Lucknow, September 19
Two potentially explosive incidents were amicably settled by the local communities themselves in Uttar Pradesh last week demonstrating that left to themselves they can resolve any complicated issue.

These happenings restoring faith in common people’s wisdom to deal with such situations have come days before the much-awaited verdict in the 60-year-long litigation into the Babri Masjid title suit.

The first incident happened on September 14 at Dhuswa Kala village in Maharajganj district of eastern UP. While digging to restore an old tomb, labourers stumbled upon a Shivling and an idol of Nandi. In no time villagers started collecting to offer prayers. Hearing of the potentially volatile situation developing in the village the district administration rushed to the spot.

However, gram pradhan Zameer Ahmad took the lead to work out a solution. A meeting of the local community was held where it was agreed upon to equally divide the land retaining half for the tomb and handing over the other half to build a mandir. To sort out the problem for all times to come, a written agreement was drafted and signed by the leaders of both the communities. Neither police intervention was sought nor anyone allowed to use the incident to create any disturbance.

Within hours the land was measured and work on a wall dividing the land began. After that a platform would be built to install the idols, said District Magistrate V K Srivastava. Interesting, the second incident happened on the same day at Katra under police station Barnahal in Mainpuri district of western UP. While fighting amongst themselves, two goats belonging to an old Muslim woman barged into an old door-less Shitla Ma temple damaging the idols there.

Before troublemakers could exploit the situation the local Muslim community led by Anis Ansari resolved to collect donation to install a new idol in the mandir.

According to Circle Officer Barnahal Gurmukh Singh, the Muslims of the area went from house to house collecting the required Rs 6000 for the new idol. “Now the money has been collected and the idol would be installed in a day or two” Singh said.

New Delhi, September 19
The Supreme Court will deliver its verdict tomorrow on Congress leader Sajjan Kumar's plea for quashing the charges framed against him in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case relating to the killing of five persons in the Delhi Cantonment area.

A Bench comprising Justices P Sathasivam and Anil R Dave had reserved the judgment on September 13 after hearing two days of final arguments by counsel for Sajjan, the CBI and the victims. The apex court had stayed the trial proceedings on August 13.

Sajjan's counsel had argued that his client was illegally forced to face two cases, one by the CBI and another by the Delhi police, for the same crime. Also, two of the witnesses had named him as an accused after a lapse of more than 15 years.

The CBI, however, maintained that it was expected to get to the bottom of the anti-Sikh riots case against Sajjan in the light of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s assurance to Parliament in August 2005. At the time of framing the charges the trial court need not meticulously examine the evidence, it argued.

The charges were framed by Additional Sessions Judge Sunita Gupta on May 18 under Sections 302 (murder), 395 (dacoity), 427 (mischief to property), 153A (promoting enmity between different communities) and other provisions of the IPC against Sajjan and five others. Sajjan is also facing another case relating to the riots.

New Delhi, September 19
Worried over the outcome of the September 24 Allahabad High Court verdict on the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title suit, the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) has summoned a high-power committee of sadhus here the same day.

Sources disclosed that this committee would deliberate on the judgment and the future course of action to be adopted on September 24 and 25.

Already, sadhus have started Hanuman Shakti Jagran in thousands of temples across the country, said sources. “Whatever the judgment, the Hanuman Shakti programme will continue uninterrupted,” said a press statement issued by the VHP. It, however, maintained that this programme is going on peacefully and will continue without causing any law and order problem.

The RSS, too, is waiting with bated breath for the judgment day and would not say anything before September 24. But while on the face of it the BJP is maintaining some distance from these activities, there is a lot of anxiety and some tentative preparations for their future course of action.

BJP parliamentary party chairman LK Advani has announced that he would react to the judgment in Somnath, Gujarat the same or next day. In 1990, he set off on a Somnath to Ayodhya rath yatra to build the temple at the spot where the mosque stood then.

The BJP has made some other discreet preparations too organising ‘Jan Panchayat’ programmes all over the county, particularly in UP. Sources said this is a ruse to avoid any action and the real object is to mobilise people right up to block, taluka and village level from September 18 to 24. RSS mouthpiece Panchjanya has carried a full-page write-up on the dispute. 

Kollam (Kerala), September 19
The heritage metre-gauge rail line linking Kollam with Sencottai in Tamil Nadu is getting closed with the last train chugging out from Punalur station near here today.

Built at the beginning of the last century during the reign of Travancore Prince Sree Moolam Thirunal with the expertise of British engineers, the track had served as a vital commercial and cultural link between southern Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

The line is being closed down for conversion into broad-gauge. The Kollam-Punalur track, where the conversion work is already on, was closed in 2007. The Railways plans to open the new line in another two years.

The 70-km-long track on which work began in 1902 and which opened in 1904 has several arch-bridges, and tunnels as it cuts through verdant upland, including Kerala's eco tourism hub Thenmala. The terrain is criss-crossed by small rivers, streams and rivulets, making it a tourist attraction as well.

For decades, the line was the major rail link between Kerala's capital and Madras (Chennai). The track also served as a commercial and cultural bridge between the two states.

It was also by the trains running through the line that people went to visit grand Tamil temples in Madurai, Palani, Chidambaram and Tanjore as well as Christian and Muslim pilgrim centres like the Velankanni shrine Basilica and Nagur Dargah.

Till the last day, the signal system installed by British engineers was maintained along the track.

A large number of train buffs reached Punalur to enjoy the last journey along the metre-gauge track before it becomes part of nostalgia.

According to Railways sources, some of the old train engines and components of the signal system would be preserved in the Railway Museum. — PTI

New Delhi, September 19
The fourth Regional Pravasi Bhartiya Divas (Regional-PBD) will be held at Durban in South Africa on October 1-2 with ‘India and Africa: Building Bridges’ being the theme of this year’s event.

It is being organised by the Indian Government in partnership with the Provincial Government of KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) and the Government of South Africa. More than 600 delegates from all over Africa are expected to participate.

The African continent is home to a large population of Indian diaspora. This conference aims to bring them together. The Premier of Kwa-Zulu Natal (KZN) province, the Mayor of Durban Municipality, PIO community leaders, prominent businessmen, dignitaries and other distinguished persons are expected to participate in it.

The event, coinciding with Mahatma Gandhi’s birth anniversary, will also be a part of the year-long celebrations to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the arrival of Indian immigrants in South Africa from India.

Durban has historic significance because Mahatma Gandhi lived in Durban from 1893 to 1914 and first experimented with non-violence and passive resistance based on truth as potent and novel tool of struggle against apartheid and imperialism in South Africa. The South African Indian origin community currently numbers around 1.28 million and constitutes about 2.5 per cent of its total population. About 80 per cent of the people of Indian origin live in the province of KwaZulu-Natal. Pietermaritzburg, the capital of KZN is known for its link with Mahatma Gandhi. During his 21-year stay in South Africa, Mahatma Gandhi fought against the racist regime and founded the Natal Indian Congress.