New Delhi, September 12
The Indian Railways will recruit 80,000 personnel by the year 2006 to ensure safety and security for the railway services, Railway Minister Laloo Prasad Yadav said here today.

Talking to mediapersons on the concluding day of the two-day Conference of General Managers of the Zonal Railways to chalk out strategies for the implementation of railway schemes promised in the Common Minimum Programme, Mr Prasad also promised to fill the vacancies for SCs/STs and OBCs.

Expressing satisfaction over the performance of the Railways in the past five months, he announced that a superfast train with the speed of 150 km per hour would be launched between Delhi and Agra.

He also announced that trains with the speed of 130 km per hour would begin next year from different places in the country.

Stating that all districts would have railway reservation system within the next two years, the minister said the commuters would have reservation enquiry facility across the country within the next two years and such facility had already been started at Patna and Bangalore stations on experiment basis.

He said “Village on Wheels”, the common man’s “Palace on Wheels”, would be launched by next month.

The conference, the first since the UPA government came to power, has resolved to step up campaign for plugging the leakage in revenue generation by continuing the drive against ticket-less travelling, overweighing of goods and parcel items and their undercharging and fraudulent payment of salary.

Mr Prasad said he had directed the General Managers to personally inspect the field units to sustain the drive for excellence. 

Patna, September 12
The life and times of RJD President and Railway Minister Laloo Prasad Yadav seem to be catching the world’s eyes, as in the words of Mr Yadav himself, many foreign embassies and universities, like the venerable Harvard, were seeking his bio-data to know more about him.

“Many foreign embassies and universities like the Harvard have sought my bio-data to know more about me,” he told reporters here today after releasing the music cassette of film ‘Padamshree Laloo Prasad Yadav’ named after him.

“I have come to know that the Sociology Department of Harvard University is doing a research on me,” Mr Yadav said expressing happiness that his popularity had stretched across the world.

“Though my rivals dub me as ‘joker and a clown’, the world wants to know who this person is and how he rose from a humble background to this height,” Mr Yadav said.

“Many foreigners, who meet me at functions, ask questions about me and my background and want to know how I rose to the pinnacle of glory overcoming all odds,” he said.

The RJD supremo had attracted huge popularity in Pakistan during a visit there as a member of the goodwill delegation of parliamentarians last year.

Mr Yadav’s wife Rabri Devi, Bihar Chief Minister, and Bollywood stars Suniel Shetty, Sharad Saxena, Kim and Mausmi were also present during the release of the music cassette. The movie is expected to be released in the first week of October. — PTI

New Delhi, September 12
Union Railway Minister and RJD President Laloo Prasad Yadav today appealed to the Liberhan Commission to summon the two journalists of Time Magazine Anita Pratap and Jefferson K. for their “revelations” about the role of former Deputy Prime Minister L. K. Advani and others in the demolition of Babri Masjid.

The two journalists from the New York-based Time Magazine, disguised as Kar Sewaks, witnessed the role of Advani, Uma Bharti and others in the demolition and got their article published in the magazine, dated December 21, 1992.

“It is the responsibility of the commission to invite them as vital witnesses”, he said at a press conference at Rail Bhavan here.

It is pertinent to note that Anita Pratap in her book “Island of Blood” published in 2001 had written in detail about the role of Advani, Uma Bharti and others in the demolition of Babri Masjid.

She had also appeared before Justice Srikrishna Commission who inquired into the 1992 Bombay riots, regarding the role of Bal Thackray.

Mr Yadav said the former Deputy Prime Minister Advani, who denied any role in the demolition of the masjid, and former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Uma Bharti and others allegedly involved in the case, should also be called afresh before the commission probing the conspiracy angle of the demolition.

Displaying the copy of the Time Magazine, Mr Prasad said since the commission’s tenure had been extended for another three months, the probe commission should summon them to reveal the truth.

Accusing the BJP and the Sangh Parivar of sidetracking the real issue, Mr Yadav said while ‘father of the nation’ Mahatma Gandhi accepted before the imperialists that he had broken the law, the saffron leaders had no guts to say so as they were afraid of the prosecution.

Reiterating his statement that Advani was an “absconder” in the Qaide-Azam Jinnah murder case, he said the nation wanted to know the truth from Advani.

New Delhi, September 12
The Delhi police today arrested Jyoti, wife of Congress MP from Tezpur (Assam) M.K. Subba and her brother Narendra, the prime accused in the murder of Subba’s aide Milan Limbo at a Delhi farmhouse last week.

Jyoti was arrested by the police for tempering with the evidence and helping the accused to escape after the incident, said Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (South-West) Shalini Singh.

A team of the city police arrested Narendra in Siliguri (West Bengal). Milan was allegedly shot dead at Subba’s farmhouse in the Vasant Kunj area of South Delhi on September 9.

The police had earlier arrested two other suspects, Ravi Lal and Arjun, both gaurds at the farmhouse. Ravi Lal’s gun was allegedly used in the murder.

According to the police Arjun, left the house and did not come back as he was abused during a party that night.

After seeing his photograph on television as one of the accused in the murder of Milan Linbo, he contacted the police and cleared his position.

A senior official confirmed the non-involvement of Arjun in the case. However, the officials maintained that they would talk to Arjun later to know about the sequence of incidents that took place that night in order to strengthen the case.

Meanwhile, the police said they got the transit remand of Narendra from Siliguri. Maintaining that Narendra was the main accused in the murder case, the officials said. “We have got enough evidence against him.”

According to Shalini Singh, the police team, who would bring Narendra back, was expected to reach Delhi by Monday night. “Thereafter we will intensively interrogate him to know about his involvement in the case,” he said. 

New Delhi, September 12
The Supreme Court has dismissed a suit by the legal heirs of Kapurthala state’s former dewan Jarmani Dass, claiming title over the majestic Kapurthala House in the Capital on the ground that the then ruler of the princely state, Maharaja Jagjit Singh, had sold it for Rs 1.50 lakh to Jarmani Das in 1950.

The Kapurthala House was constructed on the sprawling plot near India Gate in 1921 by Khan Bahadur Abdul Hamid, Chief Minister of Kapurthala state. The prestigious bungalow situated at 3-Man Singh Road is currently in the possession of the Punjab Government.

Jarmani Dass’ legal heirs, led by Draupadi Devi, had moved the Supreme Court after their suit for claiming the possession of the property was rejected by the Delhi High Court on December 8, 2000, in a 40-year long legal battle.

The high court had held that even if Das had bought the property for the sum claimed to be paid by him to Maharaja Jagjit Singh, in fact the ex-ruler of the princely state had no title over the said property as it was vested in the Government of India by way of the instruments of accession, signed by the Maharja with the Indian Union as per the Independence Act, 1947.

After the Government of India had taken over all properties of the ruler of Kapurthala State, assuring him that by the convenant he would be entitled to the full ownership, use and enjoyment of all his private properties, but there was no evidence to show that the Kapurthala House was his private property, a Bench of Mr Justice K.G. Balakrishnan and Mr Justice B.N. Srikrishna said.

Upholding the title of the government over the Kapurthala House, the court said, “If the Maharaja had no title to the property, the plaintiff (Jarmani Dass’ heirs) can hardly get anything more.”

On the alternative claim of Rs 4 lakh by the heirs in the event of the court rejecting their suit for the “breach” of sale deed in such circumstances, the court said, “The plaintiff would be deprived of the whole by reason of the said defect found in the title of the Maharaja.”

“Not a single of the plaintiff’s witness has said a word about this alternative claim for damages in the sum of Rs 4 lakh,” the court said, rejecting their plea for payment of the money as well.

New Delhi, September 12
A task group of six ships, including one submarine and the Russian-built stealth frigate, INS Talwar, will visit the Persian Gulf with the idea of improving relations with the Gulf countries and also showcasing India’s ship-building capabilities.

The Flag Officer Commanding, Western fleet, Rear Admiral Pratap Singh Byce, will be commanding the fleet in the Persian Gulf which would also include helicopters of the Indian Navy.

The ships include two ships of the Delhi class. These indigenously built guided missile destroyers with a displacement of 6,700 tonnes possess advance anti-missile, anti-submarine and long-range anti-ship capability.

The other ships include the Indigenously guided missile corvettes — INS Kulish (Kora class) and INS Pralaya (Prabal class) and the indigenously built fleet tanker — INS Aditya.

The deployment of the Indian Navy ships in the north Arabian Sea also involves the visit of the ships to ports of friendly nations. INS Talwar (guided missile destroyer), Pralaya (missile corvette) and one submarine may visit Muscat, Oman from September 13 to 17.

Another group of Indian warships comprising INS Delhi, Mumbai, Aditya and Kulish (a missile corvette) will call at the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas. The ships during their three weeks’ deployment in the area would also be making port calls at Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates and port Salman in Bahrain before returning to Mumbai in early October.

Mumbai, September 12
The Maharashtra police today arrested more than 500 activists of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad after the organisation threatened to demolish the 17th century tomb of Mughal General Afzal Khan.

Security was tightened near the historic Pratapgad Fort in Satara district, 450 km from here, where the tomb is located. Three companies of the paramilitary forces and the state reserve police were deployed to prevent any untoward incident.

The police said it had seized 13 vehicles transporting VHP activists to the site.

A statement issued by the VHP, quoting its Secretary Vyankatesh Abdeo, said 10,000 activists who blocked roads near the site were detained.

Afzal Khan, a General from the Adilshahi Kingdom of Bijapur (now in Karnataka), was killed while trying to assassinate Shivaji Maharaj at the Pratapgad Fort. The Maratha King then magnanimously allowed Khan's family to build a modest tomb for him on the outskirts of the fort.

However, the tomb has attracted numerous devotees in recent times who say their wishes are granted after prayers to the slain warrior.

Mumbai, September 12
Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray said his party cadres would join Uma Bharti’s Tiranga Yatra during its Maharashtra leg.

“This yatra is not about politics, but about upholding the dignity of the national flag,” Mr Thackeray said yesterday.

Mr Thackeray hit out at the Election Commission for its warning to Uma Bharti against the mixing of religion with politics. The Sena chief wondered how the EC proposed to differentiate between the political and religious contents of her speeches.

New Delhi, September 12
Main Opposition party in the country, the BJP, today seemed to be getting into a battle mode with the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government at the Centre as it asked the ‘party’ governed states to enact an anti-terror legislation in case POTA is repealed by the Centre.

In the backdrop of controversy over Census figures, the BJP also asked its state governments to consider framing a law to check population growth and to “resist re-falsification” of history textbooks by the Centre.

While giving them lessons on good governance the BJP High Command directed the party-ruled states to “protect and preserve cow and her progeny” and set up “Coordination Committees” for better relations between the government and the party units. The high command also asked its states to lay emphasis on “development and nationalism”.

The BJP had called a two-day Chief Ministers’ conference to discuss ways of improving their functioning.

Talking to reporters later BJP President M. Venkaiah Naidu said a five-member Task Force headed by senior leader Yashwant Sinha had been set up to monitor implementation of party manifesto in the BJP-ruled states. The task force would report to him every six months.

In what was a clear signal that the BJP was unhappy with the UPA government’s policies the meeting also decided to set up a watchdog committee at the Centre to monitor “discrimination” against BJP-ruled states.

Accusing the UPA government of “reversing” the steps taken by the NDA government to strengthen national security, he criticised Centre’s decision to repeal POTA and said effective laws were necessary to tackle terrorism.

The party’s state governments have been asked to “quickly enact special legislations to deal with terrorism in case POTA is repealed by the Centre,” Mr Naidu said.

The party also issued a number of other directions, including asking its state governments to seek additional allocation of funds from the Centre, work for restoring priority to inter-linking of rivers and implement schemes in the fields of healthcare and education.

“We have given broad guidelines to our state governments to decide on ways to check population growth and if need be enact a law,” Mr Naidu said.

Favouring adoption of a policy of “incentives and disincentives” after creating public opinion, the BJP President said the party’s state governments had been asked to “promote population control measures” and “try to insist on two-child norm uniformly among all sections of society.”

Population growth is a problem for all sections of society and “some parties and people are out to derail” the country’s agendas of reducing the rate, he said.

In an effort to strengthen the status of women in their families, the party asked its state governments to ensure more and more properties were registered in the name of the fair sex and reduce the registration fee on properties.

On the UPA government’s move to change NCERT curriculum, the BJP leadership asked its state governments to “resist re-falsification of history text-books” being attempted under the “pressure of Communists”.

Meanwhile the BJP also finalised its candidate for the Akbarpur Lok Sabha seat which fell vacant following the resignation of BSP Chief Mayawati while adopting a “wait and watch” policy for the Mainpuri Lok Sabha seat vacated by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav. It is fielding Rajender Kumar Choudhary from Akbarpur.

The party’s Central Election Committee which met today chaired by party President M Venkaiah Naidu finalised candidates for nine Assembly seats in Uttar Pradesh and 28 for the Arunachal Assembly elections.

In Uttar Pradesh, the party is fielding three women in the nine Assembly constituencies where byelections are slated to be held including that of Atrauli which fell vacant following the resignation of former Chief Minister and party Vice President Kalyan Singh.

New Delhi, September 12
Leading Indian contemporary artist M F Husain says he will complete in five months the commissioned work of creating 100 paintings for Rs 100 crore for steel tycoon Guru Swarup Srivastava.

“I have started in right earnest my work on the project. I will deliver the entire consignment in January 2005,” 89-year-old Husain, who says he is dazed by the world’s largest offer to any painter, said here today.

The original contract period for the project is one year.

Mr Srivastava, Chairman and Managing Director, Swarup Group of Industries, presented a cheque for Rs 1.01 crore to Husain at a function organised at Hotel Taj Mahal and Palace in Mumbai last week.

“Our Planet called the Earth” is the theme selected for the project with its emphasis on environment, globalisation and liberalisation.

Husain said all paintings would be “acrylic on canvas” and in the size of 4 ft x 6 ft and 3ft x 4ft. As for the framing, he would be “chinese scroll” in velvet cloth.

The highly influential painter has special reason to select acrylic as the medium for his work. “Acrylic dries fast. It is a much more advanced medium. It lasts for a longer time with no fading effect. Even direct light will not affect the colours of the picture.”

Husain said he had not so far decided as to how to spend the fortune. “It happened all of a sudden. I was dazed. I will certainly spend some money on my museums in Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Delhi. I will decide in one week how effectively I can spend the remaining amount.”

Husain, who started his career painting garish hoardings of Tamil and Bollywood movies, is considered India’s most influential painter.

But the offer he has received now, that too before applying brush to canvas, is remarkable and is bound to help South Asian artists to get good value for their works in the international market, art critics say. — UNI

Dehra Dun, September 12
The state government plans to revamp its policy regarding indefinite fasts and threats of self- immolation growing rife in the hill state for the past few months.

The decision to revise the policy came a month after the death of Baba Uttarakhandi who died fasting over the issue of shifting the Capital from Dehra Dun to Gairsain.

Chief Secretary R.S. Tolia issued directions to the bureaucrats and the police stating that appropriate legal action be taken against any threats of self-immolation and indefinite fasts.

According to Mr Tolia, action would be taken against anyone who prompts such threats or encourages them.

Even as the government was open to listening to the demands of the people, extreme steps like indefinite fasts and self-immolation over impossible demands were issues of concern, the officials said.

Referring to the furore that followed the death of Baba Uttarakhandi in the state, the government considered such actions as a serious threat to the law and order situation, the officials said.

The problem was threatening to grow with the agitators on the capital issue planning to go on indefinite fasts.

Besides indefinite fasts there had been cases of self-immolation by students in Tehri and Nainital leading to public outcry in the past months.

Not only would the government take action against such persons, but also hospitalise them if need be.

The officials had been directed to closely follow any such threat and take timely action before the situation went out of hand. Action would also be taken against those officials who showed laxity in dealing with such a situation.

New Delhi, September 12
The census figures of 2001 based on religions released recently has pointed out that Muslim youth in India are getting fewer employment opportunities in comparison to their Hindu and Sikh couterparts.

The proportion of workers to total population (work participation rate) among Muslims (31.3 per cent) is significantly lower than among Hindus ( 40.4 per cent), Sikhs (37.7 per cent) and 48.4 per cent among those following other religions and persuasions.

In states like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, where the Muslim population is concentrated, they get few employment opportunities in comparison to Punjab and North Eastern states.

For instance, the rate of work participation rate among Muslims in UP (29.1 per cent) and Bihar (30.9 per cent) is significantly lower than in Punjab (40.3 per cent), Himachal Pradesh (45.9 per cent) and North Eastern states where it varies between 45 per cent and 76 per cent. It is a reflection of state employment policies, acute poverty, and lack of agricultural land with them.

It is not low literacy rate among them that is the cause of lower employment opportunities. For instance, work participation rate is just 23.2 per cent in Kerala despite 86 per cent literacy rate among them, 31.8 per cent in Tamil Nadu despite 82.9 per cent literacy rate, reveals the Census.

In terms of type of economic activity, 33.1 per cent of the workers among Hindus returned themselves as cultivators and among Muslims they were only 20.7 per cent, the Census 2001 said.

Importantly, the percentage of workers in household industries among the Muslims was highest at 8.1 per cent, much above the national average of 4.2 per cent for all communities and percentage of female workers in the segment was also quite high among the community at 19.3 per cent, reflecting their traditional association with arts and crafts and such household industries.

Officials with the Ministry of Labour and Employment admit that the Muslim Youth are facing discrimination in government employment schemes like the Prime Minister Rozgar Yozana. Banks are often reluctant to offer loans to them.

They point out that over the years, industrial towns like Meerut, Moradabad, Kanpur in UP have lost their importance that has resulted in unemployment for thousands of Muslim workers from textile, machine tool and leather industry.

Experts in the software sector claim that though cities like Gurgaon have created job opportunities for thousands of youth, but due to lack of required technical skills local Muslim youth in Mewat region have failed to benefit.

Itanagar, September 12
The poll process for the October 7 assembly elections in Arunachal Pradesh will formally begin tomorrow with the issuance of notification for the poll in which the Congress, a depleted BJP and regional parties would compete for victory.

The five-year term of the 60-member Arunachal Assembly was to expire on October 12 this year, but the House was dissolved prematurely by Governor V C Pandey on July 6, immediately after completion of the mandatory downsizing exercise following a recommendation by the then BJP Chief Minister Gegong Apang.

While the notification marking the start of filing of nomination will be issued tomorrow, the last date for filing of papers is September 20, followed by scrutiny the next day.

The last date for withdrawal of nominations is September 23 and actual polling is scheduled for October 7.

Repolling, if ordered by the Election Commission, will be held on October 9 and counting of ballots will take place on October 10.

With the stage set for the battle of ballots, all political parties in the state are gearing up their activities. The main contender in this crucial election will be the Congress and the BJP. However, the presence of Arunachal Congress (AC), the only regional party of the state and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in the fray, will clear the picture.

Buoyed over the recent entry of state Chief Minister Gegong Apang into its fold, the Congress is in an upbeat mood as the way seems clear for its return to power with absolute majority. — UNI