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INLD back in NDA fold
Part I |
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3 killed in LPG tank explosion
Open Letter
Nano Deal
Bachchan’s condition stable
Retired judges not to be under NJC scrutiny
BJP protests missing terrorism agenda at NIC meet
EC meeting may decide on poll schedule today
EC issues guidelines on defacement of property
Woman jumps on husband’s pyre
Give undertrials voting right, NHRC asks govt
Bullet-proof cars for India’s Pak, Afghan missions
Mahadalit Commission
Amnesty urges India to abolish death penalty
Student union warns AGP over Mahanta’ s re-entry
2 die in road mishap
Army man found dead
More trade centres with Myanmar sought
Stamp to be issued in saint’s memory
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INLD back in NDA fold
New Delhi, October 12 The two are looking to repeat the magic of 1999 when together they routed the Congress from Haryana by winning five seats each. In the assembly elections held a year later, the alliance won 53 out of 90 seats, with the BJP deciding against joining the government since it had only six seats. For its part, the INLD extended unconditional support to the the Atal Behari Vajpayee government at the Centre between 1998 and 2004 - the year when relations between the two soured, ending ultimately in a political divorce. Today as they again joined hands in full public view, BJP’s national president Rajnath Singh described the alliance as “natural” on grounds of the INLD’s uncompromising anti-Congress record, and the BJP’s national agenda of ending the Congress misrule. Today’s development is significant considering the Haryana BJP unit’s open dislike of the INLD. And though Chautala today dismissed questions on how his remarriage with the BJP may help Bhajan Lal’s Haryana Janhit Congress (BL), the latter was confident of drawing political mileage out of the situation. “We are confident of political gains, following this electoral alliance,” Kuldeep Bishnoi of the HJC (BL) today told The Tribune, referring to the state BJP’s dislike of the INLD and the likely consequent bickering. For the INLD, however, joining the NDA was the last and only option left, following the breakdown of the United National Progressive Alliance (UNPA) as the third alternative. INLD chief Om Prakash Chautala admitted today, “We tried hard to keep our unity, but failed miserably. After what happened, we could not think of a better alternative than L.K. Advani to keep the Congress at bay.” “We won’t just reorganise the NDA for the forthcoming poll, but will ensure it emerges stronger than what it was at its inception in 1998.” Chautala justified his return to the NDA, referring to anti-Congress waves spearheaded in 1977 by Jai Prakash Narayan and in 1989 by Devi Lal. He conveniently ignored Vajpayee’s anti-Congress reign in 1998. That apart, the INLD’s return is being seen as the first in the series of comebacks the NDA is expecting from the UNPA, which lost face after the SP deserted its ranks to support the Congress. The UNPA has many former NDA partners, including the AGP, which the BJP is hopeful of wooing back. The BJP’s prime ministerial candidate L.K. Advani today admitted to the importance of regional parties in strengthening national-level coalitions. “The NDA is confident of support from the northeast this time. We are in touch with the AGP leaders, discussions are also on with P.A. Sangma,” Advani said, adding that the voter this time will have a “simple choice” considering UPA’s dismal record on terrorism and inflation. Reminding everyone of Pokharan II, Advani said, “We conducted Pokharan II against the will of the USA, invited economic sanctions and yet managed to rein in prices of basic commodities.” He gave a clarion call to defeat the UPA to save India. The BJP and the INLD, however, gave away no details of seat-sharing in Haryana.
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Part I
New Delhi, October 12 There will be more than 70 pending Bills when the much-delayed monsoon session of Parliament begins on October 17. Some of these were introduced 20 years ago while others have been pending for periods ranging between two years and 10 years. These include Bills on new policy and legal framework for curbing communal violence, prohibition of lotteries, amendments to the
CrPC, streamlining the medical delivery systems, amendment to the Land Acquisition Act, 1894, new pension regulations and even a few amendments to the Constitution.The latest updated Parliament bulletins, copies of which are with The Tribune, reveal the “slow- motion” approach. A classic example is the “Communal Violence (Prevention, Control and Rehabilitation of Victims) Bill, 2005 ”. This is pending even as communal violence has engulfed several states like Orissa and Karnataka during the past few months and the prosecution of those behind the anti-Sikh and the Gujarat riots has been slow. The Bill was introduced after the Gujarat riots, but could not become a law as experts pointed out certain flaws in it. Leading jurists, including former Chief Justice of India A.M. Ahmadi and Justice Rajinder
Sachar, who prepared the report on the status of Muslims in India, have rejected it .Intellectuals have called it “a dangerous piece of legislation which would not only fail to secure justice for communal crimes, but will also actually strengthen the shield of protection enjoyed by the state ”.They have suggested the setting up of a re-drafting committee as amendments will not correct the anomalies. Another pending Bill is on streamlining the powers of the police. The Code of Criminal Procedure
(CrPC) was proposed to be amended in 2006. The new Bill proposed the withdrawal of the brute power enjoyed by the police to arrest a person without assigning any reason for a cognizable offence.It also laid down punishment for false evidence in courts, procedure for investigating rape cases, punishment for hostile witness and also proposed to allow video recording of evidence before a magistrate under Section 164 of the
CrPC. In line with the 154th report of the Law Commission, the Bill also suggested that more offences be made compoundable as this was seen as a people- friendly move. All parties have talked about the rights of the
minorities.However, a Bill to bring about the 103rd amendment to the Constitution has been pending since December 2004. The amendment proposed to confer the “Constitutional status” on the National Commission of Minorities that would give it more powers to handle minority-related
issues.Separately, it also included a portion to define “minority” in each state. This has led to distortions and protests as the Sikhs are in a majority in Punjab while Hindus are in a minority in Punjab, J&K,
Nagaland, Meghalaya and Mizoram. The matter has not been decided and is pending. Parliament had promised to revamp pensions but there has been no enactment of a law in this regard. With only 13 per cent of the country’s workforce covered under an assured pension scheme, a new pension Bill was introduced in March 2005.For the millions working in the private and the unorganised sectors, this was to provide a regulatory framework under which old-age income security was a possibility.The Bill proposed the setting up of pension fund managers
(PFM) and an apex regulatory authority.Each subscriber was to have an individual pension account and the option of selecting his PFM.It is still pending. (To be concluded)
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3 killed in LPG tank explosion
Jaipur, October 12 The flames engulfed a multi-floor apartment building, situated close to it, but fortunately the fire did not spread completely. Hundreds of residents spent the remaining night on the roads after they fled their homes in panic. Three employees of the fuel station were charred within seconds of the explosion. Fire brigade sources said the explosion took place when a tanker was filling gas in the storage well of the station. Sparks from a welding work under way near the tank allegedly triggered the explosion. The state government has announced a relief of Rs 2 lakh for the family of the dead and Rs 50,000 to the injured.
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Open Letter
Kolkata, October 12 "We can't forget that the Marxists were once opposed to industrialisation. Continuity in the industrialisation policy will only help retain the people's confidence," Modi said in an open letter to both Bhattacharjee and Mamata, which was published in a leading Bengali daily today. In the letter to Bhattacharjee, Modi said, "The condition for the growth of Nano has not yet developed in West Bengal in view of its present work culture despite your serious efforts... Please don't get surprised at my letter which I wrote after serious thought... People of West Bengal may think I have snatched Nano to Gujarat. But it is not so.There is no scope of misunderstanding. "The land (at Sanand) given to the Tatas for the Nano plant, was acquired for an agriculture university, which was allotted another piece of land. The Tatas purchased the land and it is free of any dispute over agricultural or non-agricultural in nature." Modi in his open letter suggested Mamata to "shun ultra-leftism in opposing the Leftists and show West Bengal the rightist way to usher in development." "You may raise demands for more industry, more roads, more jobs in your state. Go the rightist way to development," Modi said. Modi emphasises in the letter to Bhattacharjee that his government's industrial policy has a continuity and does not change with the change of party in power. "From the outset, we sought to take advantage of the policy of economic liberalisation in the competitive society. We wanted big industries... If there is continuity in the industrial policy, the government may enjoy people's confidence and faith." "We can't forget that your party (CPM) once took the extreme policy of opposing industrialisation. People observed how you disallowed entry of computers and now you are talking of industry. Despite your being in favour of industry, your party and the government are not with you totally," Modi told Bhattacharjee. Explaining how his government made available land for the Tatas' Nano plant, Modi said, "We prepared a land bank for land acquisition for industry. We also made an industry map in Gujarat. All this has been done to ensure that land can be handed over to entrepreneurs fast. However, that does not mean that all land here is infertile. There is fertile land here, too, for which compensation has to be made." Modi pointed out he had no intention to snatch the Nano from Singur to Sanand, asserting "the course of events and Gujaratis' accountability towards industrialisation have brought in the small-car project to Gujarat." The BJP leader asked Mamata to note that opposition parties in Gujarat do not pursue the policy of "opposition for opposition's sake." "Opposition Congress in Gujarat, too, has lent wholehearted support to the Nano's coming to Gujarat... We don't do politics over industrialisation in Gujarat." — PTI
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Nano Deal
Ahmedabad, October 12 “We have made an application under the RTI Act to get details of the deal signed between the government and the Tatas. We have asked for details of the incentives being given to the company for setting up the Nano Car plant,” Congress spokesperson Arjun Modhvadia said. “As an Opposition party, we should have got the details of agreement, but this government has not given us any information on the deal. So we had to resort to the RTI. At least, we are assured to get some answer within 30 days,” he said. Yesterday the Congress had come out in support of the farmers demanding compensation to landowners for their land given to Tata for Nano Car Project and had said the state government should compensate the farmers adequately. — PTI
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Bachchan’s condition stable
Mumbai, October 12 The tests conducted on him did not suggest any abnormality, they said. He had yesterday undergone blood investigation and CT scan of the abdomen. “Bachchan had a restful night and doctors attending on him are pleased with his recovery. The tests do not suggest any abnormality. Under the circumstances, medicines have worked, and within a few days he should go home,” vice-president of the hospital Narendra Trivedi said. A hospital spokesperson told mediapersons that Bachchan, who turned 66 yesterday, is responding well to the treatment and would be discharged in a couple of days. Hospital sources said the megastar was being treated for suspected bowel dysfunction.— PTI
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Retired judges not to be under NJC scrutiny
New Delhi, October 12 “The Judges (Inquiry) Act 1968 will not be touched. The new bill deals with adding another chapter (chapter II of the Act) on the topic ‘Complaints Against Judges’,” said the official. Law minister H.R. Bhardwaj is reported to have also insisted on incorporating provisions that prescribe punishment for a person who files a false and frivolous complaint against a judge under the proposed system. In the backdrop of the alleged financial misconduct matter involving Calcutta High Court judge Soumitra Sen, the law minister has maintained that the case was all the more a reason for putting in place a “permanent mechanism” in law to take up such complaints. There is a need to have a kind of “letter box” in which every citizen can put a complaint in matters related to alleged judicial misconduct. — PTI
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BJP protests missing terrorism agenda at NIC meet
New Delhi, October 12 The UPA and its allies will focus on issues like “mishandling” of the situation in Orissa and Karnataka where Christians have been targeted; alienation of Muslims besides seeking a ban on the Bajrang Dal. The NDA and its constituents will seek to focus on terrorism and how it had hit the country, in the process projecting the ruling combine as being keen on “vote-bank politics” and not on fighting terror. This will be the 14th meeting of the NIC and is being held after a gap of three years. The council has 146 members that include all chief ministers, 14 cabinet ministers, leaders of the Congress, the BJP, representatives of all national parties and regional parties, legislators, chairpersons of national commissions, eminent public figures and representatives from business, labour, media and women. The agenda of the meeting will be to discuss social structure -- caste and identity divisions and rhetoric; economic development -- equitable development and removal of regional imbalances; promotion of a feeling of security among the minorities and other vulnerable sections; education - promotion of education among minorities, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes; communal harmony; other elements contributing to national integration and extremism. The agenda does not talk about “terrorism” though it lists a milder word “extremism” as part of the agenda discussion. Already the BJP has protested as to why terrorism did not figure on the agenda. UPA allies like Ram Vilas Paswan (Lok Jan Shakti Party), Lalu Prasad (Rashtriya Janata Dal) and Sharad Pawar (Nationalist Congress Party) will be the ones who would seek a ban on the Bajrang Dal. The real challenge could be for the Congress. Party leaders realise that it must display a keenness to fight against terror in view of the restiveness among the middle class. On the other hand, it will have to address grievances of "victimisation and alienation" emanating from the Muslim community. The stance of the Samajwadi Party’s Amar Singh and the subsequent softening of his statements he had made after visiting Jamia Nagar will also put pressure on the Congress. The BJP has openly questioned the induction of Amar Singh in the NIC, saying he was creating a divide in society by his “shameless and thoughtless utterances”. Among others who could attend the meeting tomorrow are mediapersons, including editors of newspapers and news agencies, eminent industrialists and bankers, including Ratan Tata, Rahul Bajaj, N. R. Narayananmurthy and K. V. Kamath - they all are members of the council along with former Prime Ministers V. P. Singh, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, H. D. Deve Gowda and I. K. Gujral, who come under the eminent persons category. Jurist Fali S Nariman, Ram Jethmalani, Brinda Karat, Shabana Azmi, Mohini Giri and Ela Bhat are also among the members of the council.
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EC meeting may decide on poll schedule today
New Delhi, October 12 Along with Jammu and Kashmir, polls are due in Madhya Pradesh, Delhi, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Mizoram, where the tenure of the Assemblies will expire this year. It was, however, not clear whether the poll panel would announce the schedule for Jammu and Kashmir in view of the difference of opinion among some of the political parties, though the Centre was keen on holding the elections on time. Senior EC officials met today to work out details of the schedule. However, EC sources refused to give any hint on the possible dates. Union home secretary Madhukar Gupta had briefed the EC on Friday on the availability of security forces for conducting elections in the poll-bound states. The EC's meeting with top home ministry officials took place after the panel returned here following a two-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir last week where it met various political parties to elicit their views on the timing of the elections. The EC delegation had also met senior civil and police officials to review the poll preparations. During the talks the EC had with political parties in Srinagar, they said they would abide by the panel's decision, though they claimed that the current atmosphere was not conducive for elections. The BJP and the Left parties want immediate elections while the Congress is saying it will be decided by the EC. The term of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly, which was dissolved following the breakup of the Congress-PDP coalition after the Amarnath land transfer row, would have ended on November 20. But since the state was placed under the Governor's rule, the elections have to be held before January 10. — PTI
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EC issues guidelines on defacement of property
New Delhi, October 12 How to ensure the prevention of defacement of property, a common sight noticed in every elections, is the first concern being addressed by the EC. The EC has sent comprehensive guidelines to all states and union territories to be followed by political parties and candidates during the election period in the absence of uniform law throughout the country on the defacement of property. Keeping in view the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls due in 2009, it has become necessary to lay down a comprehensive set of guidelines with respect to the defacement of property, the EC said. “No wall writing, pasting of posters/papers or defacement in any other form, or erecting/displaying of cutouts, hoardings, banners and flags shall be permitted on any government premise,” which would include any government office and the campus wherein the office building is situated, the guideline said. If the local law permits writing of slogans, displaying posters or erecting cutouts and other political advertisements in any public place on payment, this may be allowed strictly in accordance with the relevant provisions of the law and subject to court orders, if any, it said. If there is a specifically earmarked place provided for displaying advertisements in a public place like bill boards and hoardings and if such space is already let out to any agency, the district election officer should ensure that all political parties and candidates get equitable opportunity to have access to such advertisement space, it said. — PTI |
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Woman jumps on husband’s pyre
Raipur (Chhattisgarh), October 12 The police was informed about the alleged ‘sati on late Saturday night and filed a first information report early on Sunday after visiting the spot. “Lalmati Verma, 71, who belonged to Chechar village, jumped on her husband’s funeral pyre after all the villagers had left the site,” B.R. Mandawi, in charge, Kasdol police station, said. Lalmati had come for the funeral of her husband Shivnandan Verma, 80, dressed in a new sari, Mandawi said. “The villagers had decided to leave when the body of her husband was almost burnt, but his wife jumped on the pyre. She was reduced to ashes soon,” Mandawi added. He refused to say whether she was provoked by anyone in her family or villagers to commit the act. Her husband had died a natural death. The woman belonged to the Kurmi caste, categorised under the Other Backward Classes (OBC). Mandawi added, “The woman had three sons but was living separately with her husband in a corner of an old house. Her sons had no idea of their mother’s plan, according to the preliminary police investigations.” The incident has created a sensation in the farmer-dominated village, which has a population of about 1,000. A majority of the people thronged the site, some 20 km from the village, where Lalmati chose to end her life.— IANS
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Give undertrials voting right, NHRC asks govt
New Delhi, October 12 It also urged the government to ensure right to vote to undertrials. “An undertrial who is in custody or not on bail can contest an election but does not have the right to vote. The provision of right to vote should be ensured to the undertrials. It will impart a sense of dignity among undertrials and will open prisons for the participation of civil society,” the commission observed the draft recommendations on detention adopted today. About the convention against torture, the NHRC said India had signed but not ratified it.
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Bullet-proof cars for India’s Pak, Afghan missions
New Delhi, October 12 Sources in the external affairs ministry said that more than a dozen bullet-proof Toyota Land Cruisers were being purchased for the staff in Indian missions in Pakistan and Afghanistan. A slew of measures are being taken in Islamabad where terror groups have struck in a big way, including a suicide attack on the Marriott Hotel in the high-security area of the city. While there are suggestions that Islamabad be declared a non-family station, the external affairs ministry has asked diplomats and members of the Indian High Commission not to venture in areas which are "unsafe". However, such areas were not revealed. Some western countries have already declared Islamabad as a non-family station. The Indian mission staff has been asked to undertake all precautions while travelling, which includes using different routes everyday. — PTI
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Mahadalit Commission
Patna, October 12 Hailing the National Commission for Scheduled Caste’s (NCSC) decision to hold the formation of the Mahadalit Commission as unconstitutional, confederation’s state president Ashok Kumar alleged that the state government wanted to create a rift in the SC community by the move. He said as per the provisions of Article 338 (9) of the Constitution, the state government should have consulted the NCSC before taking any decision that affected SC/ST community. Earlier, Lok Janshakti Party leader Ramvilas Paswan and Bahujan Samajwadi Party chief Mayawati had criticised the move of the Nitish Kumar government. Subsequently, other political parties, barring the NDA, also joined them describing it as an attempt to divide the Dalits solely with a political motive. They feel that it was a smart move by the Nitish government to downsize the stature of Dalit leaders like Ramvilas Paswan and Mayawati among the 1.30 crore Dalits in Bihar. By constituting a Mahadalit Commission for the betterment of 50 lakh Mahadalits, he would alienate them from the other Dalits like Paswan and Ravidas. Unmindful of all criticism, the commission, constituted in September 2007, continued with the job assigned to it -- conducting a survey to assess the actual number of Mahadalits in the state and their socio-economic status. Of the 22 sub-castes officially categorised as Dalits (Scheduled Castes), 18 were placed under the Mahadalit category by the state government. The remaining four sub-castes excluded from this list are Dusadh (Paswan), Chamaar (Ravidas), Dhobi (Washermen) and Pasi (toddy sellers). The state government has also earmarked Rs 400 crore for the welfare of the Mahadalits.
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Amnesty urges India to abolish death penalty
New Delhi, October 12 China, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and the USA accounted for 88 per cent of the 1,252 known executions that the AI recorded last year. China executed at least 470 persons, Iran 317, Saudi Arabia 143, Pakistan at least 135, Vietnam 25, Afghanistan 15 and Japan nine - this at a time when over two thirds of the countries in the world have abolished death penalty in law or practice. The unfortunate part, AI says, is that India is still not a signatory to the moratorium. Data shows that India has not executed anyone since 2004, although death sentences are handed down -- at least 100 in 2007. These are often in trials where poor defendants have inadequate legal representation, records AI, which today launched India-wide campaign to impress upon abolition of death penalty. In the capital, five AI members walked between the India Gate and Parliament House along with an imposing hanging post to create a visual protest against the practice. They wore black hoods and nooses around their necks. The stunt was repeated in 23 places across India. The idea, said AI activists, was to create a public opinion against death penalty. At the end of June 2008, as many as 137 countries had abolished the practice. Of these, 92 nations were abolitionist for all crimes, 11 were abolitionist for ordinary crimes only and 34 abolitionists in practice. Most anti-death penalty declarations came after December 2007 when the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution on moratorium on the use of the death penalty by an overwhelming majority. India had opposed the moratorium. Human rights activists, however, feel there is hope for change in Asia. “There is hope. Today we are urging India, South Korea and Taiwan to set an example for the rest to follow,” said Irene Khan, AI secretary general, adding that there is terrible lack of transparency about the use of the death penalty. She made a particular reference to Japan, where there have been 13 executions so far in 2008 -- compared to nine in 2007 -- and more than 100 persons are on death row. In Pakistan, at present there are around 7,500 persons, including children, under sentence of death, mostly for murder, with at least 130 persons executed in 2007 after trials that were often marked by their unfairness and lack of justice for defendants. Last year, AI recorded 1,252 executions in 24 countries, with 3,347 persons sentenced to death in 51 countries. China is the world's leading state executioner.
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Student union warns AGP over Mahanta’ s re-entry
Guwahati, October 12 The AASU today reiterated that the AGP would face its wrath all over the state if it dared to brave the student organisation’s warning against allowing ‘betrayer’ Mahanta to make a come back to the party that was formed in 1985 by AASU leaders who had spearheaded the anti-foreigners' movement (Assam Agitation) of 1979-85. “Mahanta in the capacity of the Chief Minister during 1985-1990 and 1996-2001 failed to implement the clauses of the Assam Accord that was inked after 855 martyrs had sacrificed their lives in the Assam Agitation against illegal Bangladeshi migrants. He had soiled his hand with extra-judicial elimination (secret killings) of innocent kin of members of the banned ULFA during his second tenure as Chief Minister, besides reducing the regional party to his fiefdom. We will never forgive the AGP if it allows Mahanta to come back,” AASU adviser Samujjal Bhattacharrya said. Mahanta was expelled from the AGP in 2005 on charges of anti-party activities forcing him to float the new political group AGHP (progressive) with his followers. However, the regional party recently took a resolution for reunification with its all breakaway factions, including the one led by Mahanta to form an anti-Congress regional force before next general elections. The AGP will hold its convention on October 14 at Golaghat in Upper Assam to put a seal on the reunification exercise.
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2 die in road mishap
Roorkee, October 12 According to the police, the accident took place in the afternoon, in which two occupants of the car sustained serious injuries. Later, they succumbed to their injuries at the civil hospital. The three other occupants in the car and two in the jeep sustained minor injuries. — TNS
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Army man found dead
Dehradun, October 12 The condition of Deepa is stated to be serious, the police said adding preliminary investigations showed Singh apparently committed suicide following an altercation with his wife. The body of Singh has been sent for post-mortem.
—PTI |
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More trade centres with Myanmar sought
New Delhi, October 12 The issue will be taken up by the minister of state for commerce and power Jairam Ramesh at Mandalay in Myanmar during his two-day visit from Tuesday. At present, Moreh in Manipur is the only operational trade centre on the border. India will propose two additional such centres -Avangkhu in Nagaland and Zowkhathar side. “However, border trade centres in Arunachal Pradesh are not under discussion because of security and other considerations on the Indian side,” an official statement said. The minister will also propose an expansion of items to be traded with a view to move towards normal free trade very soon at these centres. India will also reiterate its offer to include Mynamar in the duty free tariff preference scheme announced by it for LDCs. The details of the financing mechanism to facilitate expanded bilateral trade will also be firmed up during the Mandalay talks. In his two previous visits earlier this year, apart from the bilateral investment promotion and protection agreement, pacts were signed for a $ 60 million line of credit from India to Myanmar for power transmission to be executed by the Power Grid Corporation of India and another $ 60 million line of credit for a 111-MW hydel power project to be executed by BHEL. — PTI |
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Stamp to be issued in saint’s memory
New Delhi, October 12 Back in the capital, the government agreed to issue a postal stamp in the name of blessed Alphonsa, who was born prematurely at Kudamalur in Kerala on August 19, 1910. Her premature birth, it is said, might be attributed to a fright her mother Mary Puthukary got on August 16 that year when a serpent swirled around her body while she was sleeping in the verandah of her house. Her mother died three months later after giving birth to Annakutty, later Alphonsa. The postal stamp is due for release this November on the eve of the birth centenary celebrations of blessed Alphonsa. While the National Integration Council prepares to meet tomorrow to discuss anti-Christian violence, mention was today made of Annakutty’s special friendship with Lakshmikutty belonging to Hindu religion. Notwithstanding their caste differences, the two shared their love at school. Lakshmikutty (still alive and 97 now) still tells people seeking information on Sister Alphonsa: “No one loved me as Annakutty did.” It was as early as seven years when Annakutty made her first communion with God at Kudamalur. It was an unforgettable day in her life, records say. She decided on that day to belong only to Jesus and the decision was echoed in a declaration made to her elder sister Elizabeth, says Varkey Cardinal Vithayathil, president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of India, who was at the Vatican today to witness the historic occasion. Alphonsa’s declaration reads: “Jesus is my only spouse and I haven't any other.” She would tell her friends at school: “Do you know why I’m so happy today? Because I have Jesus in my heart.” Tales of Alphonsa’s love for suffering abound, with records telling us why she chose to join the “Poor Clares” instead of Carmelites notwithstanding her intense devotion to St Theresa who belonged to the Carmelite Congregation. She joined the Poor Clares to model her life after the example of evangelical poverty witnessed by St. Francis of Assisi and St. Clare. She wanted to endure hardship in a congregation which testified to such a life, while the Carmelites were considered belonging to the upper echelons of the social rung. And she absorbed santliness, tales of Alphonsa’s greatness spread. A particular incident is referred to when she was leading the life in the community of Bharananganam as a perpetually professed nun. “On October 18, 1940, a thief entered her room where she was bed ridden with infirmity. She was so frightened that she at once raised the Cross aloft and implored the thief to leave.” He went away but the incident left an indelible mark on Sister Alphonsa, who forgot to read or write. She, however, prophesied that her period of illiteracy would terminate on the vigil of the Feast of St. Theresa of Child Jesus on September 30, 1941. In the morning on the Feast Day, she asked for a book to read, and was not only able to read in her own language, but also in Tamil, which she had never learnt. Many miracles marked the life of Alphonasa whose santliness India will celebrate on November 9 at Bharananganam, where her mortal remains are kept in the diocese of Palai, Kerala. |
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Jaipur blast accused sent to police custody ‘Doon on Wheels’ mooted NSCN cadre shot dead Probe into cheating case Trains delayed
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