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BJP goes full blast against N-deal
Atal won’t propose me as PM, says Advani
Electronic media is the culprit: PMO
Indo-Pak ministerial meetings on horizon
Asia-Pacific conference on housing from Dec 13
Farmers’ protest against eviction issue today |
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Mild earthquake rocks Rohtak New Delhi, December 10 A slight intensity earthquake, measuring 2.8 on the Richter scale, hit Rohtak early this morning, the Meteorological Department said. The quake occurred at 0022 hrs and was epicentered at 29 degrees North latitude and 76.7 degrees East longititude, it added. — UNI
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BJP goes full blast against N-deal
New Delhi, December 10 Addressing mediapersons at a specially convened press conference, two former ministers of the Vajpayee government, Mr Yashwant Sinha and Mr Arun Shourie, said: “The BJP demands that the government rejects the Act passed by the US Congress, instead of accepting the humiliating conditions contained in it.” India should rather speed up its nuclear programme and immediately announce the launch of its second fast-breeder reactor, Mr Shourie said, adding that the government should repose confidence in the Indian scientists. The government should invest more in the exploration of uranium and give boost to thorium-based nuclear reactor programme, he stressed and pointed out that the US Act "will completely stymie India's technical advancement in this vital sphere". The US legislation known as "Henry J. Hyde United States-India Atomic Energy Peaceful Cooperation Act of 2006", passed by the two chambers of the US Congress, sought not only to impose on India, bilaterally, conditions which were worse than those incorporated in the NPT and CTBT, in perpetuity and without an exit clause, but also aimed at "capping, rolling back and eventually eliminating India's nuclear weapon capability," the BJP leaders said. A written statement was issued after a meeting at former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's residence. The meeting was attended by Mr L.K. Advani and Mr Jaswant Singh, leaders of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, respectively, BJP president Rajnath Singh, Mr Sinha and Mr Shourie. The statement rejected the US legislation totally saying the 41-page final Act had become lengthier because it included the stringent provisions of both the Houses' as well as the Senate Bills. "The small changes made during the conference stage are cosmetic and not substantive," Mr Sinha said and added that "if determination has been replaced by reporting and certification by assessment, it hardly reduces the rigour of the deal for India". In reply to a question on whether the NDA government was not discussing a similar nuclear deal with the US, Mr Sinha said: "We had never agreed to open 14 nuclear reactors for international inspection and Cyrus and Apsara were not under discussion. Challenging the government to make any information contrary to the above public, Mr Sinha expressed a surprise that the government had agreed to open 14 of its nuclear reactors for international inspection where as all the five nuclear weapon states have opened only 11 of their reactors for the inspection. Out of those 11, the United States has opened only 5 of its reactors for IAEA inspection, Mr Sinha pointed out and added that the five nuclear weapon states have a total of 217 nuclear reactors. To a question that if the BJP would demand the resignation of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Mr Sinha said: "Let us first have his response". "The fact of the matter is that ever since July, 2005, the US has been shifting the goalposts and the Government of India has not only been acquiescing to it, but adopting them as the latest benchmark," said Mr Sinha, who was the External Affairs Minister negotiating with the US during the Vajpayee regime. "We shall not be surprised, therefore, if the government tries to adopt a brazen attitude even on this latest assault on the sovereignty of our nuclear programme, as some of the apologists of the deal have started doing already,” the statement said and added that the "Act, as passed by the US legislature, is not acceptable to the BJP". "Its provisions fly in the face of the assurances given by the Prime Minister to Parliament from time to time," Mr Sinha said. “The final product, for which the Prime Minister asked us to wait, is before us. The US Administration is bound to ensure that the bilateral 123 agreement, the IAEA safeguard agreement, the Additional Protocol and the NSG consensus on the deal will have to be in line with the Act of the US Congress," Mr Sinha said and added that the Prime Minister, therefore, cannot tell us to wait for yet another "final product". The US Act not only militated against full civil nuclear cooperation with India but it also expected India to adhere to the obligations contained in international protocols like the Proliferation Security Initiative, the Australia Group and the Wassenaar Arrangement, about which the Prime Minister had himself stated India has reservations and obligations which India had refused to accept in the past, he said, and stressed that the deal was "more unequal than ever before". |
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Atal won’t propose me as PM, says Advani
New Delhi, December 10 "While I had given his name for prime ministership in the first place, I do not expect him to return that favour to me", Mr Advani said in an interview to a TV news channel. The press note issued by the channel did not give any reasons for Mr Advani saying so. "If you look at the British system, it is always the leader of opposition who is the prime minister in waiting", Mr Advani pointed out. Asked if this did not compromise on BJP president Rajnath Singh's position, he said, "The party will decide what to do with Rajnath Singh". Mr Advani said despite being the leader of opposition, he was more of a consultant to the party now. "Earlier as the leader of opposition, I took interest in organisational matters, but I have stopped that now and am more of a consultant now", he said. Referring to the controversy regarding his Pakistan visit, Mr Advani said it helped people get rid of the perception that the party was anti-Islam.
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Electronic media is the culprit: PMO
New Delhi, December 10 In a statement issued here, the PMO said: “Through a deliberate and mischievous interpretation of what the Prime Minister said here yesterday at the meeting of the NDC on fiscal priorities of the government, an aviodable controversy has been generated”. The statement further said the Prime Minister’s reference to the first claim on resources referred to all priority areas, including programmes for the upliftment of SCs, STs, OBCs, women and children and minorities. The PMO put the blame of the electronic media for “fuelling a baseless controversy” by quoting the Prime Minister out of context. The statement said the Prime Minister made the observations after referring to the very good performance of the Indian economy in recent months and the expectations that the economy would continue to do well creating new income and employment opportunities for all sections of the society. “While better-off sections of the society will benefit from this process, it is the responsibility of the government to pay special attention to the welfare of the weaker and marginalised sections,” the statement further added. In his speech yesterday, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had said that he believed that “our collective priorities are clear: agriculture, irrigation and water resources, health, education, critical investment in general infrastructure along with programmes for upliftment of SCs/STs. OBCs, minorities and women and children”. “The component plans for SCs and STs will need to be revitalised. We will have to devise innovative plans to ensure that minorities, particularly Muslim minority, are empowered to share equitably in the fruits of development. They must have the first claim on resources,” the Prime Minister had said.
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Indo-Pak ministerial meetings on horizon
New Delhi, December 10 Two Pakistani ministers and Senate Chairman are coming here on official visit while Indian Tourism Minister Ambika Soni has been invited for a conference in Islamabad in the coming week, Mr Afrasiab, Pakistan's Deputy High Commissioner told The Tribune today. The coming week is going to witness heightened India-Pakistan interaction, Mr Afrasiab informed. Pakistan's Minister for Housing and Works Syed Safanullaah is coming here on December 11 to participate in the Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Housing and Human Settlement which is taking place from December 13 to 16. His visit will be followed by Minister for Ports and Shipping Babar Khan Ghauri’s arrival here two days later. Mr Ghauri will be here to sign a protocol with India on shipping services. Pakistan Senate Chairman Mohammadmian Soomro is coming here on December 13 in his capacity of Chairman of Commonwealth Parliamentary Union for interaction with the Union's India chapter. A six-member Pakistani delegation of members of National Assembly and Provincial Assemblies, which has been here on invitation from the Government of India, left Mumbai for Karachi yesterday. The delegation, led by Dr Farooq Sattar of MQM, called on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Leader of Opposition L.K. Advani. Ms Ambika Soni would be going to Islamabad next week. She has been invited by the Government of Pakistan to participate in "Visit Pakistan Year" Conference in Islamabad on December 15. Pakistan's High Commissioner-designate in India, Mr Shahid Malik, will take over after he arrives here tomorrow. This will be the second coming for Mr Malik here. He has already served in Pakistan High Commission here as Deputy High Commissioner. Mr Malik, a career diplomat, is currently Pakistan's High Commissioner in Canada. He has also handled high-profile diplomatic assignments in Washington DC, Tokyo and Rome.
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Asia-Pacific conference on housing from Dec 13
New Delhi, December 10 Union Urban Development Minister S. Jaipal Reddy will inaugurate the conference. The theme of the conference is "a vision for sustainable urbanisation in the Asia-Pacific by 2020." On the third day, President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam will address the delegates. Deputy Chairperson of Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia will deliver the valedictory address and the "Delhi Declaration" will be adopted on the closing day.
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Farmers’ protest
against eviction issue today
Kolkata, December 10 Tomorrow, many people will assemble at the same place in protest against farmers’ eviction for transferring their lands to industries. The CPM state committee here today met to discuss the UPA’s “anti-labour” and the “anti-people” policies. The party had fully endorsed the CITU’s bandh call but it decided that there should be no public resistance against the anti-bandh supporters. At the meeting, Ms Banerjee’s fasting issue also figured and many leaders wanted that no force should be applied at this stage for forcing her to call off the fast. But the committee again endorsed the decision of transferring agricultural lands to industries for the state’s industrialisation with foreign and private investments. Veteran leader, Jyoti Basu advised Ms Banerjee to call of her fast and come to the negotiating table with the Chief Minister.
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Leadership award for Modi One killed in factory blast
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