 |
|
|
Full benefits for UN peacekeepers killed in action
Lankan President arrives on 4-day visit
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Talks on Indo-Pak rail service from January 4
Amar Singh’s brother joins Congress
BSP foresees victory in Uttar Pradesh
Cong divided on tie-up with TMC
Karan, Dwivedi, Agarwal Cong RS nominees
Women in rural UP face new childbirth risks
Gavaskar case
Security cover for Mathrani, Sehgal
Voter card distribution in Bengal to be verified
Rail ticket cancellation charges hiked
Ex-police officer gets life term
Mufti for Kashmir as free trade zone
Bilkis case: CBI to collect skeletons
Stampede case: HC stays bail of DMK councillor
Balochistan violence worries India
Sikkim cut off by GNLF blockade
World history in verse!
Amitabh has darshan at Tirumala
Misra new envoy to Croatia
|
|
Full benefits for UN peacekeepers killed in action
New Delhi, December 27 Talking to reporters on the sidelines of the Coast Guard investiture ceremony, the Defence Minister said: “These personnel are risking their lives for worthy causes” and declared that they would be eligible for “battle medals, citations and other benefits”. His remarks assume importance in the wake of an Indian peacekeeper from 9 Guards losing his life in Northern Congo against Ugandan rebels on Sunday. Indian armed forces have suffered casualties in other peacekeeping operations also. The country is currently one of the leading contributors to the UN peacekeeping force with nearly two brigade-level forces operating in about five countries. On the safety aspect of the personnel working on road and other developmental projects in Afghanistan, the Minister said the security had been boosted following wide consultations with the Afghan Government. “For the Deliram-Kanadhar highway linking Iran and Afghanistan, we have doubled the ITBP security for the border road personnel working on the project,” Mr Mukherjee said, adding that the Afghan Government, too, had stepped up security cover for the project, specially in vulnerable areas. Mr Mukherjee said the government would soon announce a decision on the demand for the repeal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act in force in the North East. “The recommendations of the high-powered review committee have been discussed with the Home Minister and a decision would be taken by the government soon,” he said. The minister sidestepped questions about whether the request for proposals for the purchase of 126 medium-role combat aircraft for the IAF had been issued, saying, “You will come to know when the government decides on any action”. Meanwhile a year after the tsunami disaster, the Defence Minister today decorated 11 Coastguard officers with the President’s Tatrakshak and Tatrakshak medals for prompt action in undertaking rescue and relief operations. The recipients included Inspector-General Surinder Pal Singh, who was the Coastguard Commander of the Andaman and Nicobar region, Commandants Ali Muttaher, Rajesh Makwana, Milind Manohar Patil, Prabhdeep Singh Malhotra and Uttam Navik Kamal Singh. |
|
Lankan President arrives on 4-day visit
New Delhi, December 27 The visit of Mr
Rajapaksa, at the invitation of President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, will focus on talks with Indian leaders on not only bilateral issues but also on lingering ethnic conflict in the context of sudden spurt in violence in the island nation. Promotion of bilateral trade will also figure prominently during the talks between the two sides, sources said. “The decision by President Rajapaksa to make his first overseas visit to India is evidence of the importance accorded to bilateral relations by the government and peoples of both countries,” an External Affairs Ministry spokesman said. The official part of the visit will begin tomorrow with a ceremonial reception at Rashtrapati Bhavan. He will hold bilateral talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh tomorrow. The Prime Minister will host a lunch for him. This will be followed by meetings with UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Home Minister Shivraj Patil and Commerce Minister Kamal Nath. Dr Kalam will host a banquet in his honour the same evening. On December 29, Minister for Roads and Highways and Shipping
T.R. Baalu and former External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh will call on the visiting dignitary. The next day, the Sri Lankan President will leave for Kochi and visit the Guruvayur temple. Though Mr Rajapaksa had expressed a desire to visit to Bodh Gaya but it appears highly unlikely that a visit Bihar would materialise during this trip. He will also visit Chennai and meet Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa before leaving for Colombo. The Sri Lankan President will also meet Vice-President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat and will interact with other senior politicians and a cross-section of Indian leaders in various fields. “The whole spectrum of bilateral relations will be reviewed during the visit and ways of strengthening relations further will be discussed,” the spokesman added. The visit comes in the wake of growing disillusionment in the island nation about the Norwegian-brokered peace process with the President himself having expressed displeasure. However, the Norwegians were later asked to continue with the peace mediation. |
|
Talks on Indo-Pak rail service from January 4
New Delhi, December 27 A railway delegation from Pakistan will be visiting India from January 4 to 7 to work out the modalities for operationalising the train service. From India’s point of view, the most important point would be whether Islamabad relents from its tough position on allowing the trains to cross into each other’s territory. Pakistan has already conveyed to India its unwillingness to let the two trains enter into each other’s territory, saying that it preferred the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus service modus operandi for the second rail link between the two countries. Islamabad has said the
Munabao-Khokhrapar train passengers would have to get down at the international border, cross the border on foot and then board another train. Pakistan has completed the rail line on its side. The more comprehensive Indo-Pak bilateral engagement would take place on January 17-18 when the two countries’ Foreign Secretaries would meet here. The two subjects in the eight-point composite dialogue — peace and security, including confidence building measures and Jammu and Kashmir — will come up for discussion. The dates for talks on eight subjects under the dialogue process would also be decided. |
|
|
Amar Singh’s brother joins Congress
Lucknow, December 27 “Mulayam Singh Yadav’s time is up. We are finally ready for war,” he said. Speaking to reporters, Arvind Singh clarified that though he had campaigned for the SP in Lalganj in Azamgarh in the 2004 Lok Sabha election, he never was a formal member of the party. According to him, the reason for his joining the Congress was that the party had never indulged in communal or caste-based politics. While a few weeks ago Arvind Singh had made virulent statements against his media savvy elder brother at a news conference in his home district Azamgarh, he today shied away from saying anything provocative. He said Amar Singh was “initially the managing director of the SP, which is a private limited company, but now has been demoted as its Director Finance”. According to him, differences with his elder brother were purely “ideological”. He maintained that there were no social and economic differences between them. “As he is no Ram, I should not be expected to play the role of Laxman,” he quipped when reminded that Amar Singh had already “disowned” him saying that no member of his family was entering politics. “I am clearly not a member of his ‘A’ club, so he has disowned me,” he retorted referring to Amar Singh’s bonhomie with industrialist Anil Ambani and superstar Amitabh Bachchan. Another “catch” presented before the media by the Congress was Shailendra Singh, a former Deputy Superintendent of Police who had resigned from his job in 2004 when the state government refused to allow him to nail Independent MLA Mukhtar Ansari, who was said have been negotiating a deal for a light machine gun. Claiming that recent incidents had vindicated his stand on Ansari, he said: “Since that day I have been fighting against criminalisation of politics and it is only now that all political parties are waking up to the issue.” He said if the state government had acted against Ansari at that time when he had recorded his conversations about the LMG deal, the murder of BJP MLA Krishnanand Rai could have been averted. |
|
BSP foresees victory in Uttar Pradesh
New Delhi, December 27 In an exclusive conversation with The Tribune, BSP general secretary Satish Chandra Misra said: “We are going to win at least 300 Assembly seats in the elections, which may take place any time, and form the government”. Giving reasons for his confidence, Mr Misra said the coming together of Brahmins and Dalits under the banner of the BSP was going to make that possible. After the panchayat elections in the state in which the BSP won a majority in 60 of the 70 districts including UP Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav’s stronghold, the political wind has turned in favour of the Dalit party which now stands for a “classless and casteless society”. Besides, the defeat of the SP and the Rashtriya Lok Dal in the recently held two by-elections had sent shivers down the spine of the Chief Minister, the BSP leader, who is the architect of the Brahmin-Dalit alliance, said. The victory in the by-elections at Aurai and Nagal was achieved despite the Chief Minister’s efforts to win the two seats to boost the morale of the party workers after the SP’s defeat in the panchayat elections, Mr Misra pointed out, saying that Mr Yadav’s ministers had been directed to camp in the area to ensure the victory of the ruling alliance candidates. Mr Yadav’s nervousness was reflected in his move to get the elections of presidents of district panchayats postponed. Besides, he has using the state’s administrative machinery to harass, harangue and threaten the elected panchayat members who elect the presidents, Mr Misra said. It all began in Lucknow on June 9 this year when over three lakh members of the dominating upper caste constituting almost 14 per cent of the state’s electorate went there to attend a Brahmin rally, he said, adding that the rally could have been much bigger had the state administration not used all possible tricks to stop rallyists from coming to the state capital. To a query on anti-upper caste stance of Ms Mayawati and Mr Kanshi Ram, Mr Misra said now things had changed. The BSP was not only attracting Brahmins who had been disillusioned by the BJP but also the trading community which was reeling under the present government. “The trading community is suffering as it has to pay goonda tax to Samajwadi politicians and once this community comes to us then even Muslims will come to the BSP, deserting Mr Yadav”, he said. |
|
Cong divided on tie-up with TMC
Kolkata, December 27 But a large section of the leadership including, Mr Priya Das Munshi, Mr Ghani Klhan Chowdhury, Mr Somen Mitra, Mr Subrata Mukherjee, Mr Pradip Bhattacharyya want that the party to come to an electoral understanding with the TMC against the CPM, for avoiding the division in the anti-left votes. Former Congress Chief Minister Siddhartha Sankar Ray also has been a strong campaigner for the party’s seat adjustment with the TMC. Mr Ray wondered when the Congress and the BJP could jointly fight against the CPM in the Kerala by-elections and recently in the municipal polls at Harishchandrapur in Malda and several other panchayats, why they could not jointly fight against the CPM in Bengal. Mr Ray said the people in the state now wanted a change in the government after the Left Front’s misrule of a long 28 years. But the Defence Minister was opposed to the party’s joining hands with the TMC till Ms Banerjee was siding with the BJP. |
|
|
Karan, Dwivedi, Agarwal Cong RS nominees
New Delhi, December 27 AICC general secretary in charge of party affairs in Delhi Ashok Gehlot announced the names here today after Congress president Sonia Gandhi held intense discussions with senior colleagues over the past few days. The biennial elections to the three seats are to fill three vacancies arising on January 27 next year. There are three vacancies to the House of Elders from Delhi. While Dr Karan Singh and Mr Dwivedi are being fielded for another six years to the Rajya Sabha, the third seat was held by the late P.M. Sayeed, Union Power Minister, who died in Seoul recently. Mr Sayeed was elected to the Rajya Sabha about 18 months back after he had lost the 2003 General Election. Prior to that, the seat was held by Haryana Governor A.R. Kidwai. The Congress is set to retain all three seats. |
|
Women in rural UP face new childbirth risks
New Delhi, December 27 The research showed that giving two pre-delivery injections has become the norm. Dr Abjijit Das, a public health professional who steered the study told TNS they came across cases where women had been given the injection as many as nine
times. This is a major cause of worry. Even ANMs (Auxillary Nurse Midwives) are going ahead and giving these injections putting two lives at risk,’’ he said. The study done in 733 villages across 12 districts of Uttar Pradesh showed that fifty per cent of the 2992 women were prescribed oxytoxin to induce labour and facilitate child birth. In about 70 per cent of these cases, the injection was advised even when delay of labour was not an explicit problem. The researchers covered all child births between January 1 and March 31 this year. Districts covered in the study were Allahabad, Auriya, Chitrakoot, Gorakhpur, Jaunpur, Mau, Mathura, Muzaffarpur, Pratapgarh, Saharanpur, Sitapur and Varanasi. Public health professionals who steered the research are of the view that irrational use of oxytocin compound commonly available under brand names Pitocin and Syntocinon, needs to be checked. Their apprehensions are genuine. India has the largest number of maternal deaths in the world-over— 1,36,000 in a year, of which Uttar Pradesh accounts for 40,000 maternal deaths. Dr Abjijit Das, Director of the Centre for Health and Social Justice said unregulated use of oxytocin before birth is a major important cause of rupture of uterus. He said that oxytocin should be administered through intravenous glucose infusion and not through an inter muscular injection as is being done in village homes in UP. "The pre-delivery injection should be given only for the first child birth as the uterus becomes very sensitive and its response cannot be predicted. It can result in uterus rupture which is life-threatening. Possibility of a still birth, birth of a compromised baby, neo natal death and difficult post partum period was significantly higher with those women who received an injection before delivery,’’ he said. |
|
Security cover for Mathrani, Sehgal
New Delhi, December 27 Mr
Mathrani, who was part of the Natwar Singh-led four-member Congress delegation to Iraq in 2001, had reportedly alleged the involvement of Natwar Singh in the pay-offs, creating ripples in political
circle. Natwar Singh, whose name also figured as “non-contractual beneficiary” in Iraq’s oil-for-food programme in Paul Volcker report, was subsequently forced to resign from the Union Cabinet in the wake of uproar in Parliament. Mr Sehgal and his company Hamadaan Exports is one of the accused named by the Volcker report. Mr Sehgal is also considered a close associate of Natwar Singh’s son Jagat
Singh. Jamil Zaidi, whose name has also figured in the Volcker controversy, is a youth Congress leader from Rajasthan. Each of the three would be provided with a personal security officer (PSO) and two constables by Delhi Police, sources said. |
|
|
Voter card distribution in Bengal to be verified
New Delhi, December 27 “The EPICs have been distributed in a most casual way in violation of commission’s existing instructions,” EC sources said. The poll panel was intrigued that over 92 per cent of the Voter ID card had been distributed in the state where the Assembly elections are scheduled in May. The cards of a number of voters have been handed over to one person under his signature or almost all cards have been distributed with acknowledgement receipt obtained in the form of thumb impressions, which have not been duly verified by any official, the sources said. The teams have particularly noted such types of distribution in Suti-I Block of Murshidabad, Nurpur G.P. in Malda and Rajnagar Block in Birbhum, the sources said. The EC also sought an explanation of such delinquent officials and that action taken in the matter should be intimated to it by January 5, the sources said. The District Electoral Officers would also initiate action against officers responsible for any lapse in distribution of the EPICs. “It should be ensured at any cost that each and every EPIC prepared is distributed to the voters properly since the commission has decided that such electors to whom an EPIC has been issued shall be required to produce it at the time of poll and voting on the basis of any alternative document will not be allowed in their case,” the sources said. The commission also directed the poll officials involved in the special summary revision of electoral rolls in the state to be careful while taking a decision on the acceptance or rejection of a claim. Meanwhile, the commission has rejected the request of Prafulla Kumar Mahanta for changing the name of Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) as Asom Gana Parishad Pragatishil.
|
|
|
Rail ticket cancellation charges hiked
New Delhi, December 27 According to a Press release issued here on Tuesday, the revision in cancellation charges entails a hike from Rs 30 to Rs 40 for Sleeper Class, from Rs 30 to Rs 60 for AC Chair Car and AC three tier and from Rs 50 to Rs 60 for First Class. A steep cent per cent hike has come into effect for cancelling AC two-tier reserved tickets from Rs 30 to Rs 60 while the cancellation charge for AC First/Executive has been revised upwards from Rs 50 to Rs 70. |
|
|
Ex-police officer gets life term
New Delhi, December 27 The CBI had filed a charge-sheet against Prasad in February 2003. The agency had taken up the case in April 2001 following a directive from the National Human Rights Commission which took cognizance when Ms Palit’s mother protested against Prasad being let off after a probe by the state police. The Special Judge awarded two years’ rigorous imprisonment to Prasad for destroying evidence and fined him Rs 5,000. The sentences are to run concurrently. Prasad is lodged in the Ranchi jail for the past more than two years. According to the CBI, Palit’s body was found in burnt condition with firearm injuries at an isolated place near Christian Graveyard, Plant Hospital, Ranchi, on October 22, 1998. Investigations revealed that she and Prasad had an affair but the relationship soured when she became pregnant and he developed interest in another woman. The officer threatened to kill her after she went to the press with her woes. A day before the body was found, he rang up Palit, a divorcee, and promised to marry her. The two were seen together at a restaurant that evening. According to the CBI, a ballistic test of the bullet found near the body revealed that it came from the revolver of one of Prasad’s subordinate officers. Investigations showed that Prasad had borrowed the revolver that evening on the pretext that his weapon was not working properly and he had to conduct raids at various places, the press note said. |
|
Mufti for Kashmir as free trade zone
Lucknow, December 27 Talking to reporters here, he said the opening of borders between Jammu and Kashmir and Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK) into a free trade and visa zone would help both the countries better their relations. Terming economic freedom the biggest tool in improving the situation in Kashmir, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) leader said such a move would foster better relations between the two countries. “Like in Europe, where people can move freely between various countries of the region, those from either sides of Kashmir should be given a chance to move freely. As people travelling on the Muzzafarabad bus on either sides of the LoC need a permit, the same principle can be applied on trucks carrying goods,” he said. “I have taken up the issue with the Prime Minister,” he said adding “when we talk of converting SAARC region into a free trade zone, this issue can also be taken up.”
— UNI |
|
Bilkis case: CBI to collect skeletons
New Delhi, December 27 A CBI spokesperson told The Tribune here that eight to 10 officials from CBI’s Mumbai wing will be reaching Gujarat to complete the formalities and to take further action. The Deputy Inspector-General, Chennai, who was also the in charge of Mumbai, had already left for Gujarat and would be assisted by an SP in completing the legal formalities, he said. In the Bilkis Bano rape-cum-murder incidents, 17 persons were killed by a mob. In this case, the Gujarat Police had conducted a post-mortem of seven persons, while the remaining were shown as missing. The CBI now suspects that the seven missing persons killed in the mob fury could be solved by conducting DNA tests of the skeletons excavated from the site. |
|
Stampede case: HC stays bail of DMK councillor
Chennai, December 27 Mr Justice S Sardar Zackria Hussain granted the interim stay on the orders of First Additional sessions Judge A R Selvakumar who had granted conditional bail to DMK Councillor Dhanasekaran yesterday. Posting to January 2, further hearing on the petition filed by the Inspector of Police, MGR Nagar Police Station, challenging the lower court order, the Judge directed defence counsel R
Shanmughasundaram, to file the counter by then. When the case came up for hearing at the residence of Mr Justice Hussain, Additional Advocate General A L
Somiyaji, submitted that the incident had occurred due to rumours spread by the accused. This aspect was not at all considered by the lower court, he added.
— UNI |
|
|
Balochistan violence worries India
New Delhi, December 27 “We hope that the Government of Pakistan will exercise restraint and take recourse to peaceful discussions to address the grievances of the people of Balochistan,” External Affairs Minister Navtej Sarna said. Balochistan, Pakistan’s south-western province, has witnessed disturbances in its oil and gas rich Kohlu region, 200 km east of provincial capital Quetta, in protest against Islamabad’s exploitation of the
province's natural resources. The Pakistan government forces launched military action to end the disturbances. |
|
Sikkim cut off by GNLF blockade
Siliguri (WB), December 27 The clash occurred when GNLF activists were coming to Bagdogra airport near here to receive their party chief Subash Ghising. A few persons were injured and some two-wheelers were set on fire during the clash. Sources at the Sikkim Nationalised Transport depot here said no SNT bus to Sikkim was run during the day because of the blockade. The Darjeeling District Magistrate told PTI he had despatched a magistrate to the spot to ensure peace and law and order.
— PTI |
|
|
World history in verse!
Chennai, December 27 Stating that he had already launched the project and was writing 100 lines a day, the octogenarian said he was trying to portray the history of the world in a new form to enthuse students, the youth and future generations. Mr Karunanidhi said he believed that his writings would help the younger generation to create a new world.
— UNI |
|
Amitabh has darshan at Tirumala
Tirupati, December 27 |
|
Misra new envoy to Croatia
New Delhi, December 27 |
| HOME PAGE | |
Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs |
Nation | Opinions | | Business | Sports | World | Mailbag | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | Delhi | | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
In video (
