 |
Monday,
April 21, 2003, Chandigarh, India  
|
George
draws flak for suspending 3 MLAs India has
ability to join select groups: Lord Paul
Advani rejects two-nation theory |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
BJP hopes
for positive response to PM’s offer Bajrang Dal to intensify ‘trishul diksha’ 24 articles found, excavation continues Maya scales down offensive against Oppn Cong
meeting on Fatehabad bypoll today Move for
third front in Bihar Swami
blasts Uma Woman
acquitted in murder case Accused’s
DNA found on exhibit Shantaram
Awards go global SC
reduces ASI’s jail term in murder case ULFA
militant surrenders
|
|
George draws flak for suspending 3 MLAs New Delhi, April 20 In a four-page letter delivered at Mr Fernandes’ residence yesterday a few hours before his scheduled departure for Beijing, the Lok Sabha MPs Raghunath Jha from Gopalganj and Brahmanand Mandal from Munger demanded their party chief’s resignation. Criticising Mr Fernandes for suspending two Bihar MLAs — Mr Ganesh Paswan and Bhai Virender and one MLC P.K. Sinha, they said such arbitrary action had come as a jolt to them. The MPs alleged that Mr Fernandes had acted in an unconstitutional, undemocratic and dictatorial manner on the directions of his party and Cabinet Colleague Nitish Kumar. Addressing mediapersons here on this afternoon, Mr Jha and Mr Mandal threatened to intensify their stir if the
suspension of the three legislators was not revoked. They said they would take the matter to court and draw the attention of the Election Commission to the attempts to muffle democratic voices within the party. They said that it was not proper to suspend the legislators without serving show cause notices to them. Describing Mr Fernandes as “a weak and helpless leader,” the MPs said none of them would now believe that Mr Fernandes had opposed dictatorship during Emergency and raised his voice against corruption. They alleged that Mr Fernandes had surrendered completely to Railway Minister Nitish Kumar’s will. Mr Jha’s recent removal from the post of Bihar unit chief by Mr Fernandes is also said to have been done on the directions of Mr Nitish Kumar. |
|
India has ability to join select groups: Lord Paul New Delhi, April 20 “India should move more speedily along the path of privatisation, tax reforms and reduction of corruption, if it wants to become a developed country,” Lord Paul, an NRI industrialist from Jalandhar said yesterday, while delivering the second annual lecture of the Society of Indian Law Firms on — India: Clearing the Path for Global Greatness. Stating that India has the ability to join the select group of developed nations, Lord Paul emphasised on bringing transparency, accountability and moral responsibility in governance. London-based Lord Paul listed the “obstacles” on the road to global greatness as debt burden, social matters, high trade tariff and the issue of attracting private, including foreign investment, besides privatisation, tax reforms and corruption. “With the political courage and some help from friends in the international community, India can conquer these bugbears,” he said. Lord Paul, an Ambassador for British business, asserted that India had all potential to become a developed country as it had the necessary resources to continue its remarkable path of economic growth and the manpower and human capital to harness and use those resources towards productive ends. “But in order for that attitude to translate into something real, this country must move on and deal with its problems as quickly as possible,” he said. Among the eminent personalities present on the occasion were; Lord Williams, the leader of House of Lords in Britain, L.M. Singhvi, MP, Attorney-General Soli Sorabjee, British High Commissioner in India Rob Young, Tribune Trust Chairman and former Chief Justice of India R.S. Pathak and ambassadors of various European countries. |
|
Advani rejects two-nation theory
New Delhi, April 20 Mr Advani also asserted that divided India did not face the prospect of any further division. “Nations which are multi-lingual, multi-religious and which are exerting to become viable nation states, in their case the right of self-determination cannot be confined to a certain language or a certain religion. “If they do that the consequences would be disintegration of that nation,” Mr Advani said at a book release function here. Referring to the two-nation theory which was propagated by Pakistan’s Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the Deputy Prime Minister said: “This feeling may be weaker among some sections of the Muslim community, but they too are fast realising that they have no choice but to live here, work here and get integrated into the national mainstream.” He said: “The tragic Partition of India has brought no change in this self-definition of Indian nationhood. Neither Pakistan nor Bangladesh or for that matter any other Islamic nation in the world is a role model for them”. Observing that religious freedom had always been guaranteed in secular India, Mr Advani said with passage of time, Indian Muslims were bound to get more and more integrated into the broader Indian society. The Deputy Prime Minister observed that there would always be majority and minority communities, but the important thing was to ensure that the two lived in harmony and cooperation without fear of insecurity and persecution. Stating that a demand for repeal of the IMDT in Assam was justified, he alleged that the Congress had brought in the law for a specific purpose under popular pressure but deliberately framed it in such a manner so as to subvert that very purpose.
PTI |
|
BJP hopes for positive
response to PM’s offer New Delhi, April 20 Addressing mediapersons here this afternoon, BJP President Mr Venkaiah Naidu endorsed Mr Vajpayee’s views that the sincerity of Pakistan’s response depended on whether it ended its policy of cross-border terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir. Mr Naidu drew attention to the overwhelming response to the Prime Minister’s rally in Srinagar despite a ‘hartal’ call by the Hurriyat Conference. He said the enthusiastic response of Kashmiris to the rally, addressed by a Prime Minister after a gap of 16 years, showed that the situation in the valley was changing for the better. “Ordinary people long ago fed up with terror and violence unleashed from the other side of the border have begun to visibly assert themselves, leading to the rapid isolation of Pak-supported militant elements. The BJP fully endorses the Prime Minister’s view that all problems can be resolved peacefully on the basis of the three principles of Insaniyat (humanism), Jamhooriyat (democracy) and Kashmiriyat (Kashmir’s age-old culture of Hindu-Muslim unity),” he said. |
|
Bajrang Dal to intensify ‘trishul diksha’ Jaipur, April 20 “Bajrang Dal activists would come on the streets to fight against the pseudo-secular forces trying to appease Muslims by hurting Hindus”, its national convener Prakash Sharma told reporters. Asserting that carrying of tridents was a religious right of every Hindu and the ban on it would not be tolerated, he said ‘trishul diksha’ would be held at village level throughout the country during July-August to strengthen Hindutva. Mr Sharma said the Bajrang Dal would replace its slogan ‘jo Hindu ka hit karega, voh desh mein raj karega’ (those who benefit Hindus, would rule the country) with ‘trishul bantega, desh bachega (tridents will be distributed, country will be saved). The Bajrang Dal would not let any party to come to power which opposes Hindutva, he warned.
PTI |
|
24 articles found, excavation continues
Ayodhya, April 20 The articles were found in trench J-7, sources said. Twentyfour articles were found in 17 trenches, they said. While an iron rod, a broken decorated terracota piece were found in trenches F-7, G-6, G-7, E-7 and E-9 situated south of the makeshift structure, digging in three new trenches in the west of the structure continued today.
PTI |
|
Maya scales down offensive against Oppn
Lucknow, April 20 No arrest should be made unless courts issue directions in this regard, she told mediapersons yesterday. On Friday, an Etawah court rejected an FIR against Sukhdev Paliwal, manager of an inter-college, and ordered his release. The Chief Minister directed officials to conduct an impartial probe and not to harass innocent persons while collecting evidence. Staying the arrest of SP leader Amar Singh, the Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court said the judiciary would see to it that the rule of law prevailed in the state. Mr Justice Vishnu Sahay pulled up the state’s Advocate-General S.C. Mira and asked if there was any rule of law in the state. “It seems the police is ruling the state. They could arrest anybody any time. They could even arrest judges on flimsy grounds,” Mr Justice Sahay observed.
PTI |
|
Cong meeting on Fatehabad bypoll today New Delhi, April 20 The Congress leadership is considering various names being suggested for party candidate and is seeking opinion of senior party leaders from the state. The PCC chief, Mr Bhajan Lal, told The Tribune that party’s candidate would be declared after April 24. Meanwhile, Ms Kidwai would address a rally of Gujjars at Pathankot tomorrow. |
|
Move for third front in Bihar Patna, April 20 The left coordination committee meeting deliberated over the need for the formation of a third front in Bihar to launch a mass movement to overthrow the RJD government and fight the communal politics of the
BJP, CPI state secretary Jalaluddin Ansari said. At the meeting, the Left leaders emphasised on the need to launch a movement at the grassroot to mobilise peoples’ support against the Rabri Devi ministry’s “misrule” and expose the “communal politics” of the
BJP, he said. PTI |
|
Swami blasts Uma
Tikamgarh (MP), April 20 “By offering a cake to Lord Hanuman and offering ‘aarti’ with a candle, Uma has hurt the feeling of Hindus all over the country”, he said here. “It was also inappropriate for Uma to have entered the sanctum sanctorum of Hanuman Temple at Jam Sanwri since women are barred from going there”, he said, adding “such people do not have anything to do with Hindus but are only interested in grabbing power by taking the name of Hindu culture, cow or
Hindutva”. PTI |
|
Woman acquitted in murder case New Delhi, April 20 This “creates” very serious doubt in the case of prosecution as to her involvement in the attack on one Jaspal Singh with a blunt weapon on August 10, 1992 in which six members of her family were “roped in”. The incident was a result of “caste rivalry”, the prosecution had alleged. The court said the blunt weapon — bankri — recovered by the police after four days, on chemical examination, had shown the “absence” of any blood stain on it. The doctor, who examined the victim’s body, had given contradictory report about the injury allegedly to have been caused to him with the bankri, it observed. While the eyewitnesses stated that the blunt injury was caused by the woman on deceased’s left ear lobe, the doctor opined that a “lacerated injury” was found on the head, which could have been caused by the bankri, the court said disbelieving the evidence. |
|
Accused’s DNA found on exhibit
New Delhi, April 20 The DNA fingerprint on a personal object of the victim showed a mixed profile, which was of the victim and Rahul, the report submitted by the Hyderabad-based Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics (CDFD) said. “The analysis is sufficient to conclude that the biological fluid present on the sample is that of Rahul alias Budh Prakash,” the DNA signature report said. The report, presented in the court yesterday also said the accused could not be excluded from being responsible for the presence of his biological fluid on the exhibit. The report got delayed because the slide smeared with the victim’s bodily fluid obtained at the time of awarding the medico legal certificate did not yield any DNA. This slide along with Rahul’s blood sample was sent for the DNA analysis on December 26 last year, but after it failed to yield any DNA, the latest exhibit was sent on March 3 this year. The rape of the fourth-year medical student on November 15 last year at the historic Khooni Darwaza near Police Headquarters on the busy Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg had rocked the capital and cast a doubt on the efficacy of the Delhi police.
UNI |
|
Shantaram Awards go global
New Delhi, April 20 The award is considered very special by the film fraternity due to its unique feature of not being restricted to any particular Indian language. However, from this year, a foreign best film category has also been added, says Rahul Shantaram, president, Rajkamal Academy of Cinematic Excellence (RACE). The criterion for being eligible in this category is that the film must either be an original English film or any other foreign language film dubbed in English and released in India in its English version, explains Rahul, grandson of the late Dr V Shantaram. The Indian Oscars, as the awards are generally called, were strictly an inhouse affair till now. But from this year on, they are all set to become a public affair with their screening planned to be shown on the television in May, says Shantaram. The awards were instituted in 1993 by the V. Shantaram Foundation with the aim of introducing an award for the industry. Later, film industry veterans got together and formed RACE. The judges on the panel of RACE are from all regions to give it a national outlook and includes Bobby Bedi, Sunil Gavaskar, Rajdeep Sardesai etc. Till now, they were being internally sponsored, but Rahul says the scale of the academy and the award has increased many times.
PTI |
|
SC reduces ASI’s jail term in murder case New Delhi, April 20 Reducing the life sentence to five years’ jail term, a Bench comprising Mr Justice N. Santosh Hegde and Mr Justice B.P. Singh said the Punjab and Haryana High Court and the trial Judge had not properly appreciated the aspects of the prosecution case by punishing ASI Manke Ram under Section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code. “It cannot be altogether ruled out that the shots were fired not with an intention of taking any undue advantage by the ASI.... when a fight broke out between him and Head Constable Suraj Mal, the deceased, during the drinking session,” the apex court said, adding “it is probable that in an inebriated condition, the appellant used the service revolver because of the physical fight.” “We are of the opinion that the ASI could only be found guilty of an offence punishable under Section 304 part II for culpable homicide not amounting to murder,” the Bench ruled. According to the prosecution case, the ASI had invited the Head Constable for drinks on November 17, 1993, in the quarters of the Sangatpura police station in Kaithal district of Haryana, but a fight took place between them when the former abused the nephew of the latter for “interrupting” the session by inviting his uncle for dinner. The trial court had said the ASI had taken “undue advantage” of having a service revolver with him and fired the same knowing that it might cause death. |
|
ULFA militant surrenders Guwahati, April 20 With this the case involving the two attacks in the city that claimed three lives and injured 19 others have been solved, the police said. Kalita, alias Sima Biswas, alias Moina, alias Sima Sonowal belonging to Jabjabkuchi village of Nalbari district deposited one AK-56 rifle and three RPG shells with the DGP.
PTI |
 |
| Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir | Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs | Nation | Editorial | | Business | Sport | World | Mailbag | Chandigarh Tribune | Ludhiana Tribune 50 years of Independence | Tercentenary Celebrations | | 123 Years of Trust | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
Videos
