Thursday, July 22, 1999

Padmanabhaiah replaces Kaushal
NEW DELHI, July 21 — The Centre today appointed former Home Secretary, K. Padmanabhaiah as the chief negotiator of peace talks with the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Isak-Muivah) in place of Mr Swaraj Kaushal, MP.

Foreign hand in Atal govt’s fall: BJP
JAIPUR, July 21 — The BJP has for the first time openly alleged that the Vajpayee government was dislodged by some political parties at the behest of anti-India foreign forces.

Rains claim 8 more, toll crosses 200
NEW DELHI, July 21 — Eight persons were killed as heavy rains lashed various parts of the country today worsening the situation in the flood-hit areas of Assam where the swelling rivers innundated over 800 villages.

No war crime charge against Netaji
CALCUTTA, July 21 — The International Court of Justice at the Hague has no evidence of “war criminal” charges against Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose in its archives.

Apply brake on bus to Lahore: YC
NEW DELHI, July 21 — The Indian Youth Congress has demanded the discontinuation of the Delhi-Lahore bus service in view of the Kargil conflict, and threatened that its activists will “physically” stop it if the government failed to do so.

Award to ‘Zakhm’ ‘poetic justice’
NEW DELHI, July 21 — “It is ironic that my film `Zakhm’ which was about to be banned by the government for allegedly inciting communal passions has been selected for an award for national integration,” said renowned film-maker Mahesh Bhatt.

Saving jawans from sickness
NEW DELHI, July 21 — Several Indian soldiers fighting in Kargil owe their lives to a new treatment developed and tested by defence medical scientists for severe attacks of breathlessness in high mountains.

Extradition treaty with USA ratified
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, July 21 — With the exchange of instruments of ratification for the bilateral extradition treaty between India and the USA today the two democracies have expressed their resolve to fight international terrorism as was evident in the telephonic conversation between Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and US President Bill Clinton last evening.

Mr Vajpayee told Mr Clinton about India’s well-known position regarding the need for "the cessation of cross-border terrorism" and the US President expressed understanding for New Delhi’s position.

"The treaty is an important step in Indo-US law enforcement cooperation in the area of counter-terrorism", a Ministry of External Affairs spokesman said in a written statement. The treaty would be very useful in tackling narco-terrorism and drug trafficking, officials said adding that Pakistan would come under renewed focus as lots of acts of narco-terrorism and cross border terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir emanated from the Pakistani soil.

While Mr Vajpayee and Mr Clinton discussed bilateral issues, including a focus on acts of international terrorism on phone for 20 minutes, US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright’s condemnation of civilian killings in Jammu and Kashmir is another pointer to growing Indo-US understanding.

Ms Albright, who is scheduled to meet the External Affairs Minister, Mr Jaswant Singh on July 25 in Singapore not only condemned the civilian killings but she went a step further condemning those who perpetrate them and those who give assistance to the perpetrators.

Outright US condemnation is a significant development in the bilateral relations, the official sources said.

At the same time, Mr Vajpayee has also explained India’s stand on the resumption of the India-Pakistan dialogue in the backdrop of the coming Lok Sabha elections.

Any new initiative in this direction would have to wait the outcome of the election results, Mr Jaswant Singh is expected to tell Ms Albright. Moreover, domestic public opinion, which is outraged at the moment due to the damage done by Islamabad’s act of misadventure in Kargil, was an important factor in India’s decision to revive a dialogue, the External Affairs Minister is expected to inform the US Secretary of State.

Statements of the Pakistani ministers and officials, similar to the likes of the Pakistani Information Minister, Mr Mushaid Hussain, were detrimental to the resumption of the bilateral dialogue process.

While Mr Hussain said the "Mujahideen have relocated their positions" and "they can be in Srinagar or Doda tomorrow", another minister had said many Kargils were waiting to happen.

This was obviously not an encouraging way to resume the dialogue process, the officials said adding that a cooling period was needed for taking up the threads of dialogue again.

Govt hid facts on Kargil: CWC
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, July 21 — The Congress Working Committee today charged the government with 'hiding facts' from people on the Kargil issue.

In a two-page resolution adopted at the end of four-hour meeting of the CWC spread over two days, it charged that the government was aware that the intrusions in the Kargil sector were not ordinary one but that it involved the full participation of the military might of Pakistan.

It said that while Pakistani infiltrators had entrenched themselves in strategically advantageous positions over a vast tract of land on Indian side of the Line of Control, what was ‘’astounding’ that when the matter came to light the government ‘turned a deaf ear to reports’’.

"However, it (the government) kept the nation in the dark because of its much-vaunted Lahore spirit would be in tatters. The revelation of the truth would have exposed Mr Vajpayee to ridicule before the nation," the resolution said.

"In other words, the government had the information but not the will to act," the resolution said adding that perhaps this was the reason why Mr Vajpayee had consistently refused to inform the nation as to when he personally came to know of the infiltration.

It said the Congress acted with restraint on these issues whilst the valiant soldiers were engaged in a fierce battle to get rid of the infiltrators.

The CWC said since as per the government hostilities had ceased, these questions must be raised and could not be left unanswered.

The Congress said while raising the issues, it was not the intention of the party to derive any "partisan political benefit" but to ensure that Kargil-like situation did not ever recur.

The CWC also said that any resumption of dialogue with Pakistan must be undertaken within the framework of the Simla Agreement which ensured peace for more than a quarter of a century.

The resolution also placed on record its highest appreciation of the courage and dedication of the brave armed forces and extended to the families of those who lost their lives its "sincerest and most heartfelt condolences".

The CWC, meeting which began last evening remained inconclusive and was adjourned to resume its deliberations this morning. It also discussed election preparedness.

Alarm bells ring in BJP
From Satish Misra
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, July 21 — The merger between a faction of the Janata Dal, the Samata Party and the Lok Shakti has set alarm bells ringing in the Bharatiya Janata Party as a section of the party is of the view that former Socialists would only confuse the political scenario instead of establishing a clarity.

The Samata Party, which is one of the main motivators of the merger, would strengthen its bargaining strength vis-a-vis the BJP when the issue of seat sharing is taken up in the coming weeks, a senior leader of the BJP observed adding that these Janata Dal leaders were trying to bask in Mr Vajpayee’s glory.

While it is true that Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee’s moderate line would get support from the new political entity the Prime Minister would have to pay a heavy price for it as Socialists are known for pursuing their personal agendas relentlessly.

In the process, the BJP as a political entity would suffer as it would have to make compromises which would lead to estrangement with its traditional popular support, a BJP functionary said.

The rift between Mr Vajpayee and the Home Minister, Mr L.K. Advani, would only get sharpened, a leader said adding that differences between the two leaders had been growing for some time now but they were being swept under the carpet for fear of damaging the party’s most promising vote catcher.

A section of the BJP is perturbed at the growing influence of non-party leaders like the Defence Minister, Mr George Fernandes and the Power Minister, Mr R. Kumaramangalam, on Mr Vajpayee, the sources said. Senior leaders like Mr Jana Krishnamurthy have already expressed their resentment over Mr Kumaramangalam’s hold on the Prime Minister on issues relating to Tamil Nadu.

A feeling of unease and discomfiture was also evident today at the regular media briefing where the party spokesman, Mr Narendra Modi, had a tough time explaining the BJP’s stand on the merger of the three parties. When asked about the BJP’s reaction to the merger, Mr Modi said the party was watching the development with caution. He said the Janata Dal was responsible for the downfall of the Vajpayee government and it was also helping the Congress President, Mrs Sonia Gandhi, form a government at the Centre.

Mr Modi refused to comment on the status of the new Janata Dal saying that a final decision would be taken at the coordination committee meeting of the National Democratic Alliance. The NDA meting was scheduled to take place this week, he said.

When asked if the party had taken a view on the latest development with regard to the merger, Mr Modi said the party had not yet decided about a meeting of the office-bearers or a meeting of the party’s Parliamentary Board.

"Whatever Mr Vajpayee decided would be acceptable to the party", Mr Modi said in response to a question on the party’s view on the Janata Dal.

There has been a feeling of unease within the BJP for quite some time now as Mr Advani has been maintaining a low profile and has been concentrating on the party’s campaign work.

A section of the party leadership feels the process of Congressisation of the BJP has been set in motion with Mr Vajpayee and the Prime Minister’s Office calling the shots and ruling out the party’s view, informed sources said adding long cherished and well-established principles of the party were being given a go-bye in the quest for power. "It is nothing else but politics of expediency", a leader said.

Padmanabhaiah replaces Kaushal
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, July 21 — The Centre today appointed former Home Secretary, K. Padmanabhaiah as the chief negotiator of peace talks with the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Isak-Muivah) in place of Mr Swaraj Kaushal, MP.

An order to this effect was issued today and the appointment was made after Mr Kaushal had resigned from the post. Mr Padmanabhaiah who is an Officer on Special Duty in the Cabinet Secretariat in charge of Nagaland assumed charge today.

Mr Kaushal, a Rajya Sabha MP of the Haryana Vikas Party, was appointed by the BJP-led coalition government last year to hold peace talks with the underground leaders of the I-M faction.

Sources in the government said a decision to replace Mr Kaushal was taken last night and was being viewed in political circles as a result of the breaking of ties between the HVP and the BJP in Haryana.

It remains to be seen if Mr Padmanabhaiah picks up the threads from where Mr Kaushal had left them. Recently the leaders of the NSCN (I-M) Mr Isak Swu and Theilong Muivah had visited Nagaland to assess the mood of their party cadres.

However, they turned down the offer of Mr Kaushal to hold talks in India and preferred another country.

The Centre had declared a unilateral ceasefire in Nagaland which has been in effect since August, 1997. The current deadline expires by the end of this month and talks are expected to progress on its extension.

Namibia backs India on Kargil

NEW DELHI, July 21 (PTI) — Namibia today backed India’s stand on Kargil and asked Pakistan to pull out its remaining forces from the Indian territory and resume negotiations with New Delhi for a peaceful solution of bilateral issues.

The Namibian view was conveyed by President Sam Nujoma during wide-ranging discussions with Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee soon after his arrival here on a three-day state visit.

Mr Nujoma, who was apprised by Mr Vajpayee on the Kargil situation and New Delhi’s resolute steps to evict Pakistani intruders from the Indian side of the Line of Control (LoC), showed “complete understanding” of India’s stand, official sources said.

The Namibian leader also held a separate meeting with External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh and discussed issues of international, regional and mutual concern.

Earlier, Mr Nujoma, accompanied by his wife, Ms Kovambo, was accorded a ceremonial reception at the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhavan.

He was warmly received by President K.R. Narayanan, First Lady Usha Narayanan, Mr Vajpayee, Home Minister L.K. Advani and Mr Jaswant Singh.

Asked what was Namibia’s stand on the Kargil issue, Mr Nujoma said, “We urge Pakistan to withdraw its troops from the Indian territory and enter into immediate negotiations to find a peaceful solution.”

Mr Nujoma said his country had a lot to learn from India which had now become a “super power”.

The importance of Namibia, which traditionally enjoys close relations with India, has been enhanced with its current non-permanent membership of the UN Security Council for the period January 1999 to December 2000.

Foreign hand in Atal govt’s fall: BJP
From Milap Chand Dandia

JAIPUR, July 21 — The BJP has for the first time openly alleged that the Vajpayee government was dislodged by some political parties at the behest of anti-India foreign forces.

The allegation came in the wake of a resolution passed here by the national executive of the Bharatiya Yuva Janata Morcha. The two-day session of the working committee concluded here on Monday after passing resolutions on political and other subjects.

In its political resolution the Yuva Morcha has said, “At a juncture when the graph of credibility and popularity of the Vajpayee government is on the rise, opposition parties such as the Congress, Leftists and others under a conspiracy to dislodge the Vajpayee government set on to destabilise it. A nationalist government which was taking the country forward on the road of strength and development was dislodged by anti-India foreign powers with some parties and their leaders playing as their tool.”

The Yuva Morcha said “the statements issued by Mrs Sonia Gandhi during the nuclear tests and Kargil war were against the national spirit. No one born in this land would make such statements.”

The Morcha congratulated the BJP-led government at the Centre for the “strength” given to the Indian economy. The resolution in this regard says that “generally the economy gets badly disturbed during war. Against this, the inflation rate in our country has touched its lowest ebb at 1.83 per cent in the past 25 years.”

Later, the party’s national General Secretary and spokesman, Mr Narendra Modi, told mediamen that though Mrs Sonia Gandhi had been repeatedly demanding a Rajya Sabha session, but she did not bother to attend the all-party meetings called by the Prime Minister on the Kargil issue. He regretted that at a time when the nation was at war, the Congress party did not stop “politicking.” He alleged that during the Kargil crisis, wherever Mrs Sonia Gandhi addressed rallies, she talked of a weak government, thus demoralising the brave soldiers. However, during the 1971 war, Mr Vajpayee, shunning all differences, had talked of “one nation, one objective and one leader — Indira Gandhi”, he claimed.

Rains claim 8 more, toll crosses 200

NEW DELHI, July 21 (PTI) — Eight persons were killed as heavy rains lashed various parts of the country today worsening the situation in the flood-hit areas of Assam where the swelling rivers innundated over 800 villages.

With five deaths reported from Gujarat and three from Karnataka, the toll in the rains and floods in the current spell of monsoons crossed 200.

The situation was critical in Assam with rising waters of the Brahmaputra and its tributaries affecting three lakh people of about 800 villages in 10 districts.

The worst affected was Dhemji district which remained cut-off from the rest of the state for the second day as rain-fed Gai and Jiadhol rivers washed away a five=km stretch of railway line and submerged a portion of the National Highway.

Heavy rains claimed five lives in Gujarat where two persons were killed in a house collapse in Kheda district, one died on being struck by lightening in Broach district and two drowned in Baroda and Surat districts.

So far floods have claimed 108 lives in Bihar, while in rains 30 persons have been killed in Gujarat, 41 in Maharashtra, 17 in Karnataka, four in West Bengal, three in Himachal Pradesh and one in Jammu and Kashmir.

In Karnataka, three members of a family were killed and two injured in a wall collapse in a village in Belgaum district as incessant rains continued to lash the state.

The worst-hit districts were Uttara Kannada, Udupi, Bidar, Dakshina Kannada, Belgaum and Kodagu where 26 villages have been marooned affecting about 2,000 families.

Heavy rain lashes Capital
NEW DELHI, July 21 — Heavy rain lashed the Capital today resulting in water-logging and traffic jams in a number of areas.

The Capital received 16.4 mm of rains till this evening, the Meteorological Office said, adding the rains resulted in a marginal drop in the maximum temperature.

More rainfall could be expected in the next few days, the office added.

No war crime charge against Netaji

CALCUTTA, July 21 (UNI) — The International Court of Justice at the Hague has no evidence of “war criminal” charges against Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose in its archives.

“In the archives of the Nuremberg International Military Tribunal, which were deposited with the International Court of Justice, no trace could be found of charges against Subhas Chandra Bose,” wrote Mr Arthur Witteveen, Secretary of the court in charge of information matters, to noted Oslo-based Bengali economist and Netaji researcher, Prof Amalendu Guha, in response to the latter’s query on the matter.

Professor Guha, Director of the Oslo-based Institute of Alternative Development Research, had internationally raised the issue of the country’s greatest freedom movement icon’s continuing status as “war criminal”. He had sought clarification from the Chairman of the International Court of Justice on whether the charges of war crime brought against Netaji by the British Government during the second world war had been withdrawn.

As per the documents of the trial of war criminals before the Nuremberg Military Tribunals, Netaji’s name was mentioned as an Indian nationalist opposing Mahatma Gandhi and as one who had declared his sympathy for Germany in the second world war and had accepted an invitation to go to Germany.

Professor Guha had taken up the query in earnest when the Union Home Minister, Mr L.K. Advani, declared in March this year that Netaji was never declared a “war criminal” as per the information provided by the British Government.

Apply brake on bus to Lahore: YC
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, July 21 — The Indian Youth Congress (IYC) has demanded the discontinuation of the Delhi-Lahore bus service in view of the Kargil conflict, and threatened that its activists will “physically” stop it if the government failed to do so.

“I urge you to immediately stop this bus service between Delhi and Lahore as it tramples the very soul of India and our collective self respect as a people and a nation,” the IYC president, Mr Manish Tewari, said in a letter to the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee.

“If your government does not immediately halt this service, activists of the IYC and lakhs of young Indians would physically prevent this service from operating,” he said.

Mr Tewari said, “the Prime Minister should take immediate action within ten days, otherwise the IYC will be forced to act.”

Award to ‘Zakhm’ ‘poetic justice’

NEW DELHI, July 21 (UNI) — “It is ironic that my film `Zakhm’ which was about to be banned by the government for allegedly inciting communal passions has been selected for an award for national integration,” said renowned film-maker Mahesh Bhatt.

In an interview to UNI he described the presentation of the Nargis Dutt Award for the Best Film on National Integration to his last directorial venture, “Zakhm”, at the 46th national film awards as “poetic justice”.

Earlier following a controversy in Mumbai, the Central Board of Film Certification had referred “Zakhm” to the Home Ministry in Maharashtra. However, the film was later sent to the Union Home Ministry, as Mr Bhatt wanted an All-India release for his film. A three member committee of Home Ministry had cleared the film which was released in December, 1998.

Bhatt said he felt very elated since this film was very special to him, firstly because it was his last directorial venture, and secondly because it was partly autobiographical. He admitted that he had made three films which were based on his own life’s experiences: “Arth”, “Janam”, and “Zakhm”. He also felt happy that the best actor award had gone to Ajay Devgan whom many considered a `non-actor’.

Bhatt is currently concentrating on production and writing. He has just finished production of a feature film, “Sangharsh” directed by Tanuja Chandra, and is now completing the script of another film, “Tumko Meri Kasam”, which is a pre-Partition love story to be directed by Vikram Bhatt.

Perhaps for the first time in the history of the national film awards, a single individual, cameraman Santosh Sivan, won two awards for two consecutive years, with each award for a different film. His “The Terrorist” received the regional language film award and “Iruvar” the best cinematography in the 45th national awards last year, and this year his “Malli” got the award for environmental conservation and “Dil Se” for cinematography.

Saving jawans from sickness

NEW DELHI, July 21 (PTI) — Several Indian soldiers fighting in Kargil owe their lives to a new treatment developed and tested by defence medical scientists for severe attacks of breathlessness in high mountains.

The treatment, first tried out on soldiers posted at Siachen, came in handy for treating the Kargil soldiers suffering from a form of acute mountain sickness, medically known as high pulmonary oedema (HAPO), which can be fatal.

Indian troops being despatched to Kargil also availed of an acclimatisation schedule chalked out for Siachen soldiers.

The new life-saving treatment for HAPO, developed by the Defence Institute for Physiology and Allied Sciences (DIPAS) here in collaboration with the High-Altitude Medical Research Centre (HAMRC)) at Leh, involves giving a mixture of nitric oxide and oxygen to relieve HAPO symptoms, the DIPAS Director, Dr William Selwamurthy, said.

Auditor assault case adjourned
CHENNAI: A Metropolitan Magistrate’s court here on Wednesday adjourned the auditor assault case, in which the AIADMK supremo, Ms J. Jayalalitha, her close friend Sasikala Natarajan and two others are the accused, to August 25. As per the summons issued by the magistrate, Mr Justin George, on July 7, all four accused appeared before him on Wednesday. Since copies of the charge sheets were not ready, he adjourned the case. — PTI

Mahanta, Mithi for status quo on border
ITANAGAR: The Assam Chief Minister, Mr Prafulla Kumar Mahanta, and his Arunachal Pradesh counterpart, Mr Mukut Mithi, on Tuesday agreed to maintain status quo until the boundary dispute between the two states was resolved. The two Chief Ministers, who met here in the presence of the Governor, Lieut Gen (retd) S.K. Sinha, exchanged views on the boundary issue in a cordial atmosphere, an official spokesman said — UNI

Man gets life term for dowry killing
NEW DELHI: A Delhi court has sentenced a man to life imprisonment for killing his wife for her failure to fetch enough dowry from her parents. The Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ), Mr Raghubir Singh, who found the accused, Mukesh, guilty of killing his wife Mamata by setting her ablaze after sprinkling kerosene on her body, also slapped a fine of Rs 1,500 on the convict. — PTI

Student held for killing girl
BARODA: The police has arrested a 17-year-old boy in connection with the murder of a girl of class IX in Adarsh Nivasi Chhatralaya at Vesdi village in Chhotaudepur taluka of Baroda district on Saturday last. According to the police, 15-year-old Sharada Rathwa was stabbed to death by Shanker, a student of class X, when she turned down his proposal. — PTI

Actress Sandhya Rani dead
CALCUTTA: Noted film actress, Sandhya Rani, who straddled the old and modern Bengali films with equal felicity, died here on Tuesday at a nursing home in South Calcutta. She was 74 and a widow. She was ill for sometime, family sources said. Sandhya Rani acted in over 200 films in her career spanning more than 40 years. In about 50 of them she played the lead role. — PTI

18 kg RDX seized from militants
AHMEDABAD: The police recovered 18 kg of RDX and some foreign-made firearms from four Babbar Khalsa militants who were arrested in Baroda, the Director-General of Police, Mr C.P. Singh, said on Tuesday. The police arrested the militants from the Chhani area of Baroda city recently. — PTI

Customs inspector held
TIRUCHIRAPALLI: The Crime Branch police has arrested a customs inspector attached to the Tiruverambur unit in connection with the disappearance of 485 diamonds, valued at Rs 1 crore, from the safety locker of the Customs Department in 1987. The inspector, Karunanidhi, was produced before the Judicial Magistrate II, Mr Ramachandran, who remanded him in 15 days’ judicial custody. — UNI

Dead foetus in boy’s stomach
DARBHANGA (Bihar): Doctors here have found a dead foetus in the stomach of a one-and-a-half-year old boy. The child was brought to the district hospital by his parents to examine his “extraordinarily” big stomach. The six-month-old foetus was found after an ultrasound examination, radiologist, Dr Dilip Choudhary, said on Tuesday. — UNI

2 students held for marksheet fraud
NAGPUR: The fake marksheet and degree scandal in Nagpur University took a new turn with the arrest of two third-year Bachelor of Engineering (BE) students of Manoharbhai Patel Institute of Engineering, Kadwa (Gondia), who allegedly took admission on the basis of fake marksheets. The police said another BE student was absconding. The arrests were made Tuesday following a complaint filed by the college Principal. — PTI