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| European Union, France against LoC
violation No marked change in China’s stand on Kashmir issue: Panja From B L Kak NEW DELHI, Aug. 9: The Minister of State for External Affairs, Mr Ajit Kumar Panja.....more
AJT production to start NEW DELHI, Aug 9: Defence Minister George Fernandes today .....more
Mythology continues NEW DELHI, Aug 9: The mythological tales of the battle ....more
HC seeks record on NEW DELHI, Aug 9: The Delhi High Court today asked.......more |
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Dowry deaths in
India on rise during 1999 NEW DELHI, Aug 9: As per the National Crime Records Bureau, there were 6,574 dowry deaths during the year 1999 as compared to 6,006 and 6,975 during 1997 and 1998 respectively, the Rajya Sabha was informed today............more
Govt neglecting Khadi and NEW DELHI, Aug 9: Congress president Sonia Gandhi made a scathing attack on the Government in the Lok Sabha today for completely neglecting Khadi and village industries and sharply reducing budgetary support to the sector which wove the "fabric of resistence to foreign rule" during the freedom movement........more Parliament pays NEW DELHI, Aug 9: Parliament today paid homage to martyrs of the Quit India Movement on its 58th anniversary and those killed due to dropping of atom bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki 55 years ago........more Fake currency worth NEW DELHI, Aug 9: More than 60,000 fake currency notes worth more than Rs 1.43 crore have been seized in different parts of the country in the past few months, the Rajya Sabha was informed today.......more |
European
Union, France against LoC violation From B L Kak NEW DELHI, Aug. 9: The Minister of State for External Affairs, Mr Ajit Kumar Panja, has pointed out that New Delhi has not come across any marked change in Beijing’s stand vis-?vis Kashmir issue following the recent visit of a high-level Indian delegation to China. Mr Panja’s message, in this regard, became evident during his reply to a question by Mr Sushil Kumar Shinde in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday. "The question does not arise", was Mr Panja’s reply when Mr Shinde called for details on any change in China’s stand on Kashmir issue. Mr Tarun Gogoi wanted to know if China had deployed missiles targeting India. Mr Panja, for obvious reasons, avoided making a direct reference to China when he stated that the Government of India "monitors carefully" the development and deployment of weapons of mass destruction and the means of their delivery in the region and beyond. Mr Panja’s yet another point without using the word "China": Government remains fully committed to taking all necessary steps to effectively safeguard India’s security and national interests in accordance with its own threat perceptions. Stating that France had asked Pakistan to use its influence on militants and also to stop armed infiltration across the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir, Mr Ajit Panja informed Mr RL Bhatia that France had taken the position that "it is necessary to bring an end to intrusions and violations" of the LoC. Mr Panja quoted a French Foreign Office spokesman as having stated on May 31 last year that it would not be possible to re-establish trust between India and Pakistan unless violations of the LoC were put to an end. Mr Panja stated that the European Union and France had called for a peaceful resolution of all issues between India and Pakistan on the basis of bilateral dialogue in keeping with bilateral commitments and the spirit of the Lahore Declaration. The European Union, Mr Panja added, had, in a statement on August 3, 2000, said that it was appalled by the recent terrorist attacks in Jammu and Kashmir. The European Union condemned the perpetrators of these attacks and those supporting them. Mr Panja charged Pakistan with continuing to sponsor terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir despite the position taken by the European Union and the rest of the international community. The International community, including the big powers, "openly recognise" Pakistan’s role in cross-border terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir and the impact it has on the security of India and the region, Mr Panja said in reply to another question by Mr Sushil Kumar Shinde. Mr Panja said: "This greater awareness is being reflected in official statements by spokesmen of several Governments and also in the international media coverage on Pakistan". He recalled that during his visit to India, US President, Mr Bill Clinton, acknowledged that there were elements within the Pakistan Government that supported those who engaged in violence in Kashmir. Mr Panja informed the House that the US State Department coordinator on terrorism told the House International Committee on global terrorism in South Asia on July 12 this year that Pakistan tolerated terrorists living and moving freely within its territory. He also said that numerous Kashmiri separatist groups and sectarian groups involved in terrorism use Pakistan as a base. "No", pat came the reply from Mr Ajit Panja when Ms Bhavana Pundlikrao Gawali and Mr Haribhau Shankar Mahale wanted to know if the Government of India proposed to constitute an Indo-Pak joint trade council. On extradition of hijackers, Mr Panja informed Mr RL Bhatia that the CBI-Interpol wing has forwarded a request to Interpol Secretariat General (IPSG), notice section, Lyons, France on June 7 this year for issuance of "Red Cornerd Notices" against the seven wanted persons involved in the hijacking of Indian Airlines flight IC 814 from Kathmandu to Kandhar towards the end of December last. According to Mr Panja, "Red Corner Notices" are yet to be issued against them by IPSG. On Indian fishermen in captivity, Mr Ajit Panja told Mr Ramdas Athawale that as many as 112 fishermen were held in Pakistani jails, as against 20 Indian fishermen in Sri Lankan jails. The Government of India, he said, was in continuous contact with Pakistan through diplomatic channels for securing the earliest release and repatriation of detained fishermen. Similarly, in case of Indian fishermen in Sri Lankan jails, the matter was taken up at appropriate levels in both New Delhi and Colombo, he stated, adding: We continue to pursue it till the fishermen are released and repatriated". |
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AJT production to start by 2004-end: Fernandes NEW DELHI, Aug 9: Defence Minister George Fernandes today said an agreement to acquire British Hawk-100 Advanced Jet Trainers (AJTs) would be settled "in the next few weeks" and production of aircraft in India commence by the end of 2004. He informed the Rajya Sabha that "between signing of the contract and start of production it will take 48 months," with production starting in 2004 and getting completed in ten years. The minister said price negotiations had commenced with M/S British Aerospace for the AJT and the delivery schedule of the aircraft would be settled during negotiations in the coming weeks. Replying to supplementaries during question hour, Fernandes did not agree that lack of AJTs was the reason behind accidents involving defence aircraft. "It is not merely because of AJTs, he said. He, however, said AJTs should have been secured long time back. The matter is under discussion but no decision has been taken. Replying to the main question on conversion of Sukhoi SU-30 aircraft to its full potential, Fernandes admitted that there had been delay. "But I won’t call it inordinate delay." He said the delay in the project was not only due to delay in development of indigenous avionics and computer system but also due to other factors, such as delay in acquisition of avionics from western sources and delay in import clearance from Russia. The minister said conversion of SU-30 into a multi-role aircraft was being done in Russia by Russian technologists Inter Alia involving integration of indigenously developed avionics and computer systems and certain avionics of Russian and western origin. He said DRDO was entrusted with the task of developing the radar computer, mission computer and display processor which had since been done. However, programmable signal processor which was to be developed by drdo could not be developed by them and would now now be procured from Russia. Fernandes expressed hope that the country would procure four SU-30s by 2001, 12 by 2002 and 16 by 2003 and upgrade the existing eight SU-30s by 2004. (PTI) |
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Mythology continues to draw viewers to small screen NEW DELHI, Aug 9: The mythological tales of the battle between good and evil exemplified by the Devtas and the Danavs have always excited television viewers and filmmakers have taken advantage of this with more than 15 different series on various channels. Doordarshan has commenced telecast on Tuesdays of "Jap Tap Vrat’, based on the story of Lord Vishnu, thus moving the ongoing series ‘Om Namah Shivay’ on Lord Shiva to Sunday mornings. Both the serials have been directed by wellknown filmmaker Dheeraj Kumar for producer Ruby Kochar. Sharang Dev has composed the music for the new series which is based on research conducted by Oriental Research Institute and stars Santosh Dev, Yashodhan Rana, R K Dutta, Raman Khatri, Gautam Chaturvedi and Surbhi Tiwari. Dheeraj Kumar is also in the process of producing another mythologycal ‘Jai Shree Ganesh’. ‘Jai Maha Lakshmi’ by wellknown filmmaker Ramanand Sagar who first brought the mythological on the small screen with ‘Ramayana’ has also commenced telecast on Sundays at 0900 hrs on the national network DD one. The series has been co-produced by Subhash Sagar and Prem Sagar and co-directed by Anand Sagar and Moti Sagar. Reena Kapoor has enacted the title role. Being simulcast in four languages - Hindi, Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam, the series has music by Ravindra Jain. Other mythologicals on Doordarshan include Ramanand Sagar’s ‘Jai Ganga Maiya’, ‘Jai Mata Ki’ by Cinevista, and ‘Jai Hanuman’ by the wellknown Sanjay Khan. All the India-language satellite TV channels also have their own mythological serials. Yet another serial under production is ‘Geeta Rahasya’ by Nitish Bharadwaj, the actor who enacted the role of Krishna in the megaserial ‘Mahabharata’. According to Nitish, he conceived the series way back in 1991 when he felt dissatisfied while enacting the role of Krishna as he thought there were other perspectives to the Geeta. Meanwhile, Doordarshan has slated a film on freedom fighter Aruna Asaf Ali by Director-cinematographer Ajaya Sharma and his wife Geeta for telecast tonight to coincide with the anniversary of Quit India Movement. Doordarshan has also commenced telecast of a new series, ‘Lifeline’, everyday from August seven on DD one to educate the average viewer about common ailments - how to recognise them, and what to do about them before it is too late. Produced and directed by Umesh Aggarwal with the help of medical experts in various hospitals, the programme will be telecast for five minutes everyday from Monday to Friday at 1429 hrs. Each ailment will be dealt with over five days. (UNI) |
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HC seeks record on use of IAF planes by Mulayam Singh NEW DELHI, Aug 9: The Delhi High Court today asked the Centre to place before it the entire records regarding the use of Indian Air Force (IAF) planes by Samajwadi Party president Mulayam Singh Yadav as Defence Minister following allegations that an expenditure of Rs 41.57 crore was incurred by the Government on this account. A division bench comprising Justice Anil Dev Singh and Justice M K Sharma demanded the records after Yadav’s counsel K K Lahiri sought more time to file reply saying the former Defence Minister did not recollect the dates when he had used the planes. "Yadav is trying to recall his memory on the flights to ascertain the exact dates of the flights as he has not kept any written record of the same," Lahiri told the court while seeking further time to file an affidavit. Granting Yadav six weeks’ time to file his reply, the court directed Defence Ministry to bring the records on October 16, the next date of hearing. Use of defence planes for undertaking 307 flights during his tenure covering 1449 hours flying time by Yadav had been challenged in a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) by advocate B L Wadhera, who claimed that most of his trips were for non-official purposes. The court also asked Yadav’s counsel how the former Defence Minister’s trip to Vaishnodevi with kith and kin connected with his offcial duty. (PTI) |
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Fake currency worth Rs 1.4 cr seized NEW DELHI, Aug 9: More than 60,000 fake currency notes worth more than Rs 1.43 crore have been seized in different parts of the country in the past few months, the Rajya Sabha was informed today. Minister of State for Home Affairs I D Swami said in a written reply that these notes had been recovered and seized from 185 persons from December 1999 to May 2000. The Government was aware of the sinister designs of the ISI of Pakistan to destablise the economy of the country through these notes. While 1341 cases of use of counterfeit currency were registered in 1997, 609 were registered in 1998 and 573 in 1999. The number of accused involved were 205, 374 and 562 respectively. Fake Indian currency notes are being clandestinely smuggled into the country from across the Indo-Pak and Indo-Nepal borders, besides being fabricated in India. Among the states where the largest seizures were made were Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, West Bengal and Tamil Nadu.(UNI) |
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