tribuneindia...Spotlight

			Friday, June 25, 1999
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Cong plea on RS session
NEW DELHI, June 24 (PTI) — The Congress today urged President K.R. Narayanan to immediately convene a Rajya Sabha session to discuss the Kargil conflict and a number of other issues which urgently required a national consensus. The demand was made by the Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Mr Manmohan Singh, who met Mr Narayanan this evening. "I am writing to request you to consider the convening of the Rajya Sabha to discuss a number of issues which urgently require a national consensus," he said in a memorandum submitted to the President. He said the party was demanding the session as the Vajpayee Government had lost the confidence of the Lok Sabha which now had been dissolved, and the caretaker government was entrusted with responsibilities which required it to be accountable to people through such institutions as were available for this purpose.

65 die in fighting in Colombia
BOGOTA, June 24 (Reuters) — At least 65 persons were killed in clashes between Colombian Marxist rebels and Army troops after the rebels tried to storm the mountain hideout of a rightist paramilitary squad leader, authorities said today. An Army spokesman in northern Cordoba province said at least 32 soldiers had died, which would make it the military’s worst body count since the government began formal peace talks with Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) guerrillas in January. "This is a total and absolute war. Things are very complicated. We’re fighting (the guerrillas) with planes and armoured helicopters," Gen. Victor Julio Alvarez, head of the Army’s 1st Division, told reporters.

Chargesheeted
NEW DELHI, June 24 (PTI) — The Delhi police has charge-sheeted Romesh Sharma, an alleged accomplice of Dubai-based underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, and 10 others in the Kunjam Buddhiraj murder case in a city court. The chargesheet filed under various sections of the IPC including 302 (murder), 120 (B) (criminal conspiracy) and 34 (common intention) in a Duty Magistrate’s court also named Sharma’s nephew Surendra Mishra, two girls claiming to be Sharma’s adopted sisters Dolly and Sonu, Ramesh, Hemchand alias Nani, Devender, Ganga Singh, Santram, Rakesh and Sudesh.

Probe ordered
NEW DELHI, June 24 (PTI) — The Indian Air Force today ordered an inquiry into the crash of an MIG-21 in Pathankot town yesterday in which its pilot was killed. IAF sources said the pilot, Flying Officer A.S. Karki, who was under training and carrying out a routine sortie, was killed in the accident. According to reports here, the aircraft, which descended below the normal landing height, rammed into a building.

Haryana Speaker
CHANDIGARH, June 24 (PTI) — The Haryana Assembly Speaker, Mr Chattar Singh Chauhan, today rejected the two motions seeking removal of himself and the Deputy Speaker, Mr Faqir Chand Aggarwal, given by the two rival camps in the ongoing political tussle in the state triggered off by the withdrawal of support by the BJP to the 37-month-old Bansi Lal-led HVP government. Mr Chauhan told PTI that he had rejected the two motions as they were unconstitutional, null and void and against Article 179(C) of the Constitution, which stipulated that 14 days’ notice must be given to seek removal of the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker.

12 LTTE men killed
COLOMBO, June 24 (PTI) — Twelve Tamil rebels and a civilian were killed in sporadic fighting between troops and the LTTE in Sri Lanka’s north and east, a defence press release said here today. Four gunmen of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) were killed in an ambush at Kawadkiroykulam in the rebel held areas of northern vanni yesterday. Eight more militants were killed in fighting at northern Paranthan, the release said. Meanwhile, a civilian was killed and another injured when armed LTTE men assaulted them at Kudathunai in northern Jaffna peninsula, it added.

Rupee dips
MUMBAI, June 24 (PTI) — Escalating border tension sent the rupee reeling under pressure against the US currency at the inter-bank forex market here today. The rupee closed at Rs 43.3150/3250 per dollar, steeply lower for the overnight finish of Rs 43.25/26 after dipping to an intra-day low of Rs 43.33/35 in late morning business on hectic dollar from banks.

Raids on Subba's house
NEW DELHI, June 24 (PTI) — The income tax authorities have raided offices and residential premises of former Congress MP M.K. Subba, reportedly involved with several state lotteries in the North-East, in Delhi, Assam and West Bengal for suspected income tax evasion. Searches were also carried out at the residential and commercial premises of another lottery firm N.V. International.

Bihar cops' stir
PATNA, June 24 (PTI) — About 18,000 policemen from the rank of Assistant Sub-Inspector to Inspector went on a mass casual leave for a week from midnight last night defying a ban on it, in protest against the Bihar Government’s alleged apathy towards their long pending demands. The demands included an increase in special and technical allowances to policemen working in the special branch, the Crime Investigation Department (Wireless) and police training institutes.