Wednesday, June 16, 1999

Lahore accord has failed: Natwar Singh
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, June 15 — Former Indian Ambassador to Pakistan, Mr K. Natwar Singh, who heads the Foreign Affairs department of the Congress Party, feels that while the Simla Agreement has stood the test of time, the Lahore Declaration has not. “Indira Gandhi never lowered her guard after signing the Shimla Accord. It seems the Vajpayee government did”.

He feels that in the foreseeable future diplomatic breakthrough does not seem likely and thus between now and September, when the United Nations General Assembly meets, the whole world will be talking about Kashmir and Kargil. Hence, Pakistan’s bid to internationalise Kashmir seems to have succeeded.

Talking to The Tribune, Mr Natwar Singh said the Pakistani Foreign Minister, Mr Sartaj Aziz, had come to India with a brief in which there was no “give”. He came here as the representative of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and not of the ISI or the Pakistan Army. He had an opportunity for defusing the situation to some extent if he had made some gesture, even on humanitarian grounds, on the mutilated bodies of Indian soldiers and said that Pakistan would hold an inquiry and punish the offenders. Far from it, he denied everything.

“Mr Aziz must have also got a good idea of the feelings in India about Pakistan’s intrusion in Kargil. I used to tell my Pakistani friends, when I was in Islamabad as Ambassador, that whatever be the compulsion of India’s Central Government, when it came to security, sovereignty and territorial integrity of India, there were no two opinions. Every Indian was united on these issues”, Mr Natwar Singh said.

He recalled that in 1962, 1965 and 1971, there were full fledged debates in the Lok Sabha. If the Lok Sabha had not been dissolved in April, we would have had a two-day debate on Kargil, he said.

During the Vietnam war, the Senate and the House of Representatives in Washington debated the Vietnam war. During the World War II there was a no-confidence motion against Winston Churchill in the House of Commons. It did not lower morale of the British forces. “What we are questioning is the judgement of the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, and the Defence Minister, Mr George Fernandes. We are not questioning their nationalism”.

“In the foreseeable future I don’t see any diplomatic breakthrough. Diplomacy should not be put in the closet. During the Vietnam war, the USA and Vietnam were talking to each other at Paris. At the same time we could be prepared for every eventuality and should throw the infiltrators out and in this the Congress party is fully supportive of the government”, Mr Natwar Singh said.

With regard to China, in spite of unwarranted provocative pronouncements of the Defence Minister, Mr George Fernandes, the Chinese position on Kargil has been helpful. Mr Aziz was told in Beijing that the matter should be resolved by peaceful means.

He welcomed the External Affairs Minister, Mr Jaswant Singh’s visit to China because he felt it would repair to some extent the damage done last year to Sino-Indian relations by the Defence Minister of India, Mr George Fernandes.

BJP delegation’s assurance to PM

NEW DELHI, June 15 (PTI) — A high-level delegation of BJP leaders from Jammu and Kashmir today called on Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and assured him that the people of the state were behind the government in its efforts to flush out Pakistan backed intruders from the Kargil region.

Accompanied by BJP president Kushabhau Thakre, the delegation said the morale of the people, particularly those residing in the border areas, was very high despite Pakistan’s continued shelling from across the border.

The delegation said the government should launch a special drive to recruit youths from border areas to meet security requirements of the state and the Village Defence Committees be equipped with modern weapons to meet the terrorist threats.

Stating that these committees had given a very good account of themselves in fighting terrorists, they said the committees should be given financial assistance for effective functioning.

They underscored the need for strengthening the alternative supply line to Kashmir and Leh by constructing a bridge on Ravi at Basohli and a tunnel at Rohtang Pass to keep the supply line round the year.

The government should also take care of those who had been displaced because of Pakistani shelling in Rajouri and Poonch sectors on Line of Control and in Samba and Hira Nagar sectors along the international border, they said.

They also complained that the state government was now allowing the Mata Vaishnodevi Trust to start a university.

The delegation comprised Jayakrishan Kotwal, state BJP president, Chaman Lal Gupta and Vaid Vishnu Dutt, both MPs in the dissolved Lok Sabha, Bhagwat Swaroop and Vivek Dharekar, both senior party functionaries.

CPM flays govt

NEW DELHI, June 15 (UNI,PTI) — The CPM today criticised the government for Intelligence failure in detecting infiltration in Kargil and demanded all out efforts to evict the intruders from the Indian territory.

The CPM Politburo began its two-day deliberations here to discuss Kargil as well as to give final touches to the party’s political strategy and possible alliances in various states for the coming elections.

With the formation of a “third front” still seeming a distant possibility, the CPM deliberated on the possibility of alliances with various political parties on a regional basis focusing its tactics on defeating the BJP wherever possible.

However, the party is still in a dilemma over its strategy in Maharashtra and its relationship with Sharad Pawar’s Nationalist Congress Party.

According to party sources, all 17 Politburo members, including Kerala Chief Minister E K Nayanar, West Bengal Chief Minister Jyoti Basu and Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar, were attending the meet.

During the course of its deliberations, the members will discuss apart from the Kargil situation, the general law and order situation in the country, the problem of growing unemployment, industrial sluggishness and the unscientific approach in the disinvestment of the public sector undertaking.

Unemployed youth murders father
From Our Correspondent

NEW DELHI, June 15 — K. Narayanan (59), a shopkeeper in Connaught Place, was murdered today allegedly by his son at his house in Patel Nagar.

Body of the deceased was recovered from a steel trunk found by the police at Rohtak Road this afternoon. The suspect, Narender, is absconding.

The shopkeeper was reportedly murdered in the morning with some sharp-edged object. Injury marks were visible on the forehead and temple of the deceased. His body has been sent to Safdarjung hospital for post-mortem, the police said.

According to the police a missing report was lodged by Mrs Visha Lakshami, wife of the deceased, this morning. She inform the police on noticing blood stains in one of the rooms at her house.

Preliminary investigations, however, revealed that Narender, son of the deceased, was unemployed and was often scolded by Narayanan for not doing anything.

The police suspects that he apparently murdered his father because of the scoldings.

He reportedly stuffed the body of the deceased in the steel trunk, took it in his Fiat car and dumped it near Rohtak Road.

Gurdwara office row ‘settled’
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, June 15 — The Delhi unit of the Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) and the Shiromani Akali Dal (Delhi) today “amicably settled” the issue of possession of an office in the Gurdwara Rakabganj complex.

A five-hour meeting between the members of the two dals was held to settle the dispute over the office accommodation for the SAD (Badal) and SAD (Delhi) and the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee guest house on the first floor.

While the Delhi unit of the SAD (Badal) was represented by Mr Avtar Singh Hit, Mr Kuldip Singh Bhogal and Mr Onkar Singh Thapar, the SAD (Delhi) was represented by Mr Nirvair Singh, Mr Jatinder Singh Sahni and Mr Bhajan Singh Walia.

Both the parties decided to divide the newly constructed office and guest house in Gurdwara Rakabganj Sahib complex, the president of Delhi unit of SAD (Badal), Mr Avtar Singh Hit, said.

He said the area consisting of one room, with an attached bath room, and another room/store, all being one unit, having the entrance within the room had been allotted to the SAD (Badal).

“Rest of the area at ground floor is allotted to the SAD, (Delhi”), he said.

Mr Avtar Singh Hit clarified that they had no objection to “anyone” staying at the guest house “but only as a guest”.

However, the locks put on the main gate by the Delhi unit of SAD (Badal) had not been opened till 6 p.m. as they wanted “certain clarifications to a clause in the agreement signed today”.

Easy phone facility for troops

NEW DELHI, June 15 (PTI) — Indian troops fighting intruders in Kargil will now be able to make telephone calls to their near and dear ones, thanks to the special arrangements made by the Telecom Department on a directive from Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee.

In addition to the five channels working from Kargil on satellite system, the Telecom Department has initiated action to supplement arrangements by another seven channels, an official statement said today.

It said the department had decided to make available to the Army authorities 10 "Inmarsat mini-m" terminals which can be installed at locations in Kargil to enable the Army and para-military personnel to make calls.

"Although the tariff payable to Inmarsat is comparatively high, the Telecom Department will charge only the normal tariff and the difference will be absorbed," it added.

Tohra’s party to apply to EC today
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, June 15 — The newly-formed All India Shiromani Akali Dal would apply for registration with the Election Commission tomorrow and also seek the symbol of ‘Scales’.

The General Secretary of the Party, Mr Prem Singh Chandumajra, told reporters here that the All-India SAD would ask for the symbol since the outfit led by Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, was the ‘real Akali Dal’.

He said there was a possibility of a Third Front emerging in Punjab mainly comprising the All-India SAD, the Bahujan Samaj Party, non-Congress and non-BJP parties.

He did not comment on the possibility of a tie-up with the Nationalist Congress Party, Mr Chandumajra said his party viewed the Congress as “enemy number one’’.

On charges that his party had links with some Congress leaders, he said on the contrary it was the SAD (Badal) which had presented ‘siropas’ to Mr Sharad Pawar.

Sugarcane price Rs 70 per quintal
CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu Government has fixed the minimum procurement price for sugarcane with a recovery rate of 8.5 per cent at Rs 702.50 per tonne for the current crushing season. An official press release said this was Rs 175.50 more than that of the recommended price of Rs 527 by the Centre. Last year, the minimum price was fixed at Rs 660 per tonne against the Centre’s recommended price of Rs 484.50, the release added. — PTI

Court orders arrest of MD
HYDERABAD: A Division Bench of the Andhra Pradesh High Court comprising Mr Justice N Y Hanumanthappa and Mr Justice V V S Rao have directed the city police commissioner of police to arrest the Managing Director of Andhra Pradesh State Handloom Weavers Co-operative Society Ltd and produce him before the court on July 8 for flouting court orders. However, the Bench also directed that managing Director could be given bail for a sum of Rs 10,000 and with two sureties each for the likesome amount but he would have to attend the court on July 8, and continue to attend whenever required, it added — UNI

Sabarimala panel’s term extended
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The term of the Justice T Chandrashekhara Men on Commission, inquiring into the circumstances that led to the stampede at Sabarimala on January 14, has been extended for another six months, according to an official release. Over 50 Ayyappa devotees were killed in the tragedy on the Makaravilakku day when a portion of a hillock caved in — UNI

Hooch claims two lives
HYDERABAD: Two youths died after consuming spurious liquor at Kolhapur in Mahabubnagar district of Andhra Pradesh on Monday. The police said on Tuesday the duo, Raghu and Kader Basha, went to Choutabatla village where they consumed adulterated toddy purchased from a liquor shop. The two fell unconscious and were rushed to Kolhapur hospital, where they died later — PTI

Court seeks report on Sinha
PATNA: CBI Special Court Judge S.K. Lal on Tuesday directed the CBI to submit a report to the court within a week as to why Dr Shyam Bihari Sinha, alleged kingpin in the multi-crore fodder scam, was not being arrested. The Judge, who fixed July 1 as the next date for hearing said non-availability of Dr Sinha was causing problem for going ahead with the case. Dr Sinha is admitted in a private hospital in Delhi for treatment. — UNI

Sonia to visit MP on June 24
BHOPAL: The Congress President, Ms Sonia Gandhi, will address a public meeting at Damoh in Madhya Pradesh on June 24, cancelling three other programmes as per the revised schedule. She was earlier slated to visit Shivpur on June 18, Ratlam on June 20 and Kanker on June 28 but all these trips have been cancelled, the State Congress General Secretary and Spokesman, Mr Manak Agarwal said here on Tuesday. — PTI

200 families rendered homeless
KAKINADA: More than 50 houses were gutted and 200 families rendered homeless in a major fire that broke out near the Jagannaickpur area of the city on Monday, fire brigade sources said on Tuesday. Fire-fighters from Peddapuram, Jaggampeta and Pithapuram, besides the local unit, were pressed into service to rescue the people and douse the blaze. The District Collector, Mr Satish Chandra, visited the area and assured all possible assistance to the victims. — PTI

Hindi film shot in 12 days
NEW DELHI: For the first time, a full-length Hindi feature film made by a Delhi-based director has been shot in a record schedule of 12 days. The film, ‘Aashray’ has no female lead and no songs. Most of the action takes place in a waiting room of an almost deserted railway station in Kanoh in Himachal Pradesh. Rajen Kumar, Director of the film, said the film lacked glamour but the characterisation of the main character would ensure that the film found recognition as good cinema. — UNI