 |
Sunday,
June 22, 2003, Chandigarh, India  
|
Govt
likely to present Budget before LS poll Decision
on troops for Iraq after PM’s return: Advani
Kalyan’s
charges baseless: BJP
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Pejavar Mutt opposes Kanchi seer’s mediation Jaswant,
George to call on Kanchi seer today Death follows train fire survivor
CPM
opposes US ships docking at Kochi Cabinet
approves 7 PSLV flights Health
Ministry group to get more powers HP moves
SC on bail to Katwal Hearing
on Sunanda Shetty’s bail plea deferred Monsoon session
from July 21 3 rural
drinking water schemes approved Kalam gives 1 lakh to Bismillah Khan Minister
faces FIRs
|
|
Govt likely to present Budget before LS poll New Delhi, June 21 According to party leaders who participated in the baithak, there was extra caution in holding a snap general elections. The overbearing view was that the party should present the general Budget because of a strong economy and then go for the Lok Sabha poll as per the original schedule. The votaries of holding the general elections on schedule got a shot in the arm with Finance Minister Jaswant Singh emphasising that the country’s economy was very good. He assured that adequate funds would be allocated for several additional people-friendly projects and schemes. During the four-day conclave at Uttan, near Mumbai, party president Venkaiah Naidu and general secretary Pramod Mahajan reportedly favoured general elections in February after assessing the outcome of the Assembly elections later this year. They were, however, isolated as the majority of the BJP strategists present at the baithak, including Union Minister Murli Manohar Joshi, party vice-president Pyarelal Khandelwal and senior Delhi leader Vijay Kumar Malhotra, stoutly opposing it. Mr Naidu and Mr Mahajan argued that a positive outcome awaited the BJP in the forthcoming Assembly elections in Delhi, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh and it would generate a favourable climate for the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government to go in for a mid-term poll. Others argued that a good performance in these states alone would not bolster the party’s poll prospects. They contended that the party had already reached what they described as a “saturation point” in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Delhi. The BJP’s tally in the current Lok Sabha from these four states is as follows: Seven out of seven seats in Delhi; eight out of 11 in Chhattisgarh; 21 out of 29 in Madhya Pradesh; and 16 out of 26 in Rajasthan. Those who opposed advancement of poll insisted that a “good” general Budget next year coupled with a positive outcome in the Assembly elections will bolster the party. This assumes significance as the BJP has set an ambitious target of winning 300 seats on its own. On the timing of general elections, Mr Jaswant Singh said the country’s economic situation was strong. He told his party colleagues that adequate allocation would be made in the Budget for sops and innovative socio-economic measures to woo all sections of the society. Suggestions were made at the baithak for accelerating implementation of many government programmes, including the ambitious golden quadrilateral linking the four metros, giving a push to massive housing schemes, ensuring drinking water in rural areas, expansion of kisan credit cards and the crop insurance schemes and generating employment in rural areas. |
|
Decision on troops for Iraq after PM’s return: Advani
On Board IAF Special Plane, June 21 “It is an open question. We are concerned with two things — what does Iraq (people of that country) feel about it and what are the plans for restoring the Iraqi administration in that country”, Mr Advani told reporters enroute to Ahmedabad to attend two functions. While stating that he was not aware of the “precise” exchange between Pentagon officials and their Indian counterparts on the issue in Delhi recently, Mr Advani indicated that a final decision is likely to be taken after the Prime Minister returns from his six-day China visit, beginning tomorrow. “We also have to assess public opinion on the issue,” he said. The Deputy Prime Minister, however, said it was in India’s interests to remain in that region. “It will also be in Iraq’s interest”. He said the proposal to send the Indian troops to Iraq had “nothing to do” with New Delhi’s efforts to secure a permanent seat at the United Nations. “It is a separate issue,” Advani added. To a question on whether the move would be contradictory to the Parliament resolution condemning the US invasion of Iraq, he said, “our disapproval of the US action remains.” Mr Advani, however, said nobody in the USA “condemned” the Indian Parliament’s resolution. Mr Advani also conveyed to the US authorities during his recent visit to the USA that giving F-16 fighter aircraft to a nuclear Pakistan amounted to providing them with a delivery system and urged Washington to take into consideration the Indian public opinion. He said giving F-16s to Pakistan would strengthen public opinion in India that the relationship between Washington and Pakistan, was returning to the old days.
PTI, UNI |
|
Oppn’s no to troops for Iraq New Delhi, June 21 In a joint statement, the opposition parties said the move would amount to total subservience to the US military interest and demanded that the government immediately declare that it would not enter into any negotiations with the USA over the issue. The statement assumes significance as it has been issued a few hours before the crucial NDA meeting today, called by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to discuss the Iraq issue.
UNI |
|
Kalyan’s charges baseless: BJP
Hyderabad, June 21 Reacting sharply to Kalyan Singh’s allegation that the mosque was demolished under the direction of Mr Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Mr L.K. Advani and Murali Manohar Joshi, party President M. Venkaiah Naidu said the outburst was a “political afterthought coming from a new convert to pseudo-secularism”. “Does it mean that it has taken 11 long years for Mr Kalyan Singh to understand that he was pressurised. This is nothing but an after-thought prompted by the present political course he has chalked out for himself,” Mr Naidu told reporters here today. He had yesterday blamed the top BJP leadership for masjid demolition and spoke of how he was made a scapegoat and betrayed by top BJP leaders who, he alleged, were part of a conspiracy to demolish the masjid. Rebuffing the charge, the BJP President pointed out that his party had described the demolition as the “most unfortunate and unintended” and it was in everybody’s knowledge that the situation at that point of time was uncontrollable. Without naming anybody, Mr Naidu said some political forces were making repeated attempts to influence public opinion through distortions.
PTI |
|
Pejavar Mutt opposes Kanchi seer’s mediation
Udupi (Karnataka), June 21 Talking to newspersons here, Sri Vishvesha Thirtha Swamiji of the Mutt disputed the reported recent statement of the Kanchi seer that the Centre, the All-India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) and himself were the only parties to deal with the Ram Janmabhoomi issue. “I have all respect for the Kanchi seer. But, I do not agree to his statement on the Ayodhya issue,” he said, adding that ‘’the party to deal with the issue is the Head of the Ramanuja tradition, being followed at Ram Temple in Ayodhya.” Since other religious heads, including the seers of other Shankara Mutts and Vaishnava peetadhipathis, and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) were involved in the “struggle” right from the beginning, they should also be involved in the decision-making process, he demanded. The Swamiji, also one of the founders of the VHP, cautioned that any decision taken by the Centre on the issue without consultations with the VHP and other Hindu and Muslim leaders would only lead to unhealthy conflict. Reiterating that the issue could not be resolved by courts, he called for a legislative intervention by enacting a law in Parliament. In connection with this, he would meet the Congress President Sonia Gandhi and senior BJP leaders and urge them to take up the Ayodhya issue as one of the main poll planks in the next Lok Sabha election, he added. The Swamiji said a meeting of the VHP, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh leaders, including its supremo Sudarshan, and sants would be convened in New Delhi on July 11 to discuss the modalities to resolve the Ram Janmabhoomi issue without having conflicts with the Centre. The issue of deteriorating relation between the VHP and the BJP might also come up for discussion, he added. Opposing the government’s interference in the day-to-day running of temples, the Swamiji of Pejavar Mutt said the temples run by society, trusts and managed by Hindu religion denomination should be exempted from the purview of the new Hindu Religion Institution and Charitable Endowment Act, 1997. “The temples run by such institutions are functioning very well without any malpractice and the government should desist from interfering in their affairs,” he said. The pontiff urged the government to give full freedom to the mutts, which had been excluded from the Act. “There should be some limited control by the Government on the mutt to prevent the misuse of its property.” Stating that the government should have consulted them and elicited their opinion before bringing the Act, he said the heriditary ‘’archakas’’, who were worshipping in the temples for long, should not be changed. After their retirement, the next kin from that family should be appointed with proper training and certificate, he added. Replying to a query, he said the oldest Sri Krishna temple here could not be brought under the new Act as it was attached and managed by eight Mutts. Allaying apprehensions, the seer said for centuries, the temple administration was well managed by the “Peetadhipathis of Asta Mutt” (eight Mutts).
UNI |
|
Jaswant, George to call on Kanchi seer today
Chennai, June 21 According to police sources, the two Union Ministers will arrive here tomorrow afternoon and leave for Kancheepuram by a helicopter from the airport itself. The meeting of Mr Jaswant Singh, a senior BJP leader, and Mr Fernandes, National Democratic Alliance convener, assumes significance in the backdrop of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board receiving the Sankaracharya’s fresh proposals for resolving the Ayodhya tangle. President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam had called on the Acharya during his two-day visit to the state on June 19 but denied having discussed about the Ayodhya issue. While the President said he had only discussed about the spiritual side of religion, the Acharya had stated that they discussed everything other than Ayodhya.
UNI |
|
Death follows train fire survivor Kayamkulam (Kerala) Shaji’s wife, Betty, and their two children had died in the train accident at Ludhiana. Tragedy struck the family when they were travelling from New Delhi to Amritsar in the ill-fated
train. Shaji was a Naik in the Indian Army and was posted at Amritsar when investigations revealed that he was suffering from cancer. Betty, who worked as a laboratory technician at Amritsar, quit her job to take care of her ailing husband. Thereafter, the family shifted to New Delhi for the treatment of
Shaji. The family was returning to Amritsar to collect the transfer certificates of their children from the Sainik School there when the compartment in which they were travelling caught fire. While Shaji managed to escape, his wife and children were burnt alive. The Tribune had extensively reported Shaji’s case in its report on the train accident. His was the most poignant story to emerge from Ludhiana. A couple of weeks ago, Shaji returned to Spring Valley which was his native place. He was admitted to the Naval Hospital following severe pain but the doctors could not save him. |
|
CPM opposes US ships docking
at Kochi New Delhi, June 21 The CPM general secretary, Mr Harkishen Singh Surjeet, said the ships were carrying 400 soldiers and weapons meant for use against Iraq. “These have been given permission by the Vajpayee government to dock at the Kochi port ostensibly for rest,” he said.. “This was highly condemnable”, Mr Surjeet said and added that the NDA government had bowed to pressure from the USA and acted against the spirit of the resolution of Parliament against war on Iraq. This approval came amid the increasing pressure from the USA to send Indian troops to help the occupation regime in Iraq. Mr Surjeet said the CPM had organised huge protests in Kerala against the permission for the docking of these ships on Indian shores. |
|
Cabinet
approves 7 PSLV flights New Delhi, June 21 The Union Cabinet at its meeting chaired by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee this morning gave its approval for the project flights ranging from C-7 to C-13 and also approved advance action for long lead items for subsequent two flights C-14 and C-15. The Cabinet gave its approval keeping in mind the self reliance capability to launch remote sensing satellites and also with a view to sustaining the operational and potential commercial use of the vehicles. Giving details of the project, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said the total programme approved would have an estimated cost of Rs 679.59 crore with a foreign exchange component of Rs 175.89 crore. Reports suggested that as part of the commercial use of the vehicles, the government would be looking to clinch some contracts from other countries. The government was planning to launch at least two satellites a year. The development of the PSLV was carried out from 1982 to 1993 and a total of seven missions had been carried out so far. As a result of these missions, the payload capacity had gone up from 845 kg to 1400 kg at 817 km orbit limit. The Cabinet also gave its approval for the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Thailand on cooperation in the field of agricultural science, technology and economy. It envisages exchange programmes in the field of germplasms, materials and information, trainees and scientists. |
|
Health Ministry group to get more powers New Delhi, June 21 Parliamentary Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj after a meeting of Cabinet Committee of Economic Affairs (CCEA) said here that “an inter-ministerial committee shall be constituted under the chairmanship of the Secretary of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to review the state plans (for population stabilisation) before their submission to the EAG for final approval”. The EAG was constituted in 2001 to provide focussed attention to eight states — Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, Orissa, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Uttaranchal — for population stabilisation. The CCEA meeting, presided over by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, approved an outlay of Rs 250 crore for EAG schemes in the 10th plan as an untied fund to address the area-specific and special needs of the eight states. The CCEA also decided to hike the minimum support price for the main TD-5 grade jute by Rs 10 for the 2003-04 season to Rs 860 per quintal. It also approved corresponding MSP for other varieties and grades of raw jute. An official spokesman said the MSP for other varieties and grades of raw jute across locations had been fixed keeping in view the normal market price differentials and the aggregate scores assigned to
different grades. The Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP) had submitted its report on price policy for raw jute for the 2003-04 session, he said adding that the CCEA approved MSP in the light of its recommendations. Jute Corporation of India will continue to act as the nodal agency for the MSP operations and losses if any will be reimbursed by the government, he said. In a bid to promote industry and tourism in North-Eastern states, the government also decided to provide Rs 175 crore to the Indian Airlines sister concern Alliance Air during the five-year period between 2002-07 for running additional flights in the region. The CCEA gave its approval for the allocation of Rs 35 crore per annum for five years to Alliance Air. The official spokesman said the funds would be provided from the North Eastern Council (NEC) Budget while Alliance Air would spend the remaining Rs 15 crore from its own resources during the Tenth Plan period. Alliance Air will operate four 50-seater ATR-42-320 aircrafts exclusively in Assam, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura and Meghalaya, the spokesman said. |
|
HP moves SC on bail to Katwal New Delhi, June 21 A Special Leave Petition against the Himachal Pradesh High Court’s June 11 order, granting Katwal conditional anticipatory bail, was filed by the state government on Friday and it is likely to be taken up for hearing by the vacation Bench of the apex court on Monday. The High Court order has been challenged on the ground that custodial interrogation of the former HPSSSB chief was necessary to unearth the alleged conspiracy in the selection of candidates. While granting bail to Katwal, the High Court had said he would present himself before the state Enforcement Department for “custodial interrogation” for three days and join the probe when called by its investigating officers. It had further said that Katwal had been cooperating with the investigating agency and no fruitful purpose would be served by remanding him in the custody of the investigating agency. Consequent to the High Court’s order, Enforcement Department sleuths had reportedly questioned Katwal at Hamirpur about the appointments of clerks, ‘Vidya Upasaks (primary school teachers appointed on a consolidated salary)’, trained graduate teachers and physical training instructors in schools during his tenure. It has been alleged that certain politicians were also involved in the appointment scam. |
|
Hearing
on Sunanda Shetty’s bail plea deferred Surat, June 21 Sunanda’s advocate Kalpesh Desai in an application stated that the advocates were busy attending the court for the hearing of Surendra Shetty’s remand for police custody and certain documents related to the case were also produced in the court. Sunanda Shetty was also scheduled to be present in court today, but could not attend the proceedings as she remained indisposed.
UNI |
|
Monsoon session
from July 21 New Delhi, June 21 The Union Cabinet which met here this morning gave its approval for the holding of the Monsson Session from July 21 to August 22. While there will be a total of 33 days of session, there would be 22 sittings of the two Houses during this period. Giving details of the possible Bills that would be taken up during the session, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said the Lok Sabha was likely to take up an amendment Bill to the Representation of People’s Act and amendment to Foreigners Act. These were passed by the Rajya Sabha in its last sitting. On the other hand, the Rajya Sabha is expected to take up among others the CVC bill 2003, ICWA Bill 2003, amendment to the AAI Act and the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Bill 2003. When asked specifically whether the Women’s Reservation Bill would be brought forward, Ms Swaraj said since Speaker of the Lok Sabha Manohar Joshi was holding consultations with the political parties and had even convened an all-party meeting on the issue, it would only be after his nod that the Bill would be introduced again. |
|
3 rural drinking water schemes approved New Delhi, June 21 “The implementation of the schemes would require an additional Rs 700 crore to be released in two tranches of Rs 350 crore each in two years,” an official spokesperson said. The three schemes approved are installation of one lakh hand pumps in water-scarce areas, drinking water in one lakh primary schools in rural areas and revival of one lakh traditional sources of drinking water. If a state is unable to utilise the amount within a stipulated and reasonable timeframe, the balance available would be released to “better-performing” states, he said. According to the first scheme, one lakh handpumps would be installed in both drought-hit and other states in the proportion of 75:25. The total cost of the scheme would be Rs 347.50 crore, he said. The government would also provide drinking water facility in one lakh rural primary schools which would involve a total cost of about Rs 300 crore. |
|
Kalam gives 1 lakh to Bismillah Khan
New Delhi, June 21 Mr Kalam has in a letter along with the contribution towards Khan’s medical expenses wished him speedy recovery, according to a Rashtrapati Bhavan spokesman. The President had written a similar letter to the maestro a couple of days ago.
PTI |
|
Minister faces FIRs Patna, June 21 Mr Yadav had been accused of committing atrocities on Dalits and grabbing their land in Sitamarhi. According to the charges he had forcibly gained possession of the land belonging to the Dalit families and constructed a house.
UNI |
 |
| 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
