New Delhi, September 25
Victims of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots from Uttar Pradesh, Uttaranchal and Rajasthan have written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, complaining of having been ignored in the rehabilitation package announced recently by him.

They have also accused the government of differentiating between them and the riot victims from Punjab and Delhi.

National Commission for Minorities (NCM) member Harcharan Singh Josh said a memorandum submitted by 1984 anti-Sikh riot victims from Uttaranchal and Rajasthan to the commission had been forwarded to the PMO.

A few days ago, a similar memorandum from UP riot victims complaining that the package provided relief to only those who had already got relief and overlooked a majority was also forwarded to the Prime Minister through the commission.

In its memorandum, the Uttaranchal ’84 Riot Victims Committee, said, “It seems the committee set up for the rehabilitation of riot victims visited only Punjab and Delhi and ignored Uttaranchal and Rajasthan.” It said while the government had given Rs 3.5 crore for dependents of those killed in riots and Rs 1.25 lakh for the injured and Rs 2 lakh each for those who migrated to Punjab after the riots, it chose to ignore those Sikhs in Uttaranchal and Rajasthan who did not migrate despite suffering massive losses.

Around 120 riot victims from Alwar, Kishangarh and Kota districts of Rajasthan alleged that their names were not forwarded to the Centre after it asked the state government to send list of names of those who suffered losses in the state during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. They urged the Centre to ask the Rajasthan Government to expedite distribution of relief under the rehabilitation package.

Pointing out that clause 5 and 6 of the Centre’s notification on rehabilitation package sought increasing the aid given earlier by 10 times, they said the compensation should not be given on the basis of amount given earlier. Instead, it should be given on the basis of the loss suffered during the riots, as per the police records and report.

New Delhi, September 25
The Supreme Court today favoured solutions to all inter-state disputes with mutual dialogue between Chief Ministers concerned rather than judicial verdicts whether they pertained to boundary disputes or sharing of river waters.

A Bench, headed by Chief Justice Y.K. Sabharwal, seized of three suits on inter-state disputes for hearing today. It identified the SYL canal disputes between Punjab and Haryana, Godavari waters dispute between Andhra Pradesh and Maharahstra, Cauvery waters dispute between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, the Mullaiperiyar dam dispute between Kerala and Tamil Nadu and boundary dispute among Assam, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh as the cases requiring settlement with mutual dialogues with intervention of the Centre.

“It is a problem with almost all states and we will be happy if they decide the matter with mutual consultations,” the Chief Justice observed.

The court said it had to entertain such cases when any state filed a suit against the other as it was the duty of the court to adjudicate upon them.

But, it pointed out that nowadays it had become a normal practice with the governments that when a judgement was passed, the verdict was followed by a legislation to overreach it.

“If the Chief Ministers can sort out the disputes, it would be an ideal situation,” Justice Sabharwal observed, while giving time till November to Kerala Chief Minister V.S. Atchudanandan and his Tamil Nadu counterpart M. Karunanidhi to sit together and find a solution to the Mullaipariyar dam dispute.

Earlier, in another case pertaining to boundary dispute among Assam, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh, the Bench appointed a three-member local commission to examine the boundary issue after Nagaland’s counsel assured full cooperation to the panel.

The panel, which would not be a boundary commission under strict sense of the Constitution, would identify the borders between the three states. But, all states would have a right to challenge the factual and legal aspects of its findings in the court.

Bangalore, September 25
A historic session of the Karnataka Assembly was pitched against a people’s session held by the Maharashtra Ekikaran Samithi (MES) at Belgaum today and the latter seems to have won the day with the people of the city coming out in large numbers to endorse the call of the MES to merge Belgaum with Maharashtra.

Despite the sealing of the border with Maharashtra to ensure “anti-social” elements did not enter the state to attend the rally organised by the MES at the Lele grounds in Belgaum, the MES rally attracted a huge crowd clearly indicating where the loyalty of the people of the area lies.

The entire area around the Lele grounds was a sea of saffron with people coming out in traditional saffron headgears to express their solidarity with the MES, despite a strict police “bandobast,” including deputation of 5,000 personnel in the town.

MES legislators also spoilt the government show at the state Assembly with both Mahohar Kanekar and Digambar Patil raising their voice against holding of the session in Belgaum.

They claimed that the JD(S)-BJP government wanted to achieve cheap publicity through the session as it was meaningless exercise in view of the fact that the border dispute with Maharashtra was currently being heard by the Supreme Court.

Both legislators staged a walkout when their views were contested and went to the site of the MES rally. Lone Kannada Chaluvali Vatal Paksha leader Vatal Nagraj charged the Congress-led UPA government with withdrawing an affidavit filed in favour of Karnataka in the Supreme Court on the border dispute.

Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge, however, contested this, saying Nagaraj was aiming for cheap publicity without knowing the facts of the case.

The Assembly, which passed mainly obituary references today, is slated to adopt a resolution demanding the Centre implement the Mahajan Committee report on the border issue in toto. It is also likely to demand transfer of Kasargod from Kerala to Karnataka as recommended by the Mahajan Commission.

The government has made all arrangements to make the session a success with all roads leading to Jawahar Lal Nehru Medical College, where the session is being held, being decorated with Kannada flags and banners.

The city itself has been beautified for the session with most of the roads and roundabouts being done up. The government is spending around Rs 10 crore for the entire exercise, which included doing up an auditorium in the Medical College besides other expenses.

Meanwhile, the MES rally passed a resolution to continue to struggle for the merger of Belgaum with Maharashtra. MES spokesman Deepak Dalvi said there was no alternative before the people of the area except to join their own linguistic state.

Mumbai, September 25
Naya Daur’, the black-and-white signature film of the Nehruvian era starring Dilip Kumar and Vyjayanthimala, will shortly be released in colour.

B.R. Chopra films, which made the movie way back in 1957, is reportedly shelling out Rs 6 crore to get the entire movie colourised. An American company, West Wings, has been engaged in the project. Though the exact date has not been given for the film’s re-release, it is likely to hit the screens in the next few weeks.

According to sources in the company, the project has been delayed by more than a year due to technological problems. Apart from the colorification of the movie, its soundtrack will be re-mastered in Dolby for superior stereophonic sound.

The movie will be released in its full version complete with its 18 reels running into three hours.

The process has been long with every frame of the movie being colourised using the latest 3K technology, according to a source. Every reel has been approved by the company’s technicians in the US.

The colourified ‘Naya Daur’ will be the second classic to be touched up in this manner. A colour version of ‘Mughal-e-Azam’ was released two years ago. According to the sources, the colour ‘Naya Daur’ will be far superior to ‘Mughal-e-Azam’.

The film full of the 1950s socialistic mindset about the clash between the rich and the poor is known for its trademark climax where a horse cart races against bus. 

Mumbai, September 25
The decision of the Maharashtra Government to lower security for prominent persons in the state, including actor Amitabh Bachchan, local Samajwadi Party leader Abu Azmi and retired police officer Julio Ribeiro, has kicked up a row.

Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh who was in the city accompanying Mr Azmi created a ruckus blaming the Maharashtra Government for risking the lives of personalities like Bachchan.

“Amitabh Bachchan is a national icon, the responsibility for his safety is with Sharad Pawar and R.R. Patil,” Mr Amar Singh said.

He warned that the two leaders would be responsible if anything happened to Bachchan.

The actor’s security has been downgraded from Y category to X category. Instead of two guards at his residence, there will be one guard henceforth. However, Bachchan is guarded round the clock by private security personnel hired by the actor. In addition, the police escort provided to him has also been withdrawn.

However, Mr Azmi, who has been accused of fomenting communal tension in Maharashtra, will not have any security from the Maharashtra Police.

According to a notification issued by the Maharashtra Government, Mr Azmi is not entitled to any security. However, two policemen from the Uttar Pradesh Police have been deputed to guard Mr Azmi when he will be travelling outside Mumbai.

The Samajwadi Party held protests over the decision though it only highlighted the reduced security for Bachchan.

Others who have had security reduced include former police commissioners M.N. Singh and Julio Ribeiro and former ministers in the state Cabinet. However no one made an issue about it.

Lucknow, September 25
Anti-Sonia Gandhi slogans rant the air in several cities of the state, including the Nehru-Gandhi family’s bastion of Allahabad where Samajwadi Party (SP) activists burnt an effigy of the Congress president to lodge their protest against the downgrading of security of another “son of the soil” Amitabh Bachchan.

At the Civil Lines crossing in Allahabad, SP protesters raised anti-Sonia Gandhi slogans and burnt her effigy with her photograph plastered on it. Holding posters of Amitabh Bachchan, they proclaimed him to be a “national heritage” deserving the best security cover against any terrorist threat.

A similar protest by SP leaders was witnessed near Naveen market in Kanpur.

In Lucknow, the protest was markedly against the Congress-led UPA government where SP leaders demanded resignation of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for the “politically motivated decision”.

UP Congress Committee spokesperson Akhilesh Pratap Singh said, “The SP should forgo its accreditation as a political party and become Amitabh Bachchan and his family fan club”.

“This was a decision taken by the police after going through a proper process. What does the Congress has to do with it?” he wondered.

“It is also wrong to say that his security has been withdrawn. Only one escort vehicle has been reduced. That’s all,” he said.

New Delhi, September 25
The government has proposed a draft Bill to make one-year rural posting compulsory for doctors after internship.

Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Anbhumani Ramadoss told mediapersons here on Friday that the proposed Bill would be submitted to the Cabinet for approval next month. “We are working on the draft Bill and I am sure that by the Budget Session of Parliament next year, we will be able to come out with the legislation,” he said after the second steering group meeting of the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) at Vigyan Bhavan.

About 28,000 medical students pass out from various government and private medical colleges every year. During their posting in the rural areas, the doctors will receive a stipend from the state government concerned. As per the proposed move, a doctor will be given temporary registration to work in the rural areas. The doctor will get a permanent registration only after he has served for a year in a rural area.

Mr Ramadoss said such a legislation had become necessary as 30-40 per cent of doctors who were posted at primary level health centres failed report for work. About 26,000 doctors are posted at the primary and community health centres.

He expressed confidence that the compulsory posting would ensure better health facilities for people living in the rural areas. “The doctors have to do this for the country. This will also help us fulfil our mission under the Nation Rural Health Mission (NRHM) scheme,” the minister said.

Patna, September 25
RJD supremo Lalu Prasad is now apparently desperate to disturb the established equation between Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and the Congress-led UPA at the Centre under the existing federal structure which is vital in view of Nitish Kumar’s bid to put the state on the path of development.

Nitish Kumar completed 10 months in the office yesterday. His working has already earned kudos from different quarters. They ranged from non-NDA politician like Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee to diplomats like British High Commissioner Sir Michael Arthur to UPA-appointed National Investment Commission (NIC) Chairperson and industrial giant Ratan Tata.

Ratan Tata, who visited the state in the capacity of the NIC Chairperson on Thursday, showered praise on the Nitish Kumar-led NDA for its “professional outlook” and commitment to development. This reportedly has made Lalu Prasad more jittery.

It is reliably learnt that Ratan Tata has submitted a positive report on Bihar to Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram.

In the recent past, Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee had asked elected representatives of both Houses to follow Nitish Kumar as a “role model” in parliamentary democracy.

Although Lalu Prasad had predicted the fall of the Nitish government, the anxiety on his part over the growing clout of the NDA in the state became evident after he launched an unprovoked attack on the Nitish government recently.

Besides Lalu Prasad, Union ministers Raghubansh Prasad Singh and Akhilesh Singh, both senior RJD leaders, have also stepped up their campaign against the Nitish government by saying that his government had failed to take full advantage of various Centre-sponsored schemes meant for the poor.

Lalu Prasad had reportedly sent his emissaries to the Saharsa jail recently to meet jailed JD(U) leader Anand Mohan. Following his arrest from the Patna railway station last month, he had threatened to bring down the Nitish government.

Another absconding suspended JD(U)MLA Sunil Pandey, now facing arrest warrant on a charge of “extortion”, was also said to be in touch with Anand Mohan.

Sources further said with the Nitish government tightening noose around Sadhu Yadav, brother-in-law of Lalu Prasad, for his alleged involvement in the multi-crore flood relief scam of 2004, Lalu Prasad has further stepped up his campaign against the Nitish government.

Sadhu Yadav has now gone underground following the Vigilance Bureau putting up proclamation notices at several points in Patna and his native district of Gopalganj in connection with the flood relief scam.

Bangalore, September 22
On every Saturday Karnataka Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy becomes a walking ATM. Ready money seems to be the panacea for most problems confronting people who come to attend the Janata Darshan programmes organised at his residence.

While the Chief Minister is cautious enough to carry around Rs 50,000 to Rs 2 lakh on his person, he also has a special pointsman who helps him distribute cash among people who are needy at the Janata Darshans. The man deputed for this job — Mr S.H. Suresh, who usually holds a mini ‘darshan’ of his own at these programmes.

The Janata Darshan and the village-stay programme under which the Chief Minister stays at the home of an ordinary villager are the two populist programmes started by Mr Kumaraswamy after taking over the reins of the state. While the Janata Darshan programme has been widely appreciated for the scope its gives the Chief Minister to interact with the common people, many are puzzled at the manner in which money is doled out at this programme.

The Chief Minister himself claimed during the last programme that all money doled out was accounted for. He said most came from either his personal salary, perks and his TA/DA allowance. Besides this, he said, money was also taken from relevant departments like Backward Classes and Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes Minority Development or Social Welfare and Cooperation departments.

However, what worries many is how the Janata Darshans have degenerated from a forum at which grievances were aired to one in which most people come hoping to get a monetary dole.

Social worker Radha Nagraj says the Chief Minister cannot meet each and every disabled person in Karnataka through his Janata Darshan programmes and dole out money to them. “It will be better to create a social welfare fund which will look into needy cases”, she added.

The Chief Minister himself says that he is aware that sometimes the money given by him as a grant is misused. He, however, says he is willing to take this risk if he knows he has prevented any distressed person from taking his life or becoming an anti-social element.

Besides the disabled, the Janata Darshan programmes attract hordes of young men and women who come pleading for jobs. In the last programme, one person when promised a job, asked that he be adjusted in Infosys. The Chief Minister could only smile back in reply. A few people have even asked for mobile phones at the programmes.

As far as the Chief Minister’s self -styled assistant and money distributor Mr Suresh is concerned, he gives a quick hearing to people desirous of monetary grants and distributes currency notes to them.

Most people also get additional money to cover their bus fares to their native places.No paper work is conducted of the entire process except noting down of the amount given by Mr Suresh on a piece of paper at the spot. 

New Delhi, September 25
In the wake of serious questions raised about health hazards due to the use of genetic engineering technology in vegetables and cereals planned in the country without toxicology tests, a general order issued by the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) to allow field trials on 91 species has been challenged in the Supreme Court.

The GEAC, at its May 22 meeting, allegedly brushed aside all concerns over the field trials, which have potential to cause serious health problems in the long run in the absence of compliance with bio-safety norms, was the main contention raised in an 
application by environmentalist Aruna Rodrigues that came up for hearing on Friday.

Taking note of the seriousness of the matter, a Bench, headed by Chief Justice Y.K. Sabharwal, ordered that the GEAC, a regulating body on genetically modified organism (GMO), would withhold the permission for field trials till further order.

Rodrigues filed the application as part of her PIL moved earlier in May on which the apex court had directed that “till further order, field trials, of GMOs shall be conducted only with the approval of the GEAC”.

But her counsel Prashant Bhushan told the court that without taking into account rigorous and stringent bio-safety protocols, as was required in such a sensitive matter, the GEAC had in a routine manner put a “rubber stamp” on the go-ahead on field trials.

He also raised doubts over the competence of the GEAC to handle the matter in its present form as it mainly comprised people who had little knowledge in the field of the GMO technology. “This is not as simple a matter as to be handled in a routine manner as if in the field trials, some harmful bacteria were released in the air. They could cause havoc for human health.

It is like letting out a gin from the bottle,” the counsel argued.

Taking note of it, the court directed the government to associate experts from the field of genetic engineering in the GEAC and sought replies from the Ministries of Environment, Health and Agriculture within two weeks to the issues raised in the fresh application by Rodrigues, while fixing the next hearing on November 13. GEAC was also directed to submit its reply.

Rodrigues has cited trials being conducted on BT brinjal on the lines of BT cotton as an example, saying that it has never been done in a vegetable crop for commercial production anywhere in the world.

“There is a big difference between GE corn trials on food product and cotton primarily used for animal feed with only a marginal portion used as oilseed, which are highly processed and contains little or no toxins. BT brinjal, on the other hand will be the first internationally, widely grown vegetable food product with a BT toxin” it said.

At least five major concerns were raised in the application over the introduction of BT brinjal, including ill-effect on human health, harm to environment, potential to contaminate various variety of the species, threat to other food produce and adverse effect on export as BT food produce were considered health hazard in many countries, the application said.