnam Singh from Sohal district in Gurdaspur, Balwinder Singh from Nawarsi village in Kurukshetra, Karam Singh from Malliana village in Moga, Surjit Lal from Kataria village and Harmesh Singh in Jandel Khurad village in Nawan Shehar, Rajwinder Singh from Ajrawar in Patiala, Surjit Singh from Bakhli village, Surjit Singh from Talli village and Bachitar Singh from Pehowa, Rakesh Singh from Kashmir Garh and Surinder Singh from Mallan Wali village in Yamunanagar. |
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Centre’s move belated: VHP New Delhi, February 6 “The government knew that the ‘Dharam Sansad’ meeting in New Delhi from February 22-24 would be taking some harsh decisions but despite that its approaching the court so late raises doubts. “We don’t think it would be possible to get the stay vacated, dispose off Aslam Bhure’s writ petition and hand over the land for temple construction before February 22,” VHP Senior Vice-President Acharya Giriraj Kishore told newspersons here. Acharya Kishore said he cannot say with what intention the government had moved the court but “it is better late than never. If the government and the court want, everything can be expedited.” Asked whether the VHP would consider extending the deadline in view of the government’s fresh initiative, he replied in the negative and said, “if any concrete thing comes up, the Dharam Sansad would think over it.” Recalling that the VHP was “deceived” by the government last time, Mr Kishore said, “this time it would be ‘aar paar ki ladai (now or never battle). We will not go for lollypops.” On the Kanchi seer’s mediation efforts, he said. “the Shankaracharya is trying to solve the problem. We respect him but there is no question of any mediation as he failed last time and it has become irrelevant. We don’t want him to get humiliated.” On the Kanchi Shankaracharya’s counsel to the VHP to tone down their “aggressive tone” on the Ayodhya issue, Mr Kishore said, “all elders are in the habit of advising restraint.” On what transpired at the meeting between the seer and VHP Supremo Ashok Singhal, he said, “the Shankaracharya agreed to our stand.” Denying there were any talks going on between the government and the VHP, the VHP leader said, “The government wanted the VHP to go to court but we refused. No they have gone to court. I can only say better late than never.” |
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Protests against killing of Army man Patna, February 6 Senior police officials have been asked to probe the encounter and submit a report as early as possible”, Home Secretary B.K. Haldar said. Meanwhile, the state government accorded full state honours to the killed Army man, who was cremated yesterday. The RJD chief Mr Laloo Prasad Yadav has assured the family of the victim that guilty police officials would be punished after the probe report is submitted, officials said. Students’ organisations and political parties staged demonstrations in the state capital in protest against the “fake” encounter. Various parties have given a bandh call for tomorrow in Poliganj in this regard. |
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Karnataka told to release water New Delhi, February 6 The interim order of the court given by a three-judge Bench comprising Justice R.C. Lahoti, Justice Y.K. Sabharwal and Justice Arijit Pasayat came even as Karnataka had expressed its willingness only to release 1,200 cusecs of water daily. Expressing hope that the February 10 meeting of the CRA would "positively arrive at a decision", the Bench said "We direct Karnataka to release sufficient water from its reservoirs so as to ensure an average inflow of 4,500 cusecs of water per day at Mettur reservoir in Tamil Nadu amounting to 0.4 tmcft water per day." The Bench also acceded to the Attorney General Soli Sorabjee's request that the decision of the Prime Minister be given the sanctity of the court order. The court, after passing the interim order directing Karnataka to release 4,500 cusecs of water, said the CRA meeting would be positively held on February 10.
PTI |
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BJP defends Centre’s move on temple New Delhi, February 6 "The vexed issue is being used by the Opposition to divert the people’s minds from the real ones and create obstacles on the path of development. The government’s move is an honest initiative to resolve the age-old dispute," party spokesman Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi observed after inaugurating a two-day meeting of the Kisan Morcha’s National Executive here. Expressing hope the government’s move would accelerate the process of settling the vexed tangle, Mr Naqvi said a similar request was made earlier at the Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court, which is dealing with the title suit of the case. "This is part of the accepted agenda of the NDA that the matter should be resolved either through the courts or although a dialogue between the two communities," he said appealing to all political parties to rise to the occasion beyond narrow political considerations and stand unitedly behind the efforts of the Central Government on this sensitive issue. Asked whether the timing of the government’s move to expedite the case was aimed at reaping political benefits in the ensuing Assembly polls, especially in Himachal Pradesh, the BJP leader said "timing is not at all important ... the Opposition will in any case object to any decision to resolve the age-old problem. Why do they observe December 6 each year as black or red day?" To a question whether the government was under pressure from any quarter, he said "we are under no pressure from either the VHP or the Babri Masjid Action Committee. We want to resolve the issue as soon as possible". Mr Naqvi said the BJP "welcomes the steps being taken by the government, including the move to approach the Supreme Court, as also the good offices of Kanchi Shankaracharya Jayendra Saraswati to resolve the issue. We do not want the so-called secular parties to keep creating tension by using such issues for political purposes". Addressing the Kisan Morcha, he said the issue of illegal immigration affected the development of the country and charged the erstwhile non-BJP governments for not having taken any steps to prevent it. |
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Muslim bodies flay Ayodhya move New Delhi, February 6 “The Acquisition Act of 1993, the Supreme Court Order of October, 1994, and the latest order of the apex court in March, 2002, bar any such transfer,” Syed Shahbuddin, All-India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat leader, said in a statement here. “Since the VHP wants to commence the construction of the proposed mandir in accordance with their existing site-plan, which admittedly covers the disputed area including the Babri Masjid site, any construction on its basis is unlawful,” he stated. |
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Plea opposing oil PSUs divestment dismissed New Delhi, February 6 “The findings of the Supreme Court in the Balco case comes in way of this petition,” a Bench comprising Justice Usha Mehra and Justice Pradeep Nandrajog said while dismissing the petition as withdrawn. The Bench observed that the petition was not maintainable as the questions raised were the same as those in the Balco case which were discussed threadbare by the apex court. “We are bound by the Supreme Court findings in the Balco case,” the Bench said giving choice to petitioner’s counsel Arun Maitri to withdraw the writ. The Federation of All-India Petroleum Traders (FAIPT) had challenged the government’s decision to go ahead with the disinvestment of profit-making oil PSUs on the ground that Parliament was bypassed and views of the Disinvestment Commission were not obtained. Solicitor General Kirit Raval and advocate Naveen Chawla appeared on behalf of the government to oppose the petition which alleged that the issue of national interest was not considered while taking decision on the two PSUs.
PTI |
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Editors Guild to hold seminar New Delhi, February 6 "The seminar will have two important foci. The first will be the need to amend the draconian Contempt of Courts Act of 1971, which is often used to stifle even legitimate reportage and comments. The second will be the institution of defamation cases against editors and journalists at places far away from where their publications come out, and the refusal of the courts to grant them exemption from personal appearance", the President of the Editors Guild and Editor of The Tribune, Mr Hari Jaisingh, said in a statement. To facilitate the holding of the seminar and initiate and coordinate follow-up action, the guild has constituted a committee with Mr Hiranmay Karlekar, Consultant Editor, The Pioneer as the convener. The committee will include the following: Mr Alok Mehta (Editor of Hindi Outlook and Secretary General of Editors Guild), Mr Ajit Bhattacharjea (Press Institute of India), Mr N. Ravi (The Hindu), Mr Mammen Mathew (Malayala Manorama), Mr M.J. Akbar (Asian Age), Mr Shekhar Gupta (Indian Express), Mr T.N. Ninan (Business Standard), Dr Chandan Mitra (The Pioneer), Mr Ashoke Dasgupta (Aajkaal), Mr Sumit Chakravartty (Mainstream), Mr A.N. Mishra (Lokmat), Mr Aakar Patel (Mid Day), Mr Anant Dixit (Sakal), Mr Kundan Viyas (Janambhumi) and Mr Zahid Ali Khan (Siasat Daily). |
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Three acquitted of murder New Delhi, February 6 "I am of the considered opinion that the prosecution has not been able to establish its case against the accused for want of evidence. Hence they are entitled for an acquittal," Additional Sessions Judge R.K. Yadav said. In his dying declaration recorded by the Investigating Officer, deceased Neetu had alleged that Ram Bharosey, his wife Bhagwan Devi and Virender Singh bolted him inside their house and burnt him on December 15, 1993, after pouring kerosene on him through the grill of the window. Defence counsel Harish Khanna and Rakesh Gupta had questioned the reliability of the dying declaration, saying the prosecution failed to explain as to how the kerosene lamp, its wick and matchbox were found inside the room when the oil was poured through the window.
PTI |
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India not allowed to use bases: Iran New Delhi, February 6 “The constitution of the Islamic republic of Iran does not give permission to the armed forces of foreign countries to use its land, space and ports,” an Iranian Embassy note said here while rebutting the report of a website of Defence News. The report claimed that New Delhi and Teheran had signed an agreement under which India had been given the right to use Iranian bases for operations against Pakistan. The Indian Government has already rubbished the report. |
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USEFI offers fellowships New Delhi, February 6 Designed to give scholars from 17 eligible countries, including India, an opportunity for research in international public policy in areas such as economic cooperation, education and culture, human rights, international law and peace and security at the CIC, the 10-month grant is jointly sponsored by the US Department of State and the
CIC. |
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CMs’
conference tomorrow New Delhi, February 6 The conference will also discuss the recommendations made during the conference of Directors General/Inspector Generals of Police and Chief Secretaries on internal security matters. The DG/IGs conference was a prelude to the Chief Ministers’ conference. |
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Sahara to launch news channel New Delhi, February 6 Head of Sahara TV, Sumit Roy told TNS on the 25th anniversary of the Sahara group that the expansion plans include launch of a 24-hour Hindi national news channel and 31 city-based Hindi news channels including channels from six places in Uttar Pradesh and National Capital Region (NCR) by the end of this month. Mr Roy said Sahara plans to bring out Urdu dailies (Sahara Roznama) from Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai and Patna. The group already publishes Urdu dailies from Delhi, Gorakhpur and Lucknow. |
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Cops beat up Shankaracharya
Allahabad, February 6 |
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HAL, French units ink pacts
Bangalore, February 6 |
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