Jaswant declines to comment on Pak’s readiness for talks

BANGALORE, Aug 12: External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh today declined to comment on Pakistan’s readiness for talks on ‘cross-border terrorism’ and its ‘disappointment’ over India ‘airing grievances’ after the Agra summit.

Singh said he was yet to meet the Foreign Secretary Chokila Iyer after her visit to Colombo where she had talks with her Pakistani counterpart Inam Ul-Haq.

‘I have been out of Delhi since the morning. She (Iyer) is on her way back (to Delhi). Unless I talk to her, I don’t wish to comment on the statement of Pakistan Foreign Secretary’, he told reporters.

Media reports from Colombo and Islamabad had said Pakistan was ‘disappointed’ with India over ‘airing grievances’, but it was ready to discuss the issue of ‘cross-border terrorism’.

Singh, who is also the Defence Minister, also refused to talk on the progress made with British defence and aerospace giant base systems PLC over the supply of 66 Hawk jets to Indian Air Force.

‘I don’t discuss weapons procurement in public’, he said.

Earlier, addressing participants of a camp organised by ‘Vishwa Sangh Shiksha Varg’ of the RSS at Channenhalli, near here, Singh, in an oblique reference to the Kashmir issue, said: ‘we coveted no one’s territory... Not even an inch of it’.

‘Neither historically, nor now or in future, India has an aggressive designs against any country’, he asserted.

Singh said India is in a resurgent mode internationally, economically and socially and no body can stop a resurgent India, which is on a forward movement.

‘Today, globally, there is a greater recognition of India. There is awakening of the rest of the globe regarding India’s greatness’, he observed.

Singh was all praise for the rapid strides made by people of Indian origin abroad as well as NRIs.

According to him, though people of Indian origin and NRIs number roughly two million in the US — a small percentage of population there — they control three per cent of that country’s wealth.

Similarly, in Canada they constitue 2.5 per cent of the total population, he said.

Singh said the Government has reactivated the cell for NRIs and people of Indian origin to look after their interests.

As many as 95 participants from eight countries, including the US, the UK, Trinidad, Holland, South Africa and Kenya, representing all the continents attended the 20-day camp, the concluding function of which was held today.

They were imparted physical training, given lectures on Hindu spiritual heritage and achievements of Hindus in the ancient and modern times, among others. The objective is to consolidate Hindu activity abroad, RSS officials said. (PTI)

Hundreds throng Raghunath temple
Janamashtmi celebrated with religious fervour

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Aug 12: Janamashtami birthday of Lord Krishna was celebrated with religious fervour and gaiety throughout the Jammu region today.

Hundreds of devotees of Lord Krishna attired in colourful dresses thronged the different temples of the City which were fully decorated with buntings, lights and flowers from early in the morning to participate in the day long Bhajans and offer prayers.

The religious discourses were also held in different temples and the teachings of Lord Krishna were highlighted by the religious scholars on the occasion.

The biggest samaroh was held at Raghunath Temple Jammu where hundreds of devotees thronged from early in the morning till late night to pay their obeisance and offer pooja. The people also participated in day long Bhajan Keertans and religious discourses.

The entire Jammu City wore a festive look on the occasion as the people and shopkeepers had specially decorated the markets. The children also participated in kite flying and there was heavy rush of people on the kite shops.

The Bhajan and Keertans continued in all the temples in and outskirts of the City upto the mid night.

Though the Shoba Yatra of Lord Krishna was taken yesterday, yet the Jhankis of prabhat pharies were also taken in various Shri Krishna temples in outskirts of the City today.

The people of different communities greeted their Hindu brethren on the occasion while special prayers were held in various temples for the peace and prosperity of the State.

The reports of Janamashtami celebrations have come from other parts of the region also with hundreds of people participating in Shoba yatras that were taken out on the occasion.

Hundreds of people participated in Janamashtami celebrations at Rajouri, Poonch, Kathua and Udhampur towns.

Our Kathua Correspondent adds: Hundreds of people thronged the historical Narsingh Dass Temple at Ghagwal to participate in the two day Janamashtami mela that started today.

Another Samaroh was held at village Jandi in Hiranagar tehsil where hundreds of the people participated in the function held at Krishna Temple.

In Kathua Town two separate functions were held at Parli Ward in Ram Ji and Sat Narayan temples. Both the temples were decorated and the rush of people continued from early in the morning till late midnight.

Even the Army and CRPF personnel organised a joint function at Brahma Kumari Ashram Kathua to celebrate the Janam Ashtami.

Janam Ashtami was also celebrated at Basohli and Billawar towns.

DC orders hoteliers, house owners to check antecedants of inmates

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Aug 12: Apprehending that foreign mercenaries and anti-national elements were surveying/ planning to carry out acts of terrorism in the City, District Magistrate Jammu, Mr Raj Kumar Goel has directed all the hoteliers, owners of lodges, inns and private house owners to remain vigilant against the activities of any such elements who use their establishments and follow certain directions while giving shelter and accommodation in their premises under their ownership and control.

In an order issued here today, the Deputy Commissioner has asked all the hoteliers and other lodge owners, who lend their houses on paying guest scheme, to maintain registers in such format so as to cover the name, parentage, address (original) and purpose of their visit to Jammu. Such owners/individuals have been authorised to check or cause to check by employing persons, under their supervision the luggage and belongings of all persons visiting their establishments.

In case of discovery of any incriminating material like arms, ammunition or other equipments used by the terrorists/criminals, the Police be informed within the shortest possible time, the order said.

The hoteliers, dharamshala owners etc. have been further directed to make preliminary inquiry about the identity and antecedents by way of asking their names, parentage, original residential address, purpose of visit and mention of prominent person if any whom they can identify or act as a refree, and record the result of such inquiry in the prescribed register. In the event of suspicion, the same be immediately brought into the notice of the nearest Police Station/Police Post, Mr Goel ordered.

The order issued under section 144 CrPC, will come in operation immediately and remain in force till further orders or for a period of two months which ever is earlier, he said.

The Deputy Commissioner said that the issuing of such order was necessitated as in past, militants and criminals had used the lodges and hotels after carrying out their nefarious activities in the city. Mr Goel admitted that since it was not possible for the Police to check every individual and keep an eye on them, the owners of such lodges, hotels, sarais and dharmshallas and even private persons who put their establishments to let for a longer time, can help the administration by remaining extra vigilant and abide by the order issued today.

Badal supports return of all black-listed Sikhs

From B L Kak

NEW DELHI, Aug 12: At a time when each faction of the Akali Dal is trying to appear more radical than the other, the Chief Minister of Punjab, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, has intensified his campaign for the return of blacklisted Sikh extremists to the State.

Mr Badal has had more than 15 meetings with the Union Home Minister, Mr L K Advani so far on the issue. These meetings require to be studied in the context of recent announcements by Mr Advani and Mr Badal himself favouring a review of the "blacklist" of Sikh activists.

Mr Badal’s efforts in support of the return of blacklisted Sikh extremists to Punjab has raised fears about revival of militancy in the State. Mr Badal has taken cognizance of such fears, but his efforts seem to have been prompted by the nuances of Punjab’s politics.

Inspite of strong reservations on the issue by the Intelligence Bureau (IB) and a big section of the Punjab Police, Mr Prakash Singh Badal has chosen to highlight the need for a review of the blacklist of the Sikhs who had shifted to various countries at the height of militancy in Punjab into the 1980s and the early 1990s.

A top officer of the Punjab Government told EXCELSIOR that the number of blacklisted persons had come down steadily over the years and only about 190 Sikhs figure in the list now. The Akali Dal faction led by Mr Badal is a constituent of the ruling coalition at the Centre.

Hence, no objection from the Vajpayee Government to the Badal Government’s soft treatment of Wassan Singh Zaffarwal and Jagjit Singh Chouhan. While Zaffarwal’s Khalistan Commando Force (KCF) was responsible for a series of communal killings, Chouhan is the self-styled president of the Council of Khalistan. At a time when Mr Badal’s idea seems to be to attract the radicals to his groups, the Akali Dal-BJP partnership is showing signs of strain.

The Hindu voters have been found somewhat unhappy with the BJP’s silence on the Akali Dal’s open espousal of the ‘Sikh Right’. This, some intelligence specialists have warned, could lead to a situation in which Hindu radical groups, including the RSS, the Shiv Sena and Hindu Suraksha Samiti (HSS) will play the communal card.

Intelligence specialists don’t rule out the possibility of hit-and-run tactics by the hidden extremists belonging to the Dal Khalsa, the Sikh Students Federation, the Sikh Longue and the World Sikh Council and Damdami Taksal. According to these specialists, Mr Badal’s tacit support to the extremists is turning the situation from bad to worse, raising fears of a return to terrorism in Punjab.

In the course of protracted interrogation of the President of the Khalistan Council, Jagjit Singh Chouhan, the IB and RAW sleuths were reported to have asked the oldest exponent of Khalistan to curb all desires of becoming a celebrity and end his tirade for a separate State for Sikhs.

The interrogation dealt primarily with Chouhan’s life in Canada and an effort to ascertain if he was in touch with any of the living leaders of the militant organisation who have been underground for several years now. Efforts were also made to find out whether he had ever been in touch with Pakistan’s ISI, which also has a group of Punjab terrorists under their control.

The IB and RAW officials were particularly interested in finding out whether Chouhan had been in touch with the Babbar Khalsa or Khalistan Zindabad Force and International Sikh Youth federation. The first word of promise that Chauhan gave to the intelligence agencies—that he would make no attempt to try and be vociferous—have already been violated.

Contrary to what was believed earlier, Chauhan has not slipped underground and has been more than vocal about the fact that he has still not forgotten his demand for a separate Sikh state. He is willingly disclosing the fact that he has been in touch with Babbar Khalsa International and other militant organisations, which is enough reason to view Chauhan’s return to India closely.

Pak promoting terrorism: CM

Excelsior Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Aug 12: Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah today assailed Pak attempts to promote terrorism in the name of Jehad and said that violence has no room in a civilized set up and democratic polity.

He was addressing a gathering, after re-launching the 3.75 MW Iqbal Micro Hydel project in Kargil this morning. The project had to be shut down in May 2000 and with re-launching of its two units today, the power supply would be provided to Kargil and its adjoining villages.

Minister of State for Works and Power, Mr Qamar Ali Akhoon, Mr. Ghulam Hassan Khan, MP, legislators, senior officers and prominent citizens were among those present on the occasion.

The Chief Minister said the evil designs tailored across the border to destablize the State would never be allowed to succeed. He cautioned people to remain vigilant against the moves of perpetrators of violence who are bent upon unleashing reign of terror in the name of Jehad. Such elements, he said, are the main obstacle in peace and progress of the State as petty interests guide them to prevent restoration of peace that is vital for accelerating pace of development to remove peoples problems especially in remote areas.

The CM said a duty has cast upon the people at this crucial juncture to maintain peace and unity at all costs and help in steering the State to a new era of progress and development. He also cautioned them against the attempts by some vested interests to create wedge between various sections of society and warned against sowing seeds of hatred between Buddhists and Muslims.

Referring to the recent Agra Summit, the Chief Minister said that Islamabad’s rigidity came in the way of India’s sincere offer of friendship with Pakistan. New Delhi will continue its efforts to structure friendly relations with Pakistan but the neighbouring country should know that it can never succeed in grabbing even an inch of Kashmir, he said and declared ‘ Kashmir was, is and will remain part of this great nation’. He said Pakistan has been told in unequivocal terms during the summit to stop cross border terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir.

Responding to the local problems, Dr Abdullah assured that all possible steps would be taken to raise the living standard of the people of Kargil district as the Government was committed to provide equal opportunities to all regions and sub regions of the State. He said that the issue to upgrade Kargil Airport by another 3000 feet is under the active consideration of the Centre. With this the runway of the airport will be upgraded to 9000 feet from the present 6000 feet.

He said an airport at Paddam Zanaskar is under consideration for which the State and Centre will provide funds on 50: 50 basis. He also announced provision of 7000 solar lights in Kargil district during the current year.

Dr Abdullah urged the youngsters to excel in academics and prepare themselves for various competitive exams in a big way.

Earlier, the Chief Minister inaugurated the first phase of the buildings for the Government Higher Secondary School for Boys at Chutuk and Degree College, Kargil being constructed at a cost of Rs. 2.22 crore and 3.89 crore respectively.

NHRC cautions Centre on special powers

NEW DELHI, Aug 12: National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) chairman J S Verma today said the Centre should be careful in granting more power to authorities to check militancy in Jammu and Kashmir so that it could not be misused.

Describing the Centre’s decision as "political" to declare four districts of Jammu and Kashmir disturbed areas, Verma told PTI "it is a general principle that when you have greater power, one should be more careful while using that power."

The Centre on August 8 decided to declare four districts of Jammu and Kashmir, including Jammu and Doda, as "disturbed" under the armed forces special powers act to give more powers to security forces to combat militancy. (PTI)

Bollywood’s perfect mother faces dowry case

CHANDIGARH, Aug 12: Yesteryears’ "perfect mother" of silverscreen Nirupa Roy has been charged in a dowry case by her daughter-in-law in Panchkula near here, Haryana Police said today.

"A case has been filed by the veteran actress’ daughter-in-law Una Roy with Panchkula police and a team headed by an inspector would be leaving for Mumbai soon," Panchkula SP Manoj Yadav told PTI.

The charges against the star, who most often played the role of a sobbing mother and an affectionate mother-in-law, included causing cruelty to women, criminal breach of trust and beating, he said.

The team would interrogate, among others, Nirupa Roy’s son, husband and neighbours, he said.

To a question, he said Mumbai Police had not been contacted yet as the case does not warrant such formalities and precautions. "After all, we are not going after Dawood Ibrahim," Yadav said.

The cine star’s Panchkula-based daughter-in-law, who is an NRI and a worker with a foreign airlines company, had alleged in her complaint filed recently that she was subjected to severe mental and physical hands of Nirupa Roy and others.

Una roy had alleged that Nirupa, unlike her screen image, was a "very dominating mother-in-law and controls all financial affairs of the house".

Her in-laws would route black money through her (Una Roy’s) foreign account and beat and threaten her with dire consequences whenever resisted, she alleged. (PTI)

PM turns down George’s request

From B L Kak

NEW DELHI, Aug 12: The Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee’s ‘weakness’ for the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), convenor and former Defence Minister Mr George Fernandes, is real than apparent. Significantly, however, Mr Vajpayee has turned down Mr Fernandes’ request that he should not be asked to appear in person before the Venkatswamy Commission, which is investigating armsgate, the Tehelka sting operation.

Observers have found Mr George Fernandes, aged 71, to be an angry man these days. This time around his ire is directed against Mr Vajpayee. Mr Fernandes was reported to have told the Prime Minister that he should not be placed in the same bracket as the former BJP president Mr Bangaru Laxman, who was seen taking Rs one lakh in cash by the entire nation and he should, therefore, not be asked to appear in person before the Venkatswamy Commission.

Mr Fernandes, according to sources, is for a questionnaire to be sent to him by the Commission, which he would answer and send back to the Commission. Mr Fernandes, who had to resign in the wake of the Tehelka expose, had to be told by the Prime Minister that he (Mr Vajpayee) had no role in defining the powers or functions of the Venkatswamy Commission.

Mr Vajpayee was said to have given the reasoning that he, as the Prime Minister, could not be seen to be dictating to the Commission as it would send the signal that the Commission was working under the influence of the Government. The PM’s logic was that along with reducing the credibility of the Commission, this could also boomerang on the Government giving credence to the charge that the Commission was being manipulated by the Government.

The Prime Minister was learnt to have made it clear that he could not ask the Commission to differentiate between a Bangaru Laxman and a George Fernandes. It is no secret that Mr George Fernandes has been fretting and fuming against being out of the Vajpayee Cabinet and he has for sometime now been making attempts for a comeback.

But judging by the mood of the Prime Minister, who has been snowed under one scam after another, he is not willing to oblige Mr Fernandes by bringing him back into the Union Cabinet without a full clearance from the Venkatswamy Commission.

Hurriyat visit to Kerala opposed

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, Aug 12: The plan of a human rights body in Kerala to arrange a visit for the All Party Hurriyat Conference (APHC) leaders to the State next month has triggered a controversy with the CPI-M and BJP condemning it as a move "fraught with serious consequences."

Decrying the move by Confederation of Human Rights Organizations (CHRO) to arrange a forum for the Hurriyat leaders" to explain their position on Kashmir issue", CPI-M State Sectretariat sought the United Democratic Front (UDF) Government to make clear its stand on the matter.

Expressing similar sentiments, the State BJP unit said that the visit of the APHC leaders would encourage extremist outfits already active in some pockets of the State.

According to state CPI-M leadership the visit of APHC leaders at a time when the situation in Kashmir was "explosive" would only help divide the people.

The party believes that organizations like National Development Front (NDF) which had allegedly been behind clashes in Nadapuram are involved in organising reception to the APHC delegation.

Terming the CPI-M and BJP stand as "undemocratic", CHRO secretary general Mukundan C Menon said "we are arranging the programme on the human rights angle."

According to Menon, APHC delegation led by Abdul Gani Lone would explain the situation in Kashmir during their interaction with public in Kozhikode and Thiruvananthapuram during their three-day visit from September two. (PTI)

Musharraf to unveil poll schedule

ISLAMABAD, Aug 12: Pakistan military regime would enter into a new, but an uncertain phase next week as President Pervez Musharraf is widely speculated to unveil a schedule for general elections and a new political structure with iron-clad legal safeguards to retain Army’s supremacy over Parliament.

Speculation is rife in Pakistan media for the past few days that Musharraf in his independence day speech on August 14 would announce a schedule for the elections, which would be held before the October 2002 deadline set by Supreme Court for him to hand over power to an elected Government.

Official sources were today quoted by newspaper Dawn as saying that in the new civilian set-up, which might retain Musharraf as President in uniform, the military would be made a major stakeholder in the power sharing exercise at the top.

"He will have the role of a watchdog with enough powers at his disposal to pull up the Government in case it errs in its judgement or strays from the path of good governance", it quoted the source as saying.

Musharraf, who took over as the President in June 20 this year, ahead of his India visit, would deliver his maiden independence day speech at an official function here on Tuesday in which he is expected to announce a host of populist measures and a tentative schedule to hold polls.

As per official claims, the eight-month long party less elections to the local bodies were completed this week and Musharraf is scheduled to administer oath of office to newly elected district chiefs and deputy chiefs.

According to the local media accounts, despite attempts by the Government agencies to influence the course of the elections in favour of the army-backed faction of the Pakistan Muslim League (PML), the factions belonging to deposed Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) headed by former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto did reasonably well.

But on the whole the elections were seen as a setback for the military regime as attempts by Musharraf to create non-political leadership at the grassroots level has failed as most of the victorious candidates belonged to political parties which were fighting for the restoration of democracy in the country.

In this backdrop, Musharraf is expected to announce a staggered election schedule for four provincial assemenate.

Pakistan media speculated that while finalising the poll schedule, the Musharraf Government looked for in-built safeguards to get him re-elected as President by the provincial assemblies and Parliament. In the meantime, he is also expected to make necessary constitutional changes to retain wider powers over the elected Government.

‘Dawn’ said there would be constitutional changes to shift the balance of power equally between the President and the Prime Minister. "It may eventually be a Quasi-presidential form but technically the Prime Minister will be the head of the Government". (PTI)

| home | state | national | business| editorial | advertisement | sports |
| international | weather | mailbag | suggestions | search | subscribe | send mail |