Excelsior... Nation

Participation of pvt
sector in agriculture to
benefit farmers

HOSHANGABAD, Nov 7: The Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijay Singh has said that participation of private sector in extension of agriculture ....more

Emperor Ashoka’s images
unearthed in Orissa

BHUBANESWAR, Nov 7: The magnificent lion capital of Emperor Ashoka as the national emblem of India has long seeped into the nation’s .....more

Normal life affected
due to bandh in Assam

GUWAHATI, Nov 7: Life was today paralysed in Assam’s Nalbari district in view of the 12-hour bandh called by the All Assam Students Union (AASU). ....more

Hindu minorities crossing over to Bengal in thousands

HABRA (WEST BENGAL), Nov 7: Thousands of Hindu migrants are crossing the Indo-Bangladesh border near here -risking their lives, leaving......more

Rajnath rules out
possibility of
dissolving Assembly

ALIGARH, Nov 7: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Rajnath Singh has ruled out the possibility of dissolving the State Assembly....more

IAEA fears terrorists
might produce nukes
with Pak help

NEW DELHI, Nov 7: US President George Bush’s revelation that terrorists are "seeking chemical, biological and nuclear....more

France for greater military
cooperation with India

From B L Kak

MUMBAI, Nov 7: The French Government is keen on wooing New Delhi for greater military cooperation between France and India. If there was any doubt .....more

Goa planning to scrap
Gandhi Jayanti from list
of holidays

PANAJI, Nov 6: In a bid to inculcate work ethics among Government servants, the Goa Government is considering making....more

Participation of pvt sector in agriculture to benefit farmers

HOSHANGABAD, Nov 7: The Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijay Singh has said that participation of private sector in extension of agriculture will benefit farmers besides helping agriculture scientists to reach benefits of their researches the field.

Inaugurating a unique scheme of participation of commercial institutions in extension of agriculture at the Agriculture Training Centre at Panwarkheda, about seven kms from here on Monday, the Chief Minister said.

Efforts will be made to further increase it, Singh said adding that that control of release of Tawa dam water will be given to farmers so that they can release water whenever they need.

Referring to power crisis in the state, he said the crisis has deepened following creation of Chhattisgarh state which has got 30 per cent share of power generation.

Singh said that interest and penal interest of Rs 20 crore on levelling of land has been waived. (PTI)

Emperor Ashoka’s images unearthed in Orissa

BHUBANESWAR, Nov 7: The magnificent lion capital of Emperor Ashoka as the national emblem of India has long seeped into the nation’s consciousness yet the image of the Emperor himself had remained shrouded amid the ruins of his vast empire.

Now archaeologists in Orissa claim to have unearthed images of Ashoka, carved in sandstone. The two images, with some inscriptions on the obverse, were found during excavations at an ancient Buddhist site atop the Langudi Hill in Orissa’s Jajpur district.

The discovery has assumed significance as so far no individual images of Ashoka, dating back to the third century BC, has been traced at any of the sites associated with his kingdom.

The two magnificent images were found at the entrance of the Buddhist stupa earlier uncovered by archaeologists on Langudi hill during an excavation by the Orissa Institute of Maritime and South East Asian Studies (OIMSEAS).

According to OIMSEAS president and Orissa Minister of State for Tourism and Culture Bijayashree Routray, the inscriptions on these images, deciphered by two eminent epigraphists of the country, indicated the name of Ashoka. A visiting delegation of Buddhist monks, who were touring important sites in the state, was informed about the discovery.

Langudi hill is already known as the seat of the Puspagiri Vihar which finds mention in Chinese piligrim Hieun Tsang’s account during his visit to Udra (now Orissa) during 639 ad. A systematic excavation by the OIMSEAS since 1996 in the hill had also revealed the existence of Ashokan pillars, stupas and terracotta seals from the Buddhist monastery.

According to OIMSEAS Director Debraj Pradhan who conducted the excavations, one of the images depict the emperor without the "Mukuta" (crown) or Turban in a pose of worship before the stupas.

The image, in a bust form, has the Kundala (ear rings), necklace and an auspicious mark on the forehead which clearly proved that it was the portrait of the emperor with support from the inscriptional evidence.

Noted epigraphist and historian Prof B N Mukharjee who had deciphered the inscription on the back side of the image said the writing in Prakrit language read as "Sri Karane Rajnya Ashoken".

Mr Pradhan said an image with the right leg broken was also found at the site and from the posture it is presumed that Ashoka was in a sitting position facing the stupa for worship.

The second sculpture discovered from the site is also an inscribed stone along with sculptural representation where the emperor is seen sitting in the royal posture or "Rajlilasan" with two queens or attendants.

The archaeologist said the turban and other features of the image clearly indicated that these were the product of the Sunga period dating back to as early as 2nd century BC.

He said the ear pendants, the Chhanavira-Patta or Uttariya draped around the neck through shoulder to the chest, the Katibandhas (waist bands) and the valayars are unique in nature and could be described as one of the earliest sculptures found in Orissa.

Prof N N Swamy, an epigraphist from Mysore who deciphered the inscription found on the obverse of the second image said it read as "Rajna Ashoka".

The OIMSEAS Director said earlier inscriptions found in Langudi hill had revealed that King Emperor Ashoka was himself associated with the construction of the stupa.

The discovery of the Ashoka image from the site clearly corroborates the account of Chinese piligrim Hieun Tsang who mentions that the emperor had constructed the stupas to commemorate those sites where Lord Budhha had preached.

Hieu Tsang was so impressed by the stupas that he says a supernatural light was emanating from them and these could have been built by a demon as no human being could construct such structures.

Mr Pradhan said on the basis of the discovery of Ashoka images and the historical account of the Chinese piligrim, one could also presume that Lord Budhha had visited the Langudi Hill.

Historical evidence indicated that the Great Kalinga war was fought during the eight year reign of Ashoka between the Army of Magadha and Kalinga. The inscription evidence of of rock edict 13 stated that more than 100,000 were killed in the war.

However, it is still a mystery as to who was the king of Kalinga whose Army fought against Magadha Emperor Ashoka. (UNI)

Hindu minorities crossing over to Bengal in thousands

HABRA (WEST BENGAL), Nov 7: Thousands of Hindu migrants are crossing the Indo-Bangladesh border near here -risking their lives, leaving everything including their near and dear ones behind - to save themselves from large-scale attacks on minorities in Bangladesh.

"The true picture is not known to the outside world. It is a free for all so far it goes to torturing minority Hindus. Women and property are the prime targets - hundreds of Hindu women are hospitalised, many were killed after being raped," Bidhu Bhusan Das, one of the migrants from Barishal, who fled leaving behind his relatives, told a visiting PTI correspondent.

The local municipality pretends ignorance as do the police and the administration, but the migrants are moving in daily via Hakimpur, Bongaon (petrapole) borders and dispersing to districts like Bardhaman and Midnapore - even to far off places like the Andamans via Kolkata.

"It is a war against the Hindus. Awami League could not protect us, even worse, they are now joining hands with Bangladesh Nationalist Party cadres with the sole aim to butcher Hindu minorities," a group of migrants from Barishal and Bhola districts of Bangladesh, who have taken shelter in this town, 12 km from the Hakimpur border, said.

The situation after the October one elections, the migrants said, "are worse than that in 1992", when the Babri Masjid demolition in India led to communal tension in the neighbouring country.

Das, who himself was targeted for his close association with a local awami league leader, had sought help from a muslim friend the day the election results were declared, but was refused as "those who shelter Hindus, will not be spared".

"The ruling party cadres have formed `assault groups’, who intrude into residences of minorities in the late hours, torture women, loot valuables, and slash tongues of the livestock.

"These assailants come later with a tape recorder to record our voice and instruct us to recite that we are fine," a panic-striken Sefali Roy, who fled with her three young daughter under the cover of darkness, said.

In their desperation to leave the country, many of these migrants from Barishal, Bhola and Patuakhali come to the border onboard the ‘Chakladar bus service’, a private transport company. They gather near border points at Petrapol, Gede, Panchpota, Hakimpur on pre-decided dates, mostly Tuesday.

Local touts, who cannot generally enter the localities, are helping them to cross the border.

As per the claims of the migrants and Habra Bangladeshi Udbastu Samity, a Non-Government Organisation, over 1,500 people from across the border were now in Habra alone, while a huge number have dispersed to other places.

Habra Municipality chairperson and local Trinamool Congress MLA Tapati Datta, however, said "we have heard that some people have come, but there is no official report, neither from the police nor from locals".

The locals, particularly those residing at colonies in Banipur, Bholapara, Hirapol, were ‘sympathetic’ towards the migrants.

In fact, many of them, who settled down in India after 1971 riots in Bangladesh, actually got prior information about the arrival of the groups.

"A family of four will come to Madhab Das’s house tomorrow. About 100 families will come to Bholapara next Tuesday," Gopal Ghosh, a resident of Banipur, said.

Another four hundred were expected shortly, said Bimal Majumder, who runs an association of refugees.

The Habra Police Station said "it is primarily the responsibility of the BSF to detect and detain the migrants."

The Habra Police reportedly apprehended 82 people last week and the Gaighata Police Station 80 others.

Asked if the infiltration problem was posing a threat, police sources said "infiltration in these areas is a regular feature all through the year... But, it may take serious proportions as per reports of atrocities on minorities there".

The authorities of the municipality, which set up over 30 relief camps for flood victims last year, said "we will make similar arrangements for the migrants if the Government issues orders". (PTI)

Rajnath rules out possibility of dissolving Assembly

ALIGARH, Nov 7: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Rajnath Singh has ruled out the possibility of dissolving the State Assembly under pressure from any opposition parties.

Addressing a public meeting at Charra, 40 km from here, yesterday singh said the opposition Samajwadi Party (SP) MLAs had resigned from the State Assembly as they lacked moral courage to face the house after his Government had implemented the new reservation policy.

He strongly criticised the SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav for opposing the ban on the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), he said.

"The Samajwadi Party is opposing the ban just for the sake of electoral gains," the Chief Minister said, adding the sp opposition to the simi ban would only encourage the anti national forces.

Lauding the stand taken by Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee on combating terrorism, Singh said, "Pakistan knows that as long as Vajpayee is in the office, they can never succeed in their designs on Kashmir." (PTI)

IAEA fears terrorists might produce nukes with Pak help

NEW DELHI, Nov 7: US President George Bush’s revelation that terrorists are "seeking chemical, biological and nuclear weapons" has been echoed by the International Atomic Energy Commission (IAEA), which fears that terrorists may produce a nuclear bomb with the help of Pakistani hardware.

"Pakistan could become a source of hardware for terrorists planning to build a nuclear bomb, while impoverished russian scientists give them required technical knowhow for producing the bomb," the IAEA report said.

The US President yesterday warned that Osama Bin Laden was seeking nuclear and biological weapons to intensify his campaign against Washington. This has sent jitters among nuclear weapon nations.

The IAEA has written to all nuclear powers to urgently review the safety of nuclear material in their arsenal.

The report said Osama Bin Laden’s Al Qaeda network has sought to buy nuclear technology. There were reports that some Pakistani scientists, including Sultan Mohammed, who was recently interrogated by intelligence agencies, were helping the outfit get nuclear weapons.

Mohammed El-Baradei, a senior official of IAEA referring to custody of Pakistan’s nuclear systems said : "I think they are under proper control." But "if there were a breakdown in the civil order, of course, you have worries."

He said that "any such material in illicit commerce and conceivably accessible to terrorist groups is deeply troubling."

He said former Soviet Union could prove a source for terrorists to make the bomb.

"When the cold war ended, thousands of highly-qualified scientists and engineers involved in the Soviet Union nuclear programme were laid off or they found their income drastically reduced," he said. These scientists could be readily available for helping terrorists build nuclear weapons, which could prove disastrous, he added. (UNI)

France for greater military cooperation with India

From B L Kak

MUMBAI, Nov 7: The French Government is keen on wooing New Delhi for greater military cooperation between France and India. If there was any doubt about it, it was set at rest by French Ambassador to India, Mr Bernard de Montferrand, in Mumbai.

Mr Montferrand, who was talking to a group of mediapersons on board the French command and support ship, ‘Var’, emphasized the need for greater military cooperation. He said that the defence cooperation between the two countries should be based on three levels.

These, according to him, are discussion on strategic matters involving the Army, Navy and Air Force, the conduct of joint military exercises and collaborating in the field of armaments based on industrial cooperation.

While explaining that the French aerospace firms such as Dassault and Aerospatiale have enjoyed a long and fruitful relationship with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), the French Ambassador said: "We are happy that the Indian armament industry is being gradually privatised".

Mr Monteferrand, who was briefing the media on he joint naval exercise beginning on November 8 and ending on November 10 in the Arabian Sea, let it be known that three Indian warships and an equal number from France would take part in the exercise.

The French Ambassador was of the view that the significance of the naval drill was that it testified to the "good quality of political relationship" between India and France. He expected many more such exercises in future. Reiterating that France had been for the last three years backing India’s membership to the Security Council, the French envoy said that both the countries were cooperating to combat terrorism even at the United Nations by sponsoring resolutions. That apart, France, he added, would also tackle the problem both at political and military levels.

Stating that the global threat perception had changed after the terrorist strikes in America on September 11, Mr Montferrand said that India and France were jointly trying to work out a future for Afghanistan. On his country’s participation in ‘Operation Enduring Freedom’—the battle against terrorism in Afghanistan—the French Ambassador said that French naval ships were assisting US naval forces in the Arabian Sea mainly through replenishment and intelligence support.

The three warships participating in the forthcoming Indo-French naval exercise had earlier taken part in ‘Operation Enduring Freedom’. Two of these warships, Mr Montferrand divulged, provided intelligence from the Strait of Hormuz.

The French Government, he said, would "certainly try and help" if the US navy makes "fresh demands" in the course of their war against terrorism in Afghanistan.