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Wednesday,
July 9, 2003, Chandigarh, India  
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Army clarifies on Operation Infiltration on rise Crime Act: SC notice to
Maharashtra Jagmohan calls meeting on
Taj  Deputy Prime Minister L. K. Advani with India's newly appointed High Commissioner to Pakistan Shiv Shankar Menon at North Block in New Delhi on Tuesday. — PTI |
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NCM writes to Akal Takht on Dalits’ issue New Delhi, July 8 The National Commission for Minorities today urged the Akal Takht Jathedar and the SGPC chief to intervene and restore dignity to the Dalits in the state.
Lahore bus booking opens
Supreme Court penalises litigants from
Punjab SC quashes change of Dainik Bhaskar ownership Function marks Basu’s 90th birthday Sacked minister denies charges
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Army clarifies on Operation
Sarp Vinash New Delhi, July 8 After the initial reports of success achieved by the Indian forces to push back the terrorists occupying almost 150 sq km area in the higher reaches of Rajouri, almost 35 km inside the LoC following the start of the Operation Sarp Vinash, the Army has been on the backfoot trying hard to salvage the situation with media reports insinuating that everything was fake. Following the latest reports in a national daily and in a fortnightly magazine suggesting that the country had been taken for a ride and the public had been misled with the fake operation, the Army has come out with a fact sheet where it challenged the reports by giving out not only the details of various seizures made by the troops during the operation but also of the FIRs which had been lodged by it in regard to the operation. A spokesman of the Army today reasserted that the operation was not “fake” and that as many as 65 terrorists had been killed since its start in April last. Giving details he said as many as 47 AK rifles, 35 radio sets, 19 under barrel grenade launchers and 12 Pika guns along with 25 mines had been seized during the operations. Other small arms and ammunition had also been seized along with a satellite phone. The Army further said it had seized as much as 10,198 kg of rations from the 119 hideouts which had been busted. It also gave details of the FIRs lodged by it pointing out the number of terrorists who had been killed on each day. Of the 20 FIRs it claims to have lodged, 17 have been filed with the police station Surankot between April 17, 2003 and June 15, 2003. Of the other three FIRs, two have been lodged with the Shupiyan police station and another with Tsrar-e-Sharif police station between April 29, 2003 and May 7, 2003. Reacting to the media reports, the Army said the success of the operation could be gauged by the disproportionate casualties inflicted on the terrorists. As against the loss of one soldier as many as 13 terrorists had been eliminated. As per the Army, the operation was first planned in January last and with it in view the state government was also approached to prevent the entry of Bakarwals into the region. The state government had agreed to pay a compensation of Rs 7.5 crore to the affected people. Later the Army constructed three helipads and mule tracks between January and March. Finally the operations were launched in April and the helicopters were used for logistic support and sustenance in the Hil Kaka Bowl. The operation extended to the fringe areas also. There was coordination with the formations on the west and also across the Pir Panjal. Two battalions were specifically deployed to the east of Pir Panjal also to intercept the fleeing terrorists. The Army said now after the success of the operation, a permanent grid had been established in the area to dominate it and obviate the return of terrorists to the area. |
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Infiltration on rise As per the official figures, there were 105 incidents of infiltration from across the LoC in January this year, 55 in February, 91 in March, 156 in April and 195 in May. The figures for the corresponding period last year were 33 (January 2002), 38 (February), 132 (March), 113 (April) and 165 (May). The months during which the infiltration had been minimal was because of heavy snowfall in this period which led to closure of mountain passes. Sources in the government told The Tribune today that going by this trend infiltration would be on further upswing in the coming months as well. Central agencies kept a close tab on the infiltration figures on a day-to-day basis. Their inputs came from eyewitness accounts of the locals, discovery of footprints by patrol parties, interrogation of captured militants as well as surveillance of wireless conversations of militant outfits based in Jammu and Kashmir with their bosses sitting across the LoC. Since each of over six major Central agencies, including the Intelligence Bureau (IB), Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), Military Intelligence (MI) and Border Security Force (BSF) maintained their own accounts of infiltration, quite often the overall figures varied. However, the variation was minor and the Government of India stuck to one set of figures for official purposes. The Vajpayee government had been raising the issue of infiltration with the international community. Significantly, the government had been working in tandem with Israeli experts in tackling the problem of infiltration and had imported electronic equipment, sensors and other hi-tech gadgets from Tel Aviv. In this context, the meeting of Israeli Foreign Minister Sylvan Shalon’s Special Envoy, Mr David Ivry, with Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani here today assumed significance. It was understood that Mr Advani and Mr Ivry discussed the Israeli strategic cooperation on making the LoC infiltration-proof. Mr Ivry would be meeting External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha tomorrow and Prime Minister’s Principal Secretary and National Security Adviser Brajesh Mishra the day after, sources said. |
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Sinha rules out
Indo-Pak talks in Kathmandu New Delhi, July 8 The Standing Committee of SAARC is beginning its two-day deliberations in Kathmandu from tomorrow. Foreign secretaries of the member countries will take part in the deliberations. “I don’t think so. This is not a part of the step-by-step approach that we have in mind,” Mr Sinha told reporters who asked him questions after the launching of a publication “India 2003-04- Reliable Business Partner, Attractive FDI
Destination”. Mr Navtej Sarna, a spokesman of the Ministry of External Affairs, also categorically ruled out Indo-Pak bilateral meeting at the level of foreign secretaries in Kathmandu, saying, “There is no plan for such a meeting”. Meanwhile, Mr Sinha told the Parliamentary Consultative Committee for his ministry that India had not taken any decision so far on US request to deploy its troops for a stabilisation force in Iraq. Mr Sinha asserted that the government had not made any compromise on its stand on Tibet as opposition parties hailed the achievements made in Sino-Indian relations during Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s recent visit to China, a spokespersons of the ministry told reporters. |
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Crime Act: SC notice to
Maharashtra New Delhi, July 8 Lot of hue and cry was raised by the human rights
organisations against MCOCA as they described it as stringent as the Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA), the constitutional validity of which has also been challenged in the apex court. A Bench comprising Mr Justice Y.K. Sabharwal and Mr Justice G.P. Mathur issued notice to the Maharashtra Government, seeking its reply to a special leave petition (SLP), filed by one Jaisingh, who was booked for a petty offence by the police but was being proceeded under MCOCA. The SLP was filed against the order of the Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court rejecting the petition by Jaisingh and some other accused persons challenging the validity of MCOCA and accusing the authorities of its misuse. Petitioner’s counsel A.K. Sanghi alleged that the Act was “draconian” in nature as it gave power to the police to apply the provision of the law against an accused for his “continuing unlawful activities within the
preceding period of 10 years” under Section 2(d). The Act was passed by the Maharashtra Government in 1999 and provides heavy and drastic punishment to the accused booked under it, the petition said. The petitioner further said that the provisions of the Act were violative of Article 20 of the Constitution, which provides that no person shall be convicted of any offence except for the violation of a law in force at the time of the commission of the act charged with, and nor be subjected to a penalty greater than which might have been inflicted under the law in force. |
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Jagmohan calls meeting on
Taj New Delhi, July 8 Sources in the ministry said that the meeting had been convened to work out the details of the Rs 20-crore Taj development programme which has been planned by the Tourism and Culture Ministry. Officials from the Taj group of hotels, who are providing expert advice on the project and from the ASI, had been specially called for the meeting. The ministry had worked out an ambitious conservation and improvement plan not only for the Taj Mahal but also for the Agra Fort, Fatehpur Sikri and Sikandara. Sources said that the minister was taking keen interest in the project as it would involve the beautification of the area around the Taj and the other historical sites in Agra. After the recent fiasco of the Taj Heritage Corridor project it would put the ministry on a stronger footing. The project involved not only the conservation of the Taj, but also the relaying of the garden area, water pumping facility and improving of tourists facilities at these sites. Ministry officials said that at the meeting tomorrow Unesco DG was expected to raise the issue of unauthorised construction around the Taj. A team from the UN agency was also expected to visit the site. Apparently, during the meeting, the minister was expected to impress upon the Unesco official that the Central Government had not given its sanction for the unauthorised constructions on the Yamuna riverbed. After the unauthorised constructions came to light Unesco officials had also said that the Taj and the Agra Fort would be declared “endangered sites” if efforts were not made by the Union Government to stop the activity. The sites had been declared as World Heritage Sites by the
Unesco. |
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Lahore bus booking opens
New Delhi, July 8 The booking for the service, to be resumed on July 11, got underway after a day’s delay caused by non-completion of formalities. Mohd Abdullah of Srinagar was the first person to get the ticket at the Ambedkar Nagar bus terminal. Terming the moment as “historic”, Mr Maken said all arrangements for the resumption of the twice weekly service were completed and the bus would start plying between the two countries from July 11 as per schedule. On the security issue, he said this aspect would be taken care of by central agencies of both the governments. Asked whether any VIP would travel on the first journey, the minister said he was unaware as the decision lied with the Central government. —
PTI |
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NCM writes to Akal Takht on Dalits’ issue New Delhi, July 8 Expressing concern over the increasing incidents of caste violence in Punjab, the Chairman of the NCM, Mr Tarlochan Singh, in a letter to the Akal Takht Jathedar and the SGPC chief, urged them to intervene and ensure that Dalits get due representation in the management of the affairs of gurdwaras. After Talhan, Jats and Dalits clashed in Bhattian Bet in the past few days, which was a matter of grave concern for the community and the state, he said. Talking to The Tribune, Mr Tarlochan Singh said the caste tension in the state was being aided by political parties with vested interests, but it would result in grave damage to society. Stating that three of the “panj pyaras” baptised by Guru Gobind Singh were Dalits, he pointed out that the Guru had thus paved the way for the abolition of caste system in Sikhism.
Free Sikh pilgrims, Uttaranchal told New Delhi, July 8 Acting on a complaint of a Sikh delegation, the NCM Chairman, Mr Tarlochan Singh sent a fax message to the government to release the pilgrims and investigate the incident. The respondent state government has been asked to submit a report to the commission. The delegation met the Chairman at his office here on Tuesday and apprised him of the incident and the subsequent attack on innocent pilgrims. The NCM has also convened a meeting of officers concerned, including the Principal Secretary to the Uttaranchal Chief Minister, Mr Lavak Ahmed, and the District Magistrate and the SSP of Chamoli with office-bearers of the Sri Hemkunt Trust on July 17. |
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Supreme Court penalises litigants from
Punjab New Delhi, July 8 Dismissing their appeals against the Punjab and Haryana High Court order rejecting their petitions challenging the appointments, a Bench comprising Mr Justice Shivaraj V. Patil and Mr Justice Arijit Pasayat said two appellants would pay Rs 10,000 each and the other two Rs 5,000 each as their tendering apology was not sufficient. “We must observe that the misrepresentation made by the appellants in the SLPs supported by an affidavit required serious action but we refrain from taking any further action in view of the apology and regret expressed by them,” the Bench observed, adding that “but we administer a warning to them to be careful in future and not to make any misrepresentation or false statement before any court and impose the cost also.” The appellants, led by Vijay Syal, had challenged the appointment of ADTOs on the ground that the selection board had lowered the selection criteria to accommodate certain candidates on “political grounds”. The Bench said the candidates, who were actually given the appointment letters in May, 1998, were continuing in service and “on this ground as well as looking at the conduct of the appellants in making misrepresentation to this court and finding no merit in thsese appeals, we should decline to interfere with the High Court order.” |
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SC quashes change of Dainik Bhaskar ownership New Delhi, July 8 A Bench comprising Chief Justice V.N. Khare, Mr Justice S.B. Sinha and Mr Justice A.R. Lakshmanan passed this order yesterday, holding that the High Court and the RNI ordered the change of ownership on the basis of a compromise settlement to which all contesting parties had not consented. “The High Court also failed and/or neglected to take into consideration the fact that the compromise having been entered into by and between the three out of four partners, could not have been termed as settlement of all disputes and in that view of the matter, no compromise could have been recorded by it,” Mr Justice Sinha, writing the judgement for the Bench, said. —
PTI |
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Function marks Basu’s 90th birthday Kolkata, July 8 Chief Minister Buddhadev Bhattacharjee and Anil
Biswas, party Secretary, and other CPM leaders went to Mr Basu’s residence to offer their greetings. Mr Biswas admitted that so far no Marxist leader’s birthday had been celebrated following a ban imposed by veteran Communist leader Muzaffar Ahmed (Kaka
Babu). But, Mr Basu is an exception and we are happy to celebrate his birthday, he remarked. Schoolchildren lit candles and cut birthday cake. Meanwhile, singling out the BJP as the Marxists’ “prime enemy”, Mr Basu said his party would help the Congress in defeating the saffron outfit in the next Lok Sabha poll. “As I age, I think the only wish I now have is to oust the
communal forces ruling at the Centre in a political battle,” Mr Basu said after birthday celebrations. |
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Sacked minister denies charges New Delhi, July 8 Mr Harbans Lal, former Minister of State for Forests, who was admitted to the Escorts Heart Institute and Research Centre here on July 5, said he was pained to learn about his removal “just on a secretary’s report”. “The Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh, should have given me at least an opportunity to explain my position.” —
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Around
50,000 people in the Northeast lost their homes in
flooding on Monday caused by heavy monsoon rains and had
to be evacuated to safer areas. 
(
Himachal page:
New Delhi, July 8