Friday, March 12, 1999

Four of family murdered
NEW DELHI, March 11 — Four members of a family were reportedly murdered in their one-room house and burnt by unidentified assailants last night in Adhyapak Nagar in Nangloi area of West District.

Sai Baba in Delhi after 17 years
NEW DELHI, March 11 — A large number of devotees thronged the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here this evening to have darshan of Sathya Sai Baba who arrived in the Capital after a gap of 17 years.

Chandigarh-Kulu flight

Bus from Lahore

Opposition ‘defaming’ Vajpayee govt

NEW DELHI, March 11 (PTI) — Members of the ruling BJP-led coalition in the Lok Sabha today accused the Opposition of trying to defame the Vajpayee Government, saying achievements made during the one-year rule despite many constraints were not possible in the past 40 years.

Despite pressure from coalition partners and the “corrupt system and a shattered economy” inherited by the government, its performance had been remarkable, they said participating in a discussion on the motion of thanks on the President’s Address.

Moving the motion, Mrs Sushma Swaraj (BJP) charged the Opposition with trying to defame the government by levelling false charges “as their interests were affected’’ due to the presence of the BJP-led coalition at the Centre.

Hailing the steps taken by the government on various fronts, she said it had not only succeeded in strengthening the country’s security but also enhanced its image abroad and accelerated the pace of economic development.

She said as the government was not of the BJP alone, but a coalition, a national agenda was adopted accommodating the policies and objectives of all constituents.

Seconding the motion, Mr Ajit Kumar Panja (Trinamool Congress) said the government had been able to accelerate the development process and strengthen India’s security. 

Describing last year’s nuclear tests as a major boost to national security, Mrs Swaraj said despite India’s capability previous governments had failed to demonstrate the courage and will for conducting the explosions.

In the aftermath of the tests, the Prime Minister displayed “outstanding statesmanship” by declaring “no-first-use” of nuclear weapons, she said, adding bold steps were also taken to face economic sanctions imposed after Pokhran explosions.

She cited the resurgent India bond scheme and people of Indian Origin (PIO) cards as some of the steps initiated to mobilise resources and to attract NRIs.

Terming Mr Vajpayee’s bus trip to Lahore as a positive diplomatic exercise, Mrs Swaraj said it had opened a new chapter of friendship with Pakistan.

She said “The government’s determination to provide a honest, transparent and efficient administration is evident from the fact that the Prime Minister has been brought under the purview of the Lokpal Bill.’’

Refuting charges of corruption levelled by Congress leaders, Mrs Swaraj said: “The party still seems to be under the hangover of corruption’’.

Citing the Jain hawala case, she said many politicians had been victims of baseless charges and added that such methods should not be adopted for narrow political gains.

Later, the Lok Sabha, which was to sit late to discuss the motion of thanks to the President for his address, adjourned abruptly this evening following a tiff between the Opposition and Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ram Naik.

The trouble arose when CPM leader Somnath Chatterjee was interrupted, while participating in the discussion, by Mr Naik who requested Deputy Speaker P.M. Sayeed at 6 p.m. to take a sense of the House to extend the sitting till 8 p.m..

Mr Chatterjee contended that the Speaker had already taken a decision and, therefore, there was no need to take the consent of the House once again, but Mr Naik sought to differ.

The Leader of the Opposition Mr Sharad Pawar accused Mr Naik of “obstructing’’ a senior leader and said if such was the attitude of the minister, Opposition members would not sit late.

Arguments continued for several minutes with Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha and BJP member Sushma Swaraj appealing to Mr Pawar to agree for the extension. The Deputy Speaker also made similar pleas, but Mr Pawar remained unrelenting.

Sensing the mood of the Opposition, the Deputy Speaker adjourned the House for the day.

2 Bihar leaders' plea to Sonia

NEW DELHI, March 11 (PTI) — Two Congress leaders from Bihar today requested party President Sonia Gandhi to direct its MLAs to vote against the RJD Government when Chief Minister Rabri Devi sought a vote of confidence in the state assembly next week.

Mr Sanjeev Prasad Tony and Mr Prem Chandra Mishra, both former pradesh Congress general secretaries, met Mrs Sonia Gandhi here and apprised her of the feelings of the rank and file and their reactions to the decision to oppose the statutory resolution in the Rajya Sabha on President’s rule in Bihar which led to the return of the RJD Government.

They told her that party workers had full faith in her leadership and felt whatever she had decided would ultimately help the organisation.

On the suggestion that the party should vote against the Rabri Devi Government when it sought a vote of confidence, Mr Mishra quoted Mrs Sonia Gandhi as saying she would look into it.

They suggested the party should maintain a distance from both the BJP and the RJD, and said if the party tried to get closer to the latter, a wrong message would go to the masses that the Congress was a protector of the "misdeeds of the RJD government".

Sonia told the leaders that the need of the hour was total unity and hard work to revive the party in the state, Mr Mishra said.

Four of family murdered
From Our Correspondent

NEW DELHI, March 11 — Four members of a family were reportedly murdered in their one-room house and burnt by unidentified assailants last night in Adhyapak Nagar in Nangloi area of West District.

The deceased, Ramesh Chander (39), who was a teacher in Government Senior Secondary School in Nangloi who was hit on the head with a heavy object, bled to death. His wife, Vimla (32) and their two daughters Arti (7) and Preeti (5) were strangled to death. The hands of Vimla had been tied behind her back by her assailants, Deputy Commissioner of Police Uday Sahay said.

The DCP said that old enmity could be the motive behind the murder as there was nothing of value in the house ruling out robbery as a motive.

He said that neighbours noticed a fire in the house in the early morning and informed the police. They were trying to put out the fire when the police reached the spot. The door of the house was ajar.

When the police entered it found the charred body of Vimla. A gas cylinder had been kept near the bed with the gas pipe placed in the beds wooden base.

Three more bodies — Ramesh Chander, Preeti and Arti — were recovered when the police opened the base of the box bed. An empty whisky bottle, an electric iron and a brick were recovered from the house.

The DCP said preliminary investigation suggested that the assailants might have been known to the family. The house was appeared to have been ransacked superficially.

The assailants had set the house on fire with the intention of destroying evidence, the DCP said.

In other incidents two persons, including the Manager of Bank of Bikaner were shot dead in the Capital last night. Keemti Lal (55), a Branch Manager of the Bikaner Bank at Jaitpur in South Delhi was shot dead by unidentified assailants from point blank range at his residence in Mukherjee Nagar in North-West Delhi. In another incident, a 25-year old youth, Anil was shot dead in Keshavpuram last evening during a marriage function.

Cong ‘frustrated’ by BJP achievements
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, March 11 — The Bharatiya Janata Party today lashed out at the Congress, accusing it of adopting an “obstructive” approach in the Rajya Sabha by not allowing the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, to intervene and forcing the adjournment of the House on the Bhagwat issue.

Briefing newspersons, BJP spokesman, M. Venkaiah Naidu, said nobody from the treasury benches, including the Prime Minister, obstructed the Leader of the Opposition, Dr Manmohan Singh when he was raising the issue but when the Prime Minister wanted to respond, the Congress members obstructed him.

The spokesman said the Congress was frustrated by the “historic” visit of the Prime Minister to Lahore and its failure to derive mileage out of the Bihar issue and the Budget for 1999-2000, which was welcomed by the people.

The BJP has decided to organise a week-long nation-wide programme from March 19 to 26 to highlight achievements of the government, he said adding that all the ministers, MPs and the party office-bearers would be involved in this exercise.

The Prime Minister would participate in the programme in the Capital on March 19 and address rallies at Calcutta on March 20 and a public meeting in Tiruchirapalli in Tamil Nadu on March 21.

SC adjourns hearing on TN A-G’s plea

NEW DELHI, March 11 (PTI) — The Supreme Court today adjourned till Tuesday hearing on the maintainability of a petition by Tamil Nadu Advocate-General challenging the Centre’s notification transferring the trial of corruption cases against AIADMK supremo Jayalalitha from three special judges to the sessions court.

Attorney-General Soli J. Sorabjee vehemently argued that the relationship between an Advocate-General and a state government was “essentially that of an advocate and client” and that the petition by the Advocate-General was not maintainable as “the client has chosen not to come to the court.”

However, counsel for Advocate-General Shanti Bhusan contended that “procedural technicalities should not blur the vital question — whether the three special judges, who are at present proceeding with the trial, have jurisdiction to try the cases against the former Chief Minister or not.”

He accused the Centre of having mala fide intentions in passing the notification to delay the “ongoing trial of the former Chief Minister” and said the petition was filed by the Advocate-General to ensure “speedy trial and administration of justice”.

Mr Sorabjee contended that the Advocate-General could not approach the apex court with a petition under Article 32 as “his fundamental rights, neither in his official or private capacity had been violated”.

The court adjourned the matter till Tuesday as arguments remained inconclusive.

Sai Baba in Delhi after 17 years
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, March 11 — A large number of devotees thronged the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here this evening to have darshan of Sathya Sai Baba who arrived in the Capital after a gap of 17 years.

Long queues could be seen as the devotees waited for hours to enter the stadium and have a glimpse of Sai Baba from Puttaparthi, who arrived here from Bangalore this morning.

The Sai Baba, dressed in his traditional saffron attire, entered the stadium and sat in a specially-created podium to give darshan to the devotees.

The devotees sang Sai bhajans as they entered the stadium. Religious fervour marked the visit of the Sai Baba to the arena for about 10 minutes.

The religious leader will stay in Delhi for four days and will give darshan twice a day on March 12 and 13. He will deliver a public discourse at the stadium on Sunday morning.

The organisers said the main purpose of his visit was to inaugurate the Sri Sathya Sai International Centre in the Lodhi Estate institutional area.

The centre intends to promote appreciation of the world heritage. Its focus will be on educational, cultural and other social activities to foster love and understanding at the national and international levels.

About 8000 volunteers of the Sri Sathya Sai Seva Samiti have come here to oversee the arrangements here during the stay of the religious leader.

The Delhi police has made elaborate arrangements for controlling traffic and has made route changes for people who wish to visit the stadium to have darshan of the Sai Baba.

Chandigarh-Kulu flight
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, March 11 — The Centre has decided to connect Chandigarh with Kulu and Shimla by air and soon have regular flights.

Union Civil Aviation Minister, Anant Kumar said in reply to an oral question by Mr Satya Pal Jain, MP from Chandigarh.

The minister said Indian Airlines would start a three-times-a week flight soon.

He also informed that at present flights were available between Chandigarh and Delhi twice a week and soon there would be more flights in addition to the ones operating now.

Bus from Lahore
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, March 11— The “Friendship bus” from Lahore is likely to come to New Delhi on March 16 and not tomorrow as announced by the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee yesterday.In response to a question, a spokesman of the Ministry of External Affairs said today “the Pakistani operator has informed his Indian counterpart that the bus from Lahore will leave on March 16.

50 prisoners hospitalised
GULBARGA: Fifty inmates of the Central Jail here were hospitalised on Wednesday following suspected food poisoning, the Gulbarga district SP, Dr P. Ravindra Nath, told PTI. Ninety prisoners were rushed to the hospital when they started vomiting after taking their lunch. While 40 of them were discharged after treatment, the remaining were hospitalised for observation, he said. — PTI

Two Naik men killed
MUMBAI: Muruli Tevar (29) and F.W. Vincent (28) owing allegiance to underworld don Ashwin Naik, were shot dead in an encounter with the police at Oshiwara in Northwest Mumbai on Wednesday, the police said. Mr S.R. Pawar, a constable was injured in the firing that took place at Lokhandwala Complex in the area. A police team had laid a trap after receiving a tip-off that the two gangsters would be coming to extort money from a businessman. — PTI

“Godmother” passed after cuts
RAJKOT: A court here on Wednesday granted release of the controversial film “Godmother” after deleting two scenes directly related to the life of Ms Santokben Jadeja, on whose life it is allegedly based. The Special Civil Judge, Mr D.T. Garasia, said the film, with Shabana Azmi in the lead could be screened after deleting the scenes showing a character, Rambhi Odedara, as smoking cigar and being offered wine by a lady. The Judge held that there was no defamation of Ms Jadeja and her community in the film. The court, however, granted continuation of stay banning screening in public up to March 18, permitting the plaintiff to move high court in appeal, Mr B.T. Zonapara, counsel for Ms Jadeja, said. — PTI

Unidentified object causes scare
ITANAGAR: Inhabitants of Chambang village, in Lower Subansiri district in Arunachal Pradesh, have been living in the shadow of fear for a month after three fishermen discovered a mysterious 18-inch long cylindrical object with a copper tip in the Kurung river on February 11. The object made of steel, bearing the number 10170006, created panic among people, who feared that it might be a bomb. They dared not take it to the Ziro district headquarters as the village is two days’ walking distance from the nearest motorable road. — PTI

Hunter becomes the hunted
PHULBANI (ORISSA): In a case of the hunter becoming the hunted, a tribal was shot dead by his friend in the dense Podumahu forest of Kandhamal district on Monday, police said here on Wednesday. Six tribals had entered the forest, about 15 km from Daringbadi in Baliguda sub-division, in two groups, with muzzle loading guns in search of wild animals. Gagan Digal, one of the group members, suddenly opened fire after he heard a rustling sound at a distance, but, the target turned out to be Dambarudhar Pradhan, his friend. Pradhan died on the spot bleeding, police said. —PTI

Better endurance with vitamin-E
CALCUTTA: Vitamin-E, famous for its beauty enhancing properties, would now become a must in the kits of women smokers, with a new study corroborating that it checks smoking-related oxidative damages. The vitamin, when taken in prescribed dose, protects against the oxidative stress caused by tobacco and increases endurance levels, Calcutta University scientists said after testing it on female smokers. “Tobacco smoke is a composite of numerous pollutants inhaled by smokers in high concentrations subjecting them to harmful oxidants and free radicals,” scientist, Mr Ananya Chattopadhyay said. — PTI

Two businessmen held
NEW DELHI: Mr Devender Kumar Aggarwal, Managing Director of Lakshmi Vatika Limited and Mr Lalan Kumar Jha, Director of Cilson Organics Limited, were arrested for allegedly cheating Radico Khaitan Limited of Rs 36.5 lakh on the basis of a forged letter, a press note issued by the police said. The two were arrested from Mughalsarai Railway Station and Patna respectively by sleuths of the Crime Branch of Delhi Police on March 6 and are now lodged in judicial custody, the note said. — PTI

5 rescued from dacoits
ETAWAH: The police rescued five persons from the captivity of Ramesh Kushwah, a Chambal dacoit, after an encounter in Sahanso police circle on Tuesday. The district police chief, Mr Manmohan Kumar Bansal, said all five captives had been kidnapped from Madhya Pradesh last month. He announced rewards to all policemen who took part in the encounter. — UNI