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Tuesday,
May 20, 2003, Chandigarh, India  
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Indo-US defence meeting soon Madhumita’s kin deny police
claims Jeweller traced; no clue about
surgeon BJP forms panel for poll-2004
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Ayodhya excavation: HC order
challenged
No decision by Pak on envoy No revival of militancy: Capt Approval to conversion of Delhi’s commercial
plots Sonia to visit HP
in June ICSE results: girls outshine
boys 7 killed in blast Ruskin Bond turns 69 Poll
deferred
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Indo-US defence meeting soon New Delhi, May 19 Defence officials of both countries have been in consultation over the possible dates for the holding of the meeting. It will be the fifth meeting of the Indo-US DPG and has been long overdue after the fourth was held in Washington almost a year ago. According to sources in the Ministry of Defence (MoD), the meeting was initially to be held in February last, but was postponed apparently due to the impending US military action in Iraq. The officials of the two sides have held consultations over fresh dates and the meeting is likely to be held in the coming days, sources said. The meeting will be of great significance, specially keeping in mind the new peace initiative taken by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. It will also be of importance due to the fresh strikes of suspected Al-Qaida operatives around the world. India and the USA have been having bilateral exchanges on terrorism-related matters. India has been keeping a close watch on the developments related to the Al-Qaida and the Taliban. Sources here said that the two countries were expected to hold deliberations on further co-ordinating approaches to security issues in Asia. The two countries were also expected to review the steps undertaken to strengthen counter-terrorism measures and to improve the security environment in Afghanistan, including the rebuilding of the Afghan national army. During the meeting, the Indian side is expected to be led by the Defence Secretary. The high-level US delegation will be led by the Under Secretary for Defence. At the last meeting, the second to be held within six months, in Washington on May 23 and 24 last, the two sides had reaffirmed their commitment to work together to prevent proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems. They had also agreed on pursuing a missile defence requirements ‘analysis’ for India. All joint exercises undertaken by the armed forces of the two countries were a result of the deliberations held at the DPG meeting. The two sides had also agreed to develop a defence supply relationship, including through the government-to-government foreign military sales programme and the resumption of technical cooperation in defence research, development and production through the meeting of the Joint Technical Group. The DPG meeting had also set on course cooperation in additional areas, which included consequence management in response to weapons of mass destruction, humanitarian relief, cyber-terrorism and environment security. Following the third DPG meeting in New Delhi in December, 2001, some significant achievements included combined naval patrols in the strategic Strait of Malacca and resumption of defence trade, beginning with the sale of ‘firefinder’ radars and the signing of a General Security of Military Information Agreement to facilitate cooperation in defence technology. |
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All set for naval exercises with Russia New Delhi, May 19 The war manoeuvres, the first between the two naval forces, would get underway when the nine-strong Russian naval flotilla, which comprises Missile cruisers, Krivak class frigates, Kashin class destroyers and specialised anti submarine vessels, berths at Mumbai tomorrow. The Russian flotilla labelled the largest deployment of the Russian warships since the 1991 break-up of the Soviet Union would carry out surface-to-surface, anti-submarine and air defence manoeuvres with the Indian warships of “matching composition”. After week-long exercises in the Arabian Sea, the location of which was not disclosed by the Navy sources here, the Russian warship flotilla, would conduct similar joint exercises with the Indian eastern naval fleet in the Bay of Bengal off Vizag. Naval officials said during exercises on the Arabian Sea, submarines would be carried anywhere between 50 to 120 nautical miles off the Indian coastline.
PTI |
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Madhumita’s kin deny police
claims Lucknow, May 19 Senior police officials claim that this was Madhumita’s third pregnancy. Earlier two pregnancies were medically terminated and her elder sister Nidhi was aware of this. The family members of Madhumita had been claiming that the police was falsely propagating that she was pregnant. “It was an evil design to show to the world that Madhumita was a girl of easy virtue,” her brother Vijay told reporters recently in Lakhimpur Khiri, around 130 km from here. Nidhi had also claimed that Madhumita was not pregnant. She charged the police of “planting” a foetus into Madhumita’s body when her body was taken back to Lucknow for DNA testing, not realising that the test could prove whether the foetus belonged to the mother or not. The police claims that Madhumita conceived for the first time in April, 2001. She, along with Nidhi, had gone to a government hospital in the Wazirganj locality of the city where she was registered as Mrs A.M. The sources said Madhumita conceived again in March, 2002. She again went to a government hospital and was under observation of Dr S Srivastava. Nidhi used to take Madhumita to hospital for check-ups, a fact corroborated by doctors, nurses and other paramedics of the hospital, because by then the people knew who Madhumita was, claimed the police. Madhumita’s brother denied these claims of the police. “If the police can plant a foetus in Madhumita’s body, they can do any thing and manufacture proof of their liking,” he said. |
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Madhumita was married: priest
Lucknow, May 19 Priest Ganga Narain Dikshit told mediapersons today that he was approached by Madhumita’s elder sister Nidhi for a ‘puja’ at their Paper Mill Colony residence. “But when I reached there, they said Madhumita was to be married to Anuj Kumar Mishra, an IIT Kanpur student, ...after the ceremony. Their servant Mahindra dropped me home,’’ he informed. Mr Dikshit said besides Mahindra, a family friend Rishi Khare was also present during the hushed-up ceremony. The priest, however, could not remember the exact month or date of the ‘marriage’. “It was sometime in November or December last,’’ he claimed. The Nishatganj-based priest even claimed that Ms Nidhi Shukla had the photographs of the marriage ceremony. But Mr Dikshit could not answer how he knew the photographs were with Nidhi. The servant, Mahindra, had reportedly worked at the Shukla household till December last. Meanwhile, the family of the slain poetess has asserted that it will go to the Supreme Court for justice. Talking to mediapersons at their ancestral home in Lakhimpur Kheri district yesterday, the brother of the deceased, Mr Vijay Shukla termed the murder of his sister a “political killing’’ and asserted that he would approach the President and the Prime Minister. Sources in the state police claimed that the CID had formed a special team to investigate the crime, in which the involvement of sacked state minister Amarmani Tripathi had been alleged.
UNI |
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Jeweller traced; no clue about
surgeon
Patna, May 19 On a tip-off, the police raided a flat in the Dinkar apartment late last night and rescued Dayal from there. He was kidnapped by armed youths on Saturday night, Senior Superintendent of Police Sunil Kumar told PTI here. The SSP said that seven members of an inter-state criminal gang were arrested in this connection and a large quantity of arms, including pistol and bullets, seized from them. They were being interrogated. Dayal was kidnapped from near a women’s hostel in the Rajendra Nagar locality under the Kadamkuan police station area here while he was returning home. Meanwhile, the police has not achieved any significant breakthrough in the kidnapping of noted neuro-surgeon, Dr Ramesh Chandra, who was kidnapped a few hours after the kidnapping of the jeweller on the same night. Deputy Inspector General of Police and spokesman of the Bihar Police Rituraj said the police conducted raids at several suspected hideouts of the criminals in and around the state capital last night in search of the doctor, but could not lay hand on anything significant in connection with this kidnapping. “The police is on its toes in search of the doctor...we will leave no stone unturned to recover Dr Chandra and smash the kidnapping gang,” Rituraj added.
PTI |
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BJP forms panel for poll-2004 New Delhi, May 19 While Mr Naidu would discuss the details of the “Mission 2004” plan with presidents and general secretaries of the state units at a two day meeting in Hyderabad on May 29-30, Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani would dicuss with national office-bearers, the recommendations of the report of a five-member committee on the issue of deployment of ideologically committed workers in all Assembly segments on May 25 in Jaipur, BJP spokesman Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said here today. The committee, headed by party Vice-President Balwant P Apte, would identify workers who had their fingers on the political nerve of the parliamentary constituencies and could play a crucial role in mobilising support. Mr Apte, who is known for his low profile image and silent work, was an old RSS hand in the BJP and had excellent rapport with the top Sangh leaders and also with the state leadership. Other four members of the committee National Secretaries Mr Shiv Raj Singh Chauhan, Mr L. Ganeshan, Mr Dharmendra Pradhan and Mr Om Prakash Dhankad are assisting Mr Apte in the task. In an informal interaction with mediapersons at the party head quarters, Mr Naidu, who had returned last night from his two-day stay in Uttar Pradesh’s capital Lucknow, said that the BJP was going to contest the Lok Sabha poll in UP in alliance with the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and there was no question of abandoning the coalition arrangement. Conscious of the political importance of UP, which sends 80 Lok Sabha MPs to Parliament, Mr Naidu had asked former state unit president Kalraj Mishra to devote more time in and to the state than in Delhi. During his interaction in Lucknow, Mr Naidu was told by many senior leaders that Mr Mishra, who is a leader of the Brahmin community, had not been paying enough attention to the demands, aspirations and urges of that particular community. The BJP President, who briefed Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani about his UP visit today, was understood to have specially drawn attention of the two leaders to Mr Mishra’s activities. |
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Ayodhya excavation: HC order
challenged New Delhi, May 19 A Special Leave Petition (SLP) has been filed by Mr Naved Yar Khan, whose writ petion was earlier dismissed by the apex court on technical grounds. Mr Khan in the SLP has said that the high court’s order on the excavation of the site tantamounts to the “violation” of the 1994 order of the apex court, directing to maintain status quo at the disputed and acquired land in Ayodhya. The order for excavation in a way has “altered” the order of the apex court, the SLP claimed. The Supreme Court on March 31 had dismissed Mr Khan’s writ petition stating that any order of the high court had to be challenged through an SLP and not by a writ petition, as was filed by him. |
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No decision by Pak on envoy New Delhi, May 19 “The name has not been sent to us by Pakistan,” the sources said when asked about the confusion in Islamabad following the announcement of the “appointment” of Pakistan’s Ambassador to China, Riaz Muhammad Khan, as the new envoy to India.
PTI |
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No revival of militancy: Capt New Delhi, May 19 The Chief Minister, who called on Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani here this evening, told mediapersons after the 10-minute brief meeting that his government would not allow the revival of militancy in Punjab. He, however, said there might be attempts by the ISI to force terrorists into the state, but the efforts would not be allowed to succeed. “The ISI will work all the time, but I do not think there is any cause for worry. Some say Kashmiri terrorists are there. Some say Sikh terrorists are trying. They will not be allowed to succeed,” he asserted. The Home Ministry, in its annual report for 2002-2003, had said, “there are inputs suggesting plans by terrorists based in foreign countries to revive terrorism in the state. There are reports that Pakistan is making efforts to revive militancy in Punjab in a big way.” The Chief Minister said such reports had only appeared in the media only but ground realities were different. “Punjab is a peaceful state and we want peace to prevail there,” he said. He denied that he had sought more security forces from the Centre, saying there were enough security forces, including the BSF and the CRPF. In addition, there was the Army along the borders, he said. . Asked what was discussed at the meeting with Mr Advani, the Chief Minister said it was a routine meeting. “You know I am also the Home Minister of my state. In that capacity I met the (Union) Home Minister,” he said. There was no specific security-related issue that he discussed with Mr Advani, the Chief Minister added.
UNI |
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Approval to conversion of Delhi’s commercial
plots New Delhi, May 19 The meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, allowed the conversion of industrial and commercial plots on a payment of 10 per cent of the current market price of the property. This was revealed by Union Urban Development Minister Ananth Kumar after an hour-long meeting. Although the decision was apparently taken by the BJP-led NDA government keeping in mind the coming Assembly poll in Delhi, Mr Kumar replied in the negative to a question in this regard. The measure, expected to yield Rs 500 or 600 crore, was aimed at eliminating red tape, official discretion and harassment, Mr Kumar said. This would apply to 13,000 industrial plots and 10,000 commercial plots in Delhi, he said, adding that this citizen-friendly measure was optional. “Because of this, citizens, having leasehold industrial and commercial property for decades, will become the real owners and there will be hassle-free proper transactions”, he said. The Centre also decided to table a Bill in the monsoon session of Parliament for setting up a National Statistical
Commission to provide “reliable quantitative” information on social, economic, financial and environment aspects. The commission would be headed by a part-time chairman and would have four part-time members. This follows the Rangarajan
Commission recommendation for the creation of a permanent and statutory apex body for policy-making, coordination and ensuring the quality of core statistics. The agreement with the Swiss Government envisages coordination for early warning systems, including sharing of information on weather monitoring and prediction methods. The pact is aimed at enhancing capacity-building, preparedness and training of rescue teams and human resource development (HRD). Operations in HRD include various modules for training disaster managers at various levels, preparation of training syllabus and deputation of resource persons and trainers for getting specialised training, official sources said. |
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Sonia to visit HP in
June New Delhi, May 19 State Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, who met Ms Gandhi here today, invited her to inaugurate the project. Ms Gandhi is likely to visit the state in the second week of June. During the one-to-one meeting, he apprised Ms Gandhi of the steps taken by the state government to implement the party manifesto. Mr Virbhadra Singh also met senior Congress leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad, Arjun Singh and Ahmed Patel. This was his first meeting with Mr Azad since he assumed charge as CWC member in charge of Himachal Pradesh. Accompanied by Irrigation and Public Health Minister Kaul Singh, Education Minister Asha Kumari and Chief Parliamentary Secretary Mukesh Agnihotri, the Chief Minister is scheduled to meet several other senior Congress leaders tomorrow. |
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ICSE results: girls outshine
boys New Delhi, May 19 While 94.01 per cent candidates from 1,489 schools were successful in the ICSE examinations, 93.18 per cent were declared successful in the ISC examinations. The pass percentage of girls for class X, ICSE, is 95.32 per cent as compared to 93.02 per cent for the boys. In class XII, the ISC girls have a pass percentage of 95.87 per cent while for the boys it stands at 91.21 per cent. As many as 78,072 students appeared for the ICSE while 34,619 candidates took the ISC examinations. The results were available on Internet and students could check their results by logging on to the website http://www.cisce.org. It was also for the first time today that results could be accessed through IVRS as well as SMS. |
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7 killed in blast Ahmedabad, May 19 The blast could have been caused due to gas leak as gas welders were being used near the engine of the oil tanker.
PTI
New Delhi, May 19
Dehra Dun, May 19 On his birthday, his publishers, Rupa and Co, organised the release of his latest book “The Rupa Book of Great Suspense Stories’’ last night in the Doon valley.
The book was released by Bill Aitken, another renowned author who resides in Mussoorie. Eminent writers, Army officers, bureaucrats, his old friends and academicians of the city were among those present.
Mumbai, May 19 |
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The police here today said that it had traced the kidnapped city jeweller Sanjay Dayal from an apartment in the Kadamkuan locality and arrested seven members of an inter-state gang in this connection.
Doctors in Bihar threaten to go on
an indefinite strike if the administration fails to rescue the abducted
neurosurgeon. (
