Friday, February 19, 1999
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Cong stand on Bihar after Feb 22 CHENNAI, Feb 18 — The Congress will decide its stand on the dismissal of the Rabri Devi government in Bihar when the Congress Working Committee meets in New Delhi on February 22, party leader Sharad Pawar said today.
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MIT "steals" Indian
invention DELHI, Feb 18 — An Indian inventor says a virtual reality device, for which he has filed for patents in this country two years ago has now been stolen by the famed Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
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16 more SP MLAs suspended HC
stays encroachments near Jama Masjid Bhagwat
case: HC reserves order Two
arrested for murder BJP
asks Gehlot to shed Home portfolio |
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Cong stand on Bihar after Feb 22 CHENNAI, Feb 18 (PTI) — The Congress will decide its stand on the dismissal of the Rabri Devi government in Bihar when the Congress Working Committee meets in New Delhi on February 22, party leader Sharad Pawar said today. “Our total approach would be based on whatever is convenient to Congress and whatever is in the interest of the people of Bihar,” Mr Pawar, who arrived here last night on a private visit, told mediapersons before he left for Pune. He was responding to a question about whether the party had formulated a stand on the Rabri Devi government’s dismissal. Asked whether the Congress
would not be antagonising the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD)
if it supported the dismissal, he said his party’s
intention was not to antagonise anybody, but to
strengthen itself. |
SC: no state criteria on MBBS admissions NEW DELHI, Feb 18 (PTI) — The Supreme Court has ruled that states could not refuse admission to a candidate in a medical college after he passed the all-India pre-medical/pre-dental entrance examination test against 15 per cent all-India quota. While directing the Dean of V.M. Medical College at Solapur to grant admission to such a candidate, a three-judge Bench headed by Chief Justice A.S. Anand said, “It is not open to any state to fix additional eligibility criteria in cases of candidates who fall under 15 per cent all-India quota.” In its recent order, the Bench said the eligibility criteria for allotment of seats to MBBS against the 15 per cent all-India quota had been fixed by the Central Board for Secondary Education (CBSE) in consultation with the Medical Council of India (MCI) under a scheme approved by the apex court. “Under that scheme the states and colleges cannot insist upon satisfaction of the ‘state requirements’ as a condition to grant admission to the allottees against the 15 per cent all- India quota,” the Bench said. One Harsh Pratap Sisodia qualified in the entrance examination last year and was allotted a seat for admission to MBBS at V.M. Medical College by the Director-General of Health Services (DGHS). The Dean of the medical college refused to admit Sisodia saying he had passed the intermediate examination without biology, which he passed a year later. The Dean said as per the existing rules in the state, the candidate must pass the intermediate examination in one attempt and Sisodia was refused admission as he did not fulfil the eligibility rule. The Bench noted that the eligibility criteria for admission to the medical colleges, throughout the country, under the 15 per cent all-India quota, as stipulated by the CBSE, did not show that there was any such requirement as was being raised by the Dean of the medical college. “The condition imposed by the Maharashtra state, for passing the qualifying examination ‘in one and the same attempt’ can have no application to the candidates who qualify the entrance examination against the 15 per cent all-India quota,” it said. Referring to the
eligibility criteria fixed by the CBSE and MCI, the Bench
said, “The eligibility criteria having been approved
by this court, it could not have been ignored by the Dean
of the medical college at Solapur. The denial of
admission to the petitioner was thus wholly illegal and
unjustified.” |
MIT "steals" Indian invention DELHI, Feb 18 (UNI) — An Indian inventor says a virtual reality device, for which he has filed for patents in this country two years ago has now been stolen by the famed Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Mr Sandeep Jaitka, who already holds international patents for a fresh air device ‘Rudraksh’ to be used in air-conditioned cars and kitchens, says his invention can create smells and aromas for creating virtual reality. "For example, when Basmati rice is shown being cooked, say in a tv advertisement, viewers can enjoy the aroma as well", Mr Jaitka said. But while waiting for his patent application to be processed by the National Research Development Corporation (nrdc), mit appears to have stolen a march on Mr Jaitka. Prof Robert Langer of mit recently announced that he had perfected a chip which when wired into tv circuitry released appropriate smells that enhanced the illusion of reality. The only good news for Mr Jaitka is that a patent search carried out by the nrdc has failed to show that Professor Langer has any patent against the device. "I have requested the nrdc to take immediate steps to stop the piracy of my invention. I cannot afford to file patents for this invention abroad or carry out further development", he said. Mr Jaitka’s patent is for a device suitable for movie theatres. It uses sensors to trigger off hot air when deserts are shown or cooling effect when there is mountain scenery or flowery smells for gardens. Mr Jaitka’s patent application says the invention can be modified for use along with televisions in a confined space and would be of particular advantage to advertisers. After spending lakhs of rupees on his fresh air device, Mr Jaitka is presently struggling to find a suitable manufacturer for his device which also operates using sensors. According to Mr Jaitka, the sensors detect poisonous gases such as carbon dioxide or low levels of oxygen and compensates by activating the release of fresh air from a compressed gas cylinder. The device is specifically meant for use by people who ride in cars through heavily polluted areas such as traffic intersections and is indispensible for asthma sufferers. Fitted in kitchens, the device can be a boon to housewives who have been shown to be the worst sufferers of poor quality breathing environment which is caused by cooking fumes. Among those who have
evinced interest in the device for which Mr Jaitka holds
USA as well as uk patents are Korean car manufacturers
who propose to use it as original equipment — but
firm contracts have been elusive. |
BJP apprehensive of poll
violence NEW DELHI, Feb 18 — The former Chief Minister of Delhi, Mr Sahib Singh Verma, today stated that the BJP has lodged a complaint with the Election Commission and asked the Centre to sanction additional forces during byelections for two Assembly segments in Delhi on February 22. Addressing a press conference, Mr Sahib Singh alleged the BJP apprehends that the ruling Congress might “utilise the services of anti-social elements” to create disturbance during byelections to Hauz Khas and Nangloi Jat constituency. On the day of Assembly election on November 25, the Hauz Khas Assembly segment witnessed a food poisoning incident in which several persons were taken ill. Challenging the Delhi Chief Minister, Ms Sheila Dikshit, to a public debate on “BJP’s five year rule against Congress’ 45-year misrule at the Centre”, Mr Sahib Singh said the Congress was now claiming as its own the achievements of the previous BJP government. Stating that the two-month-old Congress government had failed on all fronts, the former Chief Minister said Delhiites have suffered an “unprecedented” power and water crisis since the new government came to power. A total of 25 candidates — 12 in Hauz Khas and 13 in Nangloi Jat — are in the fray. There are 1,09,546 voters
in Hauz Khas while Nangloi Jat has an electorate of
1,45,257. A total of 106 polling stations will be set up
in Hauz Khas and 158 in Nangloi Jat. |
HC stays encroachments near Jama Masjid NEW DELHI, Feb 18 (PTI) — The Delhi High Court today stayed all illegal constructions surrounding the historic Jama Masjid here and directed the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to submit photographs of all unauthorised structures before it by the next date of hearing. A Division Bench comprising Acting Chief Justic Devinder Gupta and Justice K.S. Gupta issuing notices to respondents directed the DDA to take the help of the Delhi police in staying the constructions and taking the photographs. The order came on an application moved by the DDA stating that some new unauthorised constructions were coming up around the masjid and sought police protection to stop them. The court was hearing
public interest litigations by the Indian National Trust
for Art Culture and Heritage and the Conservation Society
of Delhi seeking direction to the Union and Delhi
Governments to perform their statutory duty to preserve
the monument and stop all unauthorised constructions
around the masjid. |
Bhagwat case: HC reserves order NEW DELHI, Feb 18 (PTI) — The Delhi High Court today reserved its order for March 5 on a petition challenging the dismissal of Admiral Vishnu Bhagwat as the Naval Chief after the Attorney-General and the petitioner argued at length to put their points of view against and for the “maintainability” of the plea. A Division Bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Devinder Gupta and Mr Justice K.S. Gupta while reserving its order refused to entertain two intervention petitions at this stage, saying “we would like to decide the question of maintainability and the locus standi of the petitioner first.” Questioning the
“locus standi” of Wing Commander H.M. Sethi
(retd) to file a public interest litigation (PIL) to
challenge the dismissal, Attorney-General (AG) Soli
Sorabjee said “there cannot be proxy litigation in
such cases. Bhagwat has consciously and deliberately
chosen not to come to the court and, therefore, no third
party can seek relief for him.” |
Two arrested for murder NEW DELHI, Feb 18 — Two youths were arrested yesterday in connection with the murder of a Nangloi compounder on February 8. The police said the two were identified as Satish and Praveen. Satish had planned the killing of the compounder, Dheeraj, who had allegedly teased his 17-year-old sister. Satish along with Praveen coaxed Dheeraj to accompany them to a field, where they beat him up and strangled him. They later smashed his face and then burnt it to prevent identification. Meanwhile, a 40-year-old woman set herself ablaze in her Govindpuri house in South Delhi yesterday morning after a fight with her husband. In another incident, a 30-year-old person, who duped several Delhi-based businessmen, was arrested by the South West district police. The police said the
conman, who was identified as Rajender Kumar Jain, used
to cheat the businessmen by posing as a customer and
buying goods without making any payments. |
16 more SP MLAs suspended LUCKNOW, Feb 18 (PTI) — Uttar Pradesh Assembly Speaker Kesri Nath Tripathi today suspended 16 more members belonging to the Samajwadi Party for the rest of the Budget session for disrupting House proceedings. With this, a total of 82 SP MLAs in the 107-member legislature group of the party stood suspended for creating noisy and disorderly scenes for the third consecutive day in the Assembly. Of these, 15 SP MLAs, including Leader of Opposition Dhani Ram Verma, have been suspended for three days and the rest for the remaining session. As soon as House began its proceeding with the question hour, SP members wanted to raise the issue of hike in educational fees in various courses and demanded the House to take up the matter immediately. Disallowed by the chair, the SP members stormed into the well of the House forcing adjournment for 30 minutes. Later, when the house reassembled, the Speaker, having failed to restore order, asked the Parliamentary Affairs Minister to move a motion to suspend the SP members for creating disorder. Meanwhile, the Uttar
Pradesh Legislative Council today revoked the suspension
of 10 SP members by a voice vote. The resolution to
revoke the suspension, which was ordered on Tuesday for
15-day for creating disorderly scenes, was moved by
Leader of the House and Urban Development Minister Lalji
Tandon after teachers group leader Om Prakash Sharma
raised the issue during the zero-hour. |
BJP asks Gehlot to shed Home portfolio JAIPUR, Feb 18 (PTI) — The BJP today demanded that Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot quit as Home Minister alleging the law-and-order machinery in the state had failed to curb the growing incidence of crime, dacoity, rape and murder in two-and-a-half months of Congress rule. “The Chief Minister, who holds the Home portfolio, should quit this very department as he proved to be an incompetent Home Minister”, BJP state vice-president Ghanshyam Tiwari told reporters here. Producing a list of crimes reported since December one last, he alleged, “there were at least 31 rape cases, 11 looting cases and 28 murders in the state.” “One Christian woman in Basnwara district and one Australian woman tourist in Jaipur were raped but the Home Ministry is covering up these cases to save itself from humiliation,” he alleged. “Rajasthan is not
unlike Bihar and Orissa where the crime rate has gone up
alarmingly,” he said. |
Tohra should ‘quit’ NEW DELHI, Feb 18 — The Delhi unit of the Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal), has accused the SGPC chief, Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra of playing to the tunes of the Congress. The President of the Delhi SAD (Badal), Mr Avtar Singh Hit, told newspersons here that the SGPC chief would be responsible for the return of militancy in Punjab. He alleged that Mr Tohra was responsible for the ongoing crisis and should step down as he is also a Rajya Sabha member. “Mr Tohra has been
holding this office for the past 25 years without making
any significant contribution. He should resign
immediately. There is no dearth of worthy candidates in
our party who can replace him,’’ Mr Hit said. |
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| Pact for Calcutta-Dhaka bus
service NEW DELHI: India and Bangladesh have signed an agreement and a protocol for introduction of a two-way bus service between Calcutta and Dhaka. An agreement and a protocol for international of bus service on the Calcutta-Dhaka-Calcutta route was initialled by India and Bangladesh here on Wednesday following two days of official level talks, Foreign Secretary K. Raghunath, told newsmen. — PTI Student shot by ultras 11 sentenced to
life Indian wins
photography contest 5 die in road
mishap 75-year-old
stabbed to death HC seeks report on
juvenile homes Hayat Ullah Ansari
dead |
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