Sunday, December 19, 1999
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Gujral seeks White Paper
on CTBT |
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 President K. R. Narayanan (centre), Prime Minister A. B. Vajpayee and Congress President Sonia Gandhi at the birth centenary tribute to Asfaqullah Khan at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on Saturday. — PTI photo
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PWG blows up railway
station
CPI for broader Left unity BJP imposing ideology: Cong Stick to agenda, says DMK
Jaswant to meet Cook, Talbott next
month Kargil airport to be ready by
Sept, 2000 CPM heading for a split? Clarify stand on mosque, Cong told Enforce 2-kids norm for MPs:
Paswan Kalka-Mumbai special train
announced |
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Gujral seeks White Paper on CTBT JAIPUR, Dec 18 (PTI) — The former Prime Minister, I.K. Gujral, today asked the Vajpayee government to issue a White Paper on the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) before attempting to bring about a consensus on India agreeing to sign the treaty. “People have a right to know explicitly as to what transpired between India and the USA during nine rounds of talks which led the Vajpayee government to attempt to evolve consensus for signing the treaty,” Mr Gujral said while inaugurating the 16th national conference of the Indian Society for Cultural Cooperation and Friendship here. “We must know what India agreed to give and what the USA gave in the nine rounds of talks, because there must have been some give and take between the two sides,” he said. “Will India sign CTBT as a nuclear power state as the Vajpayee government has been declaring, or as a non-nuclear power state?” The former PM said the
government had not explained either in Parliament or
outside anything about its talks with the USA on the
issue. “In the name of consensus, the government
cannot be allowed to keep every thing secret and expect
us to give our nod,” he added. |
Kalyan: no regrets over demolition LUCKNOW, Dec 18 (PTI) — In spite of having dissociated himself from the Ram janambhoomi issue, expelled BJP leader Kalyan Singh today said he had no regrets over the demolition of the Babri mosque at Ayodhya on December 6, 1992. “I have no regrets over the mosque demolition”, the former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, who floated a new political outfit Rashtriya Kranti Party, told newspersons here. He, however charged the BJP, VHP and RSS with using the temple issue for political gains and asked them to clarify their stand on the issue . Reiterating that the Ram temple issue could only be resolved through “talks” and the courts had no role in the matter, he said, “The matter is outside the purview of the courts... both the temple and the mosque should be constructed at a place mutually agreed upon”. He discounted any possibility of his turning an approver in the Ayodhya case. Mr Kalyan Singh said he would soon embark upon a statewide mass contact programme to popularise his party in the state. Stating there was an urgent need to “purify politics”, he said his party would not give tickets to people with a criminal background. He also demanded
deletion of the word-India from the Preamble of the
Constitution as “It did not reflect our culture,
history and nationalism.” |
PWG blows up railway station DALTONGANJ (Bihar) Dec 18 (UNI) — Close on the heels of explosions on railway tracks under the Patna-Gaya section, the extremists of the banned People’s War Group (PWG) struck again and blew up Nawadih Railway Station under the Mughalsarai division of the Eastern Railway last night. The Railway police said the extremists blew up the tracks with dynamite. Explosions were triggered by the extremists at four different places in the station. Railway services were disrupted for eight hours. Confirming the incident, the State Home Commissioner Mr U.N. Panjiyar said Palamau police Superintendent Nirmal Kumar Azad had rushed to the spot. Mr Panjiyar informed that no special force was deployed at the station when the explosion occurred. An intensive search operation was on to nab the outlaws. Sources said several extremists surrounded the station and forced the railway officers, employees, passengers and others to vacate the place. They then blew up the station with dynamite resulting in damages to the railway equipment and official records. Prior to the explosion, the extremists had also snapped off the communication system. Railway services resumed
on this section early this morning. The incident occurred
in spite of a red alert sounded by the state government
following explosion in the Patna-Gaya section on Thursday
last. |
No revamp of intelligence
Corps CHANDIGARH, Dec 18 — In an endeavour to reduce the shortage of officers and to tap potential, the Army is increasing the quota for direct entry of officers into the Corps of Military Intelligence (MI), it is learnt. ‘’A proposal in this regard has been forwarded to the Ministry of Defence,’’ a source here said. Although there were reports of a revamp of the intelligence set-up as an aftermath of the Kargil fiasco, he, however, ruled out any significant restructuring of the corps in the near future. Direct entry into the MI after passing out from the Indian Military Academy (IMA) or the Officers Training Academy (OTA) was initiated about two years back. Two vacancies per course in both IMA as well as the OTA were created. Prior to this, volunteers from other arms and services, who had completed a stipulated period of service, were inducted into the MI. A circular from the MI directorate was circulated to various formations and establishments, asking for volunteers. The eligibility criterion, including age limits, service profile, desirous technical qualifications and medical category as well as the probable number of vacancies were listed out. The number of vacancies, which varies each time depending on the requirement, is about 12 to 20 officers. Desirous officers could apply after approval from their respective commanding officers. Their applications would be vetted by the Military Secretary’s Branch at Army Headquarters as well as at the concerned regimental centre, before being called for a test or interview. Earlier there was a written entrance test, but it was done away with and the applicant’s merit and security clearance is now the consideration. Sources say that with the current estimated officer strength of 450, the MI, like other arms and services is having deficient manpower. Sources put the officer shortfall in the corps at about 150. One reason for the shortfall, sources say, is that there are not many volunteers for the Corps, despite the fact that it was upgraded to a ‘’supporting arm’’ from a ‘’service’’ in 1996. In the order of precedence, it is now placed in the same category as the Engineers and Signals Corps. It has been observed that the parent regiment of a majority of the volunteers for the MI is Artillery or the infantry — regiments which are themselves facing a severe shortage of officers at the junior level and unwilling to spare officers. Another fact, sources say, is heavy stagnation in the corps where promotion is concerned. MI officers are currently running three to four years behind their counterparts serving in the Army Service Corps and Corps of Electrical and Mechanical Engineers — both classified as ‘’services’’ and where promotion is slow as compared to the ‘’arms’’. Though the MI was
classified as a ‘’support arm’’, it
has not brought in requisite benefits for its officers.
With the exception of commanding a liaison Unit or a
field intelligence set-up, MI officers cannot hold key
command appointments. A Brigadier with the MI cannot
become a brigade commander. Similarly, a major, even if
he has completed the staff college course, cannot be
appointed as a Brigade Major and instead are seconded as
staff officers at division headquarters or higher
formations. Even the Director General of the MI at Army
Headquarters, a post held by a Lieutenant General, is not
from the Corps of Military Intelligence. |
CPI for broader Left unity PATNA, Dec 18 (PTI) — The CPI and the CPI-ML today called for a broader Left unity to take on the RJD in the coming assembly poll in Bihar and slammed the CPM for aligning with the state’s ruling party, jettisoning its “pro-poor and pro-proletariat ideology.” Sharing the dais for the first time since the CPI-ML came overground, leaders of the two parties criticised the “so-called champions of social justice” and stressed the need for forging an alliance of left-democratic forces for evolving “a non-RJD, non-BJP and non-Congress political front.” Addressing the “badlo Bihar rally” (transform Bihar rally) here, the leaders demanded special status for the state on the pattern of those in the north-eastern region to facilitate greater central assistance. Speaking at the rally, organised to commemorate the first death anniversary of former CPI-ML General Secretary Vinod Mishra, the speakers vowed to “end the terror unleashed by private militias of landlords like the Ranvir Sena.” They also expressed dismay over the CPM’s decision to continue its alliance with the RJD describing it as a “remnant of feudalistic aspirations.” Addressing the rally,
state CPI secretary Jalaluddin Ansari, MP, criticised CPM
politburo member Sitaram Yechury for his repeated appeals
to the CPI for an electoral pact with the RJD. |
BJP imposing ideology: Cong NEW DELHI, Dec 18 (PTI) — Senior Congress leader P. Shiv Shanker today accused the BJP of “trying to impose its ideology by bringing in through the back door” two Bills seeking a uniform civil code and a ban on cow slaughter. “The BJP is trying to impose its ideology by bringing in through the back door two private member’s Bills seeking to usher in uniform civil code and a ban on cow slaughter,” Mr Shanker said addressing a Dalit sammelan organised by Delhi MLA Jai Kishan. The non-officials Bills were introduced in the Lok Sabha yesterday. Alleging that the BJP represented “business interests”, he said the party was “not interested” in the welfare and development of the dalits and weaker sections. Accusing the government,
including Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee of
“resorting to lies in the sugar import scam”,
he alleged that the imports from Pakistan continued
during the Kargil conflict and till August this year. |
Stick to agenda, says DMK CHENNAI, Dec 18 (PTI) — The DMK, a constituent of the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) at the Centre, today asked its coalition partners not to pursue any separate agenda but to confine themselves to the national agenda evolved by the constituents before the elections. “The DMK will not allow any individual agenda to be implemented,’’ the party’s general council said in a resolution, in an obvious reference to the reported remarks by some BJP leaders on the construction of Ram Temple at Ayodhya. The resolution said the national agenda was the NDA government’s “only agenda’’ and the DMK, the ruling party in Tamil Nadu, would not allow its partners to implement any scheme which did not find a place in it. The party said it had noted Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee’s repeated statement that his government would not do anything which went against the national agenda. In another resolution, the council authorised party chief M. Karunanidhi and General Secretary K. Anbazhagan to take disciplinary action against those responsible for the defeat of the NDA nominees in the 13th Lok Sabha constituencies in the state and against those who did not distribute membership cards properly to several members of the party, effectively preventing them from participating in the organisational poll. It also barred such
person from contesting the organisational poll, it said
adding the party high command would reject their
nominations if it had already been filed. |
‘A few rotten eggs mar image of judiciary’ NEW DELHI, Dec 18 (PTI) — Legal luminaries here today sought concrete steps, including amendments in the contempt law, to free Indian judiciary from corruption and reduce backlogs by promoting transparency and accountability. Many ills affecting the judiciary can be tackled through a holistic approach and concerted efforts by all concerned, including the judges and lawyers, they said at a conference on “Delays and Corruption in Indian Judiciary” organised by the Transparency International India and Lok Sevak Sangh. Delivering the inaugural address, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Chairman, Justice J.S. Verma, said if court proceedings continued at their present pace, the existing backlog of cases would take 350 years to be cleared. Stating that it is possible to reduce arrears through improvement in work culture and sincere efforts by the Bench as well as the Bar, he said pendency before the Supreme Court came down to 19,000 in 1998 from 1.20 lakh in 1992 through steps like computerisation and clubbing arrangements. Describing corruption as the biggest menace in every instrument of governance, the former Chief Justice said a mechanism of judicial accountability should be evolved. Law Commission Chairman Justice B.P. Jeevan Reddy said the Bench, Bar and investigating agencies were responsible for the “collapse” of criminal justice system. In his key-note address, Attorney General Soli Sorabjee said a “few rotten eggs” had tarnished the image of judiciary and called for effective mechanism for disciplining and removal of judges. “Large majority of the judges are honest and hard working. But a few rotten eggs have tarnished the image of the judiciary” Justice Sorabjee said. Asserting that there was a need for an effective mechanism for disciplining and removal of judges, he said the body entrusted with such powers should be composed entirely of members of the judiciary whose stature and credibility were beyond question so as to prevent erosion of judicial independence. Justice Sorabjee said one of the main deterrents in exposing judicial corruption was the present law of contempt which did not permit the defence of truth, leading to self-censorship in the media. “Law needs to be amended to provide the defence of truth coupled with public interest. If the allegations made against a judicial officer are found to be baseless, stiff civil and criminal penalties can be imposed”, he said. The present mechanism of impeachment for removal of judges was cumbersome and tended to get politicised, he said. “No judge can be successfully corrupt without the active cooperation of a lawyer. The Bar needs to be vigilant in identifying and ostracising such lawyers” Justice Sorabjee said. He said ad hoc judges needed to appointed to clear old pending cases. There were three parties responsible for the delays and each one of them must bear their proportionate share of blame, he said. The governments were
responsible for the delays in filling up judicial
vacancies and for seeking frequent adjournments in
courts, the lawyers who have made “a fine art”
of getting adjournments especially after a stay order had
been obtained and the judiciary “some of whose
members are habitually unpunctual and delay delivery of
judgements” he added. |
National population policy soon:
PM NEW DELHI, Dec 18 — Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee today unveiled a five-point programme to make India a knowledge superpower. The PM said a new national population policy would be announced soon to prevent dilution of economic gains by a population explosion. Inaugurating the 79th Annual General Meeting of the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) here today, Mr Vajpayee said: “Only a knowledge-based society will enable us to leapfrog in finding new and innovative ways to meet this crucial challenge and seek urgent solutions”. The five-point strategy, aimed at achieving a quantum jump in growth, will strive to improve the existing competence in information technology, bio-technology and financial services besides establishing global networking, Mr Vajpayee said. “As for population stabilisation, we do realise that it needs to be taken up with great urgency. My government is working on a national population policy that will be made public soon”, Mr Vajpayee said. The Prime Minister
assured the industry of his government’s resolve to
ensure fiscal discipline and expenditure control.
“Immediately after my government was sworn in, our
agenda for socio-economic change was made public.” |
Jaswant to meet Cook, Talbott
next month NEW DELHI, Dec 18 — In a major foreign policy exercise, External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh is going to London next month where he will meet British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook and US Deputy Secretary of State Strobe Talbott. The 10th round of the ongoing Indo-US talks between Mr Jaswant Singh and Mr Talbott are going to be held again in London for two days beginning from January 17, sources said. Mr Jaswant Singh and Mr Talbott, who met last time in London on November 16-17, will discuss issues related to nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation and will also take up the visit of the US President, Mr Bill Clinton, to India in March next year. Before the Indo-US talks, Mr Jaswant Singh will also meet Mr Cook for an extensive dialogue on Indo-British relations. India and the UK of late, have embarked on a serious exercise to restructure the bilateral relations. The British Deputy Prime Minister, Mr John Prescott, was here last week. Immediately after his stay in the British capital, the External Affairs Minister will proceed on an official journey to Israel which will also take him to Gaza Strip. Mr Jaswant Singh is
scheduled to visit Israel from January 20 to 22. He will
visit Gaza for a day where he will meet India’s old
friend Yasser Arafat who is the President of Palestine
Authority. Mr Jaswant Singh will also interact with other
senior leaders of the PLO. |
Kargil airport to be ready by
Sept, 2000 NEW DELHI, Dec 18 — The much-awaited Kargil airport could become operational by September next with the work on its tarmac complete and control tower under construction. Work on the 6,400 feet-long tarmac had been completed which would enable small transport aircrafts to land at Khurbathong, an elevated area near Kargil town, informed sources said today. The operations could begin once the work on the control tower was complete, the sources said, adding that the total cost of the project was estimated to be around Rs 32 crore. At a later stage, there were plans to extend the runway by another 3,000 feet so that larger aircraft could also land, the sources said. In 1996, the Civil Aviation Ministry had granted permission for private airways to operate commercial flights connecting Leh to Kargil and the then Union Minister for Civil Avation, Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad, had flown on the inaugural flight which landed on a dusty airstrip. Meanwhile, a Home Ministry team, led by the Special Secretary, Mr T.R. Kakkar, which visited Kargil and Jammu this week, held discussions with the district authorities there regarding expeditious disposal of winter relief for which the Centre released Rs 7.80 crore for the next six months at the rate of Rs 1.30 crore per month. According to Home Ministry sources, the district administration in Kargil has identified about 3,711 families comprising over 30,000 persons in 44 villages who are eligible for various kinds of relief. Out of the identified villages, 19,900 persons from those villages which have suffered more than 50 per cent crop damage have been given cash assistance at the rate of Rs 200 per head per month until May, 2000. The families identified have also been given fodder assistance at the rate of Rs 30 per small animal and Rs 150 per big animal subject to a ceiling of Rs 1,000 per family per month. In addition, foodgrain and kerosene have also been provided and the Union Home Ministry has asked the district administration to ensure prompt delivery of relief to eligible families by the year-end. The team also took stock of the progress of construction of bunkers in Kargil district. A total of 2,067 bunkers are under construction and so far the district administration has incurred an expenditure of Rs 2.91 crore on it. Sources in the ministry
said the district administration planned to construct
another 1,000 bunkers, including 100 community bunkers,
during the next financial year. The bunkers plan was
sanctioned by the Planning Commission to provide safe
shelter to the residents of border villages who were
subject to intermittent shelling from across the border. |
CPM heading for a split? CALCUTTA, Dec 18 — The CPI (M), which has been ruling West Bengal for over two decades appears to be heading for a split in the new millennium. The dissident group, which includes leaders like Mr Subhas Chakraborty, State Minister for Transport and Sports, Mr Saifuddin Chowdhury, former MP, Mr Samir Patutundu, a state committee member and a host of others is planning to chalk out its future plan for either forming a new party or finalising the strategy to fight the party’s vested interests. Mr Chakraborty has been facing strong opposition from the party leadership for some time past and the leaders like Mr Anil Biswas, state unit secretary, Mr Biman Basu and Mr Buddhadev Bhattacharyya had demanded his resignation in the past on the charges of anti-party activities. But because of his popularity among people, the party did not dare to drop him. Moreover, Mr Jyoti Basu had sided with him. Though Mr Chakraborty is in the government, he has been virtually cornered by powerful lobby headed by Deputy Chief Minister Buddhadev Bhattacharya, Mr Chakraborty has already lost leadership of his home district, North 24-Parganas. Mr Saifuddin Chowdhury
has been divested of all party’s responsibility in
Delhi. He was also denied the party ticket in the last
Lok Sabha elections. |
Clarify stand on mosque, Cong told NEW DELHI, Dec 18 (PTI) — The BJP today asked the Congress to clarify whether it would construct a mosque at the disputed site in Ayodhya if it came to power. “The Congress should make it clear if it comes to power, it would construct a mosque at the site in Ayodhya,” party Vice-President J.P. Mathur said here. He told reporters that
former Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao had said that a
mosque would be built at the site and “the party
should clarify whether it would abide by this statement
of its former prime minister.” |
Enforce 2-kids norm for MPs: Paswan NEW DELHI, Dec 18 (PTI) — Communications Minister Ram Vilas Paswan today said India should formulate a national population policy on lines similar to its economic, foreign and education policies. He said India should make a new beginning in the new millennium by enforcing a two-child norm for elected representatives. Politicians should make a beginning themselves, Mr Paswan suggested after releasing a stamp to commemorate the golden jubilee celebrations of the Family Planning Association of India (FPAI) which has pioneered the family planning movement. A two-child norm should
be enforced for representatives of gram panchayats, zila
parishads, state assemblies and the Lok Sabha, the
minister said. |
Kalka-Mumbai special train
announced NEW DELHI, Dec 18 — A train linking Kalka with Mumbai is among the four special trains announced by the Northern Railway to clear the extra rush of passengers around Christmas and New Year. A spokesperson of the Northern Railway told TNS here on Saturday that the train would leave Kalka at 6 pm on Monday and reach Mumbai at 5.25 am on Wednesday. He said the train would also run on December 23, 27 and 30. The other special trains
announced would be from Hazrat Nizamuddin to Madgaon,
Hazrat Nizamuddin to Mumbai and New Delhi to Mumbai. |
Moopanar meets Sonia again NEW DELHI, Dec 18 (UNI) — Tamil Maanila Congress President G.K. Moopanar met Congress President Sonia Gandhi for the second time in the past two days amid continued speculation that both parties would stake claim to form an alternative government in Pondicherry. Mr Moopanar, however,
parried questions on the nature of the talks while
talking to mediapersons before leaving for Chennai. He
merely described it as a courtesy call on the Congress
President. |
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| “White
Christmas” in Mumbai MUMBAI: “A White Christmas’’ in Mumbai where the revellers could frolic in the snow and even have a snowball fight is no longer a figment of imagination. An events management company has tied up with Mr George Jennings, an Australian inventor who will bring his “snow machine’’ to give Mumbaiites a feel of ‘Switzerland’ at its bashes lined up for the Christmas and the millennium. — UNI Subedar kills son Villages to be
named after martyrs 3 convicted for
robbing bags of sugar 2 students
suspended for ragging Train services
disrupted Cong MLA joins
JD (U) Delhi to have
SC, ST commission |
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