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Monday,
September 29, 2003, Chandigarh, India  
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Lata’s fans say it with flowers
Madhumita case: Cong
leader quizzed
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Judge hearing Jogi case transferred NEWS ANALYSIS Forget Gujarat riots, Advani
tells investors Punjab’s loss is Gujarat’s gain
Yasmin records statement in Best Bakery case
BJP flays Togadia for PM bashing BSP to go it alone in poll, says Maya VHP to stay away
from poll campaign CPM finalises poll strategy SC: special judge can try accused for
non-graft offences NEWS ANALYSIS Today is Karisma’s
red-letter day
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Lata’s fans say it with flowers
Mumbai, September 28 An over-5 kg garland, strung together with yellow flowers, interspersed with bunch of red roses, and shimmering silver foil, has been strung across the entrance of her building. “The garland has been specially sent from one of didi’s friends in Aurangabd”, informs one of the diva’s staff. Police and private security personnel scrutinised all visitors to the building and informed that the melody queen would not be meeting reporters today. Pointing to the neat rows of flowers lined up at the entrance, a staff member says: “There is double this amount of flowers at didi’s first floor apartment. There is no room for any more now and hence they are placed here”. “Didi has also been inundated with phone calls since early morning with everyone wishing her on her birthday,” he adds. Among those who visited her residence today included yesteryear film actress Sulochana, Mumbai Mayor Mahadeo Deole and Mumbai Civic Commissioner Karun Srivastav. And did she cut a cake? Pat came the reply: “no, we do not follow these formalities at home”. New Delhi: Vice-President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat sent his best wishes to Lata Mangeshkar on her 75th birthday. In his message to the legendary singer, Mr Shekhawat wished her good health, happiness and many more years in service to the nation. Congress President Sonia Gandhi also sent her felicitations to Lata Mangeshkar. “I pray for your continuing good health and happiness and hope that we will enjoy the melody of your voice for many years to come”, Sonia said in her message.
— PTI |
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Madhumita case: Cong
leader quizzed Lucknow, September 28 According
to sources, the investigating sleuths questioned Mr Mehndi about the
arrested MLA’s role in the poetess’ murder and asked him to
clarify certain things which had cropped up during Mr Tripathi’s
interrogation at New Delhi recently. The CBI, during the
interrogation which lasted for over one hour at the government guest
house this afternoon, wanted to know from the Congress leader and MLC
about his present relationship with the SP MLA and sought reasons for
their ‘political’ separation. Later, talking to mediapersons, Mr Mehndi said he was asked about his relationship with Mr Tripathi and certain details about how the SP MLA had obstructed his election to the state legislative council. Demanding
that the CBI should also investigate the change of statements by
leaders of the ruling Samajwadi Party who are supporting Mr Tripathi,
Mr Mehndi said he had informed the sleuths that he was not aware about
Madhumita as she came into the picture after 2000. —
UNI |
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Judge hearing Jogi case transferred Bhopal, September 28 Mr Sulya is one of the 14 CJMs promoted as ad hoc Additional District Judges. He has been asked to join the fast-track court at Mungawali in Guna district on the other end of the state. CJM Sulya had ordered the registration of a criminal case and prosecution of Mr Jogi under Sections 420 (cheating), 467 (forgery of valuable security, will, etc), 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating) and 471 (using as genuine a forged document) of the IPC on September 4. The order was passed on a complaint of Mr Dalpat Singh Paraste who was the BJP candidate from the Shahdol Lok Sabha constituency during the last parliamentary elections. Mr Jogi was fielded by the Congress. Shahdol Lok Sabha constituency being reserved for the Scheduled Tribes, Mr Jogi had submitted certain documents in support of his claim of belonging to the said category. The CJM’s court later examined these and found that these were forged. Mr Jogi had submitted two certificates, one obtained from a Naib Tehsildar at Indore in 1999 and the other purported to have been issued by the Tehsildar of Pendra Road in 1967. The CJM had ruled that the certificate obtained from Indore was fake because there was no registration of a case for issuing the certificate. The other one was also declared as forged because Pendra Road was not a Tehsil in 1967; it was upgraded as Tehsil only in 1971. Seeking Mr Jogi’s appearance in the court on October 16, the CJM observed in his order that Mr Jogi was not a tribesman but a Satnami and as such a member of a Scheduled Caste. Even then, he dishonestly and fraudulently produced forged documents before the Returning Officer without which he could not have become a candidate from Shahdol constituency, he had said in the order. |
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NEWS
ANALYSIS New Delhi, September 28 The court had directed the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) counsel Vijay Panjwani to provide the CBI with the details of the punitive provisions of the environment protection laws, including the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, which provides for a maximum jail term of six years and imposition of a heavy fine for tampering with the course of any river or stream. It was under this law that the Supreme Court had earlier imposed a damage of Rs 10 lakh on a prominent politician for changing the course of the Beas river in Kulu-Manali, in Himachal Pradesh to save his motel. The court had directed the CBI to register an FIR against former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati, her Cabinet colleague Niseemuddin Sidiqui and six officials of the Centre and the state governments for alleged attempt to tamper with the flow of Yamuna to reclaim land from the riverbed. Since allegations in the Taj Corridor case were that every thing had been done in violation of the law, the persons involved, if found guilty, could face the consequences under the Water Act also. The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act was passed by the Centre to ensure maintaining or restoring of wholesomeness of water which was an essential ingredient for survival of life on earth, said the CPCB counsel. The court had laid down the principle of ‘polluter pays’ for causing damage to the environment, while imposing a fine for changing the course of Beas in Kulu-Manali. Similarly a fine of Rs 1 crore was imposed on the Himachal Pradesh Government last year for failing to protect the rocks being painted with huge advertisements. The cause of action for the violations could also lie under the Environment Protection Act, 1986 and Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, the legal experts said. |
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Forget Gujarat riots, Advani tells investors Ahmedabad, September 28 “I feel as if
Gujarat is doing all this (Vibrant Gujarat celebrations) to send out a
deliberate message to the rest of the world. I say, it is a deliberate
message because it is, among other things, meant to counter the
sustained propaganda and by extension, against India — being
conducted at home and abroad,” Mr Advani said, while delivering the
inaugural speech at the “Vibrant Gujarat Global Investors’ Summit”. Urging
investors not to be swayed by the last year’s propaganda against
Gujarat, Mr Advani said the state would learn the right lessons and
move ahead. On the Indo-Pakistan relationship, Mr Advani said he had told President Pervez Musharraf at the time of Agra visit that BJP government offered the best opportunity for resolving outstanding issues. Mr Advani asked the state government to pay a greater attention to higher and professional education. He said there was a need to set up high-quality institutions in diverse areas with the help of private sector participation and make conscious efforts to improve its standing in Information Technology, IT-enabled services, bio-technology and other knowledge-driven enterprises. Referring
to strengthening of public-private partnerships, he said the belief
that politicians were ‘agents’ of corporate giants was a thing of
the past and added that such ventures were needed for the country to
be a global power. The ‘Vibrant Gujarat Global Investors’ Summit’,
organised by the state government is aimed at attracting foreign
investment in Gujarat and a slew of activities, including a three-day
exhibition-cum-convention on garments and jewellery would be held at
Surat as a part of this. Apart from Mr Advani, others who were present on the occasion included Union IT, Communications and Disinvestment Minister Arun Shourie, Union Petroleum Minister Ram Naik, Chief Minister Narendra Modi, FICCI President A.C. Muthaiah and Union Minister of State for Home, Harin Pathak. The
country’s economic growth was likely to accelerate this year to
touch 7 per cent following a good monsoon, Mr Advani said today. Economic fundamentals were strong and a number of foreign companies are investing in the country, Mr Advani said citing various indicators, including strengthening of the rupee and buoyant forex position with reserves touching $ 85 billion (US). He sought to dispell any misconception over the conitunity of reforms and declared that reforms were irreversible. Mr
Advani’s statement comes in the wake of set back the privatisation
programme received after the apex court asked government to halt the
sale of HPCL and BPCL for failing to obtain Parliamentary approval.
— PTI |
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Yasmin records statement in Best Bakery case Vadodara, September 28 Yasminbanu, who had earlier demanded that her name be included in the list of witnesses to `tell the truth’, said today that she had informed the police about the ‘non-involvement’ of 21 accused in the case, who were arrested in connection with the case. She reiterated her charge that both Zahira and her mother Sehrunissa were ‘lying’ and she was prepared to appear “before any court of the CBI or the Supreme Court to tell the truth”. Yasminbanu, who had undertaken renovation of the Bakery, prompting her husband to allege that it was part of a ‘conspiracy’, has started residing on the premises along with her minor daughter Tanvir and mother Rashidabibi at the Hanuman Tekari area in Pratapnagar locality since yesterday. The recording of statement assumes significance as the Gujarat Government has decided to file amended plea in the High Court before October 9 following a stricture passed by the Supreme Court asking Chief Minister Narendra Modi to follow the ‘rajdharma’ or quit the office. Yasminbanu claimed that she knew every person staying around the bakery and that none of them were involved in the attack. Yasminbanu further alleged that she was driven out of her house after the Bakery fire and added that she had sustained burn inujries on her leg and was also hospitalised. —
PTI |
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BJP flays Togadia for PM bashing New Delhi, September 28 Addressing delegations of the party’s Muslim leaders, who had gathered at his residence to protest against Mr Togadia’s “provocative” speech at a BJP minority morcha meeting here, party General Secretary said, “Such provocative statements from either side are not going to serve any useful purpose in creating an atmosphere of trust and friendship between the two communities”. He said the BJP did not subscribe to views expressed by the VHP leader. He said the BJP had disassociated itself from Dr Togadia’s observations. Criticising Mr Togadia for stating that the Hindus would take Ayodhya by force and Hindus were willing to become suicide bombers to meet their goals, he said, “These views are represented only by a handful of people. These views should neither be encouraged nor justified”. Taking exception to Mr Togadia’s criticism of Mr Vajpayee, he said, “It is baseless and unacceptable. Nobody can ignore Mr Vajpayee’s contribution to India’s development and in enhancing its stature in the comity of nations”. |
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BSP to go it alone in poll, says Maya Raipur, September 28 Launching the BSP campaign for the elections in Chhattisgarh at a rally here, she said, "We will not enter into an alliance with the Congress or any other party." Lashing out at a section of the media for unleashing a propaganda that the BSP was just a party of Dalits, by Dalits and for Dalits'', Ms Mayawati said her party represented 85 per cent of the country's population. She said the administrative officials on whom the government spent crores every year, were responsible for the irregularities. Accusing the BJP of unleashing a propaganda about the alleged 'benami properties owned by her, the former Chief Minister said she had submitted details of her property to the Income Tax Department. The CBI would, in the next couple of days, register an FIR against Ms Mayawati and other senior officials in Uttar Pradesh and at the Centre, charging them with corruption and criminal conspiracy in the clearance of the Rs 175-crore Taj corridor project. Modalities had been completed for the registration of an FIR against Ms Mayawati, former Uttar Pradesh Environment Minister Naseemuddin Siddiqui, four senior state government officials, former Uttar Pradesh Principal Environment Secretry R.K. Sharma and National Project Construction Corporation Managing Director S.C. Bali. —UNI |
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VHP to stay away from poll campaign Indore, September 28 “This time, we have decided to remain focused on the Ram temple movement” instead of campaigning for any party, he told reporters at the Indore Press Club. Mr Togadia declined to comment when asked about the Rae Bareli court’s order discharging Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani in the Babri Masjid demolition case. However, he said political leaders should be “prepared to go to jail for the cause of the temple” and alleged that the present Central Government was “confused” on the issue. VHP’s ‘Ayodhya march’ would be a peaceful congregation of devotees that would reach Ayodhya on October 16 and 17, “to put pressure on the government to handover the Ram Janmabhoomi to the VHP for constructing a Ram temple,” Mr Togadia said. The VHP leader said he was hopeful of a peaceful solution to the Ayodhya imbroglio, especially after “the ASI excavation report giving clear indications that there was a temple in the ancient time.” Mr Togadia appealed to Muslim leaders to withdraw their claims on the disputed land and hand it over to Hindus for the construction of the Ram temple. —
PTI |
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CPM finalises poll strategy New Delhi, September 28 The CPM politburo, which finalised its poll strategy, would be placed before the 76-member Central Committee for giving final touches. The party has already announced its candidates in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Delhi with seat adjustments with the CPI, the JD (Secular) and other parties. Politburo member Sitaram Yechuri said all 16 members attended the deliberations, barring veteran leader and former West Bengal Chief Minister Jyoti Basu whose wife was reportedly critically ill. Mr Yechuri, not divulging the poll strategy to the newspersons, said the meeting was held to finalise the poll agenda for the November Assembly elections. Its highest decision-making body, the Politburo, which concluded a two-day session at Gopalan Bhavan here today, viewed that the Lok Sabha election, scheduled for October next year might be advanced, particularly if the coming Assembly poll turned out to be favourable to the BJP and its allies, party sources said. On the international level, Indian foreign policy’s tilt towards US-Israel axis and the country’s growing proximity to Israel was also viewed as a negative trend which needs to be countered politically, the sources added. |
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SC: special judge can try accused for New Delhi, September 28 A Division Bench, comprising Mr Justice N. Santosh Hegde and Mr Justice B.P. Singh, has said a special judge trying a case relating to an offence under Section 3 of the Act may also try any offence under any other law for which, under the provisions of the CrPC, the accused may be charged at the same trial. Rejecting the contention that the special judge does not have the jurisdiction to try an accused who is not charged under the anti-graft Act, the court has said it is clear from Section 220 of the CrPC that he can be tried by the judge if the offence under the Act and the offence under the IPC or any other law are committed in the course of the same transaction. The court has further noted that the provisions of the CrPC apply to trials for offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act unless any provision is excluded expressly or by necessary implication. —
UNI |
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NEWS
ANALYSIS New Delhi, September 28 Diplomatic observers here said the Pakistan foreign office spokesman’s remark that Mr Sharon’s visit was aimed at creating an axis against the Muslim world and against Pakistan and Pakistani Muslims was certainly an expression of frustration. There could also be a domestic compulsion for Islamabad’s strong reaction to Mr Sharon’s visit and such remarks were meant to alarm the anti-recognition lobby about what danger the Muslim world and Pakistan faced if Israel was not separated from this so-called axis. The issue of granting recognition to Israel had always been one of Pakistan’s biggest dilemmas. Implicit in all suggestions in favour of recognising Israel was Pakistani leaders’ apparent willingness to ignore the Muslim world’s views on this subject. A fresh controversy on this issue started in Pakistan a couple of months ago when President Pervez Musharraf asked why Islamabad should not recognise Israel and why Pakistan should be more Palestinian in its approach than Palestinians themselves as Palestine had recognised Israel. After General Musharraf’s meeting with US President George W. Bush in Camp David on June 24, a Pakistani private television channel conducted a survey and reported on June 30 that 50 per cent of the Pakistanis wanted their country to recognise Israel. The latest argument in favour of the recognition of Israel was that this was the only way to check the growing Indo-Israel defence ties. Even Palestine accepted Israel, the argument was. It had always been the Muslim world factor that had kept Pakistan from recognising Israel. That was because powerful fundamentalist parties in Pakistan were under tremendous influence of some Muslim countries, including Iran and Saudi Arabia, which strongly resisted any move by Islamabad to recognise Israel. Pakistan’s ambition to be recognised as a leader of the Muslim world would receive a setback if it were to befriend Israel. Pakistan and Israel, traditional allies of the USA, had worked closely with one another during the Afghan war in the 1980s. Israelis had been keen on establishing diplomatic relations with Pakistan in the hope that this would facilitate their relations with other Muslim countries and break their regional isolation. A decade later, the pros and cons for Pakistan have not changed on the issue of recognising Israel. Can General Musharraf bell the cat? |
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Punjab’s loss is Gujarat’s gain Gandhinagar, September 28 With his dream of bringing his native village, near Chandigarh, on the world map far from having been realised, Mr Nathu Ram Puri’s Puri Foundation has entered into an agreement with the Gujarat Government and Nottingham University to set up a Rs 100-crore deemed biotechnology university at Koba village, near Gandhinagar. The foundation stone of the Indian Institute of Education and Advanced Research was laid yesterday by Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi at Koba after clearing all hindrances barely a month ahead of the Vibrant Gujarat summit with non-resident Indians. Mr Puri claimed that the institute would be the first of its kind in the country and would be one of the top six institutes in the world. Mr Puri told The Tribune that the institution would help India become a superpower in biotechnology within a few years. Mr Puri, funding 28 educational institutions in India, said facilities and faculty members at the institute would be at the level of Nottingham University. Mr Puri indicated that Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and his predecessor Parkash Singh Badal seemed less effective than Mr Modi in getting the bureaucracy clear the charity project. Mr Modi, during his recent London visit, had promised that all clearances would be made before the Navratras and he had kept his word, Mr Puri added. Mr Puri had been demanding land near Mullanpur since 1998 to set up a science city and had brought the Vice-Chancellor of Nottingham University, Sir Colin Cambel, twice to Punjab between 1998 and 2001, but nothing concrete had happened. The promise of Capt Amarinder Singh to provide land for a Rs 25-crore information technology engineering college had not been kept, Mr Puri said. He added that the money to be spent on the Gujarat project was what he had in mind for giving to Punjab. Gujarat had emerged as a world-class pharmaceutical giant because of a pharma research institute set up 50 years ago and this biotechnology project could determine the fate of the country in the next century, he said. |
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Today is Karisma’s
red-letter day Mumbai, September 28 The run-up to the wedding began days ago with the close intimates of the star couple making it to the “mehndi” and “sangeet” functions held at various popular venues in Bollywood. Though it has been described as a family affair, the extended filmi clan has been flocking to the home of Bollywood’s first family that has spawned numerous legends for more than half a century. The big day belongs to the fashion designers. Manish Malhotra is putting together Karisma’s trousseau. Karisma’s star sister Kareena would compete with the bride for the glitz lights. Both sisters are expected to don designer lehngas for the ceremony. The Kapoors are expected to live up to the reputation of their Pathan ancestry as big eaters. The gastronomic expedition will begin soon after the nuptials at 11.30 on Monday morning as per Sikh religious rites. The invitees will nibble from Moghlai, Italian, Thai and Indian dishes. Reports have it that a special salad bar and an elaborate pasta counter would feature at the reception. There would be 170 dishes. Sun ‘n’ Sand hotel at Juhu, a second home to Bollywood’s who’s who, has dispatched some 60 chefs for the preparations. However, the Kapoors insist that the wedding would be small — the guest lists would be about a thousand persons only, not including the gate-crashers though. Traditionally, all weddings at RK Villa have seen large number of uninvited guests gate-crashing. |
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