Kohima, February 27
The UPA government, which is willing to go the extra mile, would succeed in securing an honourable settlement to the protracted Naga political conflict, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said today. “We have been open and liberal in our approach and are hopeful that we will succeed in our efforts for an honourable solution. We are willing to go the extra mile for this purpose,” he told an election rally here. 

The Prime Minister after the rally left for Shillong. Manmohan Singh, however, did not make any reference to contentious issue of integration of Naga-inhabited areas.

The Congress election manifesto has expressed its commitment to pursue implementation of the 16-point agreement of 1960 which in a clause mentions integration of contiguous Naga-inhabited areas of the region.

Observing that the people of Nagaland were fed up with violence, Manmohan Singh said the government had been engaged in a purposeful dialogue with disaffected groups to try and bring lasting peace to Nagaland.

Calling upon the voters to exercise their franchise freely and vote for the Congress in the March 5 Assembly election, Manmohan Singh assured the people that Congress would do whatever was required to address all genuine aspirations of the Naga people.

Manmohan Singh, attired in the Angami Naga traditional dress, said Nagaland needed peace and stability so that the people could devote their energies for their cultural, educational, social and economic development.

Manmohan Singh said the Congress was the only pan-Indian national political party, which provided shelter to all communities, all faiths, all languages, all castes and all religions. — PTI

Shillong, February 27
Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh today called upon the people of Meghalaya to vote for the Congress to strengthen the party’s hands in facilitating “all round development that leads to peace, prosperity and security to all”.

Addressing a well attended election rally at Polo Ground in this picturesque capital city of Meghalaya, Dr Singh appreciated the crowd for defying a bandh call given by the banned militant group, Hynnewtrap A’chik Liberation Council (HNLC) to attend the rally and said it was “a reflection of people’s support to Congress party”.

Saying that the people of the hill state had repeatedly supported the Congress, he appealed to voters to re-elect the party in March 3 election with “a clear majority” so that it could accomplish what it has drawn up in the ‘blue print for the over-all development and prosperity of Meghalaya”. The Congress is now heading a multi-party coalition government in the state.

“Whenever anyone thinks of this region, the picture of Shillong, the queen of the North-East, promptly comes to the mind. The place has immense tourism potential and same is true for the entire state,” he said pledging to convert Shillong into a premier hill station in the country much to the applause of the crowd.

On Congress’ plan for the state, Dr Singh said the party would accord top priority for improvement of road and air connectivity, development tourism infrastructure, tapping of power potential, creation of jobs under centrally sponsored schemes, expansion of rural telephone and mobile phones network in Meghalaya to make the lives of people, prosperous, peaceful and secure.

The Congress is facing a challenge from Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) led by former Lok Sabha Speaker and ten times MP from the state, Purno A. Sangma in the Meghalaya polls.

Chennai, February 27
Eminent nuclear scientist and Atomic Energy Commission(AEC) chairman Anil Kakodkar today said talks on the Indo-US nuke deal with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) were progressing well and it would be finalised as early as possible after ensuring that India's requirements were adequately met.

Talking to newspersons on the sidelines of a function here, Dr Kakodkar said there were certain complex issues in the pact which should have to be addressed one by one.It may be recalled that the fresh round of talks between India and the IAEA began at Vienna yesterday on addressing the India-specific safeguards, one of the critical issues in the deal. ''Discussions are progressing well. But there are some complex issues involved in it and those things have to be taken forward step by step'', he added.

''We would like to do it as fast as possible'', he said, when asked how soon the talks were expected to be finalised.

''But we have to see that India's requirements are properly met (before finalising it)'', he hastened to add.

Dr Kakodkar parried a question on whether the Indo-US nuke deal would be put on the backburner in the event of a change in government after the elections in US.''I don't want to comment on it as I am a technical person'', he averred. — UNI

New Delhi, February 27
Now that it has become clear that finance minister P.Chidambaram will present a populist and “pro-farmer” budget on Friday, there is a clamour among the political parties to take credit for it.

There are indications from the establishment to suggest that the budget will contain sops for the agriculture sector, including a loan waiver for all farmers, some relief for widows of farmers, who committed suicide and a national insurance scheme for farm households.

Fearing that the UPA government will walk away with all the compliments, the opposition has upped the ante and disrupted Parliament for two consecutive days to focus on the agrarian crisis and pressed their demand for a better deal for farmers. Yesterday, the BJP and Shrimoni Akali Dal had organised “Insaaf rally” in the Capital to focus on the plight of farmers, while the UNPA also held a rally on the same issue.

With a number of states headed for elections and the Lok Sabha election due next year, all political parties are being compelled to tom-tom their concern for the poor, dispossessed farmer.

The soaring prices of essential commodities and the low growth rate of the agriculture sector have pushed the Congress on the defensive and the party has rushed to launch a PR drive in the run-up to the budget presentation.

Delegations of farmers from different states have been calling on Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to demand a loan waiver, better remunerative price for crops and a cut in interest rates on farm loans.

While political parties are all set to stake ownership of the anticipated farmers’ package, parliamentary affiars minister Priyaranjan Dasmunsi today hit out at the opposition for shedding crocodile tears for farmers on the budget-eve. Slamming the opposition for disrupting Parliament, he said this was aimed at getting credit for positive policies, which might be contained in this year’s budget.

“All this wisdom should not come just two days before the budget. We all know that the budget is not prepared in the last two days. The exercise goes on for several weeks,” Dasmunsi remarked, adding that the Prime Minister and the Congress president were second to none in defending the interests of farmers.

Taking potshots at the BJP, Dasmunsi said it was strange to express concern over the plight of farmers when the NDA regime had shown little interest in the agriculture sector while in power. He also released official figures to show that the UPA government had been far more sensitive to the requirements of the farm sector as compared to the NDA. 

Chandigarh, February 27
The Punjab and Haryana High Court today quashed defamation proceedings against H.K. Dua, the Editor-in-Chief of The Tribune Group.

Pronouncing the orders in an open court on Dua’s petition, Justice H.S. Bhalla of the High Court significantly held: “In the instant case, if the petitioner is asked to face a trial when there is no basis, it would be highly distressing.”

Justice Bhalla further held: “It could even lead to the loss of faith in the institution as courts of justice cannot be allowed to turn out to be instruments of harassment and vengeance.” Haryana’s Deputy Chief Minister Chander Mohan had initiated the defamation proceedings by filing a complaint under Sections 500, 501 and 502 of the IPC.

It was filed after a news-item on “cross-voting” was published in the Dainik Tribune dated July 23, 2007. Acting on his complaint dated July 25, 2007, UT Chief Judicial Magistrate on August 4, 2007 summoned Dua to face a criminal trial.

Taking up the petition filed by Dua against the order, Justice Bhalla observed: “At the outset, it may be stated that in the complaint, there is no averment at all that the petitioner controlled the selection of matter that was published on July 23, 2007, in the Dainik Tribune.”

The Judge also observed: “Counsel for the petitioner has vehemently argued that a perusal of the complaint shows there was not even a whisper of allegation against the petitioner.” The Judge added: “In the view of the arguments put forward by both the parties, to my mind, the crucial question which requires consideration in this petition is whether the petitioner, as an Editor-in-Chief, could be presumed to be responsible for approving the news-item that was published. The legal position boils out that the petitioner as an Editor-in-Chief of Dainik Tribune did not fall within the expression Editor in the Press Act and no presumption under Section 7 of the Press Act could be raised that he was responsible to control selection of matter that was published in the news-item.”

“If no such presumption could be raised, there remains no evidence or basis for criminal prosecution of the petitioner as stated earlier. The petitioner was impleaded as an accused merely on the ground of being Editor-in-Chief of the Dainik Tribune without any averment in the complaint that he controlled selection of the matter that was published in the news-item.

“That being so, the order of the CJM summoning the petitioner to face trial under Section 500, 501, and 502 of the IPC, and the continuation of criminal proceedings against him, would amount to an abuse of the process of the court. Before parting with the judgement, Justice Bhalla ruled: “I am of the considered view that the petition filed by the petitioner succeeds and the same is hereby allowed.”

“Accordingly, a complaint dated July 25, 2007, filed under Sections 500, 501 and 502 of the IPC and the order dated August 4, 2007, passed by the CJM, Chandigarh, whereby the petitioner was summoned, are hereby quashed and set aside qua the petitioner only. However, the trial court would be at liberty to proceed with the complaint case against the remaining accused in accordance with the law.”

New Delhi, February 27
The deadline for opening the bids for the largest global tenders to facilitate the purchase of 126 fighter aircraft for the Indian Air Force has been extended by another eight weeks. 

The last date for receiving the bids for the contract estimated to cost $10 billion was March 3. Under the contract, India will purchase 18 fighters off the shelf and manufacture 108 in the country under a technology transfer arrangement.

Though the officials of the union defence ministry did not specify the reasons for extending the deadline, sources said opening of the bids has been put off at the request of some of the bidders.

Six top ranking companies -- Lockheed Martin and Boeing from the US, the Gripen from Sweden, the Rafale from Dassault, the Eurofighter of the EADS and the Russian MiG 35 -- are in contention.

After suffering delays, Russia will deliver the aircraft carrier Gorshkov by mid-2011. The prevailing deadlock was broken after India agreed to hike the price of the aircraft carrier compared to the orginal contract of $970 million.

Without revealing the increase in the price agreed to for the Gorshkov, sources said defence secretary V.K. Singh had just returned after inspecting the warship. Sources said the increased amount agreed to for the aircraft carrier cannot be disclosed as it has to be put up to the union Cabinet and the Cabinet committee for security. The modified contract is now expected to be signed by the end of next month after teams from Russia visit India.

The aircraft carrier will be ready by 2010 after which it will undergo 18 months of extensive sea trials by the Russian Navy along with their Indian counterparts. To speed up the work in getting Adm Gorshkov ready, India has agreed to dispatch more than 100 trained personnel from its shipyard to Sevmash in the Artic to join the 1,200 Russian personnel working on the ship.

New Delhi, February 27
The CBI today told the Delhi High Court that Jasbir Singh, who claims to be a key witness in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case, couldn’t testify via video-conferencing from the US, where he is based, and will have to come to India.

Submitting its reply to Jasbir Singh’s petition, the CBI said his presence is necessary in India, as the agency needs to confront him with other investigated material on record.

Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul adjourned the hearing till August 26. However, the court’s interim order directing the CBI not to file any closure report in the case will continue to be in force.

Jasbir Singh, who lives in California, through his counsel last month moved a petition in the high court stating that the CBI had not followed the right procedure in summoning him.

Jasbir Singh said he wants to testify against Congress parliamentarian Jagdish Tytler in the 1984 riots, but not in India as, he said, he fears for his life.

The CBI notice to Jasbir Singh came after he and his two counsels wrote to the agency on December 24 last year to record his statement in a US court.

The CBI stated that Jasbbir Singh “needs to be examined in-depth and is also required to point out the place in Outram Line area (in Delhi) where he had overheard the accused (Tytler) instigating the mob” to kill Sikhs after the assassination of Indira Gandhi.

Jasbir Singh, whom the CBI had declared “untraceable”, filed an application before the court on December 7 last year that he was ready to depose as a witness against Tytler.

The Karkardooma court in Delhi on December 18 ordered further investigation in the case and directed the CBI to record Jasbir Singh’s statement. The CBI recommended on September 29 that Tytler be prosecuted for his involvement in the anti-Sikh riots and the case against Kishan Sharma be closed as no evidence could be found against him. — PTI

Lucknow, February 27
The Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court today refused to grant relief to Major-Gen Nilendra Kumar, Judge Advocate General at the Army Headquarters facing a court of inquiry for several counts of professional misconduct. The matter would now be taken up on March 5.

A division Bench comprising Justice U.K. Dhaon and Justice D.P. Singh is hearing the matter of the head of the legal department, who had challenged the court of inquiry he had been facing in Lucknow since February 19 and had moved court to grant him stay.

Major-Gen Kumar had contended that the subject matter of the present inquiry was also mentioned in the writ petition filed against him earlier and hence could not be raised again.

He had also pleaded before the court that his wife was suffering from cancer and his sister-in-law was to undergo a surgery and he be given long leave

The assistant solicitor general R.R. Awasthi, government counsel in the case, contended before the high court that the present inquiry was not taking up issues that had been decided upon by the Delhi High Court.

After hearing both parties, the court did not grant any relief to the petitioner noting that there was a certain disciplinary provision in the Army that was already in process.

The court had also directed Awasthi to seek certain instructions from the defence ministry and present them before the court during the next hearing on March 5. 

New Delhi, February 27
The Supreme Court was today approached for providing travel subsidy to the Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists and Jains on the line of Haj concessions to the Muslims every year as a PIL said denial of it would be discriminating citizens on religious grounds.

The PIL sought to highlight the Hindu pilgrimages to Kailash Mansarovar in Tibet, to Sri Lanka in the wake of the Island nation publishing photographs of 50 places on Ram-Ravan war, including Ashok Vatika associated with Sita, to Pashupati temple in Nepal, Sikh pilgrimages to Nankana Sahib in Pakistan and Buddhists’ to Sri Lanka and some other Asian countries.

Besides, Hindu devotees’ interests in some religious places in Pakistan like Katsraj temple and a famous Durga temple in Bangladesh has also been sought to be raised in the PIL, filed by advocate Ashok Pandey.

New Delhi, February 27
The Supreme Court today declined to grant bail to an independent MLA from Uttar Pradesh, Akhilesh Kumar Singh, who is facing trial in a murder case.

However, a Bench, headed by Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan, said if the trial in the case was not completed within three months, Akhilesh Kumar Singh could apply for bail.

The MLA from Rae Barelly is an accused in the murder of local Congress Seva Dal leader Rakesh Pandey.

Along with the MLA, three others are facing trial in the murder that took place on July 3, 2002. — PTI

Lucknow, February 27
Following the alleged rape of a minor patient by a lab technician in the Trauma Centre of a medical university, the state government has given an assurance to guarantee that a family member of the victim would be present when she undergoes pathological tests at any government hospital across the state.

Responding to the specific case brought to the notice of the House by Congress legislative party leader Pramod Tiwari, parliamentary affairs minister Lalji Verma informed the house that the lab technician of Chatrapati Shahuji Maharaj Medical University (CSMMU) had been arrested on the charge of rape and terminated from service with immediate effect.

The lab technician is an employee of a private company and was deputed at the Trauma Centre as a technician to operate the machine purchased from his company.

When Verma said that the vice-chancellor of CSMMU had been directed to allow a family member of female patient to be present at the time of such tests, Tiwari pointed out that this was not sufficient and demanded similar directions to be issued to all hospitals across the state.

Yesterday, the lab technician at the CSMMU's Trauma Centre sexually assaulted an 11-year-old patient where she was taken there for an X-ray. The girl was an indoor patient in the children's ward of the hospital.

According to the victim's father who was accompanying her, the culprit locked him out of the X-ray lab and did not open the door when he started banging it after hearing the girl’s scream. The door was broken down and the culprit arrested when he tried to escape.

Kolkata, February 27
Spurred by environmental concerns, the West Bengal Government is set to make it mandatory to have rainwater harvesting and solar power facilities in buildings.

“Global warming and climate change are threatening us. We must, therefore, have greenhouse concepts like solar power and rainwater harvesting in new buildings. I am talking to my urban development minister to include these in the Municipal Act so that it becomes mandatory for all,” Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee said today.

Inaugurating the 'Realty Expo 2008' of the Confederation of Real Estate Developers Association of India (CREDAI), he described paucity of housing as a national problem and said his government was stressing on construction of housing projects both by the government, private players and through public-private partnership (PPP).

With the PPP model having been successfully implemented in the state's housing sector, the government now wanted the private players to take up construction of related infrastructure like roads, bridges and flyovers, he said.

Pointing out that Rs 15 crore had been collected towards construction workers' welfare after the government made it mandatory for real estate developers to contribute to it, the Chief Minister appealed to private developers for greater contribution towards the welfare fund. — PTI

Ujjain, February 27
In a bid to conserve the avian wild life, industrial, residential and commercial activities have been banned within 2- km area surrounding three sanctuaries in Madhya Pradesh.

The decision was taken at a meeting presided over by divisional commissioner (Ujjain) S.K. Vashishth under the directives of the Supreme Court and the Madhya Pradesh government yesterday.

Official sources said such activities were prohibited around the division’s Gandhi Sagar, Khiwani and Kharmour sanctuaries.

Mandsaur district-based Gandhisagar sanctuary, spread over 368 sq km area, was a haven for myriad significant birds, including endangered species of vulture. Besides avian life, it also had murals, Takhaji temple and Hinglajgarh fort.