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Army to vacate Red Fort
tomorrow BJP plays down DMK
withdrawal Inspector arrested for conspiring with
Telgi
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Netaji bracketed with
Hitler Cong poll review panel meets
Political manoeuvring ahead of Sonia’s
rally Judiciary ‘soft’ on Pak executive Bangkok firm bags Kol dam
project Train passengers looted ‘Snan’ dates for Ardh
Kumbh
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Army to vacate Red Fort
tomorrow New Delhi, December 20 Mr Jagmohan had first publicly made the demand for turning the Red Fort exclusively into a tourism spot while addressing a tourism convention in June last year. Maj-Gen V.S. Badhwar, who is Director-General, Resettlement, in the Defence Ministry, was among those present on the occasion. Now the Ministry of Defence has arranged for a short function in front of the ramparts of the Red Fort on Monday morning where the historical monument will be handed back to the Tourism and Culture Ministry to be finally handed over the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). Troops of the last infantry battalion housed there, the Fourth Battalion of The Sikh Light Infantry, will first present a guard of honour to Defence Minister George Fernandes. This will be followed by an exchanges of mementos between him and Mr Jagmohan and handing over of the symbolic key to the ASI. Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vijay Kapoor and Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, Chief of Army Staff N.C. Vij apart from senior officers of both the ministries will be present. The fort, built by Mughal emperor Shahjehan as a royal residence within his new capital of Shahjanabad, had been occupied by the British army till independence and by the Indian Army since then. The area behind the Red Fort had already been cleared of all kinds of encroachments and developed as a green area. Making a presentation almost exactly a year ago on the restoration work at the Red Fort (Lal Quila), the minister said the underground passage leading to the back of the Lal Quila closed for the past 50 years was being opened for the public. The entire 3,00,000 square feet wall area of the Red Fort had been cleaned and chemically treated, new parks are being laid out, missing inlays work is being put back and a number of other repair works are being taken up on a war-footing to restore the grandeur of the monument. |
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BJP plays down DMK
withdrawal New Delhi, December 20 With the withdrawal of the DMK ministers from the Vajpayee government, observers aver that the process of realignment of political forces has begun and in the coming weeks and months, many surprises are in stock. While the anti-BJP and anti-Congress forces will like to woo the DMK in their fold, the Congress will also make efforts to reach a political understanding with a Dravadian party, the observers said. Reacting to the decision, BJP spokesman Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said the DMK was a responsible
constituent of the NDA and it would try to sort out the problems. He said the DMK’s decision to withdraw ministers but give outside support to the government “is not a contradiction since the party had taken a similar stand even earlier”. Asserting that there was no threat to the NDA government, Mr Naqvi said the decision would in no way affect the relationship between the BJP and the DMK. Meanwhile, the Communist Party of India (CPI) has welcomed the decision of the DMK party to quit the ruling NDA government. The party general secretary, Mr A.B. Bardhan, said since the DMK had been differing with the BJP on several issues, particularly its communal stance, POTA and so forth, its continuance in the NDA had become untenable. Therefore, the decision was timely and welcome. |
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PM indicates Cabinet reshuffle New Delhi, December 20 Answering questions at a function at his residence about the resignation of two DMK ministers, Mr Vajpayee said any party was free to take its own decision. However, he said party was free to take its own decision. However, he said he had not received any official communication about resignation of ministers. Asked about Ms Mamata Banerjee not having got any portfolio as yet, Mr Vajpayee said there was scope for a reshuffle and expansion. With the winter session of parliament coming to an end on December 23, the Prime Minister may go in for a minor expansion-cum-reshuffle next week. Vacancies have been caused by the resignations of Ms Uma Bharati and Mr Raman Singh who are now Chief Ministers of madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. The resignation of Mr Dilip Singh Judeo following the cash-on-tapes controversy and death of Mr Murasoli Maran have also reduced the number of ministers in the Union Cabinet. |
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Inspector arrested for conspiring with
Telgi New Delhi, December 20 The sleuths had arrested the accused Puran Singh, Inspector, Hauz Khas police station and are in the process of examining his role in two cases. Deputy Commissioner of Police (EOW) Dinesh Bhatt said “the sleuths have concrete evidence to suggest that Puran Singh had conspired with the main accused Abdul Kareem Telgi while he was an investigating officer in two stamp paper scam cases in Defence Colony and Kalkaji.” Mr Bhatt said Puran Singh had also arranged sureties to manage Telgi’s bail, adding that the sleuths would seek his custody to unearth the conspiracy. The Delhi police had also exchanged evidence with the SIT, Pune in the case. He said the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Maharashtra police in Pune too had found evidence to believe that Puran Singh had changed the course of investigation in the case and on many occasions helped the gang members of Telgi by not arresting them. |
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Minister’s kin surrenders in stamp paper scam Bangalore, December 20 A hunt had been launched against Baig in connection with his alleged involvement in the scam and links with the prime accused in the multi-crore scam, Abdul Karim Telgi. Forty-two-year-old Rehan Baig, according to STAMPIT officials, had rented out commercial premises belonging to him to Telgi. Rehan’s passport had been seized in May after he returned from Saudi Arabia. A Bangalore court had issued an arrest warrant against him based on the “investigation records” submitted by STAMPIT. Soon after his surrender Rehan said “I am not a criminal but since last two years they have been involving my name in this and despite two years of intensive investigation they themselves on November 14 said that there is no evidence against me”. He said he was out of station on a pilgrimage and had informed STAMPIT that he would return in 10 days. “But before my coming back they made a big mess, put my photos on the internet as if I am a criminal. I am actually an NRI. I am a double medical graduate, I am a blood bank director working in Saudi Arabia’s Health Ministry”. Meanwhile, Telgi faced a lie-detector test at the Forensic Science Laboratory here for the second day. Rehan Baig alleged that he was being targeted to finish off the political career of his minister brother Roshan Baig. He admitted to doing kerosene business with Abdul Kareem Telgi, but said he had nothing to do with the fake stamp scandal. Rehan Baig said he and his brother were innocent. —
PTI |
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R.S. Sharma’s remand extended Pune, December 20 Judicial Magistrate, First Class, M.N. Bondre extended the custody when Sharma was produced after the expiry of his earlier magisterial custody remand. —
PTI |
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Fake Indian currency printed on Pak-Afghan
border New Delhi, December 20 The printing press is owned by India’s most wanted and US-designated “global terrorist” Dawood Ibrahim but is supervised by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), government sources told The Tribune today. Recent recoveries of counterfeit currency in India show a dramatic value addition in the technical quality of the paper, in security thread and use of optically variable ink, specialised printing etc. Nowadays, the counterfeit currency, which is of an extremely high quality and containing machine-readable features is sent to Dubai for further despatch to various destinations in India through couriers and returning expatriates. Till recently, this operation was supervised by Dubai-based Aftab Batki and controlled by Anees Ibrahim. However, after Batki’s departure from Dubai, his brother-in-law Tahir Takia has taken over the reins of this racket. In recent years, the ISI has spread its network in West Asia and South-East Asia. Special focus has been on countries like Nepal, Bangladesh, Thailand and the UAE from where counterfeit Indian currency is moved to India either directly or indirectly through couriers, returning passengers and expatriates. Interrogation reports of some arrested terrorists in India reveal that ISI operators visit Nepal under the guise of tourists to raise espionage agents in India. The Pakistan Embassy in Kathmandu is also involved in this trade. Earlier instances of Pakistan Embassy officials in Nepal being involved in anti-India activities include the arrest of Pakistan Embassy UDC Asam Saboor for possessing fake Indian currency in January 2000, the arrest in April 2001 of Mohd Arshad Cheema, First Secretary, on charges of possessing RDX and arrest of another UDC Ahmed Siraj for exchanging fake Indian currency. Islamabad continues to deny the presence of Dawood Ibrahim in Pakistan. |
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Netaji bracketed with
Hitler Kolkata, December 20 The book on modern Indian history contains some distorted and derogatory remarks on Netaji who has been painted as a fascist. He has been bracketed as a power-loving dictator with Hitler. The history book has been written by Dr Siddhartha Guha Roy and Prof Suranjan Chattopadhyya, both of whom are stated to be close to the CPI(M). It has been alleged that the book was recommended to the university as an authentic document on Netaji’s biography by Mr Anil Biswas, the CPI(M) state secretary, who also heads the party’s education cell. The publication of the book and its inclusion in the university book list for B.A History honours students of Kolkata university annoyed numerous of Netaji lovers and Forward Bloc leaders who suspected it was a conspiracy by vested interests to malign Netaji. Mr Ashoke Ghose, Forward Bloc’s state unit secretary wondered how such a book could be published and permitted entry as textbook in university education when the government had banned Taslima Nasreen’s novel on the plea that the book carried distorted information about the Qoran that had hurt the sentiments of Muslims. Mr Ghosh demanded that the history book be banned and a thorough inquiry be made why the book had been prescribed for college students at the graduate levels.Otherwise, he warned the FB would launch an agitation throughout the state. of the Netaji. The FB leader, Mr Debrata Biswas ,felt it was a deliberate attempt by the CPI(M) to belittle the greatness of Netaji who had been once denigrated by Marxists as the Quisling of India. The Netaji inquiry commission probing his death also expressed surprise how such a book could have been written with false and fabricated information. The chairman of the commission, Justice Monoj Kumar Mukherjee ,felt when the commission was making steady progress into Netaji’s death and preparing authentic documents on Netaji’s life , the publication of such a book would spread a wrong impression among the people. |
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Cong poll review panel meets New Delhi, December 20 The committee, headed by Mr Pranab Mukherjee, is likely to submit its report after the winter session of Parliament. Ms Gandhi is likely to call a meeting of the Congress Working Committee next week to discuss the committee report and chalk out strategy for the Lok Sabha elections next year. The five-member Mukherjee committee was constituted by her after a marathon meeting of the CWC on December 7. The committee also includes Mr Priyaranjan Dasmunsi, Mr Manishankar Iyer, Mr B. K. Handique and Mr Prithviraj Chavan. AICC general secretaries in charge of three states, former chief ministers, leaders of the Congress legislature parties and Congress presidents of the three states today appeared before the committee to express their views on the party’s reverses. The Congress has already reviewed the Assembly poll results in Delhi and Mizoram. Rajasthan was taken up by committee in the morning. Former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, Ms Ambika Soni, Mr K. Natwar Singh, R K Malviya, Girija Vyas, Mr R. N. Mirdha, Mr Balram Jhakhar and Mr S. C. Mathur gave their views . Party sources said views of former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Ajit Jogi, who has been suspended from the Congress, were taken on phone. The committee also heard views of CWC member Vilasrao Deshumkh, who is in charge of party affairs in Chhattisgarh and AICC general secretary Kamal Nath who hails from MP. Congress general secretary Ambika Soni said that based on the committee’s recommendations, the party president would take decisions, including steps to revitalise the organisation. |
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Political manoeuvring ahead of Sonia’s
rally Mumbai, December 20 Days before the rally at the famed Shivaji Park in Central Mumbai, Congress bosses have put out that Ms Gandhi would like to see the grounds filled in a bid to exhibit the party’s strength in the country’s financial capital. Shivaji Park can accommodate two lakh persons, a feat that comes naturally to Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray who does this every year on Dasehra. But the Congress in Maharashtra, yet to recover from Mr Sharad Pawar’s split nearly five years ago, is unsure about mobilising so many people. Party sources say that the rally was planned after opinion polls predicted a Congress victory in state elections in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and New Delhi. However, with the party losing the first two states, morale is low, say party sources. Mumbai Regional Congress Committee (MRCC) leader Gurudas Kamat admits as much. “There is a feeling among workers that the rally should be held close to the Lok Sabha poll,” Mr Kamat told reporters recently. He, however, said party workers would be confident about mobilising the requisite crowd. Observers say Mr Kamat’s rivalry with his predecessor Murli Deora and actor Sunil Dutt could have an impact in the numbers who turn up to hear Ms Gandhi read a speech. Mr Dutt, however, scotched rumours about allegations that he would sabotage Mr Kamat’s efforts to fill Shivaji Park. “There are differences between us, but we work together in the interests of the party,” Mr Dutt told reporters here. Though a coalition partner with the Congress in the Maharashtra government, Mr Pawar himself is out to ensure that Ms Sonia Gandhi’s rally flops or is at least called off. Mr Pawar’s party — Nationalist Congress Party — announced on Saturday that it was holding an all-India kabaddi competition from December 26 to 30 in a part of Shivaji Park. NCP office-bearers say that they hope to get as many as 25,000 people to watch the competitions. Apart from hogging a part of the grounds, the NCP hopes to use its links with the Congress to sway some of the grand old party’ s supporters as well. NCP president Narendra Verma announced that 22 states were sending their teams for the competition that was decided more than two months in advance. The Congress and NCP are at loggerheads over a tie-up before elections to the Maharashtra Assemby next year. Though Mr Pawar had asked for such a tie-up by December 31 this year, the Congress is yet to respond to the proposal. Mr Pawar would like both the parties to contest 144 seats each in the 288-member Maharashtra legislature. Should both the Congress and NCP fail to tie up, they would have to take on each other in addition to a resurgent Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party combine in Maharashtra. |
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Judiciary ‘soft’ on Pak executive Lucknow, December 20 “Military dictatorship in Pakistan was also the outcome of a weak judiciary”, said former Pakistan Chief Justice Sajjad Ali Shah. “Deviations and violations of constitutional provisions by politicians have been blatantly condoned by the Pakistani judiciary. A weak judiciary and the absence of democracy have had a cause and effect relationship and I am sure that but for the judiciary’s weakness, Pakistan would not have been under military rule,” Mr Shah told reporters here. Mr Shah was in Lucknow to attend an international meet of jurists. |
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Bangkok firm bags Kol dam
project Chandigarh, December 20 This was stated by Mr K.B. Dubey, Executive Director, NTPC, (Hydro Region), while addressing a press conference here today. Mr Dubey said that since the work on the diversion tunnels was almost complete and the construction of the main dam would commence in mid-January, 2004. ‘‘The dam will be rock and earth filled with a clayey impervious centre to withstand high-intensity earthquakes,’’ he said. The Italian-Thai Company of Bangkok, which will take up the construction of this dam, bagged the internationally advertised tender last week. ‘‘Going by the bitter experience of other Indian companies who have undertaken joint ventures with foreign companies, we had decided to let a single company handle the whole work. And I think this is the largest single contract ever given to a foreign company in India,’’ said Mr Dubey. The dam is being constructed at a natural hairpin bend on the Sutlej at Kol village. Spread over four districts in Himachal, the Rs 4493-crore worth Kol dam hydro power project will produce 800 MW of power in four units of 200 MW each. Himachal Pradesh will get 27 per cent of the total generation (12 per cent free of cost and 15 per cent on bus bar tariff) and the rest will be shared by other states as per the power purchase agreement. (see box) Talking about other hydro projects of the NTPC, Mr Dubey informed that the NTPC had taken up the execution of the Loharinag Pala (520 MW) and Tapovan-Vishnugad (360 MW) projects in Uttaranchal. Other than these, the NTPC was also considering projects in Kerala, West Bengal and Punjab. ‘‘By 2017, the NTPC will generate 11000 MW hydro capacity out of the projected 56000MW total power generation capacity,’’ added Mr
Dubey. |
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Train passengers looted Siliguri, December 20
The five masked dacoits, armed with revolvers and other lethal weapons, boarded the sleeper no four of the train at Kamakhyaguri and robbed valuables and cash from the commuters and detrained at
Rongia. — UNI |
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‘Snan’ dates for Ardh
Kumbh Hardwar, December 20 The Ardh Kumbh snans begin from January 26 (Basant
Panchami). The second snan will take place on February 6 (Maghi Purnima), the third snan on February 18
(Maha Shivratri), the fourth on March 20 (Chaitra Amavasya), the fifth on March 21(Nav
Samvatsar) and the sixth on March 30 (Ram Navami ). The first main snan of the Ardh Kumbh will take place on April 13, the day of Mesh Sankranti and
Baisakhi. |
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Advocate missing Jamshedpur, December 20 The police said Babita Jain (32), who left her home on Friday evening for her senior’s chamber nearby, neither reported at the chamber nor returned home. —
PTI |
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Continuing their crackdown on the people involved in the multi-crore stamp paper scam the Economic Offences Wing of the Delhi Police has today claimed to have arrested a Delhi Police inspector for conspiring with the kingpin of the scam, Abdul Kareem
Telgi.
GOPAL RELEASED FROM PRISON