Tuesday, July 6, 1999
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Army chief meets PM |
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Laloo re-elected RJD
chief Left wary of US intervention Sale of IVPs to be discontinued Hurriyat feels let down by Pak Cong team pleads case with
President PMO comes to Karnad defence HC dismisses petition on Kargil
relief Plan for martyrs liberalised Parties gear up for Bihar poll Fake currency racket unearthed |
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Army chief meets PM NEW DELHI, July 5— The Chief of Army Staff, Gen V.P.Malik recently met Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee with a specific motive of putting forth a list of demands from the Army which basically included the urgently required equipment critical for its operations. The meeting early last week came in the backdrop of the battle being fought by the Indian jawans to push out the Pakistani infiltrators holed up at various heights in the Kargil sector of Jammu and Kashmir for almost two months now and the shortage of equipment being faced by the Indian Army in fighting these hard battles all along the region. Highly placed sources disclosed that the Army Chief accompanied by some of his senior officers put forth the Army’s demands, which had been pending for a long time due to bureaucratic hassles. Apparently, Gen Malik very clearly put forward the viewpoint of the Indian Army that a number of critical equipments were needed on an urgent basis, which would greatly enhance the operational capabilities of the jawans and also help in pushing out the infiltrators earlier than that has been conceived. According to reports, while details of Indian jawans facing equipment shortage had been filtering out, but in this meeting with the Prime Minister, the Chief of Army Staff put forth a list of equipment which the force had been demanding over the years, but had not been cleared as a result of bureaucratic redtapism. It was also pointed out that the availability of these critical equipments would also further boost the morale of the jawans fighting the intruders against all odds. In the meeting, which took place in the earlier half of last week and which lasted for almost an hour, Gen Malik informed the Prime Minister about the recommendations, analysis and demands for equipments emerging on a regular basis during discussions at the annual Commanders Conference. These however had quite conveniently been ignored by the officials of the Ministry of Defence (MoD) over the years. It was pointed out that as a result of the MoD officials’ attitude the Army was today short of even certain basic equipments. Apparently, the Army also put forth the demand for an immediate increase in the allocation for Defence in the annual budget. While Pakistan has been maintaining a steady percentage of allocation for Defence in its annual budget, Indian Finance Ministers have been steadily bringing down the percentage of allocation for Defence, in real terms, despite a rapid inflation rate. Although there has been an increase in allocation for Defence in the past few years, but the same has been offset not only by the inflation but also by the arrangements having to be made to pay off the arrears and increase in salaries of the armed forces as a result of the recommendations of the Fifth Pay Commission. So in real terms the percentage of allocation for Defence has actually been coming down. The meeting between the Prime Minister and the Chief of Army Staff came about after Gen Malik at a recent Press conference in the Capital had pointed out that the government was taking steps to see that the important equipment needed by the armed forces was made available at the earliest. When asked to comment about the shortage of equipment being faced by the Army, Gen Malik had categorically stated, " we shall fight with whatever we have". Sources said that the Chief of Army Staff was assured by the Prime Minister about fulfilling all the immediate demands of the force. A similar assurance, incidentally, was voiced openly by the Finance Minister, Mr Yashwant Sinha, later in the week. At the same meeting, senior officers of the Army also gave the Prime Minister a rundown on the cost of a full fledged war with Pakistan, if it was forced upon us. According to the estimates worked out by the Indian Army, it would cost approximately Rs 2000 crore per day if there was a full fledged war with Pakistan. Meanwhile, there were reports that the MoD had been sending its officials, including service officers, to various countries to shop for military equipment. The countries visited include Russia, Israel, France and Spain besides the USA. The Army has been seeking certain specialised non-lethal equipment from the USA. The ‘cold weather gear’ being sought from USA includes snow boots, clothing and headgear. Being non-lethal they have not been banned by the USA under the sanctions after the Pokhran-II blasts. According to reports, India has also been seeking to buy freefall bombs from Spain, it being the largest producer. Besides, efforts were under way to buy some specialised equipment from Israel. Incidentally, India has
already lifted the ban it had imposed on the
manufacturers of Bofors guns. In the event of lack of
spares for the all important Bofors guns holding the fort
in the Kargil sector, the decision to lift the embargo on
the Celsius Corporation came early last week again after
the urgent need for spares was brought to the notice of
the government. |
LS poll: EC meets J & K
officials NEW DELHI, July 5 — The Election Commission (EC) today reviewed preparations for conducting the Lok Sabha poll with top officials of Jammu and Kashmir in the wake of ongoing conflict in Kargil, with the state administration asserting that it was ready for it anytime. After a 90-minute meeting with the officials, Chief Election Commissioner, M S Gill, said the state administration was “well-focused” on the conduct of the Lok Sabha elections. Mr Gill sought to downplay the importance attached to the meeting stating that elections were to be held all over the country and J and K was just a part of it. He termed the discussions the EC had with State officials as “useful” and said various aspects of preparations were discussed. The J and K Chief Secretary, Mr Ashok Jaitley, said the discussion were held about the problems the state administration was likely to face and the preparations for the poll. The discussions were on logistics, staff and timing, he said adding that the state administration was ready for the poll. Mr Gurbachan Jagat, Director-General of Police, said the state police would provide adequate security forces as required. Mr Jagat parried questions whether the State government had sought more paramilitary forces during the poll. He said while there were problems, most of them were sorted out. The today’s meeting was the third the EC had in as many days as an exercise ahead of the formal announcement of the poll schedule. On Friday last, the CEC along with the ECs called on the Prime Minister to ascertain the government’s views in the wake of the ongoing battle in Kargil and then with representatives of six national parties on Saturday. Others present at the
meeting included the two Election Commissioners, Mr G V G
Krishnamurty and Mr J M Lyngdoh, State Chief Electoral
Officer S C Bhave, State Principal Secretary (Home) C
Phunsug and Joint Secretary in the Union Home Ministry,
Rakesh Hooja and Deputy Election Commissioners Subas Pani
and Sayan Chatterjee. |
Authenticated will ‘unchallengeable’ NEW DELHI, July 5 (PTI) — One out of every five cases pending in courts today is about property disputes in the absence of a will. And one out of every 10 will made is challenged in the court. People beware. While it is wise to write a will to avoid bequeathing disputes among children or relatives, experts say it is equally important to get the will authenticated to avoid complications and ensure that assets of the will-maker are disposed as per his/her wishes. With majority of women dependent on their children after their husbands’ death, absence of wills has more often than not deteriorated the quality of life within families, says Maj-Gen (retd) S.S. Sandhu, Director-General, Helpage India. For instance when Manmohan died without leaving behind a will, he also left behind three embittered children who began fighting over the control of the hotel he owned, ultimately leading to nine rooms administered separately by his son-in-law. “In Delhi alone 10 per cent of the wills are taken up to prove their authenticity (probated)”, says Mr Gautam Banerjee, a Supreme Court advocate. A probate is a two-fold order of the court which on the one hand rules that the copy of the will is authentic and on the other gives the person appointed executor of the will the authority to carry out the intent of the will, explains Mr Banerjee. “Once a will is made, the need for proving its authenticity arises in order to avoid challenge to the will by other beneficiaries and other interested parties or persons. A person denied some share of the property may rake up a controversy questioning the will’s authenticity”, he says. Such complications and complexities can be avoided if a will is probated during the lifetime, says Mr Banerjee noting that the law commission is already considering making the probation of wills compulsory to avoid objection or controversy. It has also recommended that the wills must be compulsorily registered, something not mandatory at present. If there is no problem in one giving away his properties to a friend, a brother or anyone, then a probate is not necessary. But if it is assets like immovable property, where change of signature among other things is required, it is advisable to make the will probate, says Bhatia. With the establishment of nuclear families and many an elderly in the country signing off their possessions to others, the need for the above has become all the more greater, says Sandhu. The fundamental idea of a will is that the person making it dispose of his property in a manner that seems best to him. If this power is not exercised, properties will be inherited by the legal heirs of a person in accordance with the law of inheritance, irrespective of whether such heirs deserve any share, or there are some other needy members of the family or a faithful servant or a friend or a charity, whom the deceased wanted to oblige, says Sandhu. There is no appropriate or fixed time for writing a will. It can be made the moment one feels one wants to do so. But lawyers recommend necessary legal advice while making the will. “Any person can write a will so long as he understands that he is writing a will privately with two witnesses. It can be done on a plain sheet of paper”, says Mr Banerjee. Certain things must be borne in mind when writing the will — first there should be no influence on the mind, and second that it would become effective only after the death of the will maker. One can also register a will and once registered it becomes a public property as it allows everyone to read the will, says Banerjee. Even if a person dies without signing a will, it is valid with corrections and circumstantial evidence taken into account, says Bhatia. In case of absence of date too, circumstantial evidence is taken into account, she says. In case one dies leaving a will half made without having finalised the draft, such wills called unnatural wills become valid after taking into account the corrections and circumstantial evidence, says Banerjee. As far the witnesses are concerned, Banerjee says that adults can be witnesses as also the beneficiaries but preferably not because it can be said that they prevailed upon the writer. There is also “privilege will” restricted to personnel of the armed forces by which they can tell two persons to write the will on their behalf without their attestation or signature on the will, says Banerjee. Privilege wills can also
be probated, but here the question of attesting witnesses
is not there, he says. |
Left wary of US intervention NEW DELHI, July 5 (PTI) — The Left parties and the RJD today expressed apprehension that the Clinton-Sharif summit on Kargil might legitimise "backdoor" US intervention in Kashmir even as they lauded Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee for declining the US President's invitation to visit Washington. The Congress declined comments on the development saying "we are studying the joint statement and will react later". Terming the statement as a "graphic illustration of how far the USA has an intervenor and de facto third party on Kashmir", the CPI-M cautioned the Vajpayee government against projecting it as a victory for India. The CPI said there was a "tacit" understanding between Mr Clinton and Mr Sharif to involve Washington in the whole process, adding the talks were a "back-door" attempt to ensure US mediation. The two Left parties as well as the NCP justified Mr Vajpayee's turning down the US President's invitation for talks in Washington saying this was in keeping with India's policy of no third party mediation in Kashmir. The NCP did not comment
on the joint statement saying it would await the
government's reaction. |
Sale of IVPs to be discontinued NEW DELHI, July 5 (PTI) — The sale of the Indira Vikas Patras (IVPs) will be discontinued from July 16, an official announcement said here today. This decision has been taken following recommendations of the R.V. Gupta committee on small savings which said lack of documentation of this scheme had rendered its subscribers vulnerable. The IVPs are fully transferable which make these bearer certificates. Under the rules, if a certificate is lost, stolen, mutilated, defaced or destroyed beyond recognition it cannot be replaced or paid by the post office. As a result, the government is increasingly involved in litigation in cases of lost, stolen or destroyed IVPs, it said. Subscribers could now opt for the Kisan Vikas Patras, (KVPs) which is an identical scheme with documentation and liquidity facilities. This makes the KVPs a
safer and more liquid investment besides being available
in post offices, the announcement said. |
Hurriyat feels let down by Pak NEW DELHI, July 5 — Disillusioned with Pakistan, the All-Party Hurriyat Conference (APHC) has started looking for alternative sources of international support. A three-member Hurriyat delegation, comprising JKLF leader Yasin Malik, People’s Conference representative A.G. Lone and Maulana Abbas Ansari, had a series of meetings at the diplomatic missions of China, Iran, Italy, Canada, Germany and Burkina Faso. Though the Hurriyat delegation also had two meetings with the Pakistani diplomatic officials at the Pakistan High Commission in the capital, but sources said that these meetings were held because APHC leadership had deliberately avoided to meet the Pakistan Foreign Minister, Mr Sartaj Aziz last month. Mr Aziz has asked Pakistan’s diplomatic mission in New Delhi to arrange a meeting with the Hurriyat leaders but the APHC did not respond to the call stating that the time was not opportune as a meeting with the Pakistan Foreign Minister would be a political disaster for the Hurriyat movement, sources said. The Hurriyat leaders were further disappointed when they were told by a reporter that Mr Aziz reportedly was angry with the APHC. Mr Aziz had told a reporter that do these Hurriyat leaders think that Pakistan would win Kashmir and then handover it to them, sources said adding that the Pakistan Foreign Minister’s words have hurt many APHC leaders. Disenchantment with Pakistan has been growing for some time now as the APHC’s main plan of “Azadi” has been pushed into background by the Pakistani leadership. While the older
leadership of the APHC, led by the present Hurriyat
Chairman, Mr S.A.S. Gillani, has been toeing the
pro-Pakistan line, the younger leaders like Mr Yasin
Malik, the former APHC Chairman, Maulvi Umar Farooq and
others have been stressing for quiet sometime that the
movement should also look for more international support
for its cause. |
RS session NEW DELHI, July 5— A five-member Congress delegation today met President, K.R. Narayanan and urged him to direct the government to convene a special session of the Rajya Sabha to discuss the Kargil issue. The party spokesperson Ajit Jogi told newspersons that the delegation, which met Mr Narayanan at Rashtrapati Bhavan for about an hour, made it clear that they were pressing for such a session mainly to express solidarity in this hour of grave crisis. However, other related issues might also be taken up. Mr Shiv Raj Patil, Mr Shiv Shankar, Mr Hanumanthappa, Ms Ambika Soni and Mr Ajit Jogi were members of the delegation, which urged the President to direct the government for the Upper House session without delay. Mr Jogi said: “The Rajya Sabha session was unavoidable as it is the only elected body at a time when there is a caretaker government which has lost confidence vote on the floor of the House and is not answerable to any political party or people’s representatives.” When asked about the response of Mr Narayanan, Mr Jogi said the President gave a patient hearing. In a statement, Congress President Sonia Gandhi said the party expressed its deepest appreciation for officers and jawans who displayed enormous gallantry in the face of death to recapture Tiger Hill. “Due to their supreme sacrifice and dedication, the nation resolves to repel Pakistani aggression and evict the last intruder from our soil,’’ the statement said. “I join the country
in saluting the brave sons of India who have and always
stood like a rock in the defence of our motherland. I
like to assure our forces on the front that we stand
united as a nation behind you in the defence of our
country. |
Laloo re-elected RJD chief PATNA, July 5 (UNI) — Mr Laloo Prasad Yadav was today officially declared elected for a second term as President of the Bihar’s ruling Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) which set to unite the secular, democratic and social justice forces in a fight against communalism at a time when the country was at the crossroads. The returning office and Bihar’s Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ramachandra Purve made the announcement at the party’s two-day second national convention. Mr Yadav took charge of the deliberations from the party’s working president Ranjan Prasad Yadav. Later in a resolution the RJD said the country was now passing through the cross road and the greatest danger to the nation was from the communal forces. “This is the greatest crisis that free India is facing after we got freedom”, the party said. It said the need of the hour was to unite the secular, democratic and social justice forces against the communal forces, who were out to create an atmosphere of hatred and contempt in society. The RJD, which is in
power in the state for more than nine years, said it was
ready to fight against the communal and divisive forces. |
PMO comes to Karnad defence NEW DELHI, July 5 — The Prime Minister’s Office has taken an exception to the Ministry of External Affairs move asking the member of National Security Advisory Board (NSAB), Mr Bharat Karnad to withdraw from the organisation and has decided to support the NSAB member. The Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, took personal interest in getting the matter sorted out, the official sources said. Mr Karnad, who was asked by the Private Secretary of the External Affairs Minister, Mr Jaswant Singh, to withdraw from the NSAB few days ago, was called to the PMO and asked to explain his stand on the Line of Control, sources said. Mr Karnad had a long meeting with the officials in the PMO over the weekend. Mr Karnad, who received an overwhelming support from the academic, retired Foreign Service and government officials and intellectual circles, would soon be communicated that he should not take cognisance of verbal communication from Mr Jaswant Singh’s PS The PMO, however, is
intrigued as why the MEA made the move at all as
relationship between the External Affairs Minister has
been at least a decade old, the sources said adding that
Mr Jaswant Singh had indeed recommended Mr Karnad’s
name to the NSAB. |
HC dismisses petition on Kargil relief NEW DELHI, July 5 (PTI) — The Delhi High Court today declined to interfere in grant of compensation to martyrs of the Kargil conflict, saying that it was the “discretion” of the government. A petition seeking a uniform compensation of Rs 15 lakh to the family of each of the soldier who laid down his life fighting the enemy was dismissed by a Division Bench comprising Mr Chief Justice S.N. Variava and Mr Justice S.K. Mahajan said the court would not like to interfere in such matters. Seeking guidelines to the Centre and the states on grant of a uniform compensation, the petitioner, advocate Parmanand Katara, said there was no “parity” at present as some state governments had announced Rs 3 lakh and some Rs 10 lakh as ex-gratia payment to the family of each soldier. “Arbitrary and discriminatory announcement of compensation by different states generate the feeling of disappointment and helplessness which should not be encouraged by a welfare state and that too in the case of martyrs whose lives cannot be evaluated in terms of money,” Mr Katara in his plea said. It said neither the Centre nor the state governments had come out with an “equal” figure of ex-gratia amount to be paid to those who had permanently handicapped. The petition claimed that the government had so far got nearly Rs 200 crore as contribution to the Prime Minister’s Relief fund in the name of martyrs, but “unfortunately there is no guidelines to regulate and disburse the money.” “As there is no shortage of money in the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund and Rs 15 lakh compensation to the victim’s family can be given even out of the donations received so far,” it added. The petitioner said the
donated money should be paid to the martyrs’
families as per the “wish” of he donor, not
according to the decision of the government, and no money
should be “retained” for any other purposes
from the amount. |
Plan for martyrs liberalised JAIPUR July 5 — Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot told reporters here today that to date 41 personnel from Rajasthan had sacrificed their life while fighting Pakistani intruders. Bodies of six of them are still to be received, he said. Mr Gehlot said that the Rajasthan government had modified its scheme to help martyrs of Kargil in such a way that not only the widows and children but also the parents of the deceased soldiers would get the benefits. Enlarging the scope of aid to defence personnel fighting on the front, the disabled soldiers and their family too had been brought within the purview of the scheme. So far the state government was granting Rs one lakh in cash and 25 bighas of irrigated land in Rajasthan to the widow of the martyr. Now the widow will have the option to exchange the land for a middle income group house from the housing board. If she does not want either of the two she will be paid a sum of Rs 5 lakh in cash in lieu of land. The government is modifying the rules of employment for widow or the son of the martyr in such a way that if the son is underage for service he will get it when he attains the required age. Besides the one time assistance, the Chief Minister announced, the children of the martyr will also be provided education free of cost. In addition to remission of fees for the children in school or colleges they will also be given scholarships at the rate of Rs 1800 and Rs 3600 par annum during school and college education respectively. Mr Gehlot said that the widow and children of the martyr would be provided passes for free bus travel in roadways buses. They will also get free medical aid in government hospitals. The martyr’s family will also be given out of turn power connection. The school in the village of the martyr will be named after the name of the soldier having laid his life on the front. The Chief Minister announced to avoid hardship to the parents of the martyr the state government has decided to give an ex gratia grant of Rs one lakh to the father too in addition to whatever is being given to the widow and children. This has been done in view of the fact that many parents have lost their only son in the battlefield and there is no one to look after them now. The state government has
extended the scope of aid to the permanently disabled
soldiers on the battle front during the current crisis in
Kargil. |
Parties gear up for Bihar poll PATNA, July 5 (UNI) — Major parties have geared up their machinery in Bihar following the Election Commission’s announcement that the coming Lok Sabha elections will be held on time. The Congress President, Mrs Sonia Gandhi, will kick off the party’s poll campaign with a public meeting at Muzaffarpur tomorrow. Her erstwhile colleague and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) President, Mr Sharad Pawar, will be present at the first-ever workers’ conference in the state capital on July 7. Not to be left behind, the BJP national President, Mr Kushabhau Thakre, will address a Dalit conference here on July 8. The BJP, the main Opposition party in the state, virtually commenced its campaign with a public rally addressed by the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee here, on June 25. Though Mrs Sonia Gandhi is to begin electioneering on July 7, the party’s state unit is still in a dilemma about its proposed tie-up with the ruling Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), sources said. A majority of the state
Congress partymen were said to be opposed to the move to
align with the RJD. Senior leaders had, however, made it
clear that since the Congress was a national party, a
decision on an alliance with the RJD would be taken at
the national level, they added. |
Fake currency racket
unearthed NEW DELHI, July 5 —The police has arrested three persons involved in printing and circulating fake currency. Ashok Malik and Dharmender Sharma were arrested from the office of Yogi Pharmacy in Preet Vihar in East Delhi. Hemant Kumar was arrested from Sawan Park in Ashok Vihar in North-West Delhi. Fake currency worth Rs 2.21 lakh in the denomination of Rs 500 notes and 52 sheets having three impressions of Rs 500 notes on one side were seized. Equipments used for cutting and sizing the notes, photo copiers and transformers have also been seized. Hemant Kumar came there
by a TSR from Yogi Pharmacy office in Preet Vihar and
gave a note of Rs 500 to the driver of the auto rickshaw.
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| Lieutenant cremated NERHEMA(Nagaland): In his last letter 25-year-old Lt Neikezhakuo Kengurusie had asked his younger brother to take charge of their family if anything happened to him at the war front. Neinguloulie, while receiving the letter on Tuesday last had the least idea that his elder brother had already passed the responsibility of the family on to his shoulders. Kengurusie was killed on Monday last along with 22 fellow soldiers of the 2nd Rajputana Rifles while capturing a key post from the Pakistan-backed intruders in Dras sub-sector. — PTI Anomalies in voters list Ultras kidnap 11 Tension grips
Kanchanpura Train-tractor
collision claims 3 lives PM’s
assurance to AASU Spurious liquor
claims 1 life |
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