Friday, June 4, 1999
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NSCN vows to carry on
efforts Cong for diplomatic offensive |
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Cong leader quits, joins NCP NEW DELHI, June 3 — A former AICC General Secretary, Mr Devendra Nath Dwivedi today resigned from the Indian National Congress and joined the Nationalist Congress Party.
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Subramaniam backs tie-up Delhi electricity authority Bill
soon ‘Jeev panchayat’ from
June 5
Kissinger to visit India next week Baburaj Award for Bhaskaran |
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NSCN vows to carry on efforts NULLAND (Dimapur), June 3 —The top leadership of the underground Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN) today vowed to carry on efforts for a negotiated settlement to achieve their goal of a sovereign Nagaland. The leadership was, however, not clear about what kind of sovereignty it had in mind. Chairman of the NSCN, the largest underground organisation Mr Isaac Chishi Swo and its general secretary Mr Thuingaleng Muivah told TNS in their hideout that the ceasefire which ends on July 31 this year could continue along with the negotiations. These leaders, who have travelled to India after 33 years, realised the futility of a prolonged armed struggle, but blamed the Government of India, its "occupation army" and some bad elements for pushing the peace-loving Nagas into a violent struggle. Answering more questions later at a press conference, the two leaders maintained that their government was talking to the Government of India on two pre-conditions. One that the negotiations would be held outside India and that their would be no precondition from either side. "We have met three Prime Ministers — Mr Narasimha Rao, Mr Deve Gowda and Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee — outside India since 1995 and discussed the issues in detail. These negotiations need to continue". They cited the consensus arrived at the delegate session of the NSCN held for three days in Naga-controlled areas. Asked about extortion
and tax collection by the underground Nagas and other
elements, they maintained that they were against
extortion, but their government had a right to levy
taxes. Asked about what steps were they taking to stop
extortion, they said they were serious about the matter,
but did not spell out details. |
Cong for diplomatic offensive NEW DELHI, June 3 — The Congress today asked the government to launch a "major diplomatic offensive" to tell the world of the extent of Pakistan’s involvement in intrusion in the Kargil sector and assured it of the party’s complete support. "Why is it that we (India) have not launched a major diplomatic effort to inform major players and tell them of Pakistan’s involvement (in Kargil intrusions)... to nail the lie of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif that the intruders are "freedom fighters", the AICC spokesman, Mr Kapil Sibal, said at the party’s daily briefing. He said the Congress expected the government to tell all nations, including members of the Organisation of Islamic Countries, about the move by Pakistan to alter the Line of Control and intrusion into Indian territory. Mr Sibal said it was also necessary that the entire government spoke in one voice. The Congress, he said, fully supported the military action being undertaken to flush out the intruders and praised the brave jawans and military personnel who were "doing a wonderful job". Mr Sibal said as per reports, it was now established that the preparations for the intrusion started nearly six months ago and Pakistan had recruited mercenaries for the operation. Pakistan, he said, had
also supplied highly sophisticated Stringer missiles
which were given to the Afghans by the ISI. The missile
was used by the intruders to down an Indian helicopter
gunship engaged in strafing. |
Cong leader quits, joins NCP NEW DELHI, June 3 — A former AICC General Secretary, Mr Devendra Nath Dwivedi today resigned from the Indian National Congress and joined the Nationalist Congress Party. Mr Dwivedi, a confidant of former Prime Minister, P.V. Narasimha Rao, wrote a six-page letter of resignation to Congress President Sonia Gandhi in which he said the issues raised by the expelled leaders, Mr Sharad Pawar, Mr Tariq Anwar and Mr P.A. Sangma, could not be ignored. The letter was released to the media at a news conference here. "The expulsion of Mr Pawar, Mr Sangma and Mr Anwar, the treatment meted out to them and the post-expulsion conduct of the party raised three basic questions which the party can ignore only at its peril, he said. They were (a) the merits of the position taken by the three leaders in respect of the suitability of a person of foreign origin for the post of Prime Minister (b) the extent and amplitude of the right to freedom of expression and dissent within the party’s highest forum and (c) your and the party’s reaction to their alleged misdemeanour.’’ He said that the central issue should not be sidelined and that the entire debate was being conducted from the wrong end. "Our position on the foreign-born issue is essentially and qualitatively different from and has nothing to with the communal gloss that has been put on the foreign issue by the ‘Sangh Parivar’ particularly by its lunatic fringe. On the question of the suitability of a naturalised citizen for the office of the Prime Minister, he said "Citizenship creates eligibility and not entitlement or suitability,’’ he said. To another question if
he had consulted Mr Narasimha Rao before deciding to
resign, Mr Dwivedi said that the decision was his own. |
Subramaniam backs tie-up Chennai: The formalisation yesterday of DMK’s electoral alliance with the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance for the coming general election to the Lok Sabha has received the blessings of elder statesman and former Governor of Maharashtra, Mr C. Subramaniam. It was a sort of a birthday-eve present for the DMK Chief, Mr M. Karunanidhi, who turned 76 today. Mr Subramaniam’s endorsement of the DMK-BJP electoral tie-up came at a public meeting held last evening to mark the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister’s birthday celebrations. The one-time senior Congress leader’s assertion that “there is no scope for communalism when Mr Karunanidhi makes his presence felt in any alliance” must have been sweet music to the DMK supremo, who has been facing bitter criticism from his former allies and others over his decision to join the BJP bandwagon. Mr Karunanidhi was quick to seize the unexpected support from a former Congress leader to his advantage. “Why should my Congress friends doubt the DMK’s stand”, he asked, adding those who respected the sentiments of Mr Subramaniam should not entertain any doubt whatsoever in this regard.” Mr Karunanidhi took the opportunity to assure the minorities that the DMK would continue to extend its “protective shield” to them. He recalled with obvious pride that since his childhood he had had affinity with the Muslim community. In an apparent dig at the AIADMK leader, Ms Jayalalitha, Mr Karunanidhi said: “Unlike those who pose for the media, wearing purdah, over love for the Muslim community was not born yesterday.” He gave a clean chit to BJP government, saying it had done nothing harmful to the minorities during its 13-month-old rule. He described Mr Vajpayee as a “gentleman-politician.” The immediate sequel to the DMK general council’s approval of the DMK-BJP alliance is the severance of the three-year-old ties between the DMK and the Tamil Maanila Congress (TNC) led by Mr G.K. Moopanar. It is too early to predict what repercussions this break will have on their electoral fortunes in the coming Lok Sabha poll in the state. Mr Moopanar conceded yesterday that politically “we have fallen apart”, although personally he respected Mr Karunanidhi. He ruled out the possibility of the TMC joining the National Democratic Alliance, but was somewhat vague on the prospect of his party joining a front that will include the AIADMK. Unlike in the last parliamentary elections when seat sharing was only between the DMK and the TMC, this time more regional parties will be involved as DMK allies. That might pose problems of seat sharing. Mr Karunanidhi has announced that he will be setting up a committee in the next few days to discuss the modalities of seat sharing with its allies. He conceded that there could be problems. The other key poll pact
that is being awaited with keen interest in political
circles is that between the Congress (I) and the AIADMK.
The talks in this regard were taking place this evening
between the Congress emissaries, Dr Manmohan Singh, and
Mr A.K. Antony, and Ms Jayalalitha this evening. |
Vajpayee greets Karunanidhi CHENNAI, June 3 (UNI) — Leaders of various political parties, including Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, and thousands of DMK workers greeted Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK President M Karunanidhi on the occasion of his 76th birthday today. The celebrations were marked by planting of saplings and communal feasts organised by the DMK workers in various parts of the state. Mr Vajpayee telephoned
Mr Karunanidhi this morning and wished him many more
years in the service of the nation. Others who greeted
him included Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu
Naidu and Union Ministers Vazhapadi K Ramamurthy and
Rangarajan Kumaramangalam. |
Delhi electricity authority
Bill soon NEW DELHI, June 3 — The Delhi Government will soon introduce the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Authority Commission Bill, the state Power Minister, Dr Narendra Nath, said. He said the Bill for the Delhi Power Generation and Transmission Company would also be introduced in the next session of the Assembly. The Minister said the Delhi Vidyut Board was planning to commission 400 MVAR capacitors before next summer to strengthen its distribution network. “There will not be any increase in tariff rates for Delhi till the supply and quality of power have improved considerably,” Dr Nath said while addressing an open session on “Delhi Power Scenario — Meeting the Challenges” organised by the PHDCCI. Dr Nath said the Bawana Phases I and II and the Pragati Combined Cycle Project would be completed and commissioned within a span of three years. However, Bawana Phase II had been held up as the Centre had not given guarantees for the project, the minister said, adding that the final decision on private participation would be taken only after the Centre gives its guarantee. The DVB chairman, Mr Jagdish Sagar, said the Board would not be an obstacle in the government’s plans for privatising and restructuring the organisation. The President of the PHDCCI, Mr Ashok Khanna, emphasised the need for private sector involvement at the earliest both in the generation and distribution of power in the city. Many private players had
expressed interest in taking up power projects but had
become disillusioned due to red-tapism, inordinate delays
and procedural bottlenecks, Mr Khanna said, adding that
this needed to be the lead item on any action plan of the
government. |
‘Jeev panchayat’ from June 5 NEW DELHI, June 3 (PTI) — A countrywide “Jeev panchayat” (living democracy) movement to educate Indian villagers on the need to protect and maintain registers of their local bio-resources will be initiated on June 5, the World Environment Day. The movement, to be launched at Agasthamuni village in the Kedarnath valley in Uttar Pradesh by a non-government organisation, (NGO), Research Foundation for Science, Technology and Ecology (RFSTE) in Dehradun is meant to counter multinational corporations’ efforts to gain control over the indigenous resources of developing countries, RFSTE Director Vandana Shiva told reporters today. The movement for the protection of right to life and livelihood will involve local women and school children to prepare biodiversity registers and declare their fundamental rights over the local biological resources, Ms Shiva said. The campaign will spread
to Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Western U.P. in
the first phase. “A countrywide call for real
freedom that allows local people to voice their rights
over their resources would be issued on August 15,”
she said. |
Undertrial hurls shoe at judge NAGPUR, June 3 (PTI) — Irked at rejection of his bail application, a 23-year-old undertrial in a theft case hurled a shoe at a Judicial Magistrate in the court room at Narkhed, about 80 km from here, the police said here today. The accused, Vishnu Gulab Borkar, who was arrested for stealing copper wire belonging to the Railways, was in magisterial custody, the police said, adding it had sought extension of the period of custody. Borkar pleaded for his release on a personal bond but the magistrate rejected his application. At this, the undertrial removed his shoe and hurled it at the magistrate on Tuesday. He was overpowered as
soon as he threw the shoe and the police registered a new
case against him. |
Kissinger to visit India next week NEW DELHI, June 3 — Former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger will be arriving in India on a two-day private visit on Monday next week. Mr Kissinger, who arrives on the night of June 7 in Mumbai, will be in New Delhi on Tuesday when he will meet the Prime Minister, Mrs Sonia Gandhi and other political leaders. In Mumbai, he will be the chief guest at a luncheon hosted by Enron on Tuesday and later deliver a talk on “The emerging globalisation: Political and economic challenges of the 21st century” at the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. Incidentally, Dr Kissinger, Secretary of State during the office of the US President, Mr Richard Nixon, held a strong anti-India bias and promoted strong ties with China. In between, he revised his opinion about India and has publicly acclaimed India’s policies. On Tuesday evening, Mr Ratan Tata will host a reception for him. After the reception, he will leave for New Delhi. In New Delhi, the
Congress MP from Mumbai, Mr Murli Deora, will host a
dinner for him. During the day, Dr Kissinger will meet
important political leaders. |
Baburaj Award for Bhaskaran THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, June 3 (UNI) — Noted music director P. Bhaskaran has been selected for this year’s Baburaj Award, instituted by the Indian Community Recreation Centre (ICRC), a cultural society of Indians in Qatar. The award, which carries
a cash prize of Rs 20,000, a citation and a plaque, would
be presented by Kerala Cultural Affairs Minister, T.K.
Ramakrishnan tomorrow, ICRC Chairman S.M. Bashir told a
press conference yesterday. |
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| Maharashtra bans PTV MUMBAI: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Gopinath Munde on Thursday warned cable operators not to telecast PTV, the state-owned electronic media of Pakistan, which is running an anti-India campaign, he said. The State Government would be compelled to initiate strict action against those violating the ban order. “If need be they (cable operators) may also be arrested”, Mr Munde, who is also the in charge of the Home portfolio, told reporters here. — UNI TNLA kingpin arrested PWG militants
kill 9 cops Hawkers assault
journalist Cyclones raze
12,000 houses ASI’s plea
to UNESCO |
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