 |
|
|
Rajghat panel in legal wrangle over fraud charges
BSP not to contest civic
elections
Rights watchdog wants more teeth
for NHRC
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Hijack fears put Varanasi airport security on alert
PM gave clean chit to Pak: BJP
BJP to field Varun Gandhi from Vidisha
‘Rang De Basanti’
to compete in 7 more categories
India, Nepal to sign extradition treaty
IAF-Royal Air Force to hold joint exercise
Mammu to
hang Afzal
|
|
Rajghat panel in legal wrangle over fraud charges
New Delhi, October 1 A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed in the Delhi High Court by 14 employees of the Rajghat Samadhi Committee alleges large-scale fraud of Samadhi funds and mismanagement. The PIL, filed on September 18 against Rajghat Samadhi Committee Chairman and Urban Development Minister S Jaipal Reddy, its Deputy Chairperson and eminent Gandhian Nirmala Deshpande and two others, seeks a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). It is listed for a hearing on December 8. The allegations include embezzlement of money in the name of repairs of name boards of saplings planted by visiting Heads of State, lakhs of rupees of wasteful expenditure on buying carpets and fraud even at the shoes-deposit counter for visitors. The petition says the Samadhi Committee office has been given the appearance of a corporate office with plush fittings and furnishings giving a go-by to Gandhian aesthetics and austerity. According to the petition, 144 of the 186 name boards of saplings planted by visiting dignitaries have been lost resulting in a loss of Rs 331,200 though these had been installed during redevelopment of the Samadhi only a couple of years ago. The Samadhi Committee spent Rs 11 lakh on new carpets between 2002 and 2005 though there was a stock worth Rs 5 lakh through ‘’rush purchases’’ made on the occasions of October 2 and January 30, Gandhiji’s death anniversary, in these years, it says. The shoes-deposit counters for visitors, which had a surplus balance, lost Rs 1,53,000 in 2004-05 because it is run as a private business for making money, the PIL alleges. Most of the charges are made against the Samadhi Committee Secretary Rajnish Kumar, whom the PIL accuses of holding three posts at the complex illegally. Mr Kumar, who was an Assistant Caretaker at the Samadhi till 2002, is drawing the salaries of the same post as well as that of a Clerk-cum-General Assistant besides his own, it alleges.
— UNI
|
|
BSP not to contest civic
elections
Lucknow, October 1 Party chief Mayawati is likely to make a public announcement about the decision soon. In July, she had asked party workers to be prepared for the elections and had asked local leaders to prepare a panel of probable candidates by August 15. This sudden U-turn has taken aspiring candidates by surprise. Observers describe it as a masterstroke as it will keep the party focused on the Vidhan Sabha poll ahead. The party has checked dissent over the distribution of ticket, indiscipline and demoralisation of the cadre so close to the main battle. It has also sent out a message that it is not willing to bat when the SP is umpiring. BSP leaders have repeatedly voiced their fear of mass rigging by the ruling party. The BSP did not even contest the byelection in Rae Bareli where Ms Sonia Gandhi won with a historic margin. However, its opponents call it a case of developing cold feet. They point out that the party does not have a strong base in the urban areas. The opportunity is a windfall for the Congress that is trying to make a comeback in state politics. The Lucknow mayor’s seat is considered to be a prestigious win for any party. All parties are vying for this seat that has been held by the BJP for the past two consecutive terms. Both Congress and Samajwadi Party are likely to field Muslims candidates for the post.
|
|
Rights watchdog wants more teeth
for NHRC
New Delhi, October 1 Observing that the military justice system has failed to “fully and fairly” prosecute the members of the armed forces who have been accused of human rights violations, the US-based organisation also recommends trial of armed forces personnel in civilian courts. It also seeks repealing of laws that give the armed forces personnel “effective immunity” like the Jammu and Kashmir Disturbed Areas Act, the Armed Forces Special Powers Act and the Sections 45 and 197(2) of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC). In its report, the HRW states that the Indian Army has been responsible for human rights violations in the trouble-torn Kashmir Valley. “The Indian Government should publicly release detailed information on all arrests, prosecutions, and convictions of army troops, paramilitaries, police and public officials for human rights violations since the beginning of the conflict,” reads the report. It suggests that the Jammu and Kashmir Disturbed Areas Act should be repealed because in the 12 districts of the state where it is in force, the armed forces are “empowered to use lethal force against any person indulging in any act which may result in serious breach of public order, acting in contravention of any law or order for the time being in force, or the carrying of weapons”. Similarly, the report makes a case for withdrawing the Armed Forces Special Powers Act because it is used to prevent the trial and prosecution of armed personnel. It reads: “When the state government asks the federal government for permission to prosecute those found responsible after police or magisterial inquiries, the permission is seldom granted.” The report documents the cases of individuals who were detained and not produced for trial in violation of their human rights. The report further states that the existence of various Acts, like the Jammu and Kashmir Public Safety Act of 1978, allow for immunity from prosecution and give the state government the right to detain an individual without trial for up to two years. The report cites certain inherent “weaknesses” in the jurisdiction of military court too. “Available information shows scant evidence that the military is fully and effectively prosecuting soldiers and officers for abuses committed in Jammu and Kashmir,” it reads. The Human Rights Watch report — ‘Everyone Lives in Fear: Patterns of Impunity in Jammu and Kashmir’— goes on to seek more transparency in the trial and prosecution of the errant armed forces personnel. “Court martial in India can readily be subject to manipulation by commanding officers [.] Of particular concern is the absence of civilian court control over India's military justice system.”
|
|
Mittal gets fellowship
from IETE
New Delhi, October 1 Receiving the highest honour of IETE, Mr Mittal said," It's a privilege to be accorded this honour." With this, Mr Mittal joins the coveted list of President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, first Prime Minister Jawahar Lal Nehru and eminent industrialist Ratan Tata among others to get the fellowship. Founded in 1953, IETE is India's leading professional society devoted to the advancement of science and technology, electronics, telecommunication and IT.
— PTI
|
|
Hijack fears put Varanasi airport security on alert
Varanasi, October 1 Highly placed sources in the airport security said here today that specific intelligence inputs to New Delhi, Kolkata and Varanasi airport security have revealed ultras linked with banned Laskar-e-Toiba are on a mission to hijack flights from the country that were bound for Nepal. Four Pakistani ultras, two of whom have managed Nepalese citizenship and passports, have been specifically assigned the task of hijacking Nepal-bound flights from India, for exerting pressure on the government to free Mohd Afzal Gooru. Since flights to Nepal are operated from New Delhi, Kolkata and Varanasi, the security alert has been sounded for these airports. The existing security cover at the Varanasi airport, provided by the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) has been further streamlined especially in terms of checks of passengers and thorough scanning of those accompanying the passengers, sources added. Frisking has been enhanced to maximum at all three security zones — city zone (outside airport premises), at the terminal building and checks on plane, the sources added. Besides, the quick reaction teams of the CISF have also been put on maximum alert to deal with any eventuality, especially a prospective hijack. On December 24, 1999, an Indian Airlines flight IC-814 was hijacked by ultras and taken to Kandahar in Afghanistan, then under the Taliban regime. — UNI
|
|
|
PM gave clean chit to Pak: BJP
New Delhi, October 1 “From what has been revealed by Mumbai Police Commissioner A.N. Roy about the July 11 Mumbai blasts, it is amply clear that in July itself the government had information about the involvement of ISI in the blasts... It is a matter of regret for the country that the Prime Minister gave clean chit to Pakistan and described it as a victim of terrorism and mooted a joint mechanism to fight terrorism,” BJP spokesperson Arun Jaitley said. “It is a standard practice that the police, the security agencies and the Intelligence Bureau keep the Centre informed of the developments. And in this case also, the Centre, especially the Prime Minister, would have been kept informed. This makes it clear that the Prime Minister ignored the inputs and gave a clean chit to Pakistan in Havana,” he said. He said, “India’s internal security is not safe in the hands of the Congress-led UPA government.” “Now, after the revelations made by the police commissioner, how the government will substantiate what it had said in Havana?” he asked. Condemning Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad seeking clemency for Mohammad Afzal, convicted in 2001 Parliament attack case, he said, “Earlier the impression was that the UPA was soft on terror, but yesterday’s statement of the Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and the ambivalence of the Congress in taking a categoric decision, has made it clear that they are sympathetic towards terrorists.”
|
|
BJP to field Varun Gandhi from Vidisha
New Delhi, October 1 While a final decision would be taken on October 6 at the BJP’s Parliamentary Board meeting but a firm indication became available on Friday when young Varun Gandhi met former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Asked if the party was fielding Mr Gandhi from Vidisha, BJP spokesman Ravi Shankar Prasad avoided a direct reply saying that a decision to nominate the party candidate would be taken by the Parliamentary Board on October 6. The BJP’s central leadership, including Mr Vajpayee, leader of the opposition L K Advani, former BJP President M Venkaiah Naidu and party chief Rajnath Singh, is said to be keen on Mr Varun Gandhi to enrich the ranks of the party politically. Even RSS chief K S Sudarshan is supporting him. Incidentally, Mr Vajpayee was elected to the Lok Sabha from Vidisha two times. Initially, the party was thinking of fielding either former Ministers Sushma Swaraj or Arun Jaitley in the by-election to strengthen the debating prowess of the BJP in the Lok Sabha. Even Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan was backing the candidature of Mrs Swaraj but even he is said to have agreed to Mr Gandhi’s name. The by-election is being held after Mr Chauhan vacated the Vidisha Lok Sabha seat after he became the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh. Scales started tilting after Mr Gandhi’s mother, former Union Minister Maneka Gandhi, told the BJP leadership that Bharatiya Janshakti Party of the BJP’s expelled leader Uma Bharti would not put hurdles on the elevation of the young Gandhi to the Lok Sabha. Ms Bharti, a sworn enemy of Mr Chauhan, had declared that she would field a strong candidate in Vidisha by-election to ensure the defeat of the official BJP candidate. That is why the BJP’s leadership was dithering to take a decision. After Ms Bharti’s reported assurance to Mrs Maneka Gandhi, the BJP leadership is said to be fielding Mr Gandhi, son of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s younger son Sanjay Gandhi. The BJP hopes that Mr Varun Gandhi would get the party some extra votes in the Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh where he would campaign extensively.
|
|
‘Rang De Basanti’
to compete in 7 more categories
Mumbai, October 1 The other seven categories are: best film, direction, cinematography, screenplay, editing, art direction and sound design. The film has been directed by Rakeysh Mehra. “We have also applied in seven mainline categories, but our focus will remain in the foreign language category,” a release by the film’s producers UTV, quoting CEO Ronnie Screwvala, said here today.
— PTI
|
|
India, Nepal to sign extradition treaty
New Delhi, October 1 The extradition treaty and some more agreements will be signed during the Nepalese Home Minister Krishna Prasad Sautala’s visit to India from October 4 to 7, Home Ministry sources said. They said both countries would discuss the measures to counter the ISI network reportedly operating from Nepal. The border crimes will be a major issue to be dealt with. Asked about the possibility of Nepalese Maoists dumping their arms in India, they said it may also be deliberated upon. The two countries will also discuss cooperation in the field of flood management and river water sharing, they added. — UNI
|
|
IAF-Royal Air Force to hold joint exercise
New Delhi, October 1 The IAF would deploy its Sukhoi 30MKIs, upgraded Mig-21 Bisons and ground attack Mig-27 jet fighters against the Royal Air Force’s Tornado F-3 fighters during the week-long exercise, an IAF spokesman said here. “The RAF is also deploying its AWACS E3-D and VC-10 mid-air refuellers in the exercise aimed at enhancing mutual operational understanding and refine procedural aspects,” he said.
— PTI
|
|
Mammu to
hang Afzal
New Delhi, October 1 Meerut’s Mammu, son of India’s most infamous executioner Kalu, will hang Afzal, a highly placed jail official said today. He will be hanged under the supervision of Jailer B.S. Jariyal. Afzal will soon be shifted to Jail No. 3 where the execution is expected to take place. The official said Afzal’s brother had met him in jail on Friday. Afzal looked “calm and collected” and slept peacefully. His brother said he would soon meet the President and seek
clemency. — UNI |
|
| 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 | |
Videos
