Friday, September 17, 1999
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Jaswant to address UN
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Amnesty raps Punjab on
rights Naqvi posted to Bangalore I
preferred losing to buying votes: PM SC notice on rape of minors Sonia hits out at NDA leaders Jaya lambasts PM for betrayal |
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Jaswant to address UN session NEW DELHI, Sept 16 — External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh will focus on international terrorism in his address to the UN General Assembly session on September 22. Briefing newspersons here today, a spokesman of the ministry said the minister would have meetings with the US Secretary of State, Mrs Madeleine Albright, the British Foreign Secretary, Mr Robin Cook and other important leaders during his stay in New York from September 20 to 28. Mr Jaswant Singh is likely to take up the issue of international terrorism at his bilateral meetings and is going to impress upon leaders that the existing international conventions against terrorism do not adequately address the issue of state responsibility to prevent and refrain from acts of terrorism. A legal convention adopted by the UN General Assembly will provide a more broadbased basis for combating international terrorism and avoiding controversies arising from unilateral action, the minister is going to stress during talks with different foreign ministers. The issues of global nuclear disarmament, UN reforms, the Security Council restructuring, Afghanistan, finance for development and environment, including climate change, are likely to figure prominently in the 54th regular session of the UN General Assembly. On his way back from New York, the External Affairs Minister would pay bilateral visits to Belgium and Germany from September 29 to October 1. ISLAMABAD (PTI): Pakistan will raise the Kashmir issue at the UN General Assembly session next week, besides highlighting it during interactions with various countries at the world body, media report said on Thursday. Foreign Minister Sartaj Aziz, leading the Pakistani delegation after Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif cancelled his trip, will focus, among other issues, on Kashmir, the security scenario in South Asia after nuclear tests by India and Pakistan and the CTBT, the domestic PPI new agency said, quoting official sources. In his September 21 address to the General Assembly, Mr Aziz "will speak about the latest developments at global and regional levels with particular reference to Pakistan’s interests, security situations in South Asia, especially after nuclear detonations by Islamabad and Delhi in May, 1998, the Kashmir dispute, nuclear non-proliferation, the CTBT, Afghanistan and issues confronting the Muslim world", the sources said. The Kashmir issue and the South Asia situation were expected to feature in Mr Aziz’s interactions with leaders from various countries, they said. He was also likely to meet UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan and US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright. The high-level
delegation, including Foreign Secretary Shamshad Ahmed
and other senior Foreign Ministry officials, will leave
for New York on September 19. |
TDP not to join NDA, says Naidu VIJAYAWADA, Sept 16 (UNI) — Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and Telugu Desam Party President N. Chandrababu Naidu today ruled out the possibility of his party joining the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), if the alliance was voted to power at the Centre. Asked whether the TDP would join the NDA in the event of it forming the government at the Centre, he said "no". (However, according to the PTI, Mr Naidu declined to answer this question.) "The TDP’s ties with the BJP are only for the elections", he told newspersons at the helipad here before leaving for Warangal district for electioneering. Asked about BJP President Kushabhau Thakre’s reported statement that the TDP and the Trinamool Congress would join the NDA after the elections, he said: "It is his (Mr Thakre’s) personal opinion". Alleging that pradesh Congress chief Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy had threatened police personnel, who were on election duty in the Telengana region which is going to the polls in the third phase on September 18, with dire consequences if the Congress came to power in the state, Mr Naidu said his party would lodge a complaint with the Election Commission in this regard. Reiterating his charge that the Congress had joined hands with the Naxalites, he said the killing of a police officer, the blast at a police station and the gunning down of a legislator in Adilabad district had come in the wake of Congress leader Kumudben Joshi’s statement demanding a review of the ban on the People’s War Group (PWG) and APCC chief terming Naxalism as a social problem. Mr Naidu denied that
these incidents pointed to the failure of law and order
in the state and said his government was giving top
priority to curbing violence and Naxalism. |
Amnesty raps Punjab on rights NEW DELHI, Sept 16 (PTI) — Amnesty International has charged the Punjab Government with failing to live up to its human rights commitments in allegations of a widespread pattern of "disappearances" and extra-judicial executions in the state between 1984 to 1994. Expressing its "fear" that an opportunity to address the past human rights violations in Punjab could be lost, the London-based organisation said: "The state is clearly failing to live up to its human rights commitments made through its ratification of the international covenant on civil and political rights." The human rights watch-dog in a report said it was also concerned about the Union and Punjab Governments' "consistent efforts to undermine" the Supreme Court's order by opposing the National Human Rights Commission's (NHRC) involvement in this issue from the start. The organisation said although the Supreme Court, exercising its power to enforce fundamental rights had asked the NHRC in December, 1996, to investigate past human rights violation in the state, the initiative appeared to have been undermined by protracted discussions about the exact role the NHRC should play. The SC order had come in response to petitions filed in the court alleging links between a pattern of human rights violations in Punjab carried out between 1984 and 1994 and evidence of illegal cremations by the state police. Amnesty International recommended that the Government of India should fully implement its obligations under international law with respect to allegations of human rights violations in Punjab and specifically it should ensure independent and impartial investigations into the matter. In the report, it also recommended that the union and state governments should make every effort to facilitate and cooperate fully with investigations into human rights violations by the NHRC as well as the ongoing investigations by the CBI. Both the Central and
state governments should also take steps to ensure
non-repetition of past violations and in addition to
bringing those suspected of perpetrating human rights
violations to justice, they should involve provision of
systematic and continuous training in human rights for
police and security forces. |
Naqvi posted to Bangalore NEW DELHI, Sept 16 (UNI) — Air Marshal S.S.H. Naqvi, the former Deputy Chief of Air Staff who had asked for premature retirement in August and then changed his mind last week, has been posted as Senior Air Staff Officer (SASO) at training command in Bangalore, the Indian Air Force announced today. Air Marshal Naqvi had cited ‘personal reasons’ for leaving the force when he put in his application on August 26, but unconfirmed reports said the Deputy Chief had been unhappy at being posted as SASO, Training Command. But following his request that his earlier application be ignored he has been posted to training command from October 1, replacing Air Marshal K.S. Bindra who takes over as the new Air Officer Incharge of Personnel at Air Headquarters in Delhi. Following Air Marshal
Naqvi’s earlier request for premature retirement,
the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet had appointed
Air Marshal S.G. Inamdar as the Deputy Chief while
effecting major changes in the top brass of the IAF. |
I preferred losing to buying votes: PM ALIGARH, Sept 16 (PTI) — Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee today said his government could have survived the vote of confidence if it had resorted to horse-trading "like the Congress". "Bazar mein maal ki kami nahi thi (There was no shortage of purchaseable commodities in the market). The Government fell by one vote which was not difficult to arrange,’’ Mr Vajpayee told an election meeting here in support of the party candidate Sheela Gautam. Mr Vajpayee said his party preferred to lose by one vote rather than resort to corrupt methods to remain in power. Apparently referring to the Congress-led government led by then Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao and the JMM MPs bribery case, Mr Vajpayee said those who resorted to corrupt methods to gain a majority in Lok Sabha by engineering splits in parties "are today in the docks." "We chose to go to the people’s court. Let the people of this country judge us," he said. Reiterating his party’s commitment to a corruption-free society, Mr Vajpayee said unlike other parties, the BJP favoured bringing the Prime Minister under the purview of the Lok Pal. He accused the Congress of trying to mislead the nation on the Kargil issue and demoralise the armed forces. "Congress is bent on misleading the nation by making baseless allegations that intrusion in Kargil had taken place in September last year," Mr Vajpayee told an election rally at the exhibition ground here in support of BJP candidate Sheela Gautam. "Where did they get the information from. What is their source,’’ Mr Vajpayee asked adding Congress party’s stand on the issue was the only discordant voice at a time when the whole nation was united as never witnessed before. He termed as "mischievous and baseless" the Congress allegation on sugar import from Pakistan during the Kargil crisis. Pointing out that sugar was imported under Open General Licence (OGL) by the previous P V Narasimha Rao government, he said the import was stopped the moment "we came to know of Pakistan’s mischief. Not a grain of sugar was imported during the Kargil crisis." Devoting a major part of his address to the Kargil war, Mr Vajpayee said opposition parties, while making allegations regarding his government’s performance "should be very careful not to say anything which will adversely affect the morale of the valiant Jawans." He accused the opposition parties of spreading "poll-eve canards" and said they were trying to "malign my government by making unsubstantiated allegation" regarding alleged scandals. Launching a blistering attack on the Congress, Mr Vajpayee said its main election plank was stability. "Yet, this party is the most destabilising factor in the country’s polity." He said the elections were taking place because the Congress had deliberately pulled down three successive governments. "My government would never have fallen, had I compromised with AIADMK leader Jayalalitha over the issue of probes against her on charges of corruption." He said his 13-month-old
government could not achieve much in the field of
development and this "unfinished agenda has now to
be completed." |
SC notice on rape of minors NEW DELHI, Sept 16 (PTI) — Supreme Court has taken a strong view of routine punishments given to rapists of minors and issued notice to a convict in a similar case asking him to show cause why his sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment be not converted to life term. A Division Bench comprising Mr Justice S. Saghir Ahmad and Mr Justice D.P. Wadhwa issued the notice returnable within six weeks to T.K. Gopal of Karnataka, who was convicted of raping a one and a half year-old child and was sentenced to 10 years’ rigorous imprisonment. ‘‘Having regard to the facts of this case, especially the age of the victim, we issue notice to the petitioner to show cause why the sentence of 10 years’ rigorous imprisonment should not be enhanced to life imprisonment,’’ the Bench said. The order was issued on
an appeal filed by Gopal challenging the conviction in
the case. |
Bitta sides with USA on Bin
Laden NEW DELHI, Sept 16 — The All-India Anti Terrorist Front (AIATF) has supported the demand made by the USA for “the arrest and handing over of the international terrorist leader Osama bin Laden”. The Chairman of AIATF, Mr Maninderjit Singh Bitta, said there was a growing concern regarding the growth of terrorism and religious fanaticism in the South Asian region. “This retrogressive activity, which has transcended international borders, is the greatest danger to world peace and universal brotherhood,” Mr Bitta said. The AIATF led by Mr Bitta today handed over a memorandum to the US Embassy in the Capital. “Through this we would attempt to draw the attention of your government towards Pakistan’s previous track record regarding encouraging of the terrorist activities. Unless your government takes strong measures like declaring Pakistan a ‘terrorist state’ and follows it up with tough measures, it would not hand over Osama bin Laden,” the memorandum states. “We apprehend that bin Laden would be soon shifted to some safer place and he would return to Pakistan after pressure eases,” it added. The memorandum points out, “Osama bin Laden’s mercenaries along with terrorists sponsored by Pakistan have been responsible for the death of thousands of innocents in India, specially in Jammu and Kashmir. Pakistan was also responsible for the bloodshed in Punjab during early 1980s and the middle of 1990s. The agents of Pakistan intelligence agency have been indulging in acts of subversion to create terror in other parts of India as well.” “It is also our
earnest request that those terrorists, who are based in
Pakistan and the USA and are waging aggression against
Indians should be handed over to the Indian Government.
This would surely help in eliminating terrorist
activities from our country, as these groups would stop
getting moral and financial support, the memorandum
stated. |
Sonia hits out at NDA leaders ALLAHABAD, Sept 16 (PTI) — Congress President Sonia Gandhi today castigated National Democratic Alliance (NDA) leaders for questioning her loyalty to the country, saying they had no locus standi to doubt her commitment and patriotism. “No one has the right to question my patriotism and my loyalty to the country lies in my heart,” Ms Sonia Gandhi said at an election meeting here. Sidestepping the issue of her foreign origin raised by the NDA leaders, she said “time alone will prove my conviction .... It is their problem if they continue to raise the issue.” Striking an emotional chord with the electorate of Allahabad from where Congress nominee Rita Bahuguna Joshi is in the fray against union minister and BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi, Mrs Sonia Gandhi said she was privileged to be associated with the Gandhi-Nehru family. In a broadside at the Vajpayee government, she said “the government was sleeping when Pakistan-backed intruders barged into the Kargil sector.” Accusing the government of being “soft” towards the Nawaz Sharif government in Pakistan, she said the government imported sugar from Islamabad when it was in abundance in the country. Without naming Defence Minister George Fernandes, she criticised the government for giving a ‘clean chit’ to Mr Sharif over his involvement in the Kargil crisis when it was “clear” that the intruders were moved by Islamabad “deliberately” to occupy Indian territory. Questioning the Vajpayee government for taking credit for the Kargil operation, Mrs Sonia Gandhi said the government succumbed to international pressure by “allowing a safe passage to the intruders”. She questioned BJP’s “secular credentials”, saying the party came to power riding on its “communal agenda”. The BJP was wearing a mask of patriotism to woo voters, she said adding its “true identity is known to everyone.” She said the BJP leaders used the Ayodhya issue to capture power and shelved it to stay there. “Jo bhagwan ke nahin hue, wo hamere nahin ho sakte. Inki har bat sajish hai (those who could not stand for god can never become ours. They are conspirators by nature),” she said. Chiding the BJP for speaking in different voices over contentious issues like the Ram temple, Article 370 and the Common Civil Code, she said the party was confusing the electorate. Ridiculing the “24-party coalition”, she said “the 18-party alliance, which brought the country to the brink of economic disaster, had increased its number to 24.” “What more damage they can do if the 24-party comes to power again!” she wondered and asked the electorate to vote for the Congress only which can “provide a stable government”. Without naming the Samajwadi Party and its president Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav, she accused it of entering a “secret pact” with the BJP to keep the Congress out of power. Mrs Sonia Gandhi also expressed concern over “maladministration and criminalisation of politics” in Uttar Pradesh and accused the government of “saffronising” the state’s education system. “The teachers are
being repressed and educational institutions are being
saffronised,” she alleged. |
Cauvery water issue CHENNAI, Sept 16 (UNI) — All-India Anna DMK General Secretary J. Jayalalitha today launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi for having “betrayed” the state’s interests in the Cauvery water issue. Ms Jayalalitha, who is in Hyderabad, in a strongly-worded statement made available to the Press here, condemned last year’s Cauvery accord as a “joint conspiracy” of the two leaders to save their respective political positions ignoring the interests of the state’s farmers. Referring to the plight of the farmers of the Cauvery delta area, who could not go ahead with kuruvai harvest and samba planting due to shortage of water, she said her earlier charge that the Cauvery River Water Authority headed by the Prime Minister was a “farce” had now been vindicated. She alleged that Mr Karunanidhi had signed the accord succumbing to Mr Vajpayee’s threat to dismiss his government. Ms Jayalalitha, whose AIADMK was part of the BJP-led government at the Centre, had strongly opposed the accord. Ms Jayalalitha had cited Mr Vajpayee’s “betrayal” of Tamil Nadu in the Cauvery issue as one of the reasons for the AIADMK’s decision to withdraw support to his government at the Centre. The delta area farmers, who had planted samba crop in 120,000 hectares, have been affected due to water shortage. The crop could now be cultivated only in 6,351 hectares, she added. Expressing surprise as to why the state government was not aware of the reduced inflow and depletion of water level at the Mettur Dam, she charged Mr Karunanidhi with failing to secure the state’s due share of Cauvery water from Karnataka. With the result, the farmers were in the doldrums. She said as per the Cauvery Water Dispute Tribunal’s interim award, Tamil Nadu should have received 107.64 tmc-ft of Cauvery water till August end. Ms Jayalalitha said: “At the time of the signing of the accord, the level at the Mettur reservoir was 46.801 tmc-ft, whereas the current level is only 24.926 tmc-ft which will not last even a fortnight for meeting the irrigation needs of the delta area”. Ms Jayalalitha urged Mr
Vajpayee to immediately intervene and ensure release of
Cauvery water to save kuruvai and samba crops in the
delta area. |
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| Ban sought on “How
to Worship Sati” NEW DELHI: The National Commission for Women has demanded the immediate withdrawal of a book glorifying the practise of Sati. The book How to Worship Sati has been authored by Vishnu Dutt. In a statement issued here on Thursday, the NCW Chairperson, Ms Vibha Parthasarthy said that the publication of the book and the presence of wives of the Commissioner and District Magistrate, Meerut at the release function was a gross violation of law. — TNS Singla appointed observer DVB inspector
arrested AIDS risk for
breast-fed infants Woman burnt
alive by lover Docs told to pay
6 lakh as damages Two burnt in
fire at garment unit |
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