Excelsior... Nation

Jyoti Basu

Basu takes to capital’s
streets to highlight
Govt ‘apathy’

NEW DELHI, Dec 7: A month after giving up power, former West Bengal Chief Minister Jyoti Basu today took to the streets.....more

Trinamool Cong stages
dharna in Parliament
House premises

NEW DELHI, Dec 7: Trinamool Congress MPs today staged a dharna in front of the Mahatma ....more

Jayalalitha

Jaya demands
dismissal of DMK Govt

CHENNAI, Dec 7: AIADMK today demanded an immediate ban on pro-LTTE militant outfits. ....more

Sodhi appointed PIDB
Technical Advisor

CHANDIGARH, Dec 7: Punjab Government today appointed G S Sodhi Chief Engineer PWD.......more

‘Adoption does not
prevent father from
disposing property’

NEW DELHI, Dec 7: The Supreme Court has ruled that a person adopting a child has......more

HC gives ED 2 month
for completing probe
against RIL, Romesh

NEW DELHI, Dec 7: The Delhi High Court today allowed two months time to ED to complete....more

New police force in
Orissa to combat Naxalites

BHUBANESWAR, Dec 7: A new battalion of reserve police would be raised in Orissa soon to....more

Atal Behari Vajpayee

Vajpayee releases 2
prestigious publications

NEW DELHI, Dec 7: Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee released two prestigious publications....more

Basu takes to capital’s streets to highlight Govt ‘apathy’

NEW DELHI, Dec 7: A month after giving up power, former West Bengal Chief Minister Jyoti Basu today took to the streets here to "highlight" Vajpayee Government’s "apathy" towards the flood-ravaged state.

Basu, accompanied among others by CPI(M) general secretary Harkishen Singh Surjeet and CPI leader A B Bardhan, led a short-distance march as part of the ‘Joint Dharna’ of Bengal’s Left Front MPs and MLAs protesting the "Centre’s negligence" in releasing fund for the flood victims.

The agitation has been "compelled" on Left Parties as the Centre despite repeated assurance from Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee "did not keep its promise" and create a `natural calamity fund’ as per the recommendation of 11th Finance Commission, Basu said.

The veteran Marxist leader, addressing a gathering here, lashed out at Trinamool Congress and the BJP for "going back on their stand" in demanding central assistance of Rs 900 crore for the state.

Attacking his arch political rival, he said "today Mamata Banerjee is saying that it is a man-made disaster. Why did they support us then. This is a low type of politics if at all it is one".

He also criticised Defence Minister George Fernandes for his "reported" claim about the Centre already releasing some amount and said "the fund he is referring is nobody’s `Paitrik Sampati’ (paternal property".

Basu claimed that both Prime Minister Vajpayee and Agriculture Minister Nitish Kumar had earlier described the flood, which left 2.18 crore people affected, as "natural calamity".

"I had suggested to Vajpayee earlier to bring in an ordinance to set up the calamity fund. Prime Minister said while the ordinance was not possible, steps would be taken immediately after winter session of Parliament resumes. But till date, nothing has happened so far", he said.

He said a 13-member delegation led by party MP Somnath Chatterjee would be meeting Prime Minister and added "now let us see what happens. Let us see the result".

"But we are being ruled by Barbarians," he said and expressed "surprise" over Prime Minister’s statement on Ram Temple yesterday.

"Earlier while L K Advani justified the demolition, Vajpayee had expressed regrets, today he says it is political issue," former Chief Minister said adding the demolition was a "barbarian and criminal act".

"It is a criminal act, criminals and barbarians are ruling ..... This will not go for long. Either they (BJP) change or they will have to go," he threatened.

Criticising George Fernandes, whom he described a one-time "good friend of ours", basu said "today if he has joined the barbarian group ..... People of Bengal and elsewhere will give them a befitting reply".

In his address, Surjeet flayed "criminal attitude" of the Centre towards the flood victims. (PTI)

Trinamool Cong stages dharna in Parliament
House premises

NEW DELHI, Dec 7: Trinamool Congress MPs today staged a dharna in front of the Mahatma Gandhi statue in the Parliament House premises demanding "maximum funds" for the flood-affected populace in West Bengal and immediate central intervention in the face of alleged killing of weaker sections by CPI (M) activists.

In a memorandum to Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, the parliamentarians alleged that millions of people in the state had to suffer because of the floods, which they said was a "man-made calamity". The State Government released unlimited water from dams and barrages without any prior intimation to the people, they added.

The "blunder" committed by the State Government could easily be detected by a proper enquiry, the agitating members said. After demitting office as Chief Minister, Mr Jyoti Basu was functioning as an "extra constitutional authority", they felt. His successor Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee had become a "puppet and a helpless person" having no control over the administration, the MPs said.

The parliamentarians requested the Prime Minister to take appropriate action against mr basu for "violating constitutional provisions" and stop the political killings in the state.

Signatories to the memorandum included Trinamool Congress chief whip in the Lok Sabha Sudip Bandyopadhyaya, Mr Anand Mohan Biswas, Mr Bikrarm Sarkar, Dr Ranjit Kumar Panja, Mr Akbar Ali Khandoker and Prof Krishna Bose.

BJP spokesperson Vijay Kumar Malhotra, his party colleague Kirti Azad, Telegu Desam leader in the Lok Sabha Mr K Yerran Naidu, Mr Anant Gangaram Geete (Shiv Sena), Mr Trilochan Kanungo (BJD) and former minister Devendra Prasad Yadav were among the NDA MPs who came to the dharna site to express their solidarity. (UNI)

Jaya demands dismissal of DMK Govt

CHENNAI, Dec 7: AIADMK today demanded an immediate ban on pro-LTTE militant outfits Tamil National Liberation Army, Tamil National Retrival Troops and Tamil Nadu Liberation Front and dismissal of the DMK Government accusing it of having prepared a ‘fertile grounds’ for the growth of these anti-national outfits in the state.

Party supremo Jayalalitha, in a statement, said all political leaders lending support to these ‘dangerous’ organisations should be taken to task and proceeded with according to law.

Jayalalitha also demanded an all out hunt to apprehend forest brigand Veerappan and TNLA chief Maran.

Political will was required for all this, she said and asked whether the Vajpayee Government would display it.

She said a map published in the TNLF’s website showed Tamil Nadu, Kerala, parts of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh and North East provinces of Sri Lanka as ‘Greater Tamil Nadu’.

The site also mentioned its demands as "secession of Tamil Nadu from the socalled Indian union", reunification of Tamil Eelam with Tamil Nadu and reunification of Kerala with `Liberated Tamil Nadu’, she said adding that it had also demanded `restoration of Kolar Gold Fields, Malnad, Lakshadweep Islands, Maldives and Mauritius to Tamil Nadu.

The website called upon the people to vote for the DMK to achieve this, she alleged. (PTI)

‘Adoption does not prevent father from
disposing property’

NEW DELHI, Dec 7: The Supreme Court has ruled that a person adopting a child has a right to disposes of his property except when he is bound by an agreement that the adopted son would inherit his property.

Bringing an end to a protracted legal battle, a division bench comprising Justice M Jagannadha Rao and Justice M B Shah said "adoption does not deprive the adoptive father or the mother of the power to dispose of his or her property by transfer or by will."

"This power to dispose of the property would be subject to any agreement between the parties," the bench said.

The issue came up in an appeal by legal representatives of the late Chiranjilal Srilal Goenka against decision of an arbitrator, who had decided that the adoptive father or mother was prohibited from disposing of a property as the adopted son was to inherit it due to an agreement.

Goenka died in November 1985 during pendency of an appeal filed by him against a Delhi High Court order in a matter relating to confiscation of gold by customs authorities and then on a common consent, an arbitrator was appointed by the disputing parties to decide who would be the legal heir.

Goenka, who had adopted one of his grandsons Radheshyam, had later made a will in favour of his daughter Sushila Bai, whom the court ultimately held to be the legal heir. (PTI)

HC gives ED 2 month for completing probe
against RIL, Romesh

NEW DELHI, Dec 7: The Delhi High Court today allowed two months time to ED to complete investigations into the alleged violation of Foreign Exchange Regulation Act (FERA) by Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) and its alleged links with Romesh Sharma.

Romesh Sharma, presently lodged in Tihar Jail here under judicial custody in connection with about 15 cases, registered by various agencies, allegedly had links with Karachi-based underworld don Dawood Ibrahim.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice Arijit Passayat and Justice D K Jain said "after perusing the affidavit by ed, we find some progress has been made in the investigation."

Asking Additional Solicitor General (ASG) K K Sud to tell the concerned officials to ensure the safety of the records, the bench said in view of the progress made by the ED "we feel that it will be appropriate to give them two months time."

Submitting a status report on the investigation into the the matter, Sud said a penalty of Rs 25 lakh each had been imposed by ED on Romesh Sharma, a local firm M/S Next One and its owner Ajay Nayar for FERA violation related to the export of garments worth 3.45 lakh dollars some years ago.

Nayar, who had been declared a proclaimed offender, and now located in New York, had been directed to repatriate the 3.45 lakh dollar export proceeds to India, Sud said during the hearing of a public interest writ, seeking direction to CBI and ED to expedite probe against RIL for alleged irregularities and its links with Romesh Sharma.

The ED in its affidavit said three businessmen — Rajiv Pathak, Mukund Pathak and Arvind Samant — had been examined by the directorate last month regarding remittance received by RIL for the export of "Dal (cereal)" in the garb of yarn in early nineties.

The directorate said these businessmen were questioned about the source of the "remittance, which had not originated from M/S Al-Maroof", to whom the export of "Dal" was allegedly made, but had come from some other sources.

"There was a deep rooted conspiracy between Rajiv Pathak and others to substitute yarn with Dal," the affidavit said.

The public interest writ was filed by Janata Party president Subramanian Swamy following which, the court had issued notices to the Centre, CBI, ED, Registrar of Companies and RIL.

RIL in its affidavit had said the contents of Swamy’s petition were entirely based on media reports and the cases referred by him had been adjudicated by the courts long back.

CBI earlier had informed the court that it was examining certain documents recovered from the office of RIL and premises of one of its official.

Swamy, today moved an application before the bench seeking court’s custody of all the relevant files related to UTI’s dealings with RIL.

He also sought direction to CBI official Y P Singh, who had allegedly recommended registration of a case against RIL during the investigation of Panna-Mukta oil field deal, to file an affidavit clarifying his position. (PTI)

New police force in Orissa to combat Naxalites

BHUBANESWAR, Dec 7: A new battalion of reserve police would be raised in Orissa soon to counter the menace of growing left wing extremism in the state.

The Centre had agreed to provide a grant of Rs six crore to raise the India Reserve Police battalion to tackle the activities of CPI(ML), People’s War Group and their militant outfits in the districts of Rayagada, Gajapati and Kandhamal, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik told the State Assembly last night while replying to the debate on supplementary budget relating to Home Department.

Patnaik said he had discussed the issue with Union Home Minister L K Advani several times. The State Government was making persistent efforts to contain the activities of the Naxalites, he said.

He claimed that the law and order situation in the state was well under control since Government assumed office nine months back. There was very little civil strife, he said.

Stating that modernisation of police force was being accorded high priority, Patnaik said the Central Government had assured to provide Rs 30 crore for the purpose. The State Government would also make available a matching amount for modernisation of the force, he said.

Immediately after the Chief Minister’s reply, opposition Congress and JMM members staged a walk out following Speaker Sarat Kumar Kar’s refusal to allow them to seek clarifications from Patnaik. (PTI)

Vajpayee releases 2 prestigious publications

NEW DELHI, Dec 7: Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee released two prestigious publications brought out by the Lok Sabha secretariat at a brief function held at Parliament house last evening.

The publications are the fifth revised (English) edition of Kaul and S Jakdhar’s oft quoted and authentic treatise on practice and procedure of Parliament and who’s who — thirteenth Lok Sabha. Lok Sabha Speaker GMC Balyogi presided over the function.

Mr Vajpayee, said that during the past 50 years they had not only strengthened the parliamentary democracy but also established many new conventions. Old conventions have been given new shape and it is a continuing process. Parliament symbolises our hopes and aspirations. It is essential for the constitution and the Parliament that they should be in tune with the spirit of the times , he added.

The Prime Minister congratulated Speaker Balyogi and the Lok Sabha Secretariat for bringing out the two publications.

The dignitaries who attended the function included Union Ministers L K Advani and Pramod Mahajan besides Deputy Speaker P M Sayeed.

Earlier addressing the dignitaries the Speaker Mr GMC Balyogi made a mention of some of the latest procedural innovations and developments in the parliamentary sphere, incorporated in the publication.

The book practice and procedure of Parliament, authored by two distinguished former Secretaries General of the Lok Sabha and edited by Mr G C Malhotra, Secretary General, Lok Sabha, is one of the most authoritative publication on the subject. All the procedural developments till April 26, 1999, i.e., the date of dissolution of the 12th Lok Sabha have been incorporated in the revised edition. The book is priced at Rs 1500.00.

The other publication who’s who — thirteenth Lok Sabha also edited by Mr Malhotra, contains biographical sketches of the members of the 13th Lok Sabha. (UNI)