Saturday, February 27, 1999
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China talks of spring of relations NEW DELHI, Feb 26 — In a significant diplomatic statement, the Chinese Ambassador to India, Mr Zhou Chang, has welcomed the resumption of bilateral dialogue with New Delhi, saying that the Sino-Indian problems were "temporary and can be surmounted". Four sacked by Murdoch |
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Indo-Pak Foreign Ministers to meet
next month NEW DELHI, Feb 26 — The Foreign Ministers of India and Pakistan will meet in Colombo in the middle of next month on the sidelines of the SAARC ministerial meeting to discuss all subjects of mutual concern, including nuclear issue.
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Mamata opposes Hardwar’s
transfer NEW DELHI, Feb 26 — In addition to the Shiromani Akali Dal’s opposition to the merger of Udham Singh Nagar district with Uttaranchal, the opposition of other allies of the ruling BJP to the inclusion of Hardwar in the hill state was in the limelight today. Admiral Bhagwat to get
pension Petrol
station near PM’s house looted BJP
defends Vajpayee govt's policies
Dependent
parents to get pension |
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China talks of spring of
relations NEW DELHI, Feb 26 — In a significant diplomatic statement, the Chinese Ambassador to India, Mr Zhou Chang, has welcomed the resumption of bilateral dialogue with New Delhi, saying that the Sino-Indian problems were "temporary and can be surmounted". "We have consistently believed that the problems cropped up in the Sino-Indian relations are temporary and can be surmounted", Mr Zhou said at a seminar on Sino-Indian relations on Thursday. A team of the Ministry of External Affairs is in Beijing to decide the dates of an official dialogue between the two countries. "As long as the two sides trust each other, do not view one side as a threat to the other, treat each other with sincerity and strictly adhere to the five principles of peaceful co-existence, the spring of Sino-Indian relations is bound to come around.....", the Chinese Ambassador said, adding that there were far too many commonalties than differences between the two nations. Mr Zhou’s comments at the seminar are being taken seriously in the diplomatic circles and are being seen as the beginning of the normalisation of the bilateral ties which had received a setback after India’s nuclear tests in May last year. Statements and utterances of the Defence Minister, Mr George Fernandes, had further aggravated the hurt of the Chinese leadership, the diplomatic sources said. The Chinese envoy further stressed that the only "outstanding" dispute between the two countries was that of boundary which was a "British legacy" and of which China was a "victim". Mr Zhou went on to reiterate China’s known stand that "pending the solution of the issue, peace and tranquillity should be retained along the line of actual control in the border areas". The two sides, Mr Zhou stressed, needed to work hard to develop bilateral relations in various fields to create a favourable environment for the final solution of the dispute. China, Mr Zhou said, appreciated the recent efforts between New Delhi and Islamabad to normalise relations and "supports" the Lahore summit between the two Prime Ministers, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee and Mr Nawaz Sharif. "There was no room for criticism" on the issue of Sino-Pak nuclear cooperation which was for peaceful use of nuclear energy and was under the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards, Mr Zhou said. Mr H.D. Deve Gowda, a former Prime Minister, who was attending the seminar, said "India needs peace so it will cooperate on reasonable terms to solve the boundary dispute". Mr Zhou said in his
concluding remarks that the "two great neighbours
should shoulder responsibilities and obligations to take
a neighbourly relationship of friendly cooperation and
steady development into the new century". |
Indo-Pak Foreign Ministers to meet next month NEW DELHI, Feb 26 (UNI) — The Foreign Ministers of India and Pakistan will meet in Colombo in the middle of next month on the sidelines of the SAARC ministerial meeting to discuss all subjects of mutual concern, including nuclear issue. This was stated by External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh in the Rajya Sabha today while responding to members who sought clarifications on his suo motu statement on Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee's visit to Pakistan. He said the dialogue with Pakistan would be held at the expert, foreign secretary and foreign minister levels, rejecting any suggestion for third- party mediation in the resolution of disputes between the two countries. Some foreign powers has
tried to"fish in troubled waters" in the
subcontinent but New Delhi had firmly told them that
there was no room for outside intervention. |
Four sacked by Murdoch New Delhi, Feb 26 — Mr Ratikant Basu, a former Indian Administrative Service officer who quit Doordarshan chief’s job along with a star-studded team to head the operations of Star TV in India, has been eased out of his job. Along with him, Mrs Bimala Bhalla, a former Senior information officer whose last posting was with the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), Mr B Guha, a former senior Intelligence Bureau (IB) officer and two former government servants, Mr V Basava Raj and Ms Naazish Hussaini, have been shown the door by international media baron, Rupert Murdoch. Mr Basu, however, has not lost his job. Others have been given the sack orders. Mr Basu, who was the Chief Executive Officer of Star TV India, has taken over as Chairman of the new direct-to-home (DTH) company being set up by Star TV. The Indian Government has so far refused to allow the entry of DTH. Only yesterday the Information and Broadcasting Minister, Mr Pramod Mahajan, elaborated on the issue in the Lok Sabha during question hour. The DTH company is a bone of contention for the BJP government at the Centre. Last month it was being said in the corridors of power that Mr Murdoch had met Mr Basu along with a Calcutta-based businessman who deals in steel and telecommunications in Hong Kong in a bid to secure the entry of DTH and a section of the ruling party was also contacted by the players based in Hong Kong. Reliable sources stated that Union Home Minister, L.K. Advani had ordered an inquiry to determine the circumstances under which long-distance parleys were held without the knowledge of the top brass of the BJP. Mr Peter Mukerjea is taking over as the Chief Executive Officer of the Star TV network’s operations in India from Mr Ratikant Basu. The newly appointed CEO and the new Chairman of DTH could not be contacted for comment. Mr Mukerjea has so far been in charge of the advertising sales for India and the Middle East for News India Television, the space-selling arm of Star TV. Star TV in a release said
Mr Sameer Nair had been appointed senior vice-president
(programming). |
Media ‘overplayed’
Dangs incidents NEW DELHI, Feb 26 — The incidents of violence against Christians in Dangs district of Gujarat, were presented in an “exaggerated” manner by the media, according to a report prepared by a study team sent by Panchnad Research Institute. “The incidents were presented in a highly exaggerated manner and largely resulted from the systematic campaign management by a section of the Christian clergy,” the report said. The investigation team comprised Mr Shyam Khosla and Dr N.K. Trikha, journalists and two academicians, Dr K.S. Arya and Dr B.L. Gupta. “Though the total damage to the property did not exceed Rs 4 lakh, it was presented through the media as if a holocaust had taken place. No one either Christian or Hindu was killed. Although several persons were injured, no one was grievously hurt,” the report said. The team found that proselytisation particularly by the Protestants had taken place at a vigorous pace. Allurements, inducements, money lending and faith-healing were used to convert tribesmen, the report said. While Gujarati language
papers reported the incident factually, national and
international media was “deftly used by the
missionaries”, the report said. |
Mamata opposes Hardwar’s
transfer NEW DELHI, Feb 26 — In addition to the Shiromani Akali Dal’s opposition to the merger of Udham Singh Nagar district with Uttaranchal, the opposition of other allies of the ruling BJP to the inclusion of Hardwar in the hill state was in the limelight today. The Capital today witnessed a demonstration against the transfer of Hardwar from UP to the proposed state of Uttaranchal. Led by the Uttar Pradesh Power Minister, Mr Naresh Aggarwal, several members of the Kalyan Singh Cabinet and members of the Loktantrik Congress (the party of former Congressmen who are backing the BJP regime in Lucknow) participated in the rally. The rally was also addressed by the Trinamool Congress chief, Ms Mamata Banerjee, who said every constituent member of the Progressive Alliance, of which she is the chairperson, would ensure that Hardwar was not separated from UP. The alliance is an apex body of the breakaway Congress groups in various states like the ones led by Ms Mamata Banerjee, Mr Suresh Kalmadi, Mr Naresh Aggarwal etc. who are at present backing the BJP government both at the Centre and in some states. With today’s demonstration, apart from the SAD, an ally and partner of the BJP regime, which is opposing the inclusion of Udham Singh Nagar in the proposed Uttaranchal state, a number of allies and partners of the BJP have now arraigned themselves to oppose the transfer of Hardwar as well. Addressing the gathering
Mr Naresh Aggarwal said any move to include Hardwar in
Uttaranchal would be in contradiction to the three
resolutions adopted by the UP Assembly. “Loktantrik
Congress and people of UP will go to any extent to retain
Hardwar within UP”, he asserted. “Hardwar
represents the state’s pride and pilgrimage centre
for both Hindu and Muslim communities and we will not
part with it,” Mr Aggarwal told newsmen. |
Admiral Bhagwat to get pension NEW DELHI, Feb 26 — The government has decided to restore the pension of Admiral Vishnu Bhagwat who was dismissed as Chief of Naval Staff on December 31, 1998. Under normal circumstances, any officer who is peremptorily removed from office forfeits his pensionary benefits which include medicare and canteen facilities, says Asia Defence New International (ADNI). It is understood that Defence Minister George Fernandes held a meeting of senior officials of his Ministry and urged Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee to take a lenient view and allow Admiral Bhagwat to draw his pension. This step has been taken to keep up the morale of the defence forces. When Adm. Bhagwat was given his marching orders after he was embroiled in a controversy over appointment of senior officers in the Navy the government had decided to withhold his pension as per rules governing government servants who are dismissed from service. At his recent press
conference at the Press Club of India Adm. Bhagwat had
said: "I have no resources. I do not have even my
pension but I am not going to beg for it". |
Petrol station near PM’s
house looted NEW DELHI, Feb 26 — In a daredevil robbery, two scooter-borne armed youths decamped with Rs 4 lakh from a petrol station, located less than a kilometre away from the high-security residence of the Prime Minster, early this morning. The suspects gagged employees of Gymkhana Service Station in the Tughlak Road area before taking away the money. The incident occurred at 5 A.M. when the employees were at the petrol station were asleep. Only a guard, Daleep, was awake, the police said. According to the police, the robbers accosted Daleep when he was on his rounds and pushed him inside the room which contained the safe and where four employees were sleeping. The money was kept inside the safe. The three others who were sleeping in the other room were also brought in. The robbers asked the employees for the keys of the safe. The duo took out the cash which had been kept in the safe because of the bank strike. The police said one of the
robbers took out an employee and made him fill the petrol
tank of their scooter. They then pushed him back inside
the room before driving off. The telephone line was also
pulled out. |
BJP defends Vajpayee govt's policies NEW DELHI, Feb 26 — The BJP today put up a spirited defence in the Rajya Sabha of the policies and programmes of the Vajpayee government and rejected opposition charge of "total failure" on all fronts. Participating in the resumed discussion on the motion of thanks to the President’s Address, BJP leader M. Venkaiah Naidu said the Vajpayee government had done extremely well on both national and international fronts in a short span of a year. There has been a qualitative improvement in the situation in Jammu and Kashmir after it had bled for a decade, he said. For the first time in all these years, the Republic Day was celebrated in the state without any violent incidents. He said the situation in the north-east and Naxalite-infested areas of certain states improved considerably after Home Minister L.K Advani’s visit to these areas and his discussion with the local administrations. The Indo-Pakistan cricket test series was held successfully after a gap of 13 years, he said. When the Congress government was in power in 1991, the Pakistan cricket tour had to be cancelled, he recalled. "Can a weak and meek
Prime Minister achieve all these," Mr Naidu asked
opposition members who in their speeches described Mr
Vajpayee as "weak and meek". |
Chandigarh kids’ gesture to save Taj AGRA, Feb 26 (PTI) — A group of schoolchildren from Chandigarh have contributed Rs 20,000 to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) for the maintenance of the Taj Mahal and launched a “save Taj campaign” in their city. Their teacher, Superna Saraswati, presented the cheque to the Superintending Archaeologist, Agra Circle, Mr Dharamvir Sharma here today. Ms Saraswati said the children put aside one rupee every month from their pocket money for the fund as a part of their campaign to save the world heritage monument. They also visited 5,000
houses in Chandigarh asking for donations to save the
Taj, she said. |
Dependent parents to get pension NEW DELHI, Feb 26 (PTI) — The employees pension scheme, 1995, has been amended to make dependent parents eligible for pension, official sources said yesterday. A Labour Ministry notification said the amendment was made on the basis of recommendations of the Central Board of Trustees of Employees Provident Fund. Under the existing provisions of the scheme, in case of death of a person, pension was payable to the widow and children. The government has also
decided to make totally disabled children eligible for
life-long pension in addition to pension payable to
normal children under the scheme. |
Banking operations paralysed NEW DELHI, Feb 26 (PTI) — Banking operations were paralysed across the country on the last day of the two-day strike by bank employees today as unions, pressing for higher wages, set conditions for resuming talks with the Indian Banks Association, representing the management. The strike, called by the
United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU), severely disrupted
work at money markets and foreign exchange in Mumbai as
lakhs of bank employees stayed away from work and
demonstrated outside their offices demanding an 18 per
cent hike in wages. |
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| World Academy award for Dr
Talwar NEW DELHI: Prof G.P.Talwar, scientist emeritus at International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB) here, has been selected for the prestigious Mastroianni-Segal award instituted by the World Academy of Art and Science. The award, which carries $ 10,000 US and a certificate, is given in recognition of contributions to the fields of family planning, contraception and population problems. It will be presented to Dr Talwar at the World Congress of Human Reproduction to be held from May 4 to May 8 in Salvador in Brazil, a release said. Dr Talwar has also been elected as fellow of the academy. — PTI Three die of hepatitis-B Change in vehicle
Act sought Gehlot vacates Lok
Sabha seat Delhi plan outlay
Rs 3,000 cr Coast Guard DG in
soup Republican Party
activist dead Shankar puraskar
for Shashi Prabha |
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