 |
Wednesday,
May 14, 2003, Chandigarh, India  
|
Speaker defends stand on women quota Bill CPM retains grip over Bengal
panchayats Ultra camps in Bhutan worry
India
KARGIL CONFLICT |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Mulayam panel for fertiliser subsidy George may meet party men
tomorrow
Report on river linking by
2006 Cong CMs meet at
Srinagar
CBI gets last chance in Ayodhya case I&B minister to lead Cannes
delegation 6 more held in Pandya case Deoband Assembly constituency SC stays airing of “Karishma” Blood offering
4 arrested in baby-swapping case
|
|
Speaker defends stand on women quota Bill New Delhi, May 13 “For me all Bills are important and I had no reasons whatsoever to avoid this (women’s reservation) Bill. As a Speaker, I wanted the smooth conduct of the House and the passage of the Bill as far as possible with unanimity,” Mr Joshi said here. To a suggestion that he could have used ‘marshals’ to remove those members, who were trying to physically block the Bill from being debated and passed, Mr Joshi said “I had prior knowledge that some political parties will oppose the Bill tooth and nail. That is why I called a meeting of representatives of all parties, where they were not in the favour of throwing members out.” Mr Joshi said “it is a fact that I belong to a party (Shiv Sena), which is opposing the 33 per cent reservation Bill, but as the Speaker of the House I did the right thing in the circumstances.” “I wanted that at least discussion takes place on the Bill, but I realised that if I put the Bill for discussion then the House will be in turmoil,” he added. Attacking his critics, he said those who were trying to point fingers at him should know that he, as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra in 1996, had got a resolution unanimously passed in the state Assembly, urging the Centre to provide 33 per cent reservation to women in legislature. “My state (Maharashtra) was the first in the country to pass such a resolution unanimously,” he asserted. Mr Joshi said in the past one year, as the Lok Sabha Speaker, it has been his endeavour to conduct the business of the House in a proper manner and as far as possible on unanimity. “You would have yourself noticed that I never believed in throwing members out of the House to conduct the business...I strongly believe that there can always be a debate and compromise,” he added. Strongly favouring reservation for women in Parliament and legislature, Mr Joshi said he has called an all-party meeting on June 16 to deliberate on the issue and would try his level best to arrive at a consensus. |
|
CPM retains grip over Bengal
panchayats Kolkata, May 13 The results declared so far indicated that the Marxists will again dominate most of the zila parishad, panchayat samitis and gram panchayat boards in the next five years over other partners of the front. Fresh violence occurred in some districts like Midnapore, Nadia, Murshidabad and Birbhum in which workers of the CPM and the Trinamool Congress were involved. Four persons were killed in clashes in Midnapore and South Dinajpur, bringing the total number of killings to 28. Till the filing of this report, of the 713 seats, the Left parties had won in as many as 406 zila parishad seats with the CPM capturing a major chunk. Interestingly, the CPM had even won from the seats where no seat adjustment could be made among partners like the RSP, the CPI and the Forward Bloc. The Congress has come out as the main opposition party by winning 25 zila parishad seats, while the Trinamool-BJP combine won 13 seats. If the trend continues, the result will indicate that the people have rejected Mamata Banerjee’s alliance with the BJP. The counting in panchayat samitis and gram panchayat seats which began late in the evening will be over by morning. Mr Jyoti Basu thanked the rural people for bringing back the CPM in power again. He said it was the victory of the people who wanted peace and progress in the rural Bengal. He said the results proved that the CPM was the only party which could bring peace and progress. He reminded partymen of the duties and responsibilities reposed on them and advised them to work hard, honestly and sincerely. The CPM General Secretary, Mr Anil Biswas, said the people had rejected the communal alliance of the Trinamool and the BJP. He hoped that the Left Front would once again work, in harmony, for the development of rural Bengal. Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee alleged that the elections were a farce. She accused the state administration, the police and the state election commission of having helped the CPM get back to power by rigging and false voting. The leader of the WBPCC, Mr Somen Mitra, said the results did not indicate the verdict of the people as the elections were not free and fair. He alleged that the police and the entire official machinery had been used for the CPM in the elections. The president of the BJP unit, Mr Tathagata Roy, also called the elections a farce. |
|
Ultra camps in Bhutan worry
India New Delhi, May 13 The joint operation may come if India perceives that Bhutan is not being able to push insurgents’, who create trouble in the North-East of the country, out of its jungles in the coming weeks. Bhutan has set June 15 as the deadline to ensure that all insurgents’ camps on its land are disbanded and the militants pushed out of the jungles. The issue was apparently discussed during the three-day visit of the Chief of Army Staff General N.C. Vij to Bhutan which ended on Saturday last. Bhutan again assured India that all efforts would be put in to flush out the insurgents’ who are holed up in the jungles. General Vij’s visit to Bhutan, where he met the Monarch King Jigme Singye Wangchuck and the Royal Bhutan Army chief, came just over a month after the visit of National Security Adviser Brajesh Mishra to Thimpu. Mr Mishra had been in Thimpu in late March and had carried an unusually strong message from New Delhi that all insurgents’ camps must be disbanded at the earliest as they were posing a major security threat to India. This as there were reports with the Indian Army that the jehadi outfits operating from Pakistan were attempting to take advantage of the Bhutan terrain to make an entry into India. There might be another reason for India wanting to carry out joint operation with Bhutan as the Bhutanese Legislators, upset with the insurgents’ activities, had recently suggested that the Chinese help be sought to evict them. This had alarm bells ringing in New Delhi as it would give China another base close to the Indian borders. New Delhi believes that rather than China it should be India that should carry out the joint operation to evict the insurgents. The visit of General Vij to Thimpu followed his two-day visit to the forward areas of Sikkim which borders Bhutan. The visit also served as a reminder to Bhutan on the deadline it had set for itself for the dismantling of the insurgents’ camps. The Bhutanese Government had issued a statement late in March in which it had announced its resolve to remove the insurgents’ camps from its
terrotiry by June 15. The statement had come just a day after Mr Mishra’s visit. However, in the talks which Mr Mishra had with the Bhutan King, the latter had stressed upon an undertaking from India where it would ensure that there would be no backlash on the Bhutanese citizens for actions against the insurgents’ camps. However, despite assurance from the Bhutan Government, reports suggest that rather than closing down camps, ULFA had been opening more camps in the South Bhutan region. Bhutan has for long been considered a safe haven by the insurgents operating in the North-East of the country. |
|
|
KARGIL
CONFLICT New Delhi, May 13 Cautioning against New Delhi’s “weak-kneed’’ policies, the book ‘Kashmir: War or Peace’ says: “Pursuit of peace is alright, but resultant weak-kneed policy of the government of India is neither appreciable nor in keeping with the self respect and dignity of this great nation.’’ It says the clouds of war could vanish only if Pakistan gave up its evil designs of territorial annexation of Jammu and Kashmir and adopted a realistic and civilised approach towards peace. India’s failure to open other fronts and cross the Line of Control (LoC) during Kargil war in 1999 deprived it of an opportunity to “humble’’ Pakistan and end terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir permanently, the book says. The book, written by Pyarelal Kaul, says that military strategy demanded that other fronts be opened against Pakistan even on the international border, which are advantageous to India, to distract the Pakistan Army and lighten the pressure on the Indian Army in Kargil. Had India chosen a full-fledged war against Pakistan, compelled as India was, smashing terrorist-training camps in the Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK), terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir would have been finished. “It was the only way to humble Pakistan and restore peace and normalcy in the state,’’ according to the book. It says that India appeared to be under the US influence and so wavered on the decision of opening other fronts and preferred to confine the war to the Kargil sector alone. The decision had its demerits — India suffered more loss of men and material, it protracted the duration of the war in Kargil and gave a long lease to terrorism in Kashmir.
UNI |
|
Mulayam panel for fertiliser subsidy New Delhi, May 13 “Subsidy should not be taken as donation but society’s contribution towards a cause, which was ensuring food security,” observed the committee headed by Mulayam Singh Yadav in its report submitted to the Lok Sabha. The committee said the continuation of fertiliser subsidy and uninterrupted availability of fertilisers was a major concern for the farmers of Punjab and Haryana, where the per hectare fertiliser consumption was much higher than the national average. While Punjab consumed 173.88 kg per hectare, Haryana consumed 155.69 kg per hectare, the national average stood at 90 kg per hectare. Stating that the committee was aware of the recommendations of the Expenditure Reforms Commission suggesting the phased removal of subsidy in the agricultural sector, Mr Mulayam Singh said “the committee does not agree with this recommendation and strongly recommends that fertiliser subsidy should continue.” The committee also asked the government to review its decision of decontrol of phosphatic potassic fertilisers to reduce subsidies. The government had later introduced a concessional scheme to lower the prices of potassic fertilisers to make it available to the farmers. Observing that the “concessional scheme is not working well as it entails various procedures such as certification of sales by various agencies,” the committee called for a review of the concessional scheme by an expert group. On the demand and supply gap, the committee said it did not find the government serious in making plans for meeting the fertiliser requirements 10 years hence. “The demand supply projections for the 11th Plan (2007-2012) indicates that the gap between demand and supply is expected to be around 75 lakh tonnes,” the committee said. |
|
|
George may meet party men
tomorrow New Delhi, May 13 Mr Satyendra Singh Chhapria, president of the party’s Delhi state youth wing, told TNS here on Tuesday evening that they had urged Mr Fernandes to take immediate steps to prevent the party from disintegrating and take care of his loyalists following the resignation of party spokesman and national general secretary, Dr Shambhu Srivastava. The youth wing has further asked the party chief to ensure that all states have youth wings besides a national committee of the youth wing. They have pointed out that if resignations continue, it could lead to disillusionment
among party workerz. Party sources said Mr Fernandes was likely to assure party workers that the resignation of Dr Srivastava would not affect the smooth functioning of the party. Mr Chhapria said the Delhi state youth wing would appeal to the two party leaders, Mr Fernandes and the Railway Minister, Mr Nitish Kumar, to strengthen the party’s ties with the BJP in Delhi. The convenor of the Delhi state Samata Party, Mr Ram Kumar, held discussions with the office-bearers of the youth wing of the party on Tuesday. The Samata Party, which claims a membership touching 10 lakh, has 12 MPs in the Lok Sabha and two in the Rajya Sabha. The party remains unfazed by the dispensable exit of Dr Srivasatava who announced his move to the Congress by his dramatic and unannounced appearence at a press conference at AICC headquarters here on Monday evening. In his resignation letter, addressed to the Samata Party President, Dr Srivastava stated, “My disilussionment with you and the National Democratic Alliance is complete. Instead of allies changing and sobering the BJP, the latter is saffronising them.” The sources in the party told TNS here on Tuesday that although the decision to replace Dr Srivastava would be taken by Mr Fernandes, the party had enough able persons who could be entrusted with the same task. “We have four national general secretaries. He was one of the general secretaries. The only extra post he held was of party spokesman,” sources said. Terming Dr Srivastava’s sudden decision to quit the party as “betrayal and deceitful behaviour of a confidant”, Samata Party leader and former party President Jaya Jaitley said he should have been frank in stating his intention. “Nobody stops a person who wants to leave. Not a single soul in the party is indispensable. His resignation has not led to any crisis in the party. He is not an MP or a mass leader. Every time somebody joins the party, it is no great celebration and every time somebody leaves, it is no great tragedy. A party is a voluntary organisation, a democratic institution.
|
|
Report on river linking by
2006 New Delhi, May 13 The report was placed by the Union Water Resources Ministry before the Supreme Court, which in a suo motu action had registered a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) on the issue following President’s speech on the eve of Independence Day, last year, emphasising the need to execute the project as early as possible. A Bench comprising Mr Justice
Y.K. Sabharwal and Mr Justice H.K. Sema told the government counsel that the 40 years timetable fixed by the Centre to complete the project was too long and it should be expedited by 2020. The NWDA in its initial study report had identified 30 links of major rivers for transferring water from surplus basin to deficit regions, of which feasibility reports
(FRs) of eight had been completed, the report said. These links include
Sarda-Yamuna, Godavari-Krishna, Krishna-Pennar (Srisailam), Krishna-Pennar
(Nagarjunasagar), Pamba-Achankovil-Vaippar, Damanganga-Pinjal, Par-Tapti-Narmada and
Ken-Betwa. Of the 30 identified links, 14 are in the Himalayan component and 16 in peninsular regions. The work for preparation of the
FRs, regarding 16 links, was going on, while the work on the remaining was yet to commence, the report said. The FRs regarding 12 projects would be completed by 2004 and for remaining 10, a year later, the NWDA said. The basic work before the task force was to first take up those independent linkages on which there was a consensus among the concerned states. These include three components
(i) Gujarat, Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh, (ii) Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan and (iii) Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Orissa. The task force has to get necessary multi-disciplinary inputs in all relevant spheres like social, environmental, political, international and financial angles of the mega project with a potential to increase irrigation facility to 174 million hactares
(Mha) from the existing 140 Mha and generating 34,000 mw additional power. Besides, the project would provide 12 billion cusec meter drinking water all over the country, help in controlling flood to a great extent and halt the migration of about five crore people from their villages due to drought and famine, the report said. Though the cost of the project had been put at about Rs 5 lakh crore, the report said “the estimated cost of the river linking programme for all acceptable links will be based on development and planning reports
(DPRs), which will be available by December 2006.” |
|
|
Cong CMs meet at
Srinagar New Delhi, May 13 Congress President Sonia Gandhi revealed the venue of the meeting in Rajasthan today, where she had gone to address a public meeting. The announcement caught even some AICC leaders by surprise with one of the general secretaries initially raising doubts about the logistics of holding such a conference in the militancy-affected state. The meeting, to be attended by the chief ministers of 15 Congress-ruled states, is likely to be held on May 30 and 31. AICC sources said Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed had met the Congress President yesterday evening after which the final decision to hold the conference in Srinagar was taken. “Details about the CMs meeting will be announced tomorrow,” secretary of the AICC media department Tom Vaddakan said. |
|
|
CBI gets last chance in Ayodhya case Rae Bareli, May 13 The CBI had sought time on the plea that its advocate S.S. Gandhi was indisposed and could not appear in the court. Eight persons, including Union Minister M.M. Joshi, BJP leaders Vinay Katiyar and Uma Bharti, VHP leaders Ashok Singhal, Giriraj Kishore, Vishnu Hari Dalmiya and Sadhvi Rithambara, besides the Deputy Prime Minister are named as accused in the case. Counsels of the accused Mahipal Ahloowalia, Kunwar Mridul Rakesh and Vimal Srivastava again prayed to the court that the accused be exempted from personal appearance in the court till further orders.
PTI, UNI |
|
|
I&B minister to lead Cannes
delegation New Delhi, May 13 The delegation to the Cannes film market, jointly organised by the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII), is part of the government’s strategy to support the Indian film industry in marketing its products and services globally. The I&B Minister will also visit London as a follow-up visit as Ms Tessa Jowell, British Minister for Culture, Sports and Media, had visited India earlier this year. Mr Prasad will also interact with film producers and media professionals in London to increase opportunities for networking and promotion of business. The meeting is being organised by FICCI. Sources in the I&B Ministry said Mr Prasad would also use the opportunity to visit British institutions relevant to the film and broadcasting industry and explore possibilities for synergy in their working with Indian institutions. The CII plans to organise an India evening. It will be co-hosted by the Indian Ambassador to France. While the CII delegation comprises the likes of Shekhar Kapoor and Ramgopal Verma, the I&B Ministry will be represented by Secretary Pawan Chopra and Joint Secretary Anjai Chib
Duggal. |
|
|
6 more held in Pandya case
Ahmedabad, May 13 So far 28 persons have been arrested in the case in Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh, some of them by the CBI, which was also investigating the case. Police sources said here late this evening that two of these accused were clergymen who were allegedly linked to the Tabligi Jamat, a fundamentalist organisation. The accused were also reported to have received training from Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence, the sources added.
UNI |
|
|
Deoband Assembly constituency Muzzafar Nagar, May 13 Now the Muzzafar Nagar parliamentary constituency will have six Assembly seats. The commission has taken the step under the Uttar Pradesh Delimitation of Constituencies Act and the Peoples Representation Act. After the formation of Uttaranchal, one Assembly constituency each has also been included in the Saharanpur and the Bareilly Parliamentary constituencies. Uttar Pradesh now has 80 Parliamentary constituencies. |
|
SC stays airing of “Karishma” New Delhi, May 13 Monday was a day of activity for both sides, Sahara TV and the New York-based novelist Barbara Taylor Bradford, who had sought the stay of the airing of the serial, alleging that it was based on her novel “A Woman of Substance”. Sahara TV moved the single Judge Bench of the High Court, seeking vacation of an injunction order of May 7, restraining the TV channel from airing the serial. Unsuccessful in their attempt, the TV channel moved the division Bench of the High Court in the afternoon and got stay of the injunction order.
Not giving up, Barbara, through her solicitor Fox Mondal, filed an appeal before the vacation Bench in the evening and the Bench comprising Mr Justice N. Santosh Hegde and Mr Justice Shivaraj V. Patil heard the Special Leave Petition at home and in an ex-parte order stayed the airing of the serial.
PTI |
|
|
Blood offering Bilaspur (Chhattisgarh), May 13 According to the police, the body of tantric Shatrughanlal Sahu was recovered from his house early today. “Till late last night Sahu performed puja and later cut his throat with a sharpedged weapon and offered his blood to God. He later walked out of the room and collapsed due to excessive bleeding,” the police said. A case of suicide has been registered.
Locals said Sahu was fanatic about puja and used to perform rituals for hours together.
UNI |
|
|
4 arrested in baby-swapping case Hyderabad, May 13 Three staff members of Nayapul Maternity Hospital — Surendra Raju, Suryakala and Vijaya Mary - and Shaik Naseer, husband of Mahmooda Begum, from whom the boy was recovered, were taken into custody by the CID, the police said. They were arrested under various sections of the IPC. The four were later produced in a local court, which remanded them to two weeks’ judicial custody.
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 | |
Superstar
Amitabh Bachchan says IIFA awards provide a wonderful
opportunity to promote Indian cinema to audiences abroad. (
