Saturday, January 9, 1999

• Crime up, but LG says Delhi is safe

Budget session
NEW DELHI, Jan 8 — The Budget session of Parliament is likely to begin on February 22 and the General Budget presentation would be advanced by a day as February 28 is a Sunday.

Public schools seek tax exemption
NEW DELHI, Jan 8 — The Federation of Public Schools which comprises unaided recognised schools in the Capital, has sought total exemption from property tax saying that these were not being run for profit.

Husain to set up unique museum
HYDERABAD, Jan 8 — Noted painter Maqbool Fida Husain will set up a unique museum christened “cinema ghar” to promote, among other things, excellence in meaningful cinema and encourage talented film makers.

• Security at Chinese Embassy up
• Students riot as bus crushes boy
• Fashion fusion by Pak models
• Bank staff strike on Jan 12

Delhi cops fit but few: Sheila
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, Jan 8 — The Delhi Chief Minister, Ms Sheila Dikshit, yesterday sought immediate augmentation of the Delhi police force, saying that law and order situation was taking a turn for the worse.

She said the police should have anticipated Wednesday night’s act of vandalism by the Shiv Sena at the Ferozeshah Kotla Grounds in view of the Indo-Pak cricket test match from January 20.

“I hope they (police) would be alert now,” she said. Without naming Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray, Ms Dikshit said certain statements emanating from Mumbai were responsible for the episode.

Agreeing that there was a shortfall of police personnel, the Chief Minister said, “It is just not keeping with the population of the city, our police force is fit enough but not adequate.”

Reacting sharply to statistics about crimes given by Lt-Governor Vijai Kapoor, yesterday, she said, “all statistics you dole out would not make people feel secure.”

The LG had claimed that only money-related crimes like theft and burglary were showing an increase while crime against women and murders were on the decline.

“I want to emphasise that no matter what figures show, the general impression is that the law and order situation is deteriorating and we have to take immediate steps to give citizens a sense of security,” Ms Dikshit said.

About the deployment of paramilitary force in the city following an order by Union Home Minister, Mr L.K. Advani, she said, “It will not help much to have some forces for 10 to 15 days before they move on to their next assignment.”

Asked whether she would demand transfer of the Delhi police to the State Government, Ms Dikshit replied in negative, but agreed that “multiplicity of authority” was hindering the Government’s work.

On the power front, Ms Dikshit said the Delhi Government had sought 300 MW additional power from the Centre to meet the increasing demand in the Capital.

Ms Dikshit said she had written a letter to this effect to Union Power Minister P.R. Kumaramangalam. Delhi currently has a peak time requirement of 2600 MW while the availability is only 2300 MW.

Admitting that the Delhi Vidyut Board’s transmission system was in a “bad shape” and maintenance poor and substandard, she said the Government was taking short-term measures to improve the situation.

Crime up, but LG says Delhi is safe
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, Jan 8 — The Delhi Lt-Governor, Mr Vijai Kapoor, today claimed that the Capital was a “safe place” to live in, even as the crime graph continued to soar.

Reviewing the law and order situation for the third time in the past eight days, Mr Kapoor assured the citizens that “the crime has not shot up alarmingly.... Delhi is a safe place to live,” even as a group of dacoits struck at a watch shop and decamped with goods worth several thousand rupees in the Tilak Nagar area of West Delhi.

Mr Kapoor told reporters that “action on an enhanced level” would be taken in the next ten days to build confidence among the people.

Police Commissioner V.N. Singh stated that the police would move the court to cancel the bail of Delhi unit Shiv Sena chief Jai Bhagwan Goel.

Members of the Shiv Sena are allegedly involved in the vandalism of the Kotla cricket grounds and they have threatened to disrupt the Delhi-Lahore bus service.

Budget session likely from Feb 22

NEW DELHI, Jan 8 (PTI) — The Budget session of Parliament is likely to begin on February 22 and the General Budget presentation would be advanced by a day as February 28 is a Sunday, official sources said today.

The Budget session, which usually begins in the third week of February, is expected to be slightly delayed in the wake of Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee’s foreign tour in the middle of February.

The Railway Budget is likely to be presented on February 25 followed by the tabling of the economic survey on the next day.

The Budget is presented on the last working day of February which means it should be presented on Friday, February 26, sources said. However, as the starting of the session is slightly delayed. The Budged is expected to be presented on Saturday, February 27.

There would be no other business on that day as Parliament does not sit on Saturdays. Sources said as per the mandatory requirement, Bills to replace the four Ordinances issued recently would be brought before Parliament on the first day of the session which begins after the customary joint session of Parliament for presidential address.

The four Ordinances are on Prasar Bharati, Patents Amendment, Central Vigilance Commission and Companies Act Amendment to allow buyback of shares by companies.

Jyoti Basu favours fresh poll

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, Jan 8 (PTI) — West Bengal Chief Minister and CPM Politburo member Jyoti Basu today said his party would prefer fresh poll to the formation of an alternative government with the support of other parties, if the Congress refused to take the initiative in the event of the fall of the BJP-led government at the Centre.

Speaking at a Meet-the-Press programme of the Thiruvananthapuram Press Club, Mr Basu said Left parties had only a few members in Parliament and the number was not sufficient to form a government. “There was no question of the Left parties accepting Congress support to form an alternative government. Under those circumstances, the Left parties will go for fresh elections. In any case, even if the Congress forms an alternative government, it is not going to last for five years,” he noted.

Mr Basu said the CPM’s party congress at Calcutta had decided to extend issue-based support to the Congress only to keep the “communal” BJP away from power.

Public schools seek tax exemption
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, Jan 8 — The Federation of Public Schools which comprises unaided recognised schools in the Capital, has sought total exemption from property tax saying that these were not being run for profit.

In a memorandum to the Delhi Chief Minister, Ms Sheila Dikshit, the federation claimed that more than seven lakh students were receiving education at schools run by 1000 societies registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860.

“These charitable societies are maintaining regular accounts and are exempt from income tax.

The entire income is used for the promotion of societies’ aims and objectives. Societies are not run for profit,” federation General Secretary K.L. Luthra and Chairman R.P. Malik said in a memorandum.

The federation members also submitted a six-point charter of demands to the Delhi Education Minister, Dr Narendra Nath, here yesterday.

Shiv Singh captures nature
From Tripti Nath
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, Jan 8 — In a metropolitan dominated by concrete, a solo exhibition of refreshing water colour paintings of nature by Panchkula-based sculptor and painter, Shiv Singh is more than welcome.

The exhibition was inaugurated on January 2 and would conclude on Saturday.

Singh’s love for nature is reflected in his effortless brushwork. Using the technique of blending, Singh has taken up the theme of cosmic forms for the first time.

Worthy of notice is the fact that the Singh has once again mustered courage to include over half-a-dozen frames on mild erotica. The controversy over his Bull and Women series exhibited in 1995 is still fresh in his mind. “ But Singh dismisses it as inconsequential and asks, “What is the big deal?” He cannot help exclaiming, “Aren’t we hypocritical? Don’t we see animals making love on the road?”

While most of the 34 frames adorning the walls of the gallery are abstract, a few cosmic forms are suggestive. To Singh’s mind, these only hold a mirror to reality. He is looking forward to an opportunity to exhibit more frames of strong erotica at an exhibition in Germany in November.

Capturing the movement of water, the leaves, the buds and the shoots, Singh’s paintings speak volumes of his Wordsworth-like proximity with nature.

Although his paintings are not titled, it is not difficult to decipher the beautiful union of human forms in his compositions.

Singh who is primarily a sculptor says, “My inspiration dates back to my childhood spent at the foothills of Shivaliks at my Bassi Ghulam Husain village in Hoshiarpur.”

Black recurs in all his compositions. In some, it dominates. Singh’s preference for black is fairly well known as he wears only black clothes. He explains, “Black is a very aristocratic colour. It is the richest of colours and has a quality of absorbing all colours. It is a colour of mystery.”

Some of Singh’s compositions convey his belief in reincarnation.

Punjab’s gifted artist, designer and sculptor has held 50 one-man shows in India and abroad.

He has been honoured with the National Award in 1979 and the President of India’s Silver Plaque for the best exhibit of the year in 1982. From 1972 to 1982, he was a member of the Lalit Kala Akademi in Delhi.

He has been honoured by the Punjab Arts Council as a leading artist of Punjab in 1979, by the Punjab Governor in 1988 and by the Haryana Governor in 1991. He also held the first Sculptors’ camp in Chandigarh the same year.

He retired from the Home Science College, Chandigarh after 23 years of service.

Most regional films uninspiring
From Gurbachan

HYDERABAD, Jan 8 — Several films in the ‘Indian Panorama’ section of the IFFI, their previews being over, are of uninspiring quality. On the face of it, the panorama section must have the best films produced in Indian languages. But barring films made in Assamese, Malayalam and Bengali, there normally are not many made in other regional languages that can be rated of festival standard.

This year the selectors seem to have adopted a liberal approach. Or perhaps they were hard-pressed to fill the slot with the requisite number of entries. Otherwise, there is no reason why out of the 16 films in this section only four or five deserve notice. In the opinion of this reviewer, these are: Santosh Sivan’s “The Terrorist” (Tamil), Jahnu Barua’s “Kuhkhal” (Assamese), T.V. Chandran’s “Mangamma” (Malayalam) and Ram Gopal Varma’s “Satya” (Hindi).

“The Terrorist,” sheds off the linear track of narration and scratches deep into the complex and normally unfathomable psychic contours of a woman terrorist, called Malli in this film. She is as hardcore as any terrorist can be: full of quiet confidence, single-mindedness of purpose, fearlessness and utterly brain-washed.

Her encounters with a farmer, where she stays before the assassination attempt, start changing her perceptions. The sudden discovery that she is carrying the child of her lover, who died in action, breaks her steely crust. Eventually, she turns out to be as vulnerable as woman, can be. The metamorphosis occurs without much drama, a kind of understatement, which is the hallmark of this film.

Santosh Sivan, who started his career as a cinematographer, is a product of the Film and Television Institute of India. “The Terrorist” is his debut feature film.

Janhnu Barua, the Assamese director and the maker of this year’s entry “Kuhkhal”, is known for slow-paced and unassuming unfolding of his narratives. But there is invariably a sense of brutality in his simplicity.

Fashion fusion by Pak models
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, Jan 8 — To give a new meaning and content to the name of Punjab, artistes and models from India and Pakistan will participate in cultural show, “Punj Darya”, to be held at Gurgaon later this week.

The fashion and cultural extravaganza, being organised by the World Punjabi Organisation, promises to build a cultural bridge between the two nations by creating a fashion fusion.

Famous Punjabi singers like Shokat Ali, Rafaqat Ali Khan, Ibrar-Ul-Haq and Ali Asmat Butt from the Janoon groups would perform.

The show would include comedy by Abid Khan and folk dances.

Security at Chinese Embassy up
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, Jan 8 — The government has strengthened security around the Chinese Embassy in the Capital after yesterday’s incident in which certain Tibetan protesters had illegally entered its premises.

Condemning the incident, a Ministry of External Affairs spokesman said the security was strengthened after consultations with the Chinese Embassy officials.

In response to a question, the spokesman said India “condemns the illegal entry into the Chinese Embassy by some Tibetans on January 7. Such actions undermine law and order as well as the safety and security of diplomatic premises and personnel. The Government of India fully upholds the principle of sanctity and inviolability of diplomatic premises”.

Husain to set up unique museum

HYDERABAD, Jan 8 (UNI) — Noted painter Maqbool Fida Husain will set up a unique museum christened “cinema ghar” to promote, among other things, excellence in meaningful cinema and encourage talented film makers.

The museum, situated in the posh Banjara Hills area in the city will be inaugurated on January 10 to coincide with the commencement of the prestigious 10-day 30th International Film Festival of India.

In a chat with UNI, Mr Husain said the museum would comprise art galleries with rare photographs, depicting the history of world cinema and a theatre with a 40-seat capacity where black and white classics would be screened regularly for the benefit of cinema lovers. It will also have a well-stocked library containing books on the history of world cinema.

He said an annual festival of short black and white films would be held under its aegis to encourage new talents in the genre to make realistic movies.

Asked why he preferred black and white films, Mr Husain said colour as depicted in the commercial films was not developed technically. There were too many pinks and blues in the commercial cinema which were not found in reality.

It would have an interesting photo exhibition telling the story line of his first feature film “Gajagamini” featuring popular actress Madhuri Dixit. The film was to be completed soon for its release, he said.

Students riot as bus crushes boy
From Our Correspondent

NEW DELHI, Jan 8 — Students of Guru Tegh Bahadur Khalsa School in Karol Bagh in Central Delhi smashed buses and shops in the area after a Blueline bus crushed a student to death.

Amandeep Singh, a class VII student of Guru Tegh Bahadur School, who was travelling in a Blueline bus asked the driver to stop the bus. Instead of stopping it, he allegedly sped it. The victim fell down and was crushed by the rear wheels.

A few minutes after the incident, the students of the school smashed the window panes of the bus. At least 10 other buses were also smashed.

The police reached the spot after a long time and reportedly used force to control them.

The driver of the bus has been arrested.

Bank staff strike on Jan 12

MUMBAI, Jan 8 (PTI) — Nearly a million bank workers and officers across the country will resort to a strike on January 12 as the Indian Banks Association (IBA) today remained firm that the banking industry could not afford a wage increase of more than 8 per cent.

Another round of the seventh bipartite wage negotiations between bank unions and the IBA here was unsuccessful in breaking the stalemate as the association made it clear that the banks could not set aside more than Rs 1,000 crore required to meet an 8 per cent wage increase.

The United Forum of Bank Unions, representing officers and employees in public, private and foreign banks, said they stuck to their strike call as the IBA remained adamant on their "final" offer of the overall wage rise equivalent to 8 per cent increase in establishment expenses as on March 31, 1997, with prospective effect.

The forum, in a statement here, said the IBA attached to its "final" offer, made in November, 1998, unacceptable issues like retrenchment, voluntary retirement scheme and wage freeze.

Film on woman politician
NEW DELHI: Rajya Sabha member Shabana Azmi’s latest venture portraying a women’s rise in politics is all set to be screened before an international audience. “Godmother”, in which the noted actress-activist plays the lead role, will form part of a three-film package showcasing Shabana’s repertoire at the International Film Festival of India beginning in Hyderabad from January 10. Reportedly based on the life and times of a controversial female mafia don from Gujarat, the movie’s producers Gramcom Films described it as the story of an illiterate widow who travels from her drought-hit region to a position on power. — PTI

CBI arrests passport official
GUWAHATI: The Central Bureau of Investigation has arrested the Superintendent of the Regional Passport Office on charges of issuing false passports, CBI sources said here on Friday. Pradeep Kumar Cholavia was arrested during raids this week following charges that a good number of false passports were issued in the name of a senior Army officer through a forged letter. — PTI