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Gowda set to do a Thackeray
Withdraw stamp on Guru Granth Sahib, demands NCM
Assam CM flays Advani
PM expresses concern over state of varsities
Congress to launch political offensive against Left
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NDA walks out over Nanavati panel report
TDP members stage walkout over Volkswagen issue
BJP attacks UPA govt on Indo-US nuclear pact
Extension of President’s rule in Bihar approved
FM: proposals on FDI in pension to be considered
Govt to consider cut in taxes on petroleum products
Mobile phone rings in LS; Speaker issues warning
BJP flays Punjab Chief Minister
Dissident BJP leader issued show-cause notice
Non-supply of minister’s statement in Hindi angers MP
Opposition mulls no-confidence motion against MP Speaker
PM may meet South
Korean President in Malaysia
Sonia to address rally in Kerala
SC orders drastic changes in CPC amendments
New technique for removing benign bone tumour
Environmentalists concerned over new CDFD building
Rift in Left Front over amending land reform policy
Issue of damage to ‘mazaar’ resolved
Postal staff to go on strike from today
ONGC’s ‘Samudra Suraksha’ sinks
Provogue director held for drug trafficking
Mob demands action against
IG
Panel to prepare report on Muslims
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Gowda set to do a Thackeray
Bangalore, August 2 This process, which was initiated at a party meeting last night, may well like Narayana Rane push Deputy Chief Minister Siddaramaiah into the waiting hands of its coalition partner — the Congress. A meeting of 52 of the 59 party legislators, which was convened by the party’s state President N. Thipanna over dinner last night, was also attended by Deve Gowda. Siddaramaiah and his supporters in the legislature party were not invited to the meeting. The meeting has reportedly decided to send letters to Chief Minister N. Dharam Singh as well as the Speaker requesting the sack of Siddaramaiah as well as two of his supporters — Dr H.C. Mahadevappa and Satish Jharkiholi — from the ministry. The meeting has also decided to nominate Revenue Minister M.P. Prakash as the party’s nominee for the Deputy Chief Minister’s post under the power-sharing agreement with the Congress. The party has, however, stopped short of announcing the decision. In a statement after the meeting, Thipanna said it had only been decided to take action against those party legislators who had attended a Backward Class convention in Hubli, which had lashed out at all political parties, including the JD (S). Like in Maharashtra, Siddaramaiah’s “crime” seems to be his growing assertiveness in party matters as well as creating his own group in the legislature party. This was seen as a challenge to the authority of Deve Gowda’s son, H.D. Kumaraswamy, who is also the working president of the party and perceived to be the power behind the throne. The immediate provocation, however, is the Hubli convention. The convention was aimed at consolidating all Backward Caste and Scheduled Caste leaders on one platform and also projecting Siddaramaiah as the future Chief Minister of the state. The Janata Dal party meeting noted that the Deputy Chief Minister, despite speaking last at the convention, did not try to defend the party or its leaders who had come under a virulent attack by earlier speakers. Somewhat like in Maharashtra, Siddaramaiah is not likely to take the insult lying down and is reported to be weighing his options. In a statement made in the Assembly today, he claimed that he was still the Deputy Chief Minister and that the JD (S) meeting held last night was “not in order”. He said the meeting of the JD (S), which had been called by him for August 4, was the only “legal” meeting of the party. He said he had written to the Speaker to apprise him of the entire developments. The Deputy Chief Minister’s supporters — including two ministers and around five to six legislators — are presently showing solidarity with their leader. However, their options are limited as they do not have the numbers to break the party. Siddaramaiah himself has the option of joining the Congress or, like former Chief Minister Bangarappa, float a national party in the state. |
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Withdraw stamp on Guru Granth Sahib, demands NCM
New Delhi, August 2 In a strongly-worded letter to Secretary (Posts) R. Ganeshan today, the NCM called the printing of the stamp in the current form as “an act of sacrilege that will definitely hurt religious sentiments of the entire Sikh community”. The letter follows a telephonic conversation between Akal Takht Jathedar Joginder Singh Vedanti and NCM Chairperson Tarlochan Singh after a meeting held between NCM members and senior postal department officials on the issue yesterday. The letter stated that the stamp prepared by the Department of Posts was not in proper order and asked it to withdraw the stamp and also inform the public by issuing a press note in this regard. In fact, it also directed the department to consult the NCM before designing stamps on religious matters of the notified minority communities, Muslims Christians, Parsis, Sikhs and Buddhists, in future. Talking to The Tribune, NCM Chairman Tarlochan Singh said the commission asked the Postal Department to show the stamp to it after a complaint was received, saying that the stamp was not in proper order. The stamp ran into trouble after there was a dispute between the Punjab Government and the SGPC regarding who and where the stamp designed to commemorate the 400 years of the installation of Guru Granth Sahib will be released. Later, it was reportedly released in certain states quietly. “Interestingly, both the Punjab Government and the SGPC were engaged in a squabble over who will release the stamp rather than ascertaining whether it was in order. After we received a complaint, we asked the Department of Posts to respond, which it did after 22 days when two of its senior officials made a presentation of the stamp to the commission yesterday,” he said, After inspecting the brochures and copies of the stamp and taking the Akal Takht Jathedar’s opinion on the matter, the NCM wrote to the department today, saying that the stamp, in its present form, was not acceptable. “ I spoke to Jathedar Joginder Singh Vedanti on phone yesterday and described the stamp to him. He said that Guru Granth Sahib is revered as a living God of Sikhs, therefore no photograph can be printed in any form and that too in a stamp accessible to public. And that too without a rumala, as in accordance with the Sikh maryada. In fact, the Head Priest of Bangla Sahib Gurdwara, Giani Ranjeet Singh, who was also present at the meeting yesterday, also rejected the stamp in its present form,” he said. Expressing surprise that the NCM was not consulted before initiating the design of the stamp, Mr Tarlochan Singh said care should be taken to ensure that a religious stamp does not hurt the sentiments of the community concerned. “Earlier too, postal stamps on Sikh religion have been released but they were done in an appropriate manner. For example, for the 500-year- birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev, a picture of his birthplace Nankana Sahib was printed on the stamp. Likewise for the 300-year-birth anniversary celebrations of Guru Gobind Singh, a picture of his birthplace Patna Sahib was used on the stamp,” he said. On whether the stamp will be withdrawn, the NCM Chairman said, “the postal department will have to do that. Especially if it does not want to hurt the Sikh sentiments like it happened in the case of the film, “Jo Bole So Nihal.” |
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Assam CM flays Advani
New Delhi, August 2 "Mr Advani, when he was the Union Home Minister, never discussed the foreigners issue seriously. Today the BJP is making all charges against us", Mr Gogoi said at a "Meet the Press" programme organised by the Press Club of India here. "Today after the Supreme Court declared the Illegal Migrants (Determination by Tribunals) Act illegal, the BJP has suddenly realised the menace posed by the illegal migration from Bangladesh", he said. The Assam Chief Minister also said during his meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today it was decided to update the National Register of Citizens (NRC) within a timeframe of two years. "As decided in the tripartite meeting on the Assam Accord between the Centre, the state government and the All Assam Students Union (AASU), we would upgrade the National Register for Citizens with 1971 as the base year. This would help detect and deport illegal foreign nationals. We will also increase the number of tribunals under the Foreigners' Act to expedite the process and I will personally monitor the situation", Mr Gogoi said. At the same time, he said under no circumstances "genuine citizens of the country, will be harassed". "My government is committed to secularism and protection of minorities. The BJP's plan of distinguishing between Hindu and Muslim illegal migrants will not be allowed to succeed", he said. He said the Group of Ministers (GoM), formed after the Supreme Court verdict striking down the IMDT Act, would soon visit Assam to "gather all shades of opinion and suggest remedial measures". |
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PM expresses concern over state of varsities
New Delhi, August 2 “Our universities and centres of excellence are falling behind the best in the world both in terms of human capital and infrastructure.”, he said while launching the newly-constituted Knowledge Commission here today. He observed that there were fiscal and administrative challenges to be tackled and there were intellectual and leadership issues to be addressed. At the bottom of “knowledge pyramid”, Dr Singh pointed out that the challenge was of improving access to primary education. At the top of the “pyramid” there was need to make our institutions of high education and research world class. However, there was an additional problem at the top of the pyramid, namely, that of quality, the Prime Minister added. The Prime Minister has asked the Knowledge Commission to come forward with creative ideas to promote the “knowledge base” of our economy and to exploit its latent potential. “We must leverage it to make India truly the ‘knowledge engine’ of the world,” he said. “There is a genuine funds constraint in the public sector that is being neutralised only in part by the private sector. Together, the public and private sectors are not able to cope with the demand for higher and professional education”, he said. India has, today, more than 250 universities, and many more research and Development units, and professional colleges and institutions and the country has the world’s largest chain of publicly funded R&D institutions. On an average, more than 3,50,000 engineers and 5,000 Ph.D. scholars graduate from our universities and colleges every year. “With such a vast pool of qualified, English-speaking scientific and technological manpower, India must have the ambition to become a large base of research and development activity. We should be able to attract global investment into R&D activity at home. I do think we should put in place the required legal and physical infrastructure that can attract more foreign investment in R&D activity in India”, he said. He said going beyond universities, colleges and schools there were other elements of a “knowledge economy”. Public libraries are an extremely important element of the foundation of a knowledge economy. Think tanks and specialised institutions are equally important, especially in facilitating informed policy-making. “I would also like you (Knowledge Commission) to suggest ways in which the Central and state governments can improve rules and regulations and the capacity of policy-making institutions that deal with knowledge institutions. Be it the University Grants Commission or other institutions dealing with certification and regulation of academic institutions and programmes”, he said. Asking the Knowledge Commission to come forward with “bold proposals” aimed at improving excellence in research and teaching, especially in the frontier areas of mathematics, science and technology, he said India “cannot afford to lag behind the rest of the world”. |
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Congress to launch political offensive against Left
New Delhi, August 2 Seeking to extend the debate on the public sector beyond BHEL, the Congress sent out an unequivocal message to the Communists without naming them that their criticism of the UPA government’s policy on PSUs was misplaced. It specifically drew attention to the list of sick PSUs which are to be strengthened by the Centre, stating pointedly that most of them are located in the Eastern part of the country. The Congress repeatedly emphasised that its commitment to the revival and
strengthening of the public sector is a historical fact and reminded its detractors that it is the Congress which set up this sector in the first place and made it commercially viable. “The revival of PSUs has always been a Congress programme and will continue to be so. It is the Congress party’s
USP,” declared Mr Jairam Ramesh, AICC secretary, at the daily press briefing, adding that the Congress will no longer be defensive on the issue. “We don’t need to take a back seat on this,” he added. This is the second time in recent times that the Congress has fought back in its attempt to regain its political space as a “pro-poor” party which, it feels, is being usurped by the Left parties. Last week, the Congress lost no time in publicly declaring that the Rural Employment Guarantee Bill is based on its election manifesto promises. This proactive approach follows a view in the party that while the Left parties take credit for the UPA government’s positive policies, the Congress is left to defend the tough measures. The Congress is also getting irritated with the Left’s constant criticism of government policies and believes it is time it adopted a more aggressive approach. Although it will be
comparatively restrained at the Centre, the Congress has given a go-ahead to its state units in West Bengal and Kerala to launch a no-holds-barred battle against the Left, which is its main opponent in next year’s Assembly elections. In keeping with this decision, Mr Ramesh told mediapersons today that in keeping with its CMP pledges, the UPA has set up a Board for the Reconstruction of Public Sector Enterprises, which has forwarded a list of 15 sick PSUs to the government for revival and rehabilitation. Of
these, the Centre has cleared two — Kolkata-based Burne Braithwaite Jessop Construction Ltd and Jaipur-based Hindustan Salts Ltd — for revival through infusion of additional resources. The government has followed this up by coming with a package of financial autonomy for profit-making PSUs. As for the Left’s objections on disinvestment in BHEL, Mr Ramesh admitted that the matter is in cold storage since there is no consensus on this issue. He also clarified that the Congress has always opposed the privatisation of Navratna PSUs as undertaken by the NDA government which had sold both IPCL and VSNL to a private bidder. Instead, the Congress favoured disinvestment which allowed the government to retain controlling stake in a PSU. |
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NDA walks out over Nanavati panel report
New Delhi, August 2 The walkout came after Speaker Somnath Chatterjee refused to allow BJP leader Vijay Kumar Malhotra to raise the issue after the question hour, stating that the member had not given notice for the same. When Mr Malhotra insisted that he had given notice, the Speaker said it had been received by his Secretariat for yesterday when the House had to be adjourned for the day without transacting any business as a mark of respect to sitting CPM member Bikash Chowdhary who had died. The member should have repeated the notice today if he had wanted to raise it in the House today, he added. The stalemate continued for half an hour as the members of the BJP and its allies in the NDA, including the Akali Dal, rose to their feet demanding that Leader of the House Pranab Mukherjee, who was in the House, at least make a commitment on the date when the Nanavati Commission report would be submitted. The Speaker said he had no powers to force Mr Mukherjee, who is also the Defence Minister. When Mr Malhotra wanted the Speaker to at least fix a time for raising the issue, Mr Chatterjee said he would have resorted to some of his “extraordinary powers” only if the member had cooperated with the Chair instead of persisting with his demand and wasting the time of the House. The Speaker, however, made it clear that he was not minimising the seriousness and importance of the matter the member was trying to raise. Mr Chatterjee reminded them that it was he who had directed the government to table the Phukan Commission report on the Tehelka defence expose. The Speaker did not allow the recording of much of the remarks raised during the turmoil when a few Treasury Bench members tried to counter the points made by the Opposition. After failing to convince the Speaker to allow the Opposition to have its way, the NDA staged a walkout. The report was submitted earlier this year, but the government has not disclosed the contents yet. Last month, Mr Patil said it would be tabled in the monsoon session along with the government’s action-taken report. The report is said to have suggested reopening of cases against some Congress politicians, including some ministers, allegedly involved in the bloody anti-Sikh riots in the Capital following the assassination of the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. |
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TDP members stage walkout over Volkswagen issue
New Delhi, August 2 Raising the issue during the Zero Hour, TDP leader Ravula Chandra Sekar Reddy wanted to know whether the Congress-led Andhra Pradesh Government, which had announced that it would order a CBI probe into the “Volkswagen scam”, had really been instituted. The moment Mr Reddy raised the issue, there was a wordy duel between Congress members and those of the TDP, with the former insisting that the TDP leader should refrain from going into the details of the case and limit himself to the query on the CBI probe. Subsequently, while responding to Mr Reddy’s query, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Suresh Pachauri informed that the case had been referred to the CBI on July 25 by the Centre. The Andhra Pradesh Government had written a letter on July 19, 2005 to the Department of Personnel for ordering a CBI probe into the deal, which was received by the Centre on July 22, the minister said adding that the Department of Personnel, wide its letter on July 25, had asked the CBI to probe the deal. Mr Pachouri, however, capped the information by saying that as per the sequence of events listed by the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister on the “Volkswagen scam”, the deal had been initiated during the previous TDP regime. This resulted in angry reaction from the TDP members, who then staged a walkout saying the reply of the minister was “unsatisfactory”. |
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Badal calls on Naidu
Chandigarh, August 2 The two leaders met in Hyderabad last night and this morning and discussed strategies and ways for strengthening the federal thrust in national polity. The TDP leader hosted dinner in honour of Mr Badal and the accompanying Akali delegation last night in which all the TDP Members of Parliament and other prominent leaders of the party were present. According to the party secretary, Dr Daljit Singh Cheema, the two leaders also explored the possibility of a fresh initiative for widening political space for regional parties in national affairs. Mr Badal and Mr Naidu both felt that the regional parties needed to play a much more effective, meaningful and pro-active role in shaping the national policy in socio-economic matters, especially in the sensitive phase of global restructuring of priorities, said the party press note in Chandigarh. The two were also of the view that the regional parties can play a very crucial and decisive role in promoting understanding and integration among people from different parts of the
country. Mr Badal said that setting up of a truly federal structure was the only answer to the problems of lopsided development in the country. He said the country had already paid a big price for the kind of repressive centralisation that successive Congress governments at the Centre had over he years slapped on the nation, resulting in grievous blows to the cause of emotional integration and balanced economic growth. He said the TDP leader fully shared his vision of a federal India and was committed to playing a vigorous role in taking the issue further. Mr Badal complimented Mr Naidu for his principled stand on various issues concerning the minorities in the country.
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BJP attacks UPA govt on Indo-US nuclear pact
New Delhi, August 2 Addressing here today the weekly BJP parliamentary party meeting, chaired by former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha and former External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh said the agreement was “ambiguous and suffered from many shortcomings”. According to BJP parliamentary party spokesman V.K. Malhotra, Mr Jaswant Singh said that the US had not recognised India as a nuclear state as was being projected, but only acknowledged India’s nuclear capabilities. Recalling that during his tenure Mr Vajpayee had made efforts to improve ties with the United States in his talks with the then President, Mr Bill Clinton, Mr Jaswant Singh said India stood to lose in the recent nuclear agreement while Washington had not given anything. Earlier, party President L.K. Advani asked the MPs to be “watchful” as the government may try to bring through the backdoor the IMDT (Illegal Migrants’ Detection by Tribunals) Act which the Supreme Court had struck down as “unconstitutional”. He described the court decision as a “victory” for the party, Mr Malhotra said. He also expressed anguish over the recent developments in Bihar as also the blockade in Manipur. Mr Advani also informed the members about the activities being undertaken as part of the BJP’s silver jubilee celebrations. Mr Malhotra said it was also decided at the meeting that the NDA would mount pressure on the UPA for immediate tabling of the Nanavati Commission report on the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. “The government had in the last Budget Session assured the House about tabling the Nanavati Commission report along with the Action Taken Report, but has not tabled it so far,” Mr Malhotra said. |
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Extension of President’s rule in Bihar approved
New Delhi, August 2 The passage of the statutory resolution in the Lok Sabha, moved by Home Minister Shivraj Patil, was disapproved by the Opposition with Leader of the Opposition L.K. Advani opposing it on the grounds that the step would “add to the long list” of Central rule being wrongly imposed in states. “We will not be party to this voting at all”, Mr Advani said in the House before leading a walkout by the NDA. The Lok Sabha also rejected a motion moved by
JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar by 172 to 100 votes, with three members abstaining. The motion had expressed concern over the deteriorating law and order situation in the state under Central rule and also on the developments arising out of Chief Secretary
G.S. Kang proceeding on long leave. Replying to a marathon debate on the deteriorating law and order situation in Bihar and the extension of President’s rule for another six months, Mr Patil defended the Governor’s recommendation for the dissolution of the Assembly, saying that he was left with no option as no party or group was in a position to form a stable government. Mr Patil, whose reply was repeatedly interrupted by an angry BJP-led Opposition, said the Governor had taken the decision to prevent horse-trading as he was convinced on the basis of numbers that a popular government could not be put in place. The Rajya Sabha had approved extension of President’s rule in Bihar yesterday. |
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FM: proposals on FDI in pension to be considered
New Delhi, August 2 “I have before me recommendations of the Standing Committee which say that the proportion of FDI that may be allowed in the pension fund sector should be the same as in insurance the sector. The recommendations will be carefully considered,” Finance Minister P. Chidambaram said during question hour in the Rajya Sabha. Currently, the FDI limit in the insurance sector is 26 per cent, though there is a proposal to raise it to 49 per cent for which the IRDA Act needs to be amended. The Finance Minister assured members that no law would be imposed and a full-fledged discussion on the recommendations of the Standing Committee of Finance relating to the pension fund would be held in both Houses. “I will also discuss outside the House. Every point of view will be considered,” the minister said. Mr Chidambaram allayed fears of the adverse effect of investment of pension fund in the capital markets, saying that the proposed Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority would regulate the fund. The minister assured CPM member A.Vijayaraghavan that the note of dissension of the Standing Committee would also be considered. |
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Govt to consider cut in taxes on petroleum products
New Delhi, August 2 Replying to a calling attention motion on increase in prices of petroleum products in the Rajya Sabha, Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar said the government had brought down customs duty on petrol and diesel to one-third of what was prevailing when the NDA Government was in power. “We will see what can be done further,” he said. The minister said the government had brought down the customs duty on petrol and diesel from 32 per cent to 10 per cent in two instalments. He said between May 2004 and March 2005, the government had lost Rs 4,000 crore in revenue by bringing down excise and customs duties on crude oil and petroleum products. |
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Mobile phone rings in LS; Speaker issues warning
New Delhi, August 2 Mr Chatterjee asked the member to go out. But, within few minutes, the phone rang again, irking the Speaker, who warned that he was giving a notice that “in future if this thing happens, the instrument will be impounded.” Interestingly, in the House one could see latest gizmos being used by the members including blue-toothed phone, which the members use to send mail and SMS while sitting in Lower House and keeping abreast with the developments outside. Several members keep the mobile phones in silent mode, which enables them to be in touch with events inside and outside Parliament. |
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BJP flays Punjab Chief Minister
New Delhi, August 2 “The conduct of Punjab Games involving sportspersons from the erstwhile Punjab province of undivided India, amounts to having a parallel foreign policy... It is not good,” BJP parliamentary party spokesperson V.K. Malhotra told newspersons here. He said even more condemnable is the silence of the Central Government on the issue. “Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Jaswant Singh had written a letter to the “Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, but had not got any response from him,” Mr Malhotra added. |
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Dissident BJP leader issued show-cause notice
Gandhinagar, August 2 While the Gujarat BJP has slapped a show-cause notice on Mr Jhadapia, former Chief Minister Suresh Mehta has rallied to his defence. According to BJP general secretary Purshottam Rupala, state party president Vajubhai Vala, who issued the notice for his last-minute refusal to accept the ministerial berth after consenting to do so, has committed an act of indiscipline. |
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Non-supply of minister’s statement in Hindi angers MP
New Delhi, August 2 "Before making his statement on the issue, Mr Aiyar had said that the Hindi text of his statement is under preparation and will be made available to the members soon...However, even after three hours it has not been provided to us," Mr Parmar said. "I take this as an insult to the National language and thus I wish not to ask him (Mr Aiyar) any question on the subject in protest," Mr Parmar said when the Deputy Chairman Rehman Khan called his name to pose question to the minister. Mr Aiyar before making his statement apologised to the members that his statement in Hindi could not be provided to the members as it was under preparation and assured that it would made available soon. |
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Opposition mulls no-confidence motion against MP Speaker
Bhopal, August 2 Leader of Opposition Jamuna Devi later said a meeting of all the Opposition members had been convened this evening to discuss the possibility of moving a no-confidence motion against Speaker Ishwardas
Rohani. The Opposition members went to the House in a belligerent mood today as the Speaker had yesterday dismissed their objection to saffronisation of education in the State. Ms Jamuna Devi had brought to the House yesterday a copy of the textbook on social science for the Class VI and alleged that the BJP's election symbol
"kamal" was displayed in the book as the national flower. As the session started today, CPI member Ram Lakhan Sharma stood up and said: "Speaker, Sir, we are very much aggrieved". The Speaker, however, ignored him and started the Question Hour. This infuriated the Opposition members and they, Ms Jamuna Devi included, trooped to the well of the House where they started shouting slogans. Mr Rohani asked them to go back to their seats and permitted the Leader of Opposition to speak. As Ms Jamuna Devi unfolded a sheet of paper, the Speaker ruled that the Leader of Opposition could speak extempore and that she would not be permitted to read from any paper. She could, however, table the paper if she so desired, he added. This again provoked the Opposition members to start slogan shouting with renewed vigour. In the midst of the din, the Speaker hurriedly "completed" the business listed for the day and adjourned the House till Wednesday. |
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PM may meet South
Korean President in Malaysia
New Delhi, August 2 This was evident when the visiting South Korean Foreign Minister, Mr Ban Ki Moon, called on Dr Manmohan Singh today and repeatedly invited him to visit Seoul. The Prime Minister accepted the invitation in principle. Mr Ban also suggested that Dr Manmohan Singh and South Korean President Roh Moo-Hyun, who paid a state visit to India in October last, could meet on the margins of the East Asia Summit. India is going to participate in this new initiative. During the 35-minute-long meeting, the Prime Minister told Mr Ban that India attached highest priority for intensifying relations with Seoul and appreciated that dynamic growth had been observed in all sectors, including economic relations, commercial relations, defence, security, science and technology and investment
(POSCO project). The inflow of investment from South Korea to India has picked up and there has been a significant increase in the number of South Korean companies in India.
POSCO, one of the largest producers of steel in the world, signed an MOU with the Orissa Government in June, 2005, for setting up an integrated steel plant in Orissa. This is one of the biggest FDI projects with a projected investment of approximately 12 billion US dollars. Trade volume has risen by about 30 per cent last year, and crossed US$ 5 billion mark. With this growth rate, the target of US$ 10 billion by 2008 that was set during the visit of President Roh to India is expected to be reached easily. India
and South Korea have already established a “long-term cooperative
partnership for peace and prosperity”. There has been a marked
acceleration in high-level contacts between the two countries. During
Mr Ban’s talks with the Indian leadership, some specific areas of
cooperation were flagmarked. These are as follows:
The two countries have decided to consult closely with each other and
cooperate as major consumers of oil production. The Korean side also
agreed to assist the Indian side in setting up strategic oil reserves in
India based on the Korean experience in this area. |
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Sonia to address rally in Kerala
New Delhi, August 2 The rally will mark the culmination of a chaitanya yatra being launched by the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee
(KPCC) on August 5 from Kasargod. Besides addressing a rally, Mrs Gandhi is also slated to inaugurate the KPCC’s training centre, called the Rajiv Gandhi Development
Institute. This will be Mrs Gandhi’s first visit to Kerala after K. Karunakaran walked out and split the state unit. Mr Karunakaran has the potential of playing spoiler in the next Assembly elections as he has been campaigning vigorously against the Oomen Chandy government. In addition to battling the veteran leader, the Congress faces the unenviable task of taking on a formidable Left Front. Mrs Gandhi’s speech at the forthcoming rally will come under a scanner for her references to the Left Front, which is the Congress party’s main opponent in Kerala. It will have to be seen if Mrs Gandhi will be bold enough to attack the Left or will prefer to leave this task to the state unit, given that the UPA government is critically dependent on the outside support of the Communists. Having received a go-ahead from the party high command, newly-appointed KPCC president Ramesh Chennithala has already launched a no-holds barred battle against the Left Front. Even before he took over the state unit, he had penned several articles in the party’s mouthpiece, Congress
Sandesh, in which he had lashed out at the Left parties. Only recently, he wrote an open letter to CPM General Secretary Prakash Karat drawing his attention to a CAG report which has commented adversely on a contract
awarded by the previous Left Front government to a Canadian MNC, SNC
Lavalin, by overlooking Indian PSU BHEL’s claims. This, it was stated, had resulted in a loss of nearly Rs 110 crore to the state government. This has embarrassed the CPM since it has out the UPA Government in the dock over its decision to disinvest 10 per cent stake in BHEL. Besides that, its state party secretary Pinarayi Vijayan is in the Congress firing line as he was the Power Minister when the contract was awarded to the Canadian firm. The state Congress is demanding that the CPM constitute a committee to probe this deal. |
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SC orders drastic changes in CPC amendments
New Delhi, August 2 Approving the recommendations of Justice M.J. Rao committee on the 1999 CPC amendments, a Bench of Mr Justice Y.K. Sabharwal, Mr Justice D M Dharmadhikari and Mr Justice Tarun Chatterjee Said the Centre and State Governments should consider bearing the cost of conciliation and mediation among disputing parties if the cases were resolved through ADR mechanism. Disposing of public interest litigations (PILs) by two lawyers bodies, challenging the amendments in the CPC, which had run into rough whether with advocates all over the country opposing those, the apex court said that the Centre and states should appoint Special Officers (SOs) in each high court and district court to receive notices in civil suits filed against the government so that there was no delay in their adjudication. Since in civil suits against government, orders are normally passed ex-parte by the courts as there was no provision of government receiving notices at admission stage, it had been resulting in inordinate delay in final disposal of the cases. On SOs receiving the notices on behalf of government, a lot of litigation time would be saved, the court said. The implication of the judgement would be that if in a dispute related only to a question of fact, it could be adjudicated through conciliation and mediation without going into the question of law and the cost for the same would be borne by the government. To deal with frivolous suits, generally filed in civil cases to prolong trial on any property dispute, the apex court directed the high courts to incorporate provisions in their civil procedure rules for imposing exemplary cost on those filing false cases. The high courts were further directed to formulate rules as per the amended provisions and the recommendations of Justice Rao committee in its three reports for effective implementation of the CPC amendments. “For the past 50 years the judicial impact assessment has not been done. There must be a judicial impact assessment whenever any legislation is enacted by the government,” the court said. Taking note of the government giving step motherly treatment to judiciary in allocating of funds, as had been pointed out by successive Chief Justices of India, the apex court directed the Centre to make provision in the law itself when
formulated by Parliament to have an in built mechanism of financial support for judicial infrastructure, specially creation of the new courts, which could be on the lines of fast track courts, for which budgetary allocations were made in advance by the Finance Commission. The CPC amendment, was stayed by the apex court after countrywide strike by lawyers, which had turned violent in Delhi with advocates being severely beaten in
lath charge by the police in 2000 when holding a massive protest in front of Parliament. In view of the protest, the apex court had appointed a five-member committee under the then Law Commission Chairman, Justice M.J. Rao to go into the controversial amendments and suggest changes in the same, after the PILs were filed by Salem Advocate Bar Association in Tamil Nadu and Bar Association of Batala in Punjab. The court gave four months time to the Union Government either to implement the amended law or come up with its own suggestions if it wanted to make any further changes and submit its action taken report (ATR). |
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New technique for removing benign bone tumour
New Delhi, August 2 Removing hard tumours using the radio-frequency ablation technique costs less than Rs 1,000 as compared to Rs 5,000 to Rs 6,000 required in the conventional surgical method, which is being used at present. Moreover, since the procedure is simple and involves fewer complications. However, what is even more important is the fact that since a small incision, requiring just one stitch, is required, it makes the procedure less painful for the patient and also generates minimal complications later, Dr Shah Alam, leader of the team which conducted the procedure on a 28-year-old male on Saturday told The Tribune. In Delhi, the radio-frequency generator is available in AIIMS, Ganga Ram Hospital and Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Hospital. However, the latter two were using it for treating liver tumours and cancers, making AIIMS was the first institution in the north to use the technique for treating bone tumour, said Dr Alam. Till now, the technique was being used only for removing soft tissue tumours and mitosis of liver and lung, he added. An added advantage of the technique is that in the traditional surgical method a lot of bone has to be removed along with the problematic area. Besides this, the new technique takes less time as compared to two to three hours required to complete the conventional surgical procedure. "It is a small procedure. Since we were using it for the first time, the entire procedure took more than an hour. But the time can be further reduced to 30 minutes. Moreover, its cosmetic results are much better and the patient can resume normal life the very next day. In fact, we are also exploring the possibility of using the technique for small aggressive tumours and benign tumours in other parts of the body," he said. In the new technique, involving an invasive procedure, a special type of needle, which is connected to the radio-frequency generator through which high frequency AC current is passed, is inserted in the body that burns the tumour. Since using this technique minimises the pain and also reduces morbidity in the patient, it also helps in quick recovery. The traditional procedure requires a bed rest of at least three to four weeks. The AIIMS team comprised Dr Shah Alam of the Orthopaedics Department and Dr Sanjay
Thulkar, Dr Suman Bandhu, Dr D.N. Sharma and Dr Sridhar from Dr B.R. Ambedkar Institute Rotary Cancer Hospital, AIIMS. |
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Environmentalists concerned over new CDFD building
Hyderabad, August 2 A city-based NGO, Forum for a Better Hyderabad, has appealed to the President to reconsider his decision to inaugurate the new building during his visit here on August 5, as the CDFD failed to secure pollution clearance certificate from the Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board (APPCB). The environmentalists warned that the new facility could pollute the water sources nearby and prove disastrous for the surrounding areas. The CDFD deals with highly dangerous micro-organisms of bio-safety level 3 and associated chemicals, which can potentially harm Osman Sagar, drinking water source for Hyderabad, Dr S. Jeevananda Reddy, secretary of the forum, said in his letter to the President. The CDFD had shot into national prominence with its reports on sensational cases, including assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, assassination of former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh and the infamous tandoor case of Naina Sahni. The President is scheduled to inaugurate the new premises during his two-day visit to the city on August 4-5. The premier scientific organisation, which was earlier part of the CCMB, later developed into a separate autonomous laboratory. The CDFD had started the construction of its new premises in 2002 near Gandipet on the outskirts of the city at a reported outlay of Rs 20 crore. The APPCB issued consent order to the CDFD in 2003 only for dry processes and prohibited any wet processes in view of its high pollution potential, the NGO said. This was based on a state government order of 1996, which prohibits establishment of polluting activities within 10 km radius of the full tank level of Himayat Sagar and Osman Sagar lakes. The CDFD’s new premises are barely 500 meters from Osman Sagar Lake, Dr Reddy said. The CDFD authorities, who have violated all pollution norms in going ahead with construction, are now trying to have their way through backdoor means by inviting the President to inaugurate the premises, the forum alleged. |
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Rift in Left Front over amending land reform policy
Kolkata, August 2 The CPM at the personal initiative of the party secretary, Mr Anil Biswas, insisted that the state government should amend the Land Reform and Ceiling Act in the current session of the Assembly and lift all restrictions so that larger areas of vacant land could be utilised for development purposes. Accordingly, a Bill will be placed in the Assembly for amending the Land Reform Act, which the CPM minister in charge of Land and Land Reform, Mr Abdur Rezzek Mollah, himself had objected to initially. But his objections had been overruled by the Chief Minister, Mr Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, after his talks with Mr Biswas. The Forward Bloc’s state secretary, Mr Ashok Ghosh, said they had formally registered a protest against the placement of the Bill in the Assembly with the front chairman, Mr Biman Bose, before its discussion at the front meeting. He alleged that the Bill had been discussed neither in the Cabinet nor in the Cabinet core committee and the front meeting before it was circulated it among the MLAs. “This is something unusual and unprecedented”, remarked Mr Ghosh, adding that the Bill would empower multinationals and industries to grab agricultural lands in real estate business. He, however, claimed that the front chairman had assured them that the Bill would not be placed in the Assembly now. The RSP secretary, Mr Debabrata Bandopadhyya, and the CPI secretary, Mr Monju Majumdar, also raised objections to the placement of the Bill before it was discussed at the front meeting. They demanded that the Bill be withdrawn since a detailed discussion was needed before finalising it for placing it in the Assembly. Incidentally, the controversial Salishi Bill had been withdrawn recently in the wake of the large-scale protests by the front partners and the Congress and the Trinamool Congress. Ms Mamata Banerjee demanded that the Land Reforms Amendment Bill should also be abandoned. Mr Biswas, however, reiterated that the Bill would be placed in the Assembly as there was no question of withdrawing it or abandoning it. He also ruled out any possibility of bringing back the Bill to the discussion table at the front meeting. However, he said that some clauses of the Bill may have to be changed after the Chief Minister’s discussion with the Land Reforms Minister and the Land Reforms Commissioner. |
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Why not breakfast in Amritsar, lunch in Lahore?
New Delhi, August 2 We are waiting for a time, when after taking breakfast in Amritsar, we will be able to take a bus or taxi for Lahore. After having a business meeting, touring the city and taking lunch, come back by the evening to Amritsar. These views were expressed by former cricketer and Amritsar MP Navjot Singh Sidhu again and again at the meeting of the World Punjabi Organisation held here last night. The meeting was organised to welcome a trade delegation of the Pakistan industry currently on a visit to India. The meeting attracted stalwarts of the Indo-Pak friendship and Punjabis across the world. Giving one-liner bytes to TV reporters, Sidhu was at his best: “Chandigarh may the political capital of Punjab, but Amritsar is our Mecca, our Vatican City. The opening of the Wagah border will help Punjabis on the both sides to cement their relations, who have the same language, culture and history.” “If a small country like Sri Lanka can benefit from free trade with India, why a much stronger Pakistan is hesitating to open trade? In fact, the Indian market can help Pakistan to double its income within years,” said Union Petroleum Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar, claiming himself to be the damaad (son-in-law) of Punjab, as his wife is from Quetta, from the other side of the border. In his characteristic style, veteran journalist Kuldip Nayar said: “The environment has changed after many years. This year, we will hold a candle-light procession at the Wagah border on August 14 and 15 to celebrate the India-Pakistan friendship.” People in lakhs, not in thousands, will participate in the procession, asserted Nayar who is holding processions at the border on the Independence Day of Pakistan and India for the past many years. Significantly, the legal bilateral trade between India and Pakistan reached Rs 2699.36 crore during 2004-05 as against Rs 1583.42 crore during the previous fiscal, registering a growth of 70 per cent. The Pakistan Government has recently allowed the import of vegetables like potato, tomato, animal products and sugar from India via road through the Wagah border. “We are trying to press upon the governments of both countries to open trade at least in those sectors where both the countries would benefit. Otherwise, both the governments are losing huge revenue and the customers are paying extra prices, since the Indo-Pak trade via third countries is worth thousands of crores,” FICCI President Onkar Singh Kanwar told the audience. After the ‘Made in Pakistan’ exhibition held in Delhi last March, FICCI will organise a “Made in India” exhibition in Lahore in November to showcase the new face of India and to explore joint business opportunities, he said. Reciprocating the warm welcome by their Indian hosts, Chaudhry Muhammad Saeed, President, Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry, said: “ We have come here with the message of love and well wishes. The days are not far when the both the governments would also listen to the voice of people, the language of brotherhood.” Sidhu again said, “ Galan taan bahut ho gayian, hun amal de gal kariye. Gur, Gur karan naal, muhun mitha nahin hona. (we have talked a lot, but what is needed is implementation. By speaking merely about sugar, one cannot feel sweetness). India should set up a centre in Lahore to give visas to Pakistanis and they should reciprocate by setting up the facility in
Amritsar.” |
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Issue of damage to ‘mazaar’ resolved
Fatehabad, August 2 A meeting of all communities of the village was held today in which the action of the miscreants was condemned. Mr Mastan Singh, husband of the village sarpanch, Gurjeet Kaur, who had yesterday lodged the complaint with the police, told mediapersons after the meeting that the matter had been resolved amicably and he had preferred an application for the withdrawal of the case. He said that those who had caused damage to the “mazaar” would get it repaired at their own cost. Meanwhile, the 15 persons arrested yesterday were produced before the Judicial Magistrate, Ms Ritu Y.K. Bahl, today. The judge remanded them in judicial custody till August 16. Mr S.M. Asif Ahmed, alias Babu Khan, state president of the Muslim Human Welfare Society, condemned the action of miscreants. |
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Postal staff to go on strike from today
New Delhi, August 2 The leader of the Bharatiya Postal Employees Federation, Mr Vidyadhar Pathak, said that the other major demands of the employees included lifting of the ceiling on the payment of bonus, absorption of all applicants who had been appointed on compassionate grounds and increase in transport allowance by Rs 500 for all concerned. |
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ONGC’s ‘Samudra Suraksha’ sinks
Mumbai, August 2 ‘Samudra Suraksha’ sunk last night at around 1 a.m., about 8.5 nautical miles from the Mumbai coast, he said adding that it sunk in “stormy conditions”. At least 11 persons were killed and 11 went missing when the vessel collided with the largest ONGC platform at Mumbai High last week resulting in a huge fire that destroyed the platform completely bringing down the company’s output drastically. The vessel was abandoned by the crew immediately after it caught fire following the collision on July 27 and the decompression chamber was lifted to another rescue vessel, the SCI official said.
— PTI |
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Provogue director held for drug trafficking
Mumbai, August 2 Chaturvedi, who was called in for questioning at the police headquarters, was placed under arrest after preliminary questioning. “We have arrested Chaturvedi and he will be produced in court on Wednesday,” Additional Police Commissioner (West) Parambir Singh told reporters. The cocaine ring was busted earlier this year when an employee of Provogue Allwyn Sequeira sent a parcel containing cocaine to company director Vishal Meghnani in Chennai. Meghnani is said to have implicated several Bollywood personalities, including actors, music composers and some prominent media personalities. Provogue Lounges in Mumbai, which turn into party joints at night, too have been raided after Meghnani said some of these drug transactions took place at the venues. Meghnani also allegedly told the police that party organisers usually sprayed mind-altering substance through the air-conditioning systems of Provogue Lounges so that revellers could party all night without getting exhausted. |
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Mob demands action against
IG
Jamshedpur, August 2 Hundreds of protestors, including various political and social organisations, took out processions in Karandih and Sonari demanding “no less than capital punishment” for the suspended senior police officer, Mr P.S. Natrajan. The slogan shouting mob set effigies of Natrajan on fire at both the places this morning and demanded he should be left at the mercy of the protestors for ‘appropriate punishment’.
— PTI |
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Panel to prepare report on Muslims
New Delhi, August 2 The committee will finalise its report within 15 months with effect from the date of its notification on March 9, 2005, Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Subbulaxmi Jagadeesan said in a written reply. She said there was no proposal to set up similar committees in respect of other religious entities. |
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New Delhi, August 2
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