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US-based
Pandit triggers controversy From B L Kak NEW DELHI, Dec 22: Cracks have developed in the Kashmiri Pandits’ premier political organisation, Panun Kashmir......more
‘No proposal of
‘strategic NEW DELHI, Dec 22: Asserting that India was against creating new "adversorial power blocks", External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh today.......more
Govt considering NEW DELHI, Dec 22: Government today said it was considering withdrawing Arjuna Awards conferred on three cricketers ....more Flash floods caused ITANAGAR, Dec 22: Unprecedented flash flood in Siang; renewed militancy in parts of the state, important strides in power sector through initiation of .....more |
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Nitish’s proposal gets
NEW DELHI, Dec 22: Union Minister Nitish Kumar’s proposal of his Samata Party’s merger with Janata Dal (United) today received a lukewarm response from his own party leaders who said there had been no formal or informal talks on the issue.....more Charges to be framed CHENNAI, Dec 22: A special judge today directed former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalitha, industrialist A C Muthiah and a former IAS officer to appear before him on December 26 for framing of charges against them in the Rs 28.29 crore ‘SPIC disinvestment case’......more Parliament approves NEW DELHI, Dec 22: Parliament today approved supplementary demands for grants for additional expenditure of Rs 2639 crore this financial year involving a cash outgo of about Rs 1572 crore with the Rajya Sabha returning the relevant money bills....more Samba case officers NEW DELHI, Dec 22: Four of the former Army officers, cleared by the Delhi High Court in the Samba spying case......more |
US-based
Pandit triggers controversy From B L Kak NEW DELHI, Dec 22: Cracks have developed in the Kashmiri Pandits’ premier political organisation, Panun Kashmir. The Union Home Ministry, which is currently collecting "relevant’ data with regard to the parties and groups in Jammu and Kashmir to be approached as part of the plan to pursue the on-going peace initiatives in the State, has received a report about "a kind of commotion which can lead to a vertical split" in Panun Kashmir organisation. The report, significantly, is accompanied by photo-copies of certain documents in support of what a section of the functionaries of the Panun Kashmir has termed as "wicked" role played by the Indo-American Kashmir Forum (IAKF) to subvert the opinion of displaced Pandits. The report contains a sensational allegation against some elements within the Indian missions abroad. Mr Wajahat Habibullah is one of them. The report alleges that Mr Wajahat Habibullah, during his none-too-old stay in the United States as a functionary of the Indian mission, had indulged in activities against the displaced Kashmiri Pandits. The report has charged Mr Vijay Sazawal, a US-based Pandit activist and esprit de corps of Indo-American Kashmir Forum, with hobnobbing with Mr Wajahat Habibullah until the emergence of a rift within Panun Kashmir became an open secret. Mr Sazwal, according to the report, had played an active role, first in controlling the decision-making apparatus of Panuan Kashmir and later in promoting factionalism within the organisation. Equally serious charge against Mr Vijay Sazawal: During his recent visit to Jammu, the ‘visitor’ from the USA made yet another attempt to "force" Panun Kashmir to abandon its ideological position and act as an instrument of compromise with the Muslims of Kashmir. He was, throughout his stay in Jammu, surrounded by his ‘yes-men’ within the Panun Kashmir organisation. The report sarcastically remarked: "And the leader of these ‘yes-men’ is none other than Dr Agnishekhar-the man who, in tune with the requirements of the Indo-American Kashmir Forum, had dissolved Panun Kashmir and declared a new set-up soon after the Sangrampora massacre". Clearly, the report has decried the role of the "two money-minded persons, Mr Vijay Sazawal and Dr Agnishekhar", and supported the "sacrifices" made by Dr Ajay Chrungoo and many others for the stability and growth of Panun Kashmir. The report contains a set of instances in support of the allegations against far-from-satisfactory role played by the US-based Indo-American Kashmir Forum vis-à-vis the requirements and expectations of the "uprooted" members of the Kashmiri Pandit community. The report has also charged Mr Vijay Sazawal and company with deliberately trying to neutralise and subvert Panun Kashmir. Yet another allegation: The Sazawal & Co. continue to be keen on ensuring that Kashmiri Pandit organisation within and outside Jammu and Kashmir pursued the revised strategy to bring about early return of the Pandit refugees to the Valley. The Sazawal & Co. have abandoned the earlier plan of aiding and abetting the stir in support of a separate homeland for the Pandits in the Valley. This is being advocated mainly to keep the US State Department and the Muslims in good humour. "There are several failed leaders belonging to the Pandit community. Dr Agnishekhar is one of them", the report said. It warned that "money power and muscle power being used by certain vested interests will not cripple Panun Kashmir". This warning notwithstanding, the Panun Kashmir organisation is, at present, a house divided. No wonder, some elements in Delhi’s power corridors have now been reported to be in touch with the Delhi-based Kashmiri Samiti, headed by Mr CL Gadoo. And Mr Gadoo is getting ready to deliver a "thought-provoking" speech on December 24, when a two-day meeting of the migrant community is slated to take place in the Indian capital. |
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‘No proposal of ‘strategic triangle’ with Russia, China’ NEW DELHI, Dec 22: Asserting that India was against creating new "adversorial power blocks", External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh today said no proposal of any "strategic triangle" involving Russia and China with this country was being considered. "There is no no proposal of any kind of strategic triangle between India, China and Russia under consideration," he told reporters after a 50-minute meeting with visiting Greek Foreign Minister George A Papandreou. Singh was responding to a question from a Greek journalist who sought New Delhi’s views on the issue. Russian Premier Primakov had mooted this idea but there has been no formal proposal from Moscow. "Such old ideas keep cropping up every now and then, Singh said adding "we are not in the game of re-inventing cold war paradigms....To bring about adversorial power blocks." Defending the Pokhran explosions, he said the "complexities of the situation and inequality of the new security paradigm had required India to take minimum steps". But the nuclear programme has not been at the cost of social programmes and objectives, he stressed. Papandreou, who earlier called on Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, said his country would back India’s candidature in an expanded UN Security Council. "We want to see India in the Security Council," he said. Papandreou said Greece welcomed New Delhi’s peace initiative on Kashmir and this was conveyed to the Indian leadership during the talks. His trip was aimed at preparing the ground for the upcoming visit of the Greek Premier to India. President K R Narayanan is also slated to visit Greece early next year. Describing Indo-Greek relations as warm and longstanding, he said "at this point we are looking to the future...In a new world where India plays an important role". Greece, he stressed, was keen to enhance cooperation with India in diversified areas, including information technology. Singh said India too was interested in stepping up the volume of bilateral trade which was "unacceptably low", emphasising that there was need for new political and economic dynamism. The Greek minister also called on Congress president Sonia Gandhi. (PTI) |
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Govt considering stripping 3 cricketers of Arjuna awards NEW DELHI, Dec 22: Government today said it was considering withdrawing Arjuna Awards conferred on three cricketers — Mohammad Azharuddin, Ajay Jadeja and Manoj Prabhakar — and had given them 15 days time to state their position as they have been accused in the match-fixing. "We have written to these three players for their stand and will take necessary action regarding withdrawing the Arjuna Awards," Sports Minister Uma Bharati said replying to supplementaries in Rajya Sabha during the question hour. On queries regarding whether any official of cricket board was involved in the match-fixing, the minister said the CBI had investigated the scandal in all possible angles and "there does’t seem to be anything to suggest the role of BCCI authorities in match-fixing". She said her ministry had written to the Law Ministry to know what action could be taken against those involved in the match-fixing. Bharti said the Government could consider bringing a new legislation to deal with such crimes though currently there was no specific law under which players could be charged. According to the Law Ministry, it was not possible to book the accused players under the Gambling Act as it fell under the jurisdiction of State Governments, she said. On a query by Sanjay Nirupam (Shiv Sena) whether the Centre would take action against Azharuddin on the basis of investigations of Mumbai police against him, the minister said the Government would prefer to leave it to the State Government. Bharti refrained from commenting on a query from Dipankar Mukherjee (CPI-M) as to why no sponsor of the one-day matches had been summoned during match-fixing investigations. On whether the Government could look into the aspect of reducing one-day matches and encouraging five-day tests, the minister said "BCCI is an independent body. If they want to re-consider this, we have no problems." (PTI) |
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Flash floods caused heavy damage in Arunachal in 2000 ITANAGAR, Dec 22: Unprecedented flash flood in Siang; renewed militancy in parts of the state, important strides in power sector through initiation of two gaint hydel projects and MoU for construction of Kameng Hydel Project as also completion of one year of Mukut Mithi Government were the highlights of the year in Arunachal Pradesh. An unprecedented flash flood in Siang Valley on June 11 caused havoc taking at least 30 lives and damaging property worth crores of rupees, including roads and bridges. Floods of such devastating magnitude had never been witnessed in the state and it raised several questions regarding breach of a huge dam in China. The Centre took up the matter with the Chinese Government for verification. The water level in Siang suddenly rose by about 20 to 30 metres though there was no heavy rainfall in the area. This still remains a mystery and the State Government assessed the total loss at Rs 140 crore. The State Government reached an agreement with the National Hydro Electric Power Corporation (NHPC) and initiated intensive surveys for two giant hydel projects —Siang and Subansiri, with an installed capacity of 20,700 mw. After the survey work is completed, the State Government may ask the NHPC to commence the construction of the projects giving a great boost to the economic development of the state. The State Government has also signed mou with NEEPCO for taking up the construction work of 600 mw capacity Kameng hydel project in West Kameng district. Preliminary work has already started. When completed these projects would be among the world’s largest, boosting the national power grid while fetching for the state roughly about Rs 20,000 crore as water royalty. (PTI) |
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Samba case officers say
they fell victims NEW DELHI, Dec 22: Four of the former Army officers, cleared by the Delhi High Court in the Samba spying case, today alleged all the 50 accused were victims of "whims and fancies" of some "vested interests" in the Army establishment. "It is an irony of fate that a few officers of Military Intelligence (MI) have been able to baffle, concoct stories and succeed in creating one of the world’s biggest imagionary spy scandal," Major N R Ajwani, Major R K Midha, Capt R S Rathaur and Capt J S Yadav told PTI while explaining the charges of espionage for Pakistan in Samba sector in Jammu and Kashmir, levelled against them in mid-70s. The High Court in its judgement yesterday had cleared nine former Army officers from the espionage charges and directed the Government to pay them all consequential benefits within four months, while rejecting Army’s contention that General Court Martial (GCM) adjudication in the case was final. A division bench said Army authorities had not been able to produce any evidence about the involvement of the officers in the espionage racket. "If any material worth mentioning have been found in the files, we would have not certainly interfered to annual the proceedings of GCM," the judges said. Major Ajwani said "it is strange that the two jawans, Aya Singh and Sarwan Das, who were first to be caught on espionage charges, were not tried for the same offence but court martialled for remaining absent from duty." He said in a subsequent chain of events, MI Directorate coerced Aya Singh and Sarwan Das to name some other officers. They had under all types of torture named Capt Rathaur, who was picked up on August 24, 1976. Rathaur said "I was subjected to harassment, beatings, torture and threats by MI officials making me a physical and mental wreck and under extreme pressure I had no option but to toe the line of interrogators to name Capt A K Rana, from whom I had taken charge at Kandral Post." "The charges were a blot on us and we decided to fight it out as a true soldiers as it was a question of our honour. We cannot even dream of treachery against our motherland," the four former officers said giving all credit to Major Ajwani for leading the fight in the courts. The "malafide" intention of the MI reflected from the fact that both Aya Singh and Sarwan Das were granted remission and reinstated within less than a year after they had named Capt Rathaur in the case, they said. Major Ajwani said Capt Rana, whose name surfaced after Rathaur, was also subjected to "inhuman torture" by MI sleuths and on his reported statement, 50 people of "168 infantry brigade" were implicated between December 1978 and January 1979, which included 27 officers of various ranks right from captain to Brigadier, three JCOs nine jawans and 11 civilians. All were charged with crossing over to Pakistan at a different points of time between 1975 and 1978 for conveying secret information. "All the allegations are flimsy as MI want the world to believe that border between India and Pakistan is a thorough fare and people in such a large scale can crossover without the MI getting any inkling of it for full three years," Major Ajwani said. (PTI) |
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