 |
|
Regularisation of
forest PM rules out
Ayodhya as election issue Karnataka
Assembly dissolved Capt against
fielding MLAs in LS polls
Sonia fails to woo Arif Mohd Khan |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
JD(U) identifies
seats Congress flays
BJP, Sena Sinha to
represent India at G-15 meet Tihar Jail DIG
shifted, DSP suspended Fake prisoner
release order racket busted Luck deserts
jail escapee after 20 yrs PM okays Sikh jathas for Pak Quiz Munde, Rane
in Telgi case: Bhujbal Fresh charges in
Bofors case on March 15 IA approves recruitment of
cabin crew Higher dam will
submerge temples,
says Medha Patkar Sikander Bakht dead Woman delivers
at 63 Idols stolen
from temple SP sent out of
Ujjain
|
|
Regularisation of forest encroachment stayed New Delhi, February 23 The stay was granted by a three-judge Bench of Chief Justice Mr V.N. Khare, Mr Justice Y.K. Sabharwal and Mr Justice Arijit Pasayat, while hearing a fresh application in a decade-old pending writ petition seeking protection to the forest cover. The application was moved by senior advocate Harish Salve, who was appointed amicus curiae to handle the case by the court. The stay order made it specifically clear that it would cover the decision of the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests to regularise all encroachments on forest lands by tribals up to December 1993, as against the
earlier cut-off date of October 25, 1980. The order to this effect was issued by the Ministry on February 5, 2004, which was criticised by environmentalists on the ground that it was aimed at garnering tribal votes during the coming elections. With this, the court also stayed the Union Government’s notification of February 3 amending the Forest (Conservation) Rules 2003, appointing authorities to facilitate grant of ownership rights to the tribals. Salve alleged that if the conversion was allowed nearly two lakh hectares of forest land would be converted into the revenue land in violation of the forest and environment laws and bulk of it was situated in Madhya Pradesh, Tripura, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand. The court gave four weeks time to the Centre to submit reply to the application filed by the amicus curiae. |
|
PM rules out Ayodhya
as election issue
Lucknow, February 23 At a press conference here, he rejected Opposition criticism of BJP’s “feel good” slogan and faced searching questions on the admission of controversial MP D.P. Yadav into the party. “Ram temple is not an issue. It is linked to people’s emotion. We should resolve it. I hope efforts in this direction will succeed,” he said. Asked if temple construction would form part of the BJP manifesto, Mr Vajpayee, who was flanked by former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Kalyan Singh, said “when the manifesto comes out it will be before you.” In reply to a question on growing Opposition charging the BJP with developing a personality cult around him, the Prime Minister said “I have not become any cult. We (in the BJP) work together and no one individual takes decisions.” About slogans like “Atalji Ka Naam, Atalji Ka Kaam” (Vajpayee’s name and achievements), he said “no, the party is not saying so”. The slogan mentioned was not complete, he added without elaborating. He said the return of Mr Kalyan Singh had strengthened the BJP and he was confident that the party would achieve its target of winning 60 of the 80 seats in Uttar Pradesh. The Prime Minister said even if the BJP got a majority on its own, it would continue to be a coalition rule of the NDA at the Centre. Downplaying differences within the state BJP, the Prime Minister said the policy of taking along everybody would succeed. He said the BJP had been in power in Uttar Pradesh and was currently leading a coalition at the Centre. “In such a situation, differences are bound to crop up....these are sorted out internally. Our policy of taking along everyone will succeed and I am confident that we will be able to achieve our target.” Asked if he had any talk with UP Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav on holding of Assembly elections along with Lok Sabha poll, the Prime Minister replied in the negative and said there was a general demand that simultaneous elections should be held. Dismissing the charge that the NDA government was discriminating in giving Central assistance to states like Uttar Pradesh unlike Andhra Pradesh, Mr Vajpayee said “there is no truth in this charge. Yardsticks are fixed for extending such assistance”, he said and added that Rajasthan received the maximum aid to tide over drought when it was under Congress rule.
— PTI |
|
Karnataka Assembly dissolved Bangalore, February 23 Taking a plunge for early elections after much debate and maintaining a prolonged suspense, Karnataka Chief Minister S.M. Krishna had on Monday last recommended to Governor T.N. Chaturvedi to dissolve the 11th Assembly on February 23. The Governor had accepted the recommendation of the state Cabinet endorsed by the Council of Ministers, a one-line Raj Bhavan communique said. Seizing the “opportunity” thrown up by the NDA government’s decision to advance the Lok Sabha poll, Mr Krishna had also plumped for premature end to his government’s tenure. Mr Krishna had asserted that the primary reason for seeking early elections was the confidence to return to power. The present Assembly is the fifth one to have a premature end in the state’s legislative history after the last one in 1999, when the then Governor J.H. Patel dissolved the House two months before the term ended.
— PTI |
|
Capt against fielding MLAs in LS polls New Delhi, February 23 The Chief Minister, who along with PPCC chief H S Hanspal will tomorrow meet Congress president Sonia Gandhi and also attend AICC screening committee meeting on Punjab, said though the party had many MLAs who could be party candidates for the coming LS polls, it would entail by-elections later. He said frequent by-elections were an impediment to speedy development. The Chief Minister’s remarks have come amid speculation in party circles about Deputy Chief Minister Rajinder Kaur Bhattal being considered as a party candidate for the Sangrur Lok Sabha seat. Ms Bhattal has not shown any keenness to contest the Lok Sabha polls. Capt Amarinder Singh told The Tribune here that the state Congress was preparing itinerary for Ms Gandhi’s two-day roadshow in Punjab. The Congress president is likely to touch rural areas in at least six of 13 parliamentary seats in the state during her road tour. Denying any adverse effect of the recent bickering in the state Congress on the issue of leadership, the Chief Minister said the partymen at the grassroots were always united. He said all the major parties in the state had their traditional support base and what mattered was the floating 10 per cent votes. The Chief Minister said a commemorative rally will be held near Qila Raipur on February 27 to mark completion of two years of the Congress government in the state. |
|
|
Sonia fails to woo Arif Mohd Khan New Delhi, February 23 She invited former Union Minister Arif Mohammad Khan to her residence today in a last-ditch effort to dissuade him from joining the BJP. Ms. Gandhi also met Apna Dal chief Sone Lal Patel to seek the Kurmi leader’s support in Uttar Pradesh even as Mr Narendra Singh, who floated the Kisan Mazdoor Bahujan Party after leaving the BSP, announced his party’s merger with the Congress. The Congress president’s hour-long meeting with Mr Arif Mohammad Khan proved to be a non-starter as the former minister declared that he was not joining the Congress. Instead, Mr Khan said, he would lend full support to the BJP in the coming elections. For the record, the Congress described it as a “courtsey call”. Ms. Gandhi’s efforts to disssuade Mr Khan from joining the BJP follow similar attempts by several senior Congress leaders, including Mr Ahmed Patel and Mr R.K.Anand, over the past few days. These appeals have had little impact on Mr Khan, who maintained it is the BJP and the RSS which have the capacity to bridge the communal divide in the country and not the Congress. Mr Khan, who was with the BSP till over a year ago, has been waiting since then to be inducted back to the Congress which he quit in 1986 following differences with the late Mr Rajiv Gandhi over the Shah Bano case. However, his re-entry was resisted by the party’s Muslim leaders. Now that Mr Khan has announced his decision to join the BJP, Congress leaders are making frantic efforts to stop him from crossing over. Mr Khan indicated that these efforts had come too late and that he had been deeply hurt and humiliated by statements from Congress leaders that he was no longer welcome in the party. While it failed to persuade Mr Khan, the Congress was encouraged by the positive response it received from Apna Dal’s Sone Lal Patel, a Kurmi leader with substantial following in eastern Uttar Pradesh. With the Congress trailing way behind its political rivals in UP and given the electoral importance of this state, the party is making every effort to rope in as many local leaders. While it is banking on a tie-up with Apna Dal, the Congress is hoping that the induction of Mr Narendra Singh, another Kurmi leader from Central UP, would help the Congress garner the non-Yadav backward class votes. The OBCs have
traditionally never voted for the Congress whose support base had comprised the upper castes, minorities and Dalits. Over the years, the Congress vote bank has eroded considerably while the BSP, the Samajwadi Party and the BSP have made substantial gains in Uttar Pradesh. |
|
Hajipur (Bihar), February 23 However, none of the cases — filed through advocates in the court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate here — has so far been admitted and the court has fixed March 10 for hearing arguments on their admissibility. The chairperson of the Vaishali District Committee of Congress’ women’s wing, Ms Sangita Abhay Singh, in a case filed against Union Agriculture Minister Rajnath Singh and former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Kalyan Singh, had alleged that the duo had referred to Ms Gandhi as “the foreign lady with fair complexion” and thus hurt her sentiments. The case was filed under Section 509 of the IPC. In retaliation, BJP leader Bal Krishna Singh filed a case with the Chief Judicial Magistrate on February 21, alleging that Ms Gandhi, through her utterances, had defamed the nation and the Central Government and misguided the people of the country.
— UNI |
|
JD(U) identifies seats New Delhi, February 23 The JD(U) plans to contest seats in Assam, Bihar, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Lakshadweep, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. The party has taken care to identify seats where both the Samata Party and the Janata Dal(U) have at some point of time before merger tested their political fortnues. As party General Secretary Arun Kumar says, “Eighty percent of the constituencies we are aiming at are not new either to us or to the Janata Dal (United). For instance, we may consider three to five seats in Uttar Pradesh, including Meerut and Ghaziabad. Party General Secretary K.C. Tyagi was elected to the Ghaziabad seat in 1993. Again, the lone Lakshadweep seat has been held by the JD (U) MP, Mr Koyo, twice. In Gujarat, we are looking at Baruch near Surat where Chottu Bhai Vasowa and his son hold two Assembly seats.’’ In Bihar, the party plans to contest 25 seats, including Baad (Railway Minister Nitish Kumar and senior JD(U) leader’s constituency), Munger (a seat held by former JD(U) leader, Brahmanand Mandal), Gopalganj (a seat held by Raghunath Jha who has joined the RJD), Nalanda (NDA convener and Defence Minister George Fernandes’ constituency). The party also plans to field candidates from Betiya, Jehanabad, Madhepur and Samastipur. In Assam, the JD(U) plans to contest Dhubri, Karimganj (reserved constituency), Silchar and Taliabar. In Madhya Pradesh, it is likely to make a choice between Jabalpur and Satana constituencies. In Rajasthan, the JD(U) is likely to consider the Banswara seat. In Uttar Pradesh, the party has identified Anwla, Ghonsi and Salempur Lok Sabha constituencies. In Tamil Nadu, the party is likely to benefit from the support of three local parties, which will contest on the election symbol of the JD(U) — the arrow. The JD(U) will contest seats in Tamil Nadu with three local parties as the People’s Front. The local parties represent the Dalits and the backward classes. In West Bengal, the party is contesting after a long time and will hold discussions with Ms Mamata Banerjee. In the last Asssembly elections, the JD(U) contested 15 seats and got a good number of votes. It has also held 350 Panchayat seats in the state. Sources said Party president George Fernandes, Chairman of the party’s Parliamentary Board Sharad Yadav and senior leaders Nitish Kumar and Digvijay Singh would jointly address rallies across the country. While Mr Sharad Yadav recently addressed a rally in Jehanabad, the other three leaders had addressed rallies in Silchar. All leaders were expected to address a rally in Bareilly on March 20 in the Anwla Lok Sabha constituency held by the expelled Samajwadi party candidate, Sarvaraj Singh. The party’s rally in Ranchi has been postponed as the Jharkhand Assembly session is on. |
|
Congress flays BJP, Sena MLAs’ threat New Delhi, February 23 Senior Congress leader Pranab Mukherjee told newspersons that “the threat of mass resignation of MLAs, belonging to these parties, to force the state government to dissolve the Assembly is totally unjust, unfair and unconstitutional.” At a press briefing here, he said, “Constitutionally members of legislature are not entrusted with the authority either to extend the life of the House or to shorten the duration of the House by taking a collective decision.” “Dissolution of the House is only decided by the Head of the government on the advice of the Chief Minister and the Prime Minister as the case may be,” he said. |
|
Sinha to represent India at G-15 meet New Delhi, February 23 Foreign office spokesman Navtej Sarna told mediapersons today that the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Bihari Vajpayee, had already written to the President of Venezuela about his inability to attend the summit and explained to him “the domestic commitments”. The spokesman said: “Now that the electoral process is under way and due to existing circumstances the Prime Minister has asked the External Affairs Minister to represent India. He has assured the President of Venezuela that India will continue to give its fullest cooperation in its efforts to give G-15 a more dynamic profile in the articulation of concerns of developing countries”. Mr Sinha will leave for Venezuela on February 25. Earlier, the summit was to be held in Venezuela in 2002 but had to be cancelled on account of internal problems. The main theme of the summit is “Energy and development”. The spokesman said there would be an examination of a report of Foreign Ministers at the summit. Then there would be an exchange of views on the current international situation with an emphasis on energy and development matters. “Normally a joint communique is adopted at the end of such summit meetings and that is expected”, Mr Sarna said. The event begins with the gathering of the personal representatives of the heads of government on February 25. The next day a meeting of the Foreign Ministers is scheduled to be followed summit-level interaction. G-15 actually is a misnomer as the grouping, which initially started with 15 members, today has 19 developing countries as its members. Of these, India is a founding member. Other members are: Algeria, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Egypt, Indonesia, Jamaica, Kenya, Malaysia, Mexico, Nigeria, Peru, Senegal, Sri Lanka, Venezuela, Zimbabwe, Iran and Columbia. |
|
Tihar Jail DIG shifted, DSP suspended
New Delhi, February 23 DIG Mukesh Prasad has been shifted as Director Technical Education with immediate effect, becoming the highest ranking officer so far to be punished in connection with the dramatic escape last Tuesday. He was replaced by Devender Singh, who held the post of Director, Technical Education, prison sources told PTI here. The authorities also suspended Deputy Superintendent Ved Prakash Garg in connection with the incident. Suspected to have links with criminals, Garg is being questioned by the Crime Branch of the Delhi Police in connection with Rana’s escape, they said. Garg was found in the company of two history-sheeters Satender Pal Singh, alias Twinkle, and Yogesh Saini, alias Yogi, when the Crime Branch sleuths arrested them here on February 13, they said. The government also transferred Tihar Jail’s Resident Medical Officer (RMO) in connection with an incident last Friday when Rana’s co-accused in Phoolan’s murder Dhan Prakash alias Dheeraj, alias Vicky, allegedly consumed Phenyl in the prison, four days after Rana’s escape.
— PTI |
|
Fake prisoner release order racket busted Ghaziabad (UP), February 23 Later that day, a retired police head constable and his accomplice Ram Maurya, who were allegedly instrumental in having 20 prisoners freed on fake release orders, were arrested, the sources said. The prisoners were got released from jails in Saharanpur, Hardoi and Sribasti districts of Uttar Pradesh using the fake release orders from different courts, including high courts. The CBI is investigating over 12 such cases, the sources said.
— PTI |
|
Luck deserts jail escapee after 20 yrs
New Delhi, February 23 Lodged in a jail in Vaishali district of Bihar in a robbery case, the accused was released by the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate when he produced a fake bail order of the Supreme Court on August 10 in 1984 in conspiracy with eight others. Once out of jail, he fled from Bihar, changed his name to Raj Kumar Singh and settled at Irkon in Arunachal, where he married a local girl. Subsequently, he shifted to a village in Dhimaji district in Assam and set up a liquor vending business. He was picked up by the CBI from there on Friday last. Surendra had been declared a proclaimed offender and a permanent non-bailable warrant had been issued against him by the court of Special Judicial Magistrate for CBI cases, Patna. During investigations, the CBI arrested eight others and filed a chargesheet on December 30, 1986. After his arrest, Surendra Singh was produced before the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Dhimaji and taken on transit remand for being produced in a competent court in Patna tomorrow, the CBI said here today.
— UNI |
|
PM okays Sikh jathas for Pak New Delhi, February 23 Hailing the move as an “extension of the feel-good factor to the Sikhs,” National Commission for Minorities Chairperson Tarlochan Singh said, “Instead of a token jatha, a batch of 3,000 pilgrims will visit Pakistan, cradle of the Sikh faith, on Baisakhi. The jatha will be led by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC).” Mr Tarlochan Singh said the Prime Minister’s nod to the pilgrimage came after the recommendations from his Deputy and Home Minister L.K. Advani and the External Affairs Ministry. He said SGPC chief Gurcharan Singh Tohra has expressed the desire that the date of the jatha’s departure be advanced to April 5 to enable them return to Amritsar by April 16 to participate in the 500th birth anniversary celebrations of Guru Angad Dev, second Sikh Guru. The celebrations are spread over three days. Over the years, the jatha has been leaving for Pakistan on April 10 and returning on April 22. Mr Tarlochan Singh said the jatha would be sponsored by the SGPC but quotas had been fixed for Sikhs living in Delhi and other states. |
|
|
Quiz Munde, Rane in Telgi case: Bhujbal Mumbai, February 23 Munde and Rane should also be summoned by the SIT for questioning
as their names appeared in a section of media in connection with the
scam, Mr Bhujbal told reporters at his residence here.
Mr Bhujbal also ruled out any “trouble” from his supporters on
the day he would visit the SIT office for questioning.
“I have agreed to attend the SIT’s Mumbai office for
questioning on February 26 but there will not be any trouble from my
party activists or supporters,” he said.
Reports in a section of media had said that his supporters were
likely to create trouble on the day he appeared before the SIT.
The former Home Minister came down heavily on the SIT for
“shifting its focus from the stamp scam to political vengeance.”
Mr Bhujbal said the news of his being summoned by the SIT was
“leaked” to the media, but when the SIT questioned Opposition
leader Narayan Rane the fact was kept under the wraps. — PTI |
|
Fresh charges in Bofors case on March 15 New Delhi, February 23 The case was transferred to CMM Reena Singh Nag by the High Court from the court of a Special Judge. While fixing the date for framing the charges against Hinduja brothers — Srichand, Gopichand and Prakashchand — the Magistrate sought a report from the CBI on the latest position about its success in securing the extradition of Italian businessman Ottavio Quattrocchi, a prime accused in the case. The court also sought details from the agency regarding the steps taken by it to freeze Quattrocchi’s bank
accounts. After not finding “any evidence” of payment of bribe to public servants in the CBI records placed before it, the High Court had dropped the charges under the Prevention of Corruption Act (PCA) against the Hindujas but directed the CMM to frame fresh charges
against them and the AB Bofors for cheating and criminal conspiracy under the IPC. |
|
|
IA approves recruitment of
cabin crew New Delhi, February 23 The board while approving the extension of the voluntary retirement scheme (VRS) to ensure the reduction in manpower took a view in respect of availability of trained manpower specially in critical areas and approved recruitment of additional cabin crew keeping specifically in mind the minimum requirement that would arise out of leasing of additional aircraft, a release issued by the airlines here said. In this decision the board also clearly gave an indication that the airlines was willing to lease more aircraft specially after its plans of purchasing new aircraft have for the time being gone into deep freeze. With the Public Investment Board (PIB) meeting slated for last month being put off the decision on purchase of new aircraft would now be taken only after the new government is in place. |
|
Higher dam will submerge temples, Bhopal, February 23 This was stated at a press conference here today by the Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) leader Medha Patkar, who appealed to Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister, Uma Bharati to desist from agreeing to the 110-m height till all affected families were properly rehabilitated. Ms Patkar accused the Madhya Pradesh government of unjustifiably deleting people from its project affected families PAF list with a stroke of pen. The state government had, she said, reduced the number of families it claims to be affected at 110-m height by 4000 over the period of a year. The government was justifying this reduction by making an artificial distinction between “permanently” and “temporarily” affected persons. “The latter are denied rehabilitation even though their crops will be totally destroyed whether flooded temporarily or permanently”, she said. The NBA leader added that “this distinction has no basis in the Narmada Water Dispute Tribunal Award (NWDTA) or subsequent Supreme Court decisions and callously violates the rights of oustees”. Ms Patkar said the Madhya Pradesh Government had excluded hundreds of families of major sons, which, under the NWDTA, are to be given land compensation. Besides, the land titles “are extremely out of date in tribal areas, leaving many more people off its PAF list”. |
|
Sikander Bakht dead
Thiruvananthapuram, February 23 Bakht was battling for life since last night when he was put on ventilator at the hospital where he had been recuperating after an emergency surgery for an intestinal block on February 19. The Governor’s condition took a serious turn last night after he suffered a viral attack. He was put on ventilator at the cardiac Intensive Care Unit.
— PTI |
|
Woman delivers at 63
Coimbatore, February 23 “The mother and the child are doing well. The child weighing 1.75 kg is kept in an incubator for observation,” said Dr Sadashivam, Chairman of Maruti Medical Centre and Hospital. Married for 40 years and childless, the woman, for want of a child, had tried several hospitals. Since the woman had menopause 20 years ago, the expert team decided to perform Assisted Reproductive Technique. After taking the sperm from her 74-year-old husband and an egg donated by a woman, an embryo was grown in a test tube, which was transferred to the old woman through blasto-cyst culture, Dr Sadashivam said. As the woman was diabetic and hypertensive, the baby’s growth was supported through injection and external methods, he said. The baby’s growth, which was strictly monitored, was perfect throughout. The child was delivered through Caesarian surgery. The baby would be kept in an incubator for three to four days, as it weighed less than below normal weight of 2.25 kg. A 64-year-old woman had given birth to a child in Orissa some seven months ago, Dr Sadashivam said.
— PTI |
|
Purnia, February 23 The theft has led to tension in the area, the police said. The octometallic idols were worth Rs 10 lakh in terms of metal value although the antique value might touch Rs one crore in the international market, it said. The idols were stolen from the temple in Jayanti Ballabh Thakurbari at Narballa village under Rupoli police station of Purnia district. Investigations into the robbery have been launched.
— UNI |
|
SP sent out of Ujjain Ujjain, February 23 District Superintendent Upendra Jain named the four as City Police Superintendent (Madhavnagar) Pramod Verma, Deputy SP Atul Singh, Town Inspector R.B. Dikshit and Transport Inspector Vijay David. Yesterday, the BJP staged a sit-in, demonstration and raised slogans for the removal of these officials and even faxed a memorandum to Chief Minister Uma Bharti. Curfew was clamped at sensitive places within seven police station areas here following tension on February 21 over the removal of encroachments in view of the mela.
— UNI |
|
Satish Chandra gets extension NEW DELHI: Mr Satish Chandra will continue to serve as deputy to the National Security Adviser in the National Security Council Secretariat for a further period of two years from March 1, official sources said on Monday. Mr Chandra’s continuation in office has been approved by the Appointment Committee of the Cabinet. Mr Chandra will be in the rank of ex-officio Secretary to the government.
— TNS |
| HOME PAGE | |
Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs |
Nation | Opinions | | Business | Sports | World | Mailbag | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | National Capital | | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
Videos
