Wednesday, May 26, 1999
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N A T I O N |
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spotlight today's calendar |
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AICC grateful to Sonia HC notices to govt, Sarna on DSGMC
elections |
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Yugoslavia thanks India
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How Bhattal, Tiwari
jumped the queue Pak has 'violated' Lahore
Declaration Options open on Pawar group: CPI Normal monsoon likely this year EC visits Patna Indian scores music for Hollywood
film Bhawna tops Civil Services (Main)
exams |
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AICC grateful to Sonia for
agreeing to remain Cong chief NEW DELHI, May 25 — The special session of the All-India Congress Committee today adopted a resolution by show of hands expressing gratitude to Mrs Sonia Gandhi for agreeing to continue holding the office of Congress President. The resolution was moved by the Nagaland Chief Minister, Mr S.C. Jamir, who described the task as "one of the greatest moments" in his political career. Mr Jamir was a Deputy Minister between 1967 and 1971 in Indira Gandhi’s Council of Ministers. The choice to move the resolution fell on Mr Jamir, who is the Chairman of the Congress North-East Coordination Committee. While commending the resolution, Mr Jamir cautioned Mrs Sonia Gandhi not to allow any coterie be formed around her. He further suggested that internal democracy should be practised in the party and the forum of the Congress Working Committee should be utilised fully to allow free discussion in the party. He also said that no attempts should be made to sideline or silence senior leaders and that due importance should be given to State leaders who, he said, were the backbone of the party. Mr Jamir’s suggestion went down well with the AICC delegates and was seconded by another speaker, Mr Ammar Rizvi from Uttar Pradesh. The number of speakers was also limited with Mr Jagparvesh Chandra, former Leader of Opposition in Delhi Assembly, Mr Ranjit Deshmukh, former PCC Chief from Maharashtra, Mr G. Venkataswamy and Mrs Urmila Singh, former PCC Chief from Madhya Pradesh being the others. The Nagaland Chief Minister said the debate on foreign origin of Mrs Sonia Gandhi was part of a "disinformation" campaign started by forces "inimical" to the party and the country. He claimed that the expulsion of Mr Sangma would have no fallout in the North-East and at best it could create ripples in Mr Sangma’s home state of Meghalaya. Mr Jamir said it was the vaulting ambition of the three leaders which led to the present crisis but said he was hopeful the Congress would emerge victorious in the forthcoming general election. The resolution expressed deep gratitude to Mrs Gandhi for agreeing to withdraw her resignation and declared that the party would fight the ensuing Lok Sabha elections under her leadership. It said stability and secularism would be poll planks for the party . Mr Deshmukh, who was fielded to counter Mr Sharad Pawar, had to face hostility when he mentioned the name of the rebel leaders. Mr Deshmukh’s effort to explain were greeted with vocal protests by a section of party workers and finally got applause when he said expulsion of the three "gaddars (traitors)" was good for the party. Mr Rizvi said the three
expelled leaders were toeing the RSS line while both Mr
Venkataswamy and Mrs Urmila Singh also supported the
resolution. |
HC notices to government, Sarna on DSGMC elections NEW DELHI, May 25 (PTI) — The Delhi High Court today issued notices to Delhi government, the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) and others asking them to clarify the position about the elections to executive committee of the Sikh body. Notices were also issued to Director Gurdwara Elections in Delhi, new DSGMC president Paramjit Singh Sarna, a loyalist of expelled SGPC chief G.S Tohra and 12 of his (Sarna’s) supporters. Mr Justice C.M. Nayar issued the notices on a petition moved by Delhi State Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Avtar Singh Hit challenging constitution of the executive committee of DSGMC by the Sarna group at an "unauthorised" meeting of the Sikh body on May 12. The court directed all 17 respondents, including the Delhi government, DSGMC’s current office-bearers and Mr Sarna to file affidavits in reply to the petition, within four weeks. Mr Avtar Singh and his supporters sought re-election to the executive committee under an independent observer saying the executive committee constituted by the Sarna group was "illegal" However, Mr Sarna had claimed that the new executive under his presidentship was constituted after proper elections by the DSGMC members. The court, however, refused to grant stay on the functioning of the DSGMC executive committee under Mr Sarna at this stage and appoint an administrator in its place. The court said let the opposite parties first file their replies while adjourning the next hearing to July 28. Mr Avtar Singh and his supporters, in a plea, alleged that the Sarna group, which was not sure of victory in the executive election, disrupted the DSGMC meeting called by its president Mr Jaswant Singh on May 12. It said, the Sarna group after adjournment of the meeting by Mr Jaswant Singh, convened a subsequent meeting on the same day and "distributed" the posts of executive among its supporters. "The action of the respondents was contrary to the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Act and its election rules," the petition said adding that the subsequent meeting called by the Sarna group after adjournment of an official meeting by DSGMC president Jaswant Singh on May 12, was "illegal" as no notices were given to the members. The purported meeting was not the meeting of the DSGMC but an assembly of handful ‘disgruntled’ office seekers and, therefore, anything said or done by them could not be said to be legal, it said. "Since the Sarna
group was aware that it will not succeed in free and fair
election, its attempt was to hold a meeting of its
supporters and distribute the executive posts among
themselves," the petition said. |
Yugoslavia thanks India NEW DELHI, May 25 — Yugoslavia today thanked India for its continued solidarity in opposing the NATO bombing which has destroyed the country and its people, and hinted that any humanitarian aid would be welcomed. Talking to newspersons, the wife of the Yugoslav Ambassador to New Delhi, Mrs Jelenka Strbac, said that the incessant bombing by the allied forces on hospitals and civilian facilities had caused large-scale destruction and untold suffering, with over 7000 deaths reported and thousands more injured. Stating that 30 per cent of the victims were children, Mrs Strbac said the doctors and other medical staff were working under very difficult conditions with depleting medical supplies and medicines. "Before the eyes of the whole world in a systematic and ruthless manner, the destruction of a country is taking place", she pointed out and added that as many as 20 hospitals and 30 medical institutions had been destroyed in the bombing. However, the Yugoslav people would continue to resist in a Gandhi-like manner, the relentless onslaught of the NATO "criminals", Mrs Strbac said. Criticising the western media, particularly the CNN and BBC, for keeping the world in the dark about the real situation in the bomb-ravaged country, she said the conscience of the whole world was the strongest force behind her country. Mrs Strbac said that
further and stronger support from Yugoslav’s friends
in the form of humanitarian aid would be appreciated,
especially medicinal products. |
How Bhattal, Tiwari jumped
the queue NEW DELHI, May 25 — The spillover of the crowd on the road created a traffic jam outside the Talkatora Indoor Stadium and several top leaders had to literally walk down in the blazing sun to reach the venue. There were some enterprising leaders like the former Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee chief, Ms Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, and a former Union Minister, Mr N.D. Tiwari, who capitalised on the opportunity to organise a mini rally. Led by several supporters raising slogans in support of Mrs Sonia Gandhi and eulogising them, these leaders jumped the queue and beat the tight security cordon around the venue. * * * All roads led to the Talkatora Indoor Stadium, the venue of the crucial AICC session. Congress workers were in a jubilant mood since Mrs Sonia Gandhi relented and took back her resignation as Congress President last night. Crowds thronged the roads and the mood was of celebration. A shehnai band, an acrobat on stilts, and bhangra dancers lent a festive touch. * * * Posters hailing the chief architect of the Indian Constitution, Dr B.R. Ambedkar, was conspicuous inside the stadium. A senior Congress leader explained that it was only because of the Constitution that Mrs Sonia Gandhi had become eligible to lead the Congress in the forthcoming general election. This apart, the bid to woo the Scheduled Castes, which hero-worship Dr Ambedkar, was all too discernible. * * * The hatred among loyal Congress workers for the expelled trio — Mr Sharad Pawar, Mr Tariq Anwar, Mr Purno Agitok Sangma — was apparent. A former Maharashtra Pradesh Congress chief, Mr Ranjit Deshmukh, was jeered by the delegates when he suffixed ‘ji’ to his former mentor's name. "Sharad ji" and "Sangma Ji" said Mr Deshmukh and hell was let loose. He, however, was quick to use the word "gaddar" (traitor) for the expelled leaders. This cooled down tempers. But then old habits die
hard. Just when he was concluding his speech, Mr Deshmukh
again referred to Mr Pawar as "Pawarji". This
time, however, the impact of "gaddar" had sunk
in. There were no jeers. |
Crimes against women NEW DELHI, May 25 (PTI) — With a rape being reported once in every 54 minutes, eve teasing every 51 minutes and dowry death every 17 hours — legal experts call for the reviewing of existing laws relating to women to protect them against growing incidents of crime and violence. “Notwithstanding the enactment of the laws relating to dowry, rape, violence against women, the factual position is rather distressing... they have all proved inadequate”, says the Chief Justice Mr A.S. Anand. “Mere legislation will not help — the laws must be implemented with sincerity”, Justice Anand says, calling for educating women about their rights and changing societal perceptions. The need of the hour, says a woman lawyer, Ms Indira Jaisingh, is to review the existing laws and suggest remedies especially against domestic violence. An area which has traditionally been unaddressed by the law, mainly because it was considered a private domain. Though a remedy in the form of a criminal law, Section 498 (A), already exists, it is important to introduce a civil law on domestic violence, she says. “It has been found that the criminal courts are powerless to grant any protection to women against dispossession from the matrimonial home or even grant any maintenance to her or her children during the pendency of the trial, Mr Jaisingh says. With no protection coming to her rescue, things become worse as the husband turns vindictive in response to her having gone to a criminal forum. Due to the absence of a civil law on domestic violence women who have been victims have been compelled to use matrimonial remedies to get relief. “They have been filing petitions for divorce or judicial separation, and during the pendency of the proceedings have also asked for interim protection orders such as injunctions restraining dispossession from the matrimonial home,” Ms Jaisingh says. Since the concept of “matrimonial home” remains unrecognised in the Indian law, the courts have often refused to recognise the right of the wife to reside in the matrimonial house, says Ms Jaisingh, adding that the problem gets compounded when the grant of such orders is discretionary or when the judges refuse to grant them. The civil law, if introduced, would offer protection, prevent any contact between the perpetrator and the victim and even provide the police with the mechanism for arrest, if any further violence occurred. Domestic violence has so far been unaddressed by the law and the state on the pretext that it is a “private” matter and takes place within the four walls of the house. There is an urgent need, says Ms Jaisingh to delete Sub-Section (4) of Section 155 of the Evidence Act which provides that the victim is of generally “immoral character” and also to redefine child in the context of rape as the existing inconsistency in age is frequently used in the favour of the accused. The best alternative, however, says Mr Abeysekera, a women’s rights activist from Sri Lanka, is to link processes of legal reform, aimed at punishment and redress, to processes of social and ideological transformation aimed at enabling women to live with dignity and respect as human beings. “Mere legislation will not help. While we strive to reform and restructure our legal system to enable women survivors of domestic violence to seek justice with dignity, we must also transform our systems of belief and acceptance radically to enable violence against women to be perceived as the abhorrent act that it is,” she says. Implementation of laws “in totality and in the right spirit” still remains a major challenge. “Will the legal community march into the new millennium with 27.4 per cent of rape cases pending investigation and 83.1 per cent pending trial?” Ms Jaisingh asked. Yet there is hope in the
fact that legislations can work miracles in the hands of
society determined to change its mind-set and attitude.
Law will have to prevail. |
Pak has 'violated' Lahore
Declaration NEW DELHI, May 25 — In a damage control exercise, the BJP today said the intrusion by heavily armed Pakistan-backed mercenaries across the Line of Control into the Kargil sector under the cover of heavy artillery fire was indeed against the Lahore Declaration signed by the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, and his Pakistani counterpart, Mr Nawaz Sharif in March this year. In a written statement, the member of the BJP Election Committee, Mr Arun Jaitley, said the intrusion "has threatened to sour the spirit of the Lahore Declaration". Mr Jaitley, who remained firm and declined to call the incidents in Kargil either as an intelligence or a political failure, said that "in the past, too, Pakistan has sought to send terrorists and mercenaries across the LoC". In a conscious attempt to save the party and the Government from accusations that Mr Vajpayee was lulled into inaction by Pakistan in a similar fashion as first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru was by China in 1962, Mr Jaitley said that "obviously there is a section in the Pakistani establishment that is averse to good relations between the two countries. This section has acted in the belief that the mercenaries will not only succeed in escaping the attention of our brave jawans, but also in threatening peace and security in Jammu and Kashmir". Stating that the armed
forces would flush out Pakistan-backed mercenaries, she
said, "India has not hesitated to extend a hand in
friendship. It will not hesitate to use the other hand to
defend itself." |
Options open on Pawar group: CPI HYDERABAD, May 25 (PTI) — The CPI General Secretary, Mr A.B. Bardhan, today ruled out any truck with the Congress but kept the party’s options open by adopting a wait-and-watch approach towards the proposed party of the expelled Congress leader, Mr Sharad Pawar. “The (Sharad Pawar’s) party is yet to be born and its credentials established. At this stage we cannot speak of any possible alliance or inviting it into the third front”, Mr Bardhan told reporters here. “Unless we are convinced that the new party is secular in nature, we cannot take any stand”, he said, adding that though Mr P.A. Sangma and Mr Tariq Anwar were categorical in their secular approach there was no similar announcement by the other leader (Sharad Pawar). Mr Bardhan, who is here to attend the party’s state executive meeting, said the CPI would not have any truck with the Congress in the ensuing Lok Sabha elections though it aims at defeating the communal forces first. “The absence of a third alternative would bring in a two-party system, which is not a healthy sign in a vast and pluralistic country like India”, he added. “In places where the fight is between the BJP and the Congress, and if our presence brightens the chances of communal forces, we may rethink our strategy in those pockets”, he added. The third front, with Left parties as core, would be shaped into a viable alternative to the Congress and the BJP, Mr Bardhan said. Discussions were on with
secular democratic parties, including Anna-TDP in Andhra
Pradesh, and a final shape would emerge by next month, he
said. |
Normal monsoon likely this year NEW DELHI, May 25 (PTI) — The south-west monsoon would hit the Kerala coast a few days earlier than its normal date of June 1, according to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), which announced that India was likely to have the 11th successive normal monsoon this year. “In 1999, the rainfall over the country as a whole for the entire south-west monsoon season (June to September) is likely to be normal, thus making it the 11th normal monsoon year in succession,” the IMD said in a statement. The south-west monsoon arrived over the Andaman sea on May 20, its normal date, and hit the Comorin coast four days later. Its onset over Kerala is likely to be a few days earlier than its normal date, it said. This forecast is based on a model that takes into account 16 parameters that affect rainfall over the country. Along with the national forecast, the IMD for the first time this year used an artificial intelligence-based model to forecast rainfall for three broad regions covering the entire country — north-west India, peninsula and north-east India. According to this model, all three regions would witness a normal rainfall this year. The rainfall over the
country as a whole for the entire monsoon season would be
108 per cent. |
EC visits Patna PATNA, May 25 (UNI) — Representatives from different political parties today met Election Commissioner G.V.G. Krishnamurthy during his visit to Bihar and apprised him of the “likely deterrents” coming in the way of free and fair Lok Sabha elections in the state. The representatives who met the Election Commissioner included those from the RJD, the BJP, the Samata Party and CPI (M-L). The RJD delegation said that in the last Lok Sabha elections, many polling booths were located at such places where the poor had hesitation to venture out for casting their votes. They informed the EC that new polling booths had not been set up after the Lok Sabha elections held in 1996. The BJP representatives
contended that large parts of 26 parliamentary
constituencies out of 54 would be flooded during August
and September when the elections were scheduled. |
Indian scores music for Hollywood film JAIPUR, May 25 (PTI) — A local music teacher has achieved a unique distinction of scoring music for a multi-million dollar Hollywood film being made by an Oscar winning director. “I am thrilled to do the film not because of working with top-notch people of Hollywood but because Indian music has been recognised in the mecca of cinema, says Shiva Vyas, who scored music for the film “Holy Smoke” being made by Oscar winning director Jane Campion. Shiva, who teaches music at Sangeet Sansthan, a music institute run by the Rajasthan Government, used ragas like miya malhar, megh malhar, bhim palasi and rageshwari to create a serene, meditative and pious atmosphere for the film, based on the theme of Indian spirituality. The film also features Hollywood sensation Kate Winslet who became a household name the world over after her stellar performance as the leading lady in the blockbuster “Titanic”. Harvey Keitel plays the male lead in “Holy Smoke” whose movie “Piano” also won an Oscar. The movie revolves around an Australian girl, played by Winslet, who joins an Indian cult and falls in love with the cult guru. The film was extensively shot in Pushkar recently. “The director gave
me full freedom for creating music for my debut film and
I am happy that my compositions have been appreciated by
the entire unit,” Shiva told PTI. |
Bhawna tops Civil Services (Main) exams NEW DELHI, May 25 (PTI) — The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) today declared the results of the civil services (main) examinations 1998. A total of 470 candidates, including 142 belonging to other backward classes, 60 to Scheduled Caste and 30 to the Scheduled Tribe, have been recommended for appointment to IAS, IFS, IPS and the police service group ‘B’ and central services group ‘A’ and ‘B’, an official release said. Bhawna Garg topped the list of first 20 candidates in the order of merit. Among the first 20 candidates, there are five women candidates as against only two who figured in the civil service examination in 1997. On the female-male ratio
of successful candidates, while 7936 male candidates who
have appeared for the written test 380 finally qualified,
out of 853 females appeared for the written test 90
finally qualified. |
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