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Thursday,
May 1, 2003, Chandigarh, India  
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MPs question PM’s offer to Pak
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Chargesheet ‘legal’ against Hindujas Indo-Pak talks: Mann for mediators BJP-RSS meeting on poll strategy today Cong candidates
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Fatehabad: BJP not to
field candidate Chautala asks farmers to unite 5 of marriage party gangraped
503
security men killed in J&K Power Bill introduced
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MPs question PM’s offer to Pak New Delhi, April 30 Raising the issue shortly after the Lok Sabha assembled this morning, Samata Party member Prabhunath Singh, who was supported by many members from the Opposition, said reports had appeared in newspapers that Mr Vajpayee and his Pakistani counterpart had telephonic talks and he was even invited to visit Islamabad. “We are not against dialogue but there must be some basis for it,” he said, recalling that whenever India initiated peace talks, “we had to face problems.” There was no reaction from the government. “We want to know what is that new situation and new development that has prompted Mr Vajpayee to initiate peace talks,” Mr Prabhunath Singh said. The Samata member said earlier the Prime Minister and the Deputy Prime Minister had categorically stated that there could be no talks with Pakistan till it stopped aiding and abetting terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir. Speaker Manohar Joshi repeatedly told the members that there could not be a debate on the issue as it was time for question hour. Congress member S Jaipal Reddy said the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister and External Affairs Ministry spokesman were speaking in different voices on the issue, which had only created confusion. Samajwadi Party member Ramjilal Suman said Pakistan continued to support terrorism in J and K and yet India had gone ahead to initiate peace talks. CPI member Prabodh Panda supported the Opposition demand for a statement from the Prime Minister. |
Army proposes IT directorate New Delhi, April 30 Taking a cue from the crucial role played by the information flow in the recent US-led strikes on Iraq, the Army’s top commanders are discussing the issue during the ongoing week-long Army Commanders’ Conference being held here. The directorate would seek information flow as a force multiplier, as witnessed during the Kargil crisis. Once the proposal is cleared, it would lead to the formation of the Army’s first such directorate at its Headquarters here. Besides the formation of such a directorate, the Army Commanders are also framing an operational mandate for the Rashtriya Rifles, the Army’s counter-insurgency arm in Jammu and Kashmir, which would then be placed before the Cabinet Committee on Security for approval. The absence of such a mandate, sources said, was often leading to friction between various security force units engaged in operations against militants in the border state. It has also become essential as the Rashtriya Rifles, form a fledgling force of a few battalions in early nineties, has now become 64-battalion strong. The Army Chief, Gen N.C. Vij, during his address to the six Army commanders and Principal Staff Officers at the Army Headquarters here, also briefed them about Indian assistance to Nepal to combat the ongoing militancy. He said New Delhi had assured Kathmandu of continued military assistance. India has already given military assistance worth Rs 168 crore as grant to Nepal to fight insurgency. The assistance includes supply of helicopters, specialised jeeps and medium vehicles, heavy mortars, multi-purpose machine guns and imparting anti-insurgency training to Nepalese army personnel in Indian military institutions. The commanders also dwelt on the counter- insurgency operations, with special inputs provided by the Northern Army Commander. They also took up the issue of ex-servicemen’s contributory health scheme which was recently launched by Defence Minister George Fernandes. For the first time, the Promotion Board, comprising Army Commanders, for approval of promotions from Major-General to Lt General would not be making any recommendations as those by the board for the past two years are yet to be cleared by the Defence Ministry. Usually, the board meets during the conference.  |
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Chargesheet ‘legal’ against Hindujas New Delhi, April 30 “There is nothing in the Supreme Court judgement in the Vineet Narain case relating to the Jain hawala matter, that makes it mandatory to approach the CVC in every case for its approval before filing a chargesheet,” Solicitor-General Kirit Rawal, appearing for the CBI told a Bench comprising Mr Justice S Rajindera Babu and Mr Justice G.P. Mathur. This provision had been laid down by the apex court for a purely administrative purpose and could not be equated with “statutory” duty cast upon the CBI to investigate a corruption case, Mr Rawal said. He was arguing on the CBI’s appeal against the Delhi High Court order quashing the charge sheet against the Hinduja brothers — Gopichand, Srichand and Prakashchand — in an order passed on June 10 last year. Their counsel Ram Jethmalani, however, described the CBI stand as a wrong interpretation of the Supreme Court directive in the Vineet Narain case, claiming that the “CVC can prevent investigation, arrest and any frivolous probe against a person in such cases.” |
Indo-Pak talks: Mann for mediators New Delhi, April 30 In a statement issued here today, Mr Mann said citizens of the two countries desired peace. “As the process of talks is likely to be a protracted affair, the Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) hopes that the two sides will not wait for long and shall take immediate steps to start cultural and sports exchanges and restore highlevel diplomatic officials and staff between the two countries.'' |
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BJP-RSS meeting on poll strategy today New Delhi, April 30 Consultations, which are likely to continue for three days, assume significance in the light of alarming reports that the BJP was on a very weak wicket in Madhya Pradesh, Delhi and Rajasthan. The meeting would discuss a wide range of subjects like political situation in the country, economic policies of the government and other issues, BJP sources said. |
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Cong candidates
for byelection New Delhi, April 30 |
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Four
killed in CPM-Cong clash
Raiganj (WB), April 30 |
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Fatehabad: BJP not to
field candidate New Delhi, April 30 Party General Secretary and spokesman Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi admitted that the Haryana state unit had expressed a desire to contest the byelection and had even forwarded two names for the consideration of the Central Election Committee. BJP President M. Venkaiah Naidu after consulting senior leaders at the state and national levels had advised against fielding any BJP candidate for the seat. Sources said Mr Naidu was personally keen to permit the state unit to contest the byelection but then Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani advised against it as it would send a wrong signal to the NDA allies at the Centre. |
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Chautala asks farmers to unite Ajmer, April 30 He urged the people not to be misled by the Congress slogan, “Congress Ka Hath — Garib Ke Saath”, and join hands to change the political scenario in Rajasthan. He said the farmers and labourers would play a vital role in changing the government in that state. Mr Chautala said if farmers voted for a party which was friendly towards them, all their grievances would be redressed. Criticising the Rajasthan Government for not providing significant help to the drought-affected people, Mr Chautala said while the Gehlot Government had distributed only Rs 34 crore, his government had disbursed Rs 242 crore to the drought-hit farmers of Haryana. Among others who spoke were Mr Jai Narain Punia, President of the Rajasthan unit of the INLD, and Mr Hazari Ram Gujjar, a local veteran leader.
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5 of marriage party gangraped Kolkata, April 30 According to a report, the girls, who were travelling in a Maruti van along with their relatives and friends from Midnapore town to Chandroka to attend a marriage, were dragged out by an armed gang at a
gun-point on the highway and taken to a nearby jungle, where they were raped repeatedly and their jewellery looted. The following morning, after searches, the victims were found lying unconscious by the wayside. The marriage party was also looted of ornaments and other valuables. So far, two persons had been detained for interrogation but the
accused were still at large. |
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503
security men killed in J&K New Delhi, April 30 Giving this information in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Home Harin Pathak said today that 1,973 terrorists were also killed in the state. |
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Power Bill introduced New Delhi, April 30 Introducing the Electricity Bill, which seeks to consolidate laws relating to generation, transmission and distribution of power, besides the rationalisation of tariff in the Rajya Sabha, the minister said nearly 80,000 villages in the country still did not have electricity. Initiating a discussion on the Bill, which has already been approved by the Lok Sabha, Mr Kapil Sibal (Congress) said to achieve the 8 per cent growth target set for the 10th Plan, both supply and generation of electricity should be adequate. |
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