Friday, January 8, 1999
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Sainiks to block bus to Pak NEW DELHI, Jan 7 — The bus service from Delhi to Lahore is likely to commence after January 20 amidst the Shiv Sena’s threat to disrupt it. Probe plot behind book: Mann NEW DELHI, Jan 7 — The Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) has sought the intervention of the President in unearthing the conspiracy behind ‘Vanity Incarnate’, a book authored by Mohali-based journalist Harinder Singh. |
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Minorities panel visits Dangs GANDHINAGAR, Jan 7 — A two-member team deputed by the National Commission for Minorities to inquire into the attacks on Christians in Dangs district of Gujarat today sought details of the incidents from the state government officials and members of the Christian community.
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Payoffs taken to cut
naphtha price, alleges Congress Iranian
films generate interest Genetically
engineered cotton and suicides Tibetans
protest at Embassy |
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Sainiks to block bus to Pak NEW DELHI, Jan 7 — The bus service from Delhi to Lahore is likely to commence after January 20 amidst the Shiv Sena’s threat to disrupt it. The final "dry run" for the proposed bus service will be held tomorrow with a bus load of Indian officials taking off for the Pakistani city. The Shiv Sena’s Delhi unit president, Mr Jai Bhagwan Goel, told The Tribune that "we will not allow any bus service between India and Pakistan." While stating that the "dry run" would not face any problem from their party, Mr Goel said "when the final service starts, we would resort to all measures to stop the bus." Accusing Pakistan of aiding and abetting terrorism in the country and indulging in the massacre of Kashmiri Pundits, he said "how can you allow the bus of a country which is bent on destroying us." Delhi Transport Minister, Mr Parvez Hashmi, said the Pakistan Government has already accorded permission for a full-fledged "dry run". The bus will start at 6.30 am either from the Inter State Bus Terminus or Ambedkar Stadium and some personnel from the Delhi Police will accompany about 25 to 30 officials, both from the Central and Delhi Government, to Lahore, he said. He stated that the Delhi Government was ready to start a regular service to Lahore "anytime after January 20" and was waiting for a go-ahead from the Home Ministry. The bus, which will run four times a week from both sides, will take nearly 14 hours to cover a distance of 526 km passing through Wagah border, the minister said. The 36-seater deluxe bus will travel on the days the Samjhauta Express does not run. The likely stoppages are at Pipli in Haryana and Sirhind and Kartarpur in Punjab before stopping at Wagah border. Though the fare of the bus is yet to be worked out, it would be nearly Rs 600, inclusive of three meals. An international phone dial facility would also be made available on board. The minister said if the
bus breaks down in Haryana or in Punjab, a deluxe bus of
the state transport authority would pick-up the
passengers and drop them at Wagah. Passengers will have
to board from Delhi or Lahore alone. The Haryana Cabinet
has decided to waive passenger tax as a goodwill gesture. |
Minorities panel visits Dangs GANDHINAGAR, Jan 7 — A two-member team deputed by the National Commission for Minorities to inquire into the attacks on Christians in Dangs district of Gujarat today sought details of the incidents from the state government officials and members of the Christian community. The team comprising of the commission's Vice-Chairman Bava Singh and member Dr James Massey, discussed the issue with the state chief secretary L.N.S. Mukundan, additional chief secretary (home) V.V.P. Subbarao and secretary in the social justice and empowerment department Dr P.K. Das. The commission members also met a delegation of Christians, official sources said here. The team, scheduled to return to Delhi tomorrow, is expected to submit its report to the commission and the central government in the next few days. AHMEDABAD: Former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda today described the atrocities on Christians in Gujarat as a national shame and demanded dismissal of the Keshubhai Patel government for its failure to protect the minorities. Addressing a press conference here after touring Dangs district in south Gujarat, he charged Chief Minister Patel with "directly or indirectly" supporting the activities of those perpetrating the atrocities on the minorities and said it was the responsibility of the state government to protect them. However, when asked if he would similarly demand dismissal of the J.H. Patel government in his home state Karnataka with regard to the recent communal clashes there, the Janata Dal leader said the two cases were different. "In Gujarat, unprovoked attacks and burning of churches have taken place". NEW DELHI: The Rashtriya Janata Dal today demanded that the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Bajrang Dal and Rashtriya Swayam Sevak Sangh be outlawed forthwith given their stepped up "militant activities" against the minority communities. RJD General Secretary and former Union Minister of State for Home Mohammed Taslimuddin, MP urged the Centre to impose a blanket ban on these "fundamentalist organisations" and accused the Centre of inaction which emboldened these organisations to pursue their "nefarious designs to torture and harass the minority communities." This was evident from the series of incidents in Gujarat such as the attacks on Christians in Dangs and Surat districts, the RJD leader said adding that such incidents besmirched the country's reputation abroad and damaged its secular fabric. He expressed the hope that the Prime Minister who was likely to visit Gujarat this week, would initiate the severest action against these organisations at the earliest. Meanwhile the Bharatiya Janata Party today criticised the Congress for ‘damaging’ the nations social fabric by making unfounded comments over "stray incidents" in Gujarat. It is regrettable that a senior politician like Mr Sharad Pawar, who is also the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, should make a frivolous charge alleging that the unfortunate stray incidents in Gujarat were "carefully planned by the BJP and the RSS", the BJP vice-president, Mr Jagdish Prasad Mathur said here today. Calling upon every section not to politicise stray incidents by insinuating motives, Mr Mathur said that the government was committed to secularism and security. When asked for a comment
on the damaging of the cricket pitch at the Ferozshah
Kotla grounds in the Capital by the Shiv Sena yesterday
night, Mr Mathur said the party condemns all such
incidents. "It is an incident of unwarranted
bravado", he said expressing the hope that the
matches would be held as scheduled. |
Nationwide ban on ‘Vanity
Incarnate’ sought NEW DELHI, Jan 7 — The Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) has sought the intervention of the President in unearthing the conspiracy behind ‘Vanity Incarnate’, a book authored by Mohali-based journalist Harinder Singh. In a memorandum to the President, the party has expressed the apprehension that the mischievous book is part of a conspiracy to destabilise Punjab, especially during the celebrations of the 300 years of the birth of Khalsa. The party, led by Mr Simranjit Singh Mann has demanded a probe by a sitting judge of the Supreme Court and a nationwide ban on the book. The memorandum has further demanded that the writer, publisher and their accomplices be booked under the National Security Act. Mr Ajit Inder Singh Mofar, MLA and leader of the party in the Punjab Assembly, told newspersons here yesterday that the extent of the conspiracy can be gauged by the fact that the book is available abroad. Mr Jaswinder Singh Virk, President, Delhi State SAD (Amritsar), said, “The book has been banned by the Punjab Government but we want a nationwide ban on the book. We cannot hear or read anything said or written against our gurus. He has made slanderous and irresponsible remarks about our Gurus, including Guru Gobind Singh and Guru Teg Bahadur.” Mr Mofar said that both Harinder Singh and his wife were arrested on a complaint. While his wife was released on bail, Harinder Singh was booked under the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Prevention) Act. He said that in his interrogation report, Harinder Singh pleaded innocent and said that he had written the book at somebody’s behest. Mr Mofar said that the person named by Harinder Singh had absconded. Mr Mofar said that the book has created unrest amongst Punjabis and charged the ruling Akali Dal-BJP Government in Punjab with “shielding the accused.” The allegations made by the party can hardly be disputed. The book published by Aman Preet Publishers last month is replete with comments on the Gurus. The writer has not even spared Guru Teg Bahadur’s wife, Mata Gujari. So much so, that it is not quoteworthy. Not only this, Lord Krishna has also been targeted in the book. The book describes one Akal Takht Jathedar as being engaged in “rewriting the Sikh history.” As Mr Jaswinder Singh Virk says, “The writer is afraid to express his views on persons who are alive but has written about people who are dead.” This is not the first book
authored by Harinder Singh. According to the back cover
of the book, his book ‘Wild Imaginations’ on
the contemporary lifestyle of Punjabis was published by
the National Publishing House in 1994. He has also been
on the payrolls of several newspapers. |
Naval Chief’s dilemma on
keeping Harinder NEW DELHI, Jan 7 — The situation in which the new Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral Sushil Kumar, finds himself is one in which none elevated to this post would like to be in. Besides being appointed the Naval Chief in a controversial decision after the sacking of Adm Vishnu Bhagwat for not very clear reasons, Admiral Kumar also finds himself in a dilemma over whether or not to retain Vice-Admiral Harinder Singh as the Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff (DCNS). It was the defiance of Admiral Bhagwat in not accepting the appointment of Vice-Admiral Harinder Singh, as the DCNS which let to his dismissal. Although the government later clarified that this was not the sole reason for the dismissal of Admiral Bhagwat and his defiance on matters pertaining to national security was also responsible for the action against him, the fact remains that it was due to the stand-off between the two seniormost officers of the Navy that the force was forced to wash its dirty linen in public. However, it has definitely left Admiral Kumar thinking on whether to now accept the government’s appointment of Vice-Admiral Harinder Singh or to seek other senior officer as his Personal Staff Officer (PSO). The post of the DCNS is incidentally a PSO post and had actually led to the differences between Admiral Bhagwat and Vice-Admiral Harinder Singh. Sources at the Naval Headquarters (NHQ) said that there was a rethinking on the appointment and the new chief could actually seek a replacement for Vice Admiral Harinder Singh as DCNS. There were also reports that Vice-Admiral Harinder Singh could even be asked to quit which would also give the government some face saving. The reports said that Vice-Admiral Harinder Singh was likely to be in the Capital tomorrow to meet the new Naval Chief and a decision might be taken. But the sources said that there was some hard thinking underway with the NHQ over the issue and there were efforts to ensure that a message of maintaining discipline was conveyed. The sources said the new Naval Chief would not have many options in the case of Vice-Admiral Harinder Singh. While he just might not like to see the Fortress Commander as the DCNS, specially after such a controversy over the appointment, the latter might not like to be posted to the Southern Command, which is a training command. The appointment of Vice-Admiral Harinder Singh to the Southern Command would also mean a demotion for him as the post of DCNS was a key one, especially in regard to operations. Meanwhile, there was a mixed reaction within the force over the sacking of Admiral Bhagwat. While senior officers were not ready to comment, there was a strong feeling that there must also be action against Vice-Admiral Harinder Singh. There was a feeling that if Admiral Bhagwat could be sacked for defying his superiors, the same logic must also hold for Vice-Admiral Harinder Singh. There was also a feeling that even the former Defence Secretary should be made accountable for ignoring the suggestions from the NHQ over a period of time. And that even the Defence Minister was responsible for not restraining the former Naval Chief, especially when it became clear that he was defying orders regularly. The officers were also
unhappy over the fact that the Prime Minister, Mr Atal
Behari Vajpayee, instead of staying away from the
controversy, unknowingly became part of it after
attending the new year’s eve party at the residence
of the Fortress Commander. The Vice-Admiral’s wife,
Meena Singh, issued a statement next day in which she
defended the actions of her husband and criticised
Admiral Bhagwat. |
Payoffs taken to cut naphtha
price, NEW DELHI, Jan 7 — The Congress today demanded that the Government should pass the benefit of reduction in international prices of diesel to consumers and charged that kickbacks were received for lowering the prices of naphtha and allowing its use in other sectors. The party said the international prices of petroleum had touched an all-time low of $ 11 per barrel as against the budget projection of $ 16. “A huge saving is being made. This must be passed on to consumers,” the Congress spokesman, Mr Ajit Jogi, said demanding a reduction on diesel and other petroleum products. Mr Jogi said instead of reducing the prices of diesel, the Government brought down that of naphtha which is primarily used in power and fertiliser. He said the Government had now allowed its use in manufacture of paints and rubber. Quoting figures, he said, the price of naphtha during May last year was fixed at Rs 15.05 per litre which was later brought down to Rs 5.50 per litre in August. The Congress said the price of naphtha was lower than any other product being sold in market and charged that this also resulted in adulteration of petrol and diesel. He said the reduction in prices of naphtha had resulted in loss of revenue to the tune Rs 200 crore and alleged that kickbacks were received for the decision to allow its use in other areas and reduction in price. The Government, he said,
should enquire into the episode. |
Iranian films generate interest HYDERABAD, Jan 7 — With two days left for the curtains to go up on India’s biggest cine event IFFI 99, delegates from the major cinema centres of Bombay, Calcutta, Chennai and other places have begun trickling in. The ‘Cinema of the World’ section of the festival is likely to be the main centre of interest for those interested in the latest trends in films. Over 200 films, Indian and foreign, will be screeened over ten days. Besides there will be two seminars and daily discussions in the ‘open forum’ outside cinema halls. Italy’s Bernado Bertolucci, Shekhar Kapoor, Shyam Benegal, Mrinal Sen and the inveterate festival buff and activist Shabana Azmi, will lend colour to the event. The USA, with 12 films, dominates this segment. Of these, Chris Eyre’s Smoke Signal and Todd Solondz’s Happiness have already won awards. Apart from Shekhar Kapur’s Elizabeth, an entry from the UK, another significant British film is Simon Shore’s Get Real. Six Canadian films are competing among them the award winning, Charles Biname’s Streetheart (Grand Prize at Karlovy Vary 98), Denis Villeneuve’s August the 32nd on Earth and Manon Briand’s 2 Seconds (Best Director at Montreal World Film Festival). Denmark, the Czech Republic and South Korea, too, have entries including the much feted South Korean Spring in My Hometown and Whisper from the Czech Republic. France, normally in the forefront at previous festivals, is represented by a package of 6 films. But the real catch in this section will be films from as Russia, Japan, China and Iran. Films from these countries establish an instant affinity with Indian film buffs because of familiar thematic patterns, honesty of purpose and concern for the human condition. During the past years Iranian cinema has captivated audiences to a point where some feel cinema in the west has exhausted its thematic possibilities, and really purposeful films are now produced in Asia. This year, of the 5 films sent by Iran, two films by Abolfazl Jalili, namely ‘Dance of Dust’ and ‘Don’ have already won prizes at festivals elsewhere. Of the other films those that merit mention are: Dance me to my Song (Australia) screened at Cannes ‘98. Debt of Love (Austria), Suzie Washington (Best Austrian Film), Sekal has to Die (Czech.) and two films from Greece, Dharma Blue Bombs and Six to Six. Interestingly, the panorama section of the festival this year is loaded with films in Malayalam and Bengali. For a change, after several years, a Punjabi film Shaheed-e-Mohabbat Boota Singh has found a place. Normally, these films attract foreign delegates who rarely find an opportunity to see films made in Indian languages. Sadly, this year, barring
a few exceptions, like Santosh Sivan’s Terrorist
(Tamil) Jahnu Barua’s Kuhkhal (Assamese), most
films, including the Punjabi one, have not been rated to
be of festival level. Interestingly, Ram Gopal
Varma’s Satya, s super-hit at the commercial
circuit, and now a part of the Panorama section, compares
admirably with the best in this lot. |
Genetically engineered cotton and suicides CHENNAI, Jan 7 (PTI) — Could the recent spate of suicides by farmers in Andhra Pradesh be due to any surreptitious field trials of genetically engineered cotton in the state? Dr Pushp M Bhargava, a former Director of the Hyderabad-based Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), who is attending the Indian science congress here, told journalists he suspected surreptitious trials on genetically engineered cotton could have been responsible for the recent spate of suicides in the state. However, the Department of Biotechnology Secretary Dr Manju Sharma, who is also general president of the congress, told PTI that she did not believe it was possible for any firm to conduct clandestine trials on genetically engineered organisms in the country. “We have very stringent guidelines that are continuously revised, even experts from the USA have praised the stringent guidelines,” she said. Dr Sharma said India was in the process of evolving safeguards as is being done elsewhere in the world. Earlier addressing a plenary session at the congress Mr Bhargava wanted to know whether any official agency had gone into reasons for the spate of suicides by cotton-growing farmers in Andhra Pradesh. He wanted to know why farmers committed suicide in Andhra Pradesh alone when other states in India also suffered similar losses in cotton production last year. Later in reply to queries by journalists, he presented statistics which showed that several states in India had also registered a decline in cotton production during 1997-98 compared to 1996-97, besides Andhra Pradesh, these included Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Maharashtra. But losses in these states were evenly spread across the states, unlike Andhra where losses occurred in only two districts — Guntur and Warrangal — where farmers were reportedly told not to use any pesticide, according to Mr Bhargava, in these districts many farmers suffered almost 100 per cent crop loss. The genetically engineered cotton development by Monsanto is resistant to attacks by the bollguard worm and does not need pesticide application. Mr Bhargava told
journalists he suspected that the fact that farmers were
advised not to use any pesticide indicated that probably
they were being supplied the Monsanto seed. |
Tibetans protest at Embassy NEW DELHI, Jan 7 (PTI) — Activists of Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC) today tried to storm the Chinese Embassy here and burnt Chinese flags in front of the mission to protest against China’s “occupation of Tibet”. Though the TYC claimed that its activists scaled the walls of the mission to hand over a letter addressed to Chinese President Jiang Zemin, police officials said the protesters were not allowed to go anywhere near the embassy. Police had put up barricades 500 metres away from the mission but about 60 agitators reached very close to the embassy in a bus through a different route. “We reached there in time and chased away the trouble makers,” officials at the Chanakyapuri police station said. They said the activists shouting anti-China slogans burnt two Chinese flags they had brought with them. They left after shouting slogans for about half an hour. The demonstration came after over a week of protest marches held by Tibetans in some northern cities. Over one lakh Tibetans
living in exile in India have been demanding appointment
of a UN rapporteur for Tibet and discussion by the
General Assembly on the issue. |
Birendra to be R-Day guest NEW DELHI, Jan 7 — Nepalese King Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev will be the chief guest at the Republic Day celebrations on January 26, it was officially announced. King Birendra, who will pay a state visit in the last week of January, will have wideranging discussions with President K.R. Narayanan, Vice-President Krishan Kant and Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee on regional and bilateral issues. The Nepalese King had last come to India in October, 1997, on a private visit. His visit assumes
significance as it comes close on the heels of the two
neighbours signing, a new transit treaty. |
Jolt to Manipur Ministry IMPHAL, Jan 7 (UNI) — The Nipamacha Singh-led coalition government in Manipur suffered yet another jolt when two independent MLAs withdrew their support yesterday, Raj Bhavan sources said. The strength of the ruling United Front in the 60-member assembly was reduced to 35 with the withdrawal of support of Mr D.P. Panmei and Mr A.K. Langam, Independents. The seven-member Manipur People’s Party (MPP) had withdrawn its support to the Nipamacha ministry on December 31. Two MPP ministers also resigned following their party’s decision. The Independent MLAs
yesterday submitted a joint letter to Manipur Governor
O.N. Shrivastava indicating the withdrawal of their
support from the government, sources said. |
60 lakh looted in daylight robbery NEW DELHI, Jan 7 (PTI) — In a daylight dacoity, armed car-borne desperados, including some in police uniform, snatched Rs 60 lakh from a man in the Pitampura area of north-west Delhi this morning, police sources said. About seven armed men, including three wearing police uniforms and two carrying guns, snatched a briefcase containing the money from Madan Jain while he was on his way to his residence in Pitampura around 11.30 a.m., the sources said. The desperados escaped in a white Maruti towards Madhuban Chowk after committing the dacoity, police said. Jain had kept the money
for registration of his house, the sources said. |
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DD, AIR staff call off strike NEW DELHI, Jan 7 (PTI) — Agitating engineering and technical employees of All India Radio and Doordarshan today withdrew their strike following an appeal by Information and Broadcasting Minister Pramod Mahajan. The employees were on a 72-hour country-wide strike since yesterday in protest against "non-implementation of pay scales of subordinate engineering cadres recommended by the Prasar Bharti Board". According to an official announcement, the agitating unions took the decision following an appeal by the minister in which he said the government was seriously considering the demands of subordinate engineering staff of AIR and DD, right from helper to assistant engineers regarding their pay scales. He assured the agitating employees that the government expected to take a final decision before the end of this month itself, including about its implementation. — Government is also looking into the legitimate demands of other sections of Akashvani and Doordarshan employees who have shown greater restraint so far", he said. In view of the appeal, the leaders of the agitating Association of Radio and Television Engineering Employees (ARTEE) and Akashvani and Doordarshan Technical Employees Association (ADTEA) said that they have decided to resume duties immediately. "We will review the
situation in the first week of February to decide further
course of action", they said. |
JBSP leaders invited for talks LUCKNOW, Jan 7 (PTI) — Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Kalyan Singh today invited leaders of the Jantantrik Bahujan Samaj Party, a major ruling alliance partner, for a meeting on January 11 to sort out "differences" after four ministers of the JBSP boycotted Cabinet meeting for the second consecutive day. Four JBSP ministers kept
away from the Cabinet meeting yesterday and today
accusing the Chief Minister of ignoring their party's
"legitimate demands" and describing his failure
to consider these as "errant behaviour". |
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| Yoga and heart disease CHENNAI: A study in the Delhi-based AIIMS has shown that the practice of yoga can help treat coronary heart disease, the Science Congress was told on Wednesday. Dr S. C. Manchanda, who is studying the effects of yoga on heart patients at the AIIMS, told a plenary session of “new biosciences” that he had obtained “positive results”. Forty-two patients were divided into two groups of 21 each, and one of the groups was made to lead a “yoga lifestyle”, while the other was not. After some time, coronary angiography showed that the cardiac condition of those who practised yoga remained stable, while that of the others had worsened. — PTI Five UP engineers suspended FM’s adviser
protests with US Embassy Man stabbed to
death in crowded bus |
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