Monday, July 5, 1999
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Pak nuke threat
irresponsible: Mishra President, Army chief laud
troops’ role |
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Postal workers’ plea: CAT
notice to Centre, 5 others Bansi Lal to meet Sonia today
‘Leaders’ sold for
raising funds National govt: RJD writes to
President
Samata Party MP to join RJD
"NCP can affect Cong
prospects" |
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Pak nuke threat irresponsible: Mishra NEW DELHI, July 4 (PTI) — National Security Adviser Brajesh Mishra today said that India would not be the first to use the nuclear weapons against anyone but "if some lunatic tries to do something against us we are prepared for that eventuality". Describing statements from Pakistan that Islamabad was contemplating exercising the nuclear option as "highly irresponsible", he said "it borders on lunacy to talk about nuclear weapons in this situation." "We will not shed our doctrine. That we will not be the first to use nuclear weapons. But if some lunatic tries to do something against us, we are prepared for that eventuality," Mr Mishra said in an interview to ‘Eenadu TV’. The Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister agreed that the reaction of countries like the United States of America and China to the Kargil issue was guided by their own interests but said very often interests coincide. "If China wants peace and stability in border areas, in the countries bordering China, that also coincides with my interests. Similarly, if G-8 and others feel that this conflict, if it escalates, may become a danger to the international community, again it is a coincidence of interests with my interests," an ETV release quoted Mr Mishra as saying. Asked why New Delhi was indulging in secret diplomacy when its Army was fighting a battle on the borders, he said diplomacy never stopped and that it must continue even in worst of circumstances. "After all our objective is to get these intruders away from our side of the LoC... and this can be achieved through the action of armed forces and through diplomatic channels," he said. About the charges that the Vajpayee government was indulging in back-channel diplomacy, Mr Mishra said such diplomacy had been going on under various Prime Ministers. "It is not something new. It has happened before under more than one Prime Minister. It will continue," he said, adding that back-channel diplomacy was part of diplomatic efforts which a country undertakes with regard to problems it wants to solve. Denying that R.K. Mishra, Editor of a newspaper group, accompanied by an official of the Ministry of External Affairs had visited Pakistan on the initiative of the government, he said "if he (official) happened to be on the same plane on which Mr Mishra... and I don’t know whether this is true or not... that is mere coincidence." Mr Mishra claimed that the international community appreciated the "sincerity" of India for solving bilaterally and peacefully problems between India and Pakistan. "Now, every country is saying go back to Lahore process but after restoration of status-quo-ante," he said. About former Minister of
State for Defence Arun Singh’s appointment in the
External Affairs Ministry, he said Singh had offered his
services to the ministry which consulted various people
before appointing him Special Executive Assistant in
honorary capacity. |
President, Army chief laud
troops’ role NEW DELHI, July 4 — The President, Mr K.R. Narayanan, today hailed the recapture of Tiger Hill and said it was a moment of great pride and satisfaction for the entire nation. "We applaud the unparalleled bravery, perseverance and commitment of our soldiers — young officers and jawans — who have made this achievement possible", Mr Narayanan said. The Chief of Army Staff, Gen V.P. Malik on Sunday congratulated the General Officer Commanding 15 Corps, for the gallant operation to capture of the "Tiger Hill". In his message, General Malik said: "Please accept my heartiest congratulations for the glorious manner in which you have got Tiger Hill in Dras vacated of the Pakistan Army intruders. My special compliments be conveyed to all participants of the mission, including the Air Force and specially 8 Mtn Div — my old division — and 18 Grenadiers". "While you all deserve a good pat on the back, do remember that we still have more work to do. We cannot afford to take any respite till our mission is accomplished in full. I have no doubt that ultimately it will be "vijay" for you and the `just cause’ he said. CALCUTTA: Former Army chief Gen Shankar Roychowdhury said he did not think that Pakistan would prefer the nuclear option after Indian jawans accomplished a series of successes in Kargil. "I don’t think Islamabad will indulge in such madness," the former Army chief told newsmen here when asked if the beleaguered and demoralised Pakistan would choose the nuclear option after being internationally and diplomatically cornered. "I was confident of our success in Tiger Hill through well-coordinated and well-planned efforts," he said, calling for maintaining the same degree of precision and endeavour. Highly appreciative of the jawans for achieving tremendous success in freeing the areas of the Pakistan Army regulars and infiltrators, the former Army chief said the recapture of Tiger Hill would provide the troops better domination in the Batalik and Dras sub-sectors and improve monitoring of the vital Srinagar-Leh highway. Gen Roychowdhury was of
the view that no definite time-frame could be drawn on
total flushing of the intruders from the Indian territory
but said the conflict would continue. "It will take
time and we must ensure that our casualty is reduced
considerably," he added. |
Martyrs’ families honoured NEW DELHI, July 4 — She felt proud, but, her eyes were moist. The little ones were overjoyed as they had not realised that their world had changed for ever. As they rose to receive the honour being bestowed on them, the family members of Kargil martyrs could not control their emotions. They dragged themselves to the dais, let the tears roll down their cheeks and let the world know that they were proud of the honour their near and dear ones had earned by sacrificing their lives while fighting the Pakistani army regulars and intruders in Kargil. Ankur, the six-year-old son of Sqn Ldr Ajay Ahuja, was overjoyed with the honour being bestowed to him and his family. He played with the memento, put it on his head and proudly showed it to the audience, even as his mother Alka Ahuja, with her moist eyes kept her composure. Alka said Ankur kept asking about his father. “How do we explain to him that he would never come back.” she said. Ankur said “I would like to be a pilot like my father.” She said “once Ankur grows old, he would join the forces and take revenge.” Tanmay, the three-year-old son of Brig Pankaj Batra, only dreams to become “papa”. The wife of the Kargil martyr, Kajal Batra, was too moved to respond to any query. The family members said “Tanmay would have no choice but to take revenge.” Thirtyfive families, mostly from Punjab and Haryana, were honoured by the All-India Anti-Terrorist Front (AIATF) here today. Ankur and Tanmay were among the 11 children aged between six months to six years who were honoured at the function. The mementos were presented by Lt Gen Jagjit Singh Aurora (retd), hero of the 1971 India-Pakistan war, Air Chief Marshal S K Mehra (retd), noted Punjabi singer Daler Mehndi, AIATF chairman, M S Bitta and executive director of The Hindustan Times, Shobhana Bharatiya. A spellbound audience waved tricolours as sobbing mothers, speechless widows, some holding young babies in their arms, and proud fathers walked up to receive the memento, a shawl and financial assistance. People from all walks of life bowed their heads in honour of the martyrs to the tune of patriotic songs. The national song “Vande Mataram” and melody queen Lata Mengeshkar’s evergreen song “Aye mere watan ke logon” were sung as martyrs’ family members walked up to the podium to be honoured by a galaxy of prominent personalities, including old war-heroes. General Aurora cautioned Pakistan that it was doing more harm to itself by entering into a conflict with India. Air Chief Marshal Mehra called upon the people and society in general to do their bit towards the families of those who had laid down their lives while evicting the Pakistani infiltrators. “They did their duty till the last. Now it is our duty towards them and their families,” he said. Mr Bitta said though the national spirit of oneness had revived following this “crisis” despite politicians’ lust for power, “it is sad ministers and MLAs do not attend the cremation ceremony of martyrs”. Celebrated Punjabi pop king Daler Mehndi exuding confidence of victory at the ongoing conflict, however, said “may be tomorrow Pakistan will again create another such situation”. “We should fight it
out completely. God willing we can pack the Pakistanis
within two days,” Mehndi said. |
Postal workers’ plea: CAT notice to Centre, 5 others NEW DELHI, July 4 (PTI) — The Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) has issued notices to the Centre, Chief Post Master General and four others on a petition seeking regularisation of service of casual labourers working at mass mailing centres of the Department of Posts and Telegraph here. A Division Bench of the CAT also issued notices to the Director of Business Development Cell, Senior Superintendent (Rail Mail), Assistant Superintendent (Rail Mail) and in charge of group-C mass mailing centre-II while hearing a joint petition filed by 18 labourers through lawyer Pradeep Gupta. The court has directed the respondents to file their reply by July 8, the next date of hearing. The petitioners claimed that they had already completed 240 days of service required for regularisation of their job. The labourers alleged that they were forced to pay 20 to 30 per cent of their hard-earned money to certain officials of the department to continue in the job and demanded a CBI inquiry into the matter. The petition accused the officials of committing a "fraud" by withdrawing the sanctioned amount from the department by showing different part-time employees at different times. The officials were using
different names for different months instead of allowing
the same employees to continue to work regularly with a
view to deny them regularisation of services, the
petition alleged. |
Bansi Lal to meet Sonia today NEW DELHI, July 4 — The much-awaited meeting between Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Haryana Chief Minister Bansi Lal is scheduled to be held here tomorrow. Ever since the storm clouds started gathering over the 37-month-old Haryana Vikas Party government in the state, moves were afoot to work out some kind of arrangement with the Congress despite stiff resistance from within. The Congress which came to the rescue of the Bansi Lal government, after its former ally the BJP walked out of the coalition and withdrew support, has been facing dissension in the state unit. As of now, leaders from Haryana having given their assessment to the party’s central leadership are waiting for the outcome of the meeting. “Let us first hear from the Chief Minister, what he has to say. He had promised to abide by the Congress chief’s directions,” a senior party leader and MLA said here. Various leaders including HPCC chief Bhupinder Singh Hooda, former Chief Minister Bhajan Lal and senior leader Birender Singh, MLA have been in touch with central leaders articulating their viewpoint. There are at least two discernible shades of opinion, one is that the Congress should not be further seen in the company of the HVP, which most party workers of the state feel has lost its popularity. The opinion is against the merger of the HVP with the Congress. With the general election expected to be held in three months Congress leaders from Haryana are of the opinion that by aligning with Mr Bansi Lal the Congress would do more harm to itself. The Congress, under Mr Hooda has been working hard to regain lost ground and many state leaders perceive that the party could do well by going it alone. Mr Bhajan Lal has been opposed to the idea of the merger of the HVP with the Congress, a possibility that has been discussed even before the BJP pulled out from the Bansi Lal government. The merger would mean that the Congress strength goes up from 12 to 47 leading to demand of a fresh election of the leader of the Congress Legislature Party. This possibility would lead to a race between Mr Hooda and Mr Birender Singh for the leadership within the Congress in anticipation that Mr Bansi Lal would make way. On the other hand Mr Birender Singh is credited with the view that the Congress should insist on fresh elections in the state. The possibility of the merger became strong after the Rashtriya Janata Party of Mr Shankersinh Vaghela merged with the Congress last month. Congress leaders like Mr Arjun Singh have been working on the merger of smaller parties with the Congress and tie-ups with the others as part of a strategy to take on the BJP as a single entity. The Congress is averse to sharing power with any political party be it in the state or the Centre and a solution to Haryana may have to be found within these parameters Meanwhile, Mr Hooda said
today that he would meet the Congress chief tomorrow
before her meeting with Mr Bansi Lal so that he can give
his assessment of the latest political situation. |
RV’s condition stable New Delhi, July 4 — The condition of former President R. Venkataraman, admitted to the AIIMS earlier this week, was stated to be stable. President K.R. Narayanan today visited the AIIMS and enquired about the health of the former President. The President had one-to-one conversation with Mr Venkataraman, when he visited the hospital this afternoon. Mr Venkataraman was
admitted to the hospital on July 1. |
Kargil conflict NEW DELHI, July 4 (PTI) — The fun was in the pun as the foibles of politicians and maverickian charms and derring-do of celebrities set the tone for a rollicky pre-weekend evening, raising also a few thousands for those fighting in the icy concretes of Kargil. “Every politician has a price, buy them cheap today”, quipped cartoonist Sudhir Tailang as he exhorted the motley bunch of “punned” men and women to buy his on-the-spot caricatures of the purse-lipped premier Atal Behari Vajpayee, “designed robot” Sonia Gandhi, former Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram, Former Prime Minister P.V. Narasamiha Rao, painter Satish Gujral and several more. Drawing impromptu cartoons as the rib-ticklers were being read out by those present from S.H. Venkatramani’s “Satiric Verses”, Girish Karnad’s nephew Bharat Karnad, a policy analyst, read out the one on his uncle. Enjoying the digs at fellow politicians, Deputy Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha, Najma Heptullah offered to read the one on Mr Sitaram Kesri: “An old man was in a tearing hurry to capture the Prime Minister’s Chair./ For morals and public opinion he didn’t seem to care./ He was actually going to bury/ The Congress in his hurry;/ Usually full of bonhomie, he had even begun to swear”. Venkatramani’s verses were witty, sarcastic and yet quite full of adulation for the subject more often than not a pointer to the state of affairs “we have allowed ourselves to sink into”. While Mr Vajpayee’s cartoon was lapped up at a handsome Rs 10,000, that of Mr Chidambaram went for Rs 5,000. But with not many in the mood to part with precious money, it took a bit of persuasion to auction those of Mrs Sonia Gandhi, Satish Gujral (danseuse Sonal Mansingh took it for Rs 600), Mr Manmohan Singh and that of Mr Rao. Finally Mr Rao’s caricature, the well-pronounced pout in place, went for a royal sum of Rs 2600, having started from Rs 100 to Rs 125 to Rs 200 and even Rs 210. On the Prime Minister’s job the limericker feels “The job of a police constable/ will certainly be much more stable;/ Than that of a PM/ who may not last till am;” Mr Chidambaram bought his own caricature in absentia. He left after reading the five-liner on himself and a request to media magnate Shobhana Bharatiya to bid and buy for him. The auction garnered a total of Rs 20,000 for the men fighting it out in the snowy peaks of Kargil. More known to let his
brush do the talking, Tailang’s ascerbic wit was
felt in words too as he got into the mood of the small
but star-studded Friday evening. “Narasimha
Rao”, he led the audience “is designed for
cartooning. He looks exactly like a frog”. |
National govt: RJD writes to President PATNA, July 4 (PTI) — The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) today sought immediate presidential initiative for forming a national government accusing the Vajpayee government of “abject failure in handling the Kargil crisis.” “President K. R. Narayanan should take the initiative for forming a national government as Mr Vajpayee’s caretaker regime has failed to take care of nation’s security concerns, leading to escalation of tension in Kargil,” RJD president Laloo Prasad Yadav told reporters after a meeting of the party’s national executive committee here. “All political parties and the entire nation should be taken into confidence before the formation of the national government,” he said. The RJD executive, he said, felt that a war-like situation had been precipitated due to “gross negligence” and “total lack of commitment to the country’s security concerns” by the Centre. There was total lack of coherence in the government in tackling the Kargil issue with the Prime Minister, the Defence Minister, the Union Home Minister and the External Affairs Minister speaking “contradictory languages all the time,” he charged. “It is a classic case of the left hand not knowing what the right one is doing,” he said. RJD executive committee felt that though India did not favour a war an undeclared one had been thrust on it which should be won “at all costs and as early as possible, even if it means crossing the Line of Control,” he added. Mr Yadav said, not an inch of Indian soil should be ceded and the intruders should be “thrown out dead or alive”. The Rabri Devi Ministry in a late night meeting decided to provide government jobs to jawans rendered handicapped in Kargil. Besides already adopting a policy decision to give Rs 10 lakh to the dependents of those who gave up their life fighting Pakistani intruders, he said. RJD national executive
committee criticised attempts to politicise the Kargil
conflict. |
Better facilities for Mansarovar pilgrims DEHRA DUN, July 4 (UNI) — Accommodation facilities for those travelling to Kailash-Mansarovar will now be enhanced besides the existing facilities being repaired and improved, according to Mr P.C. Sharma, Director, Uttar Pradesh Hill Tourism Department. Till now, only 220 pilgrims were being accommodated by the facilities available on the route. Very soon, more than 400 persons would be able to find good accommodation facilities, said Mr Sharma. Pre-fabricated huts would be put up at a cost of Rs 239.994 lakh, he added. These huts were being put up in the Pangu, Kalapani and Navidhang areas. A restaurant would be built for the pilgrims at Chhiyalekh which is at a height of 3,350 metres on a beautiful plateau called Chhetothanga. Ten tanks are to be installed to provide drinking water to the pilgrims. Five had already been put up at Pangu, Kalapani, Gunji, Sirkha and Malpa, Mr Sharma said. The number of yatris to Mount Kailash and Mansarovar Lake is rapidly on the increase and the Hill Tourism Department was planning to set up new guest houses on the yatra route. The perpetually snow-clad of the Kailash mountain has held a fascination for all visitors to the Kumaon Himalayas since time immemorial. The mountain (Kailash Parvat) is revered in Sanskrit literature as the abode of Lord Shiva and his spouse Parvati. The holy Mansarovar or
Manasa-Sarovar is a famous lake which has great
significance in Hindu mythology. It is set between the
Kailash Parvat and the Gurla Mandhata mountain. |
Samata Party MP to join RJD PATNA, July 4 (PTI) — Mr Shakuni Chaudhury, Samata Party MP in the dissolved Lok Sabha, has decided to quit following “sharp differences” with the party’s national leadership and join Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD). Mr Chaudhury, who was representing the Khagaria parliamentary constituency, said here today that he had decided to quit as the Samata Party had “failed in its commitment to social justice”. He also alleged that Mr Nitish Kumar, senior Samata leader and Railway Minister with whom he shares a strained relationship, has reduced the party to his “pocket organisation”. Mr Chaudhary has been at
loggerheads with state Samata Party chief Raghunath Jha
ever since the latter was appointed with Mr Nitish
Kumar’s backing. Mr Jha was member of the Laloo
Prasad Yadav and Rabri Devi ministries before joining the
Samata Party. |
New treatment for asthma MUMBAI, July 4 (UNI) — In a major breakthrough, a stent was successfully inserted in the trachea of a 37-year-old asthmatic patient suffering from tracheal stenosis, facilitating respiration without a ventilator. The operation was carried out on Tuesday by Dr Agam Vora here in spite of it being a relatively new procedure with inadequate expertise, lack of required accessories and monitoring equipment. Dr Vora said the patient had a history of severe attacks of asthma in 1991, for which she was admitted to the Hinduja Hospital. There she developed respiratory failure and had to be kept on a ventilator for seven days. For ventilatory support, a tube needs to be inserted in the respiratory tract — the windpipe called trachea. Again two months ago, she suffered a severe asthmatic attack and was admitted to a private nursing home, where her condition worsened. She was shifted to another hospital for ventilatory support. Tracheostomy was done on her for better management where an artificial hole is created in the windpipe to facilitate ventilatory support. The tube was removed
after seven days and the patient was better. After two
weeks, she developed a condition where the internal
diameter of the trachea gets reduced giving rise to
breathlessness. It was complicated as the windpipe had
become weak due to asthma attacks. |
"NCP can affect Cong prospects" BHILAI, (MP), July 4 (UNI) — All-India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary Pranab Mukherjee today admitted that presence of the Nationalist Congress Party could affect the prospects of the Congress in Maharashtra. Talking to reporters
here he said although some senior leaders had left the
party and few small leaders followed them, the common
party workers still were with the Congress in
Maharashtra. |
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| Pak began intrusion in
Nov ’98 NEW DELHI: Pakistani military units experienced in mountain warfare began occupying high ridges on the Indian side of the Line of Control (LoC) as far back as November last year. “Time” magazine reveals in its latest issue which will hit the stand on Monday. As far back as November, the first batch of Pakistani troops from the Northern Light Infantry Regiment and Khyber Rifles — military units experienced in mountain warfare — crept over the 3,500-metre high passes along the LoC to occupy the high ridges held in the summer by the Indian Army, the magazine says in a report from the Pakistani side of the LoC. To avoid raising suspicion even among local Pakistanis, the units went without weapons to build bunkers on the ridges, it said. — PTI Shillong salutes martyrs Walkie-talkies
for pilgrims Vedic conference Cop held for
raping minor Police firing on
mob: 1 killed Human rights
courts Panel on
foreigners’ influx 14-day judicial
remand for Yadav MP Birla award
for Prof Chitre |
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