Tuesday, November 23, 1999
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N A T I O N |
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weather  spotlighttoday's calendar |
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Cong patch-up bid in Goa |
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Food-for-work plan for
cyclone-hit Lata, Cho among 4 nominated to RS Rama Devi shifted to Karnataka
Cong assurance must: Paswan ‘Hindus could be forced to
re-convert’ DSGMC poll unlikely before Feb
4 members of Chhota Rajan gang
nabbed Bharati for tourism in Concurrent
List Verghese to complete 6-year term ‘Kehror Rattan’ award
presented to Sardana |
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Cong patch-up bid in Goa PANAJI, Nov 22 (PTI) — The Luizinho Faleiro government in Goa today received a jolt with Speaker Pratapsinh Rane accepting breakaway group's demand for a separate sitting arrangement in the assembly on the day of trust vote on November 24 even as the Congress high command stepped up rapprochement efforts amidst indication that it might consider leadership change. A crucial meeting of the Congress Legislature Party was on tonight to discuss the political developments in the presence of Congress central observers Govindrao Adik and Ramesh Channitala who were rushed by the party high command to reinforce efforts at working out a patch-up between the rival groups. It is not yet clear if the Congress central observers have been able to establish contact with the rebel group leader Francisco Sardinha who along with 10 MLAs broke ranks reducing the Falerio government to a minority in the 40-member House and staked claim to form an alternative backed by the BJP. Mr Rane announced that he had acceded to the request of the Congress rebel group for a separate sitting arrangement on November 24. "I have not gone into the legal part of it as there is no disqualification petition before me", he told reporters. Congress sources here said Mr Faleiro and his supporters had meetings with Mr Adik but, progress, if any, was not yet known. In Delhi, Congress indicated that it was willing to consider replacing Mr Faleiro once his government wins the vote of confidence, a move seen as an attempt to win back the rebels. Congress spokesman Anil Shastri told reporters that the question of change of leadership in Goa did not arise until the vote of confidence is sought and until the report of the AICC observer is received. "I hope that the situation will come under control by the time of the trust vote", he said. He parried questions whether negotiations were on with the rebels led by Francisco Sardinha. "We have left it to the AICC observer to handle". Meanwhile, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) said its lone MLA in Goa would oppose the Falerio government in the trust vote. "Once the
government falls, we will decide our next course of
action vis-a-vis our stand on the new formation, right
now every thing is hypothetical", party spokesman
D.N. Dwivedi told reporters after the NCP's working
committee meeting in Delhi. |
Well-deserved slot for Akalis NEW DELHI, Nov 22 — Durbar Hall of Rashtrapati Bhavan this evening reverberated with "Jo Bole So Nihal, Sat Sri Akal" as Mr Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, Shiromani Akali Dal's Rajya Sabha member, was sworn in as Cabinet minister to fulfil the need for a Sikh minister in the third Cabinet headed by Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee. Three ministers of the Cabinet rank, one minister of state attached to the Prime Minister's Office and many disappointed faces was the end-result of the political drama which had started unfolding on Saturday and ended with the swearing-in ceremony today. BJP heavyweight Sushma Swaraj and her two predecessors as Delhi's Chief Minister — Mr Madan Lal Khurana and Mr Sahib Singh Verma, — did not make it to Durbar Hall today. Neither did the ousted UP Chief Minister Mr Kalyan Singh. Among the allies, former Cabinet minister Ramakrishna Hegde, whose inclusion is being opposed by the hardcore sections of the BJP in Karnataka (because it feels that in the pre-election distribution of seats between NDA partners in the state, Mr Hegde had played foul) was not included in spite of speculation. Mr Hegde, in fact, had met the Prime Minister on Thursday and was offered a Cabinet-level position previously held by Dr Karan Singh i.e. Chairman of the Indo-French Commission. He has so far not indicated acceptance and this was interpreted as paving the way for his formal induction which did not take place. Another former Cabinet minister, Mr Surjit Singh Barnala, who too had met Mr Vajpayee late last week, setting off speculation about his induction either as a Governor or as a Cabinet minister to fill the Sikh slot, could not make it to either of the lists. To be fair to Mr Barnala, amidst speculation, he has been maintaining that his visits to the Prime Minister's house are courtesy calls and he is not expecting any offers as he is not an MP. The induction of Mr Barnala's bete noire in Sangrur politics, Mr Dhindsa, rings down the curtains on the drama which unfolded on the morning of October 13, when, despite getting an appointment letter as a Cabinet minister signed by the Cabinet Secretary, Mr Dhindsa could not take oath as his party stood in the way. The Akalis have got their well-deserved slot. However, the portfolio of their choice has evaded them. The decision of the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) to stay away from the ministry, reinforced by the non-inclusion of the party's nominee in today's round, may raise a question mark about the elasticity of the alliance in Haryana. By inducting Dr C.P. Thakur, former Congressman and now the BJP MP from Patna, the party leadership has tried to assuage the feelings of the upper castes in Bihar who had voted for the NDA. The October 13 inductions had left the upper castes — the Brahmin, Rajput, Bhumihar — of the state out. Dr Thakur is a prominent Bhumihar leader. There are two clear winners of the day — Mr Pramod Mahajan, who gets the prestigious Infotech Portfolio despite the opposition from Mr Ram Vilas Paswan. Also, the non-inclusion of Mrs Sushma Swaraj is music to Mr Mahajan's ears. The other winner, though
feted belatedly, is Mr Arun Shourie, whose name had
figured in the October 13 list but had slipped out. As
Minister of State, he gets charge of Planning,
Statistics, Programme Implementation, Administrative
Reforms, Public Grievances and Pension in the Ministry of
Personnel. |
Food-for-work plan for
cyclone-hit NEW DELHI, Nov 22 — The fourth task force set up for cyclone relief in Orissa today met under the chairmanship of Defence Minister George Fernandes to discuss the food-for-work scheme which will provide food supplies, employment and assist in reconstruction work of houses, schools and public buildings in the affected parts. The Rural Development Secretary has been asked to work out a scheme with the Orissa Government by merging the Indira Awas Yojana and employment assurance schemes. The state government has projected a requirement of Rs 302 crore under the house construction relief scheme for the affected population to provide ex gratia payment. It has a scheme of ex gratia payment of Rs 3,500 to individuals whose houses have been washed away and Rs 2,000 to individuals whose house need extensive repair or reconstruction. Those whose houses need minor repairs will get Rs 1,000. It was decided that voluntary agencies would be advised to send blankets to Orissa as it was urgently needed besides food and clean water. The state government has received only 2.5 lakh blankets, whereas about 30 lakh are required. Mr Fernandes was told that by November 30 power would be restored to the normal level in the state. Meanwhile, the CPM today asked the Centre to give Orissa cyclone a national calamity status in view of the severity of the crisis that the state was facing in the wake of the destruction from the last month’s cyclone. Addressing newspersons after a visit of the cyclone-hit areas in Orissa, CPM Politburo Member Prakash Karat said the CPM along with other political parties was ready to extend cooperation to the central government for making special provisions for enabling the state to begin the massive task of not only giving immediate relief to the cyclone affected people but also to begin the reconstruction of the economic life of the state. The situation in Orissa was not a matter of scoring "political points", Mr Karat said, adding that the Centre must give outright grants to the state not loans. "No other state has ever faced such a devastation", Mr Karat pointed out in justification of the CPM’s demand for according Orissa a status of national calamity. When asked about imposing a "Orissa tax" like it was mooted in the time of the Kargil conflict, he said the way for resource mobilisation "can be discussed". Former Minister and
Orissa Pradesh Congress General Secretary Bhakta Charan
Das today alleged that the Vajpayee government was
playing ‘politics’ to declare the tragedy
wrought by the cyclone. |
Lata, Cho among 4 nominated to
RS NEW DELHI, Nov 22 — The President, Mr K.R. Narayanan today nominated melody queen Lata Mangeshkar, noted lawyer Fali S. Nariman, satirist Cho Ramaswami and veteran social activist Nana Deshmukh to the Rajya Sabha. The Union Home Ministry had cleared the names of these persons earlier this week. These four were nominated against vacancies in the Council of States. The government can
nominated 12 persons to the Council of States who are
known for their eminence in various fields like arts,
culture, literature, legal and other areas. |
Rama Devi shifted to
Karnataka NEW DELHI, Nov 22 — Former Rajya Sabha member Vishnu Kant Shastri was today appointed the Governor of Himachal Pradesh in place of Mrs V.S. Rama Devi, who has been shifted to Karnataka. Mrs Rama Devi replaced Mr Khursheed Alam Khan. She would continue as Karnataka's Governor for the remainder of her term, a Rashtrapati Bavan communiqué said. Mrs Rama Devi was appointed Governor of Himachal Pradesh in July, 1997, and her term expires on July 25, 2002. These appointments would
take effect on the dates the two assume charge of their
respective offices it said. |
Should media sources be protected? NEW DELHI, Nov 22 (PTI) — The Bofors papers, the Kargil ‘lapse’ or the Watergate scandal that rocked the USA would not have seen the light of the day were it not for protected "sources", who are "always in the know". But doesn’t this anonymity or the faceless source compromise with the credibility of a news report? is there a need to protect the source? isn’t there a possibility of a scribe pushing his own opinion under the concession of what is popularly called journalists’ immunity? What remedy does one have against such a scribe? Many a media expert notes that it may warrant a journalist, who is in possession of sensitive information, as not to disclose his source without compromising on authenticity and that absolute immunity does not exist. At the same time they are of the opinion that journalists should have some immunity but they may be compelled to disclose their sources only in extreme cases, especially those involving national security. "Journalists should not regard themselves as above the law," says Ajit Bhattacharya, Chairman, Press Institute of India. In a democratic set-up, it would be detrimental and unfair to draw journalists to judicial recourse and force them to reveal their source, says Dr N Bhaskar Rao, Chairman, Centre for Media Studies. "A journalist should not take recourse to "healthy escapism" or believe in everything literally, he should weigh the repercussions of the story on the society at large," says Sahay. Sahay, however, feels the need for a law which would clearly guarantee a journalist immunity but at the same time spells out the circumstances in which a scribe may reveal his source. Journalists do not enjoy immunity under the existing law except a provision in the Press Council Act, 1978, which provides that no journalist shall be compelled by the council to disclose his source of news. "But it is desirable to argue for a suitable law," says Sahay, suggesting that a judge should have the right to compel a journalist to reveal the source under exceptional circumstances. If society’s
interest is so overwhelming then it is the
journalist’s right to disclose, under the larger
interest of the society he would have to yield but
whether he should accept the order of the judge is up to
his conscience, says Sahay. |
Central rule in Bihar PATNA, Nov 22 (PTI) — The Union Communication Minister and senior (JD (U), Mr Ramvilas Paswan, today said that the government might reconsider imposing central rule in Bihar if the Congress makes it clear that it would support the presidential proclamation to this effect. "Everybody knows that the NDA lacks requisite strength in the Rajya Sabha to ensure the ratification of such a presidential proclamation," he told reporters here. He said the NDA Government might "rethink" on invoking Article 356 in the state "if the Congress specifies whether it will support the central rule" and appealed to Congress President Sonia Gandhi to announce her party’s stand on the matter. Asked to specify whether the government was really ready to bring Bihar under Central rule if the Congress demanded so, Mr Paswan said. "Let the Congress make its stand clear we will consider it." "More so as the state assembly poll is due in the next three to four months, the JD(U) and its ally the BJP will take all possible steps to rid the people of the state of the ‘jungle raj’ unleashed during the misrule of the Laloo-Rabri regimes" he added. Condemning the massacre of 12 members of the minority family at Loto village in Bihar’s Palamu district on November 16, Mr Paswan alleged that the recurrence of such gruesome incidents had proved beyond doubt that law and order had reached its nadir in Bihar. He said the recent attack on Union Minister of State for Food Processing Shahnawaz Hussain in Araria bore testimony to the fact that the state administration had "completely collapsed." He brushed aside speculations of "differences" between the BJP and the JD(U) on the issue of seat-sharing in Bihar, saying "We will settle such matter in a cordial atmosphere." He also denied any differences between the JD(U) and the Samata Party over merger saying "modalities are being completed for it." Mr Paswan said the BJP and the JD(U) would have "close coordination" to end the "jungle raj, anarchy and chaos" after the coming Bihar Assembly poll. The Union Communication Minister said the Centre was contemplating bringing necessary amendments to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Act to make it more strong and vibrant. "We want to make TRAI stronger and more effective to usher in a total communication revolution, Mr Paswan told reporters. He said that steps are
under why to link villages with internet facilities
across the country by 2000 and provide universal access
to world class telecom services "at the lowest
possible rate." |
Holland backs India on council seat NEW DELHI, Nov 22 (PTI) —The Netherlands today backed India’s candidature for permanent membership of an expanded United Nations Security Council. Prime Minister of the Netherlands Wim Kok, who was accorded a ceremonial red carpet reception at Rashtrapati Bhavan this morning, told reporters that "India is a very important and prominent candidate for such a prestigious position." Strongly favouring an increase in the number of permanent members of the Security Council, he said" "It is for various regions to come to agreement as to who should be permanent members. India, of course, is a very important candidate." "Mr Wim Kom, who was warmly received by Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee on his five-day visit, said: "I will very much appreciate opinions of the countries of the region because it is not only a matter for us to decide." The Dutch Premier, leading a high-power delegation, said the mission of his visit was to show their interest in giving impetus to cordial relations and cooperation with India. "We appreciate the work India and its Prime Minister are doing very much," he remarked. He said he would hold wide-ranging discussions with Indian leaders on political, economic and cultural ties, and "our common role in a globalised world as we want to work closely together." Prominent among those present at the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhavan during the ceremonial reception were Home Minister L.K. Advani, Human Resource Development Minister Murli Manohar Joshi, Law Minister Ram Jethmalani, Minister of State for External Affairs Ajit Kumar Panja and Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Arun Jaitley. Recent developments in Pakistan, nuclear and security issues besides special focus on enhancing economic and trade ties are likely to figure during his parleys with Indian leaders. He will call on President K.R. Narayanan and Vice-President Krishan Kant and hold separate meetings with Union Ministers Yashwant Sinha and Pramod Mahajan. Leader of the Opposition Sonia Gandhi is also scheduled to call on the visiting premier who will have an interaction will the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) during his stay here. Meanwhile, Laos today also supported India’s candidature for a permanent seat in the Security Council saying it is not only a major nuclear weapon state but a factor for stability in the region with its foreign policy of peace and non-interference. "India is a major power and factor for stability in the region. Therefore, India should be a permanent member of the council", Mr Soubanh Srithirath, Minister in the Office of the President of Laos, said here. Delivering the ninth
India-ASEAN eminent person lecture on " ASEAN-India
partnership towards the next millennium", he said
cooperation and coordination between ASEAN and India were
all the more important in the new political and security
environment. |
‘Hindus could be forced to re-convert’ NEW DELHI, Nov 22 (PTI) — Shankaracharya of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam Jayendra Saraswathi today the said Hindus would be forced to engage in re-conversion if the same took place by compulsion. "Conversion is different from religious freedom’’, the Kanchi Seer said when asked to comment on Pope’s recent remarks that people should have the religious freedom on conversion. "Conversion nahi
karna... Nahi to humbhi karenge.. Vaisa adhikar Hindu ko
bhi hai’’ (Conversion should not take place by
force otherwise we will have to indulge in it. Hindus
also have the same right), he told reporters here. |
DSGMC poll unlikely before Feb NEW DELHI, Nov 22 — The poll to the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee is unlikely to be held before February as the Delhi Government has referred the issue of lowering of voting age from 21 years to 18 years and 33 per cent reservation for women to the Centre. The revision of voters list from 21 years to 18 years, if the Centre gives its approval, will take more than one month, sources in the Delhi Government said. The president of the
Delhi unit of the SAD(B), Mr Avtar Singh Hit, had
submitted a memorandum to the Lt Governor, pointing out
the discrepancies in the voters’ list and the
incomplete electoral roll. |
Navy in for greater role: Fernandes NEW DELHI, Nov 22 (PTI, UNI) — Defence Minister George Fernandes today said that the Navy would have a greater role to play in the coming millennium in providing security to the sea lanes of communication in the Indian Ocean and the exclusive economic zone. Opening the week-long annual Navy senior officers’ conference here, Mr Fernandes said the "coming century is Asia’s century" and the Navy would be a major player to shape India’s future and the role cut out for it would therefore grow in terms of significance. "As our neighbourhood is hostile, littoral states around us with whom we have good relations will gather confidence with Indian Navy’s presence in the region. Defence diplomacy is one of the biggest roles of the Navy," Mr Fernandes said. He also lauded the role of the Indian Navy in ‘Operation Vijay’ in Kargil, ‘Operation Sahayata’ in Orissa and also in the seizure of hijacked ship ‘Alandra Rainbow’ and the arrest of pirates. The week-long conference will discuss the Navy’s programme structures and war-fighting doctrines for the next millennium. The thrust areas of discussion will be planned acquisitions and emerging challenges to harness advanced technologies. meanwhile, Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal A. Y. Tipnis inaugurated five-day biannual Air Force Commanders conference here today. The conference is being held for the first time after the Kargil conflict. The Air Chief said air power had played a decisive role in the recent Kargil operations and subsequently had taken on the responsibility of air maintenance to support the Army posts. Although the Air Chief did not indicate the percentage of increase on air maintenance, sources said it would be increased by 20-25 per cent. Describing as the
‘’turning point’’ the shooting down
of Pakistani naval aircraft, Atlantic, which had intruded
into Indian Airspace in Bhuj in September, Air Marshal
Tipnis said this had sent a clear signal to the adversary
not to attempt any aggressive misadventure. |
4 members of Chhota Rajan
gang nabbed NEW DELHI, Nov 22 — With the arrest of four members of Chhota Rajan gang, which operates from Malaysia, the city police claimed to have busted a gun-running racket and averted the kidnapping of two businessman each of Delhi and Mumbai. The suspects, Mahavir, alias Pradhan, of Hisar, Chander Prakash Sharma, Devinder Dagar, alias Bablu and Sunil Sharma were arrested from the Azadpur Sabzi Mandi flyover and Shankar Road. The ACP, Mr S.K. Jain said during interrogation of the suspects the name of an Army officer, Captain Ajay Ahlawat of 61 Cavalry, had also come into picture for harbouring the criminals. The police also seized one revolver, two pistols and seven rifles from their possession. All the weapons were foreign made. Mr Jain said the police received information that members of Chhota Rajan gang were planning to make their base in Delhi for committing organised crime and were planning to kidnap some businessmen in Delhi and Mumbai. Mahavir, a notorious criminal from Haryana was made the gang leader here and was trying to procure arms and ammunition from Sunil to kidnap the businessmen. Mr Jain said on Friday a team of inter-state cell of Crime Branch of the Delhi Police intercepted a Maruti car at Azadpur Sabzi Mandi flyover and arrested three suspects. During interrogation they disclosed that the car had been stolen. During the interrogation Mahavir disclosed name of Sunil Sharma, an arms and ammunition dealer, saying that he was going to buy weapons for Prakash for which he was carrying Rs 2.90 lakh. The cash was also recovered from their possession. Sunil Sharma was arrested on Saturday from Shankar Road while he was in possession of an unlicensed revolver. The ACP said seven licensed sophisticated arms were recovered from the house of Sunil. Licenses of these weapons were in the names of Sunil Sharma and his wife, Sangeeta Sharma, and one Tulsi Ram Mishra. Mahavir and Prakash
further disclosed that they had acquired the weapons and
vehicle to kidnap businessmen of Delhi and Mumbai. |
Bharati for tourism in Concurrent List NEW DELHI, Nov 22 (PTI) — The Centre today urged states to consider inclusion of tourism in the Concurrent List of the Constitution so that the sector gets due priority from both sides. Minister of State for Tourism Uma Bharati, while suggesting this, asked the states to draw up a formula for rationalisation of taxes and make them uniform and sought setting up of committees with representatives of the travel industry for this purpose. Addressing the state Tourism Ministers’ conference here, she said her ministry would soon submit a proposal seeking greater coordination with infrastructure ministries to promote tourism. The ministries with
which tourism ministry wants to coordinate include
Railway, Surface Transport, Civil Aviation and
information and Broadcasting, Ms Bharati said. |
Verghese to complete 6-year term NEW DELHI, Nov 22 (UNI) — Eminent educationist Romila Thapar and renowned litterateur Rajendra Yadav were today retired as part-time members of the Prasar Bharati Board, which oversees the functioning of All India Radio and Doordarshan. According to a gazette notification, this had been done under Section 6 (3) of the Prasar Bharati Act, 1990, which provides for retiring one-third of the part-time members every two years. According to the notification published in the gazette extraordinary today, "after careful consideration, the government has decided that Mr B.G. Verghese will have a full term of six years and will retire on November 22, 2003. Prof. U.R. Rao and Dr Abid Hussein will have four-year terms and will retire on November 22, 2001,’’ it added. Apart from these five
members, there is one vacancy among the six part-time
members of the Prasar Bharati Board with the incumbent
being sent on a gubernatorial posting. |
‘Kehror Rattan’ award
presented NEW DELHI, Nov 22 (UNI) — The Chief Minister of Haryana, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, has conferred the "Kehror Rattan" award on Dr Mohan Lal Sardana of Bhiwani for his outstanding service to society, a release said. Mr Sardana was honoured at the silver jubilee celebrations of the All-India Kehror Pukka Mahasabha here last evening. The Haryana Chief Minister presented the "Bal Virta Purskar" to Ms Ruchi Sardana and her brother Puneet Sardana of Bhiwani for showing "exemplary courage and bravery in nabbing the thieves who had entered their house." Mr Suraj Parkash
Chaudhry, an engineer, and blind educationist Prem Sagar
were honoured with "Kehror Vibhushan", the
release said. |
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| Head constable shot dead CHENNAI: A head constable was shot dead by a three-member gang at the suburban Madhavaram around midnight on Sunday. The police said head constable, Edward (55), who was on night patrol along with a SP and another constable, spotted the gang and questioned one of them, carrying a suitcase, suspecting that it contained stolen articles. However, another gang member pulled out a revolver and shot him. — UNI Rotary award for NGO
group Ramlal Parikh
passes away Dwarka built in
1700 BC Dacoit arrested
in MP Arms seized from
Naxalite camp Vohra to head
mountaineering body |
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