Bihar police probe not to be
influenced by CRS report

AURANGABAD, Oct 4: Bihar police today said its independent inquiry into last month’s train accident ......more

No IAF aircraft was
flying at time of
reported intrusion

NEW DELHI, Oct 4: Indian Air Force (IAF) today said none of its aircraft was flying over a village in.....more

18,000 rare manuscripts
found missing in Orissa
state museum

BHUBANESWAR, Oct 4: Over 18,000 rare manuscripts have been found missing from the State.....more

18,000 rare manuscripts
found missing in
Orissa state museum

BHUBANESWAR, Oct 4: Over 18,000 rare manuscripts have been found missing from the State .....more

Tribal inmates set example
of creativity behind bars

JAGDALPUR (CHATTISGARAH), Oct 4: Brushing aside their anti-social image......more

Speedy review of
criminal justice system
required: Shekhawat

NEW DELHI, Oct 4: Vice President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat today sought speedy review.......more

Women-oriented films
dominate Indian panorama

NEW DELHI, Oct 4: Renowned film-maker Mrinal Sen says "women are wiser than men", a confession reflected by several directors in the Indian panorama section dominated by women-oriented films in the 33rd ......more

Badal accuses
Amarinder-Ravi Inder
of plotting his murder

CHANDIGARH, Oct 4: Akali stalwart Parkash Singh Badal today alleged that Punjab......more

Ministerial aspirants in UP BJP start intense lobbying ....

Bihar police probe not to be influenced by CRS report

AURANGABAD, Oct 4: Bihar police today said its independent inquiry into last month’s train accident involving Rajdhani Express would not be influenced by the Railway Safety Commissioner’s report citing sabotage as the cause for the tragedy.

The police inquiry into the mishap is progressing well and the report would be submitted within a month, Superintendent of Police Sunil Kumar Jha told PTI.

Jha said the Commissioner for Railway Safety (Eastern circle) Mahesh Chand’s preliminary report citing sabotage as the reason behind the September 9 mishap near Rafiganj in Aurangabad district would have no impact on the police probe.

"If he (CRS) is pointing an accusing finger at Naxalite outfits, the probe needs to ascertain which ultra outfit did it and the motive behind it," he added.

"We have been from the beginning contesting the sabotage theory propounded by the railway... So far, nothing concrete has come forth to prove the sabotage theory," the SP said.

If needed in the course of inquiry, the team led by the Magadh Range Deputy Inspector General of Police, N C Dhondhiyal, would question the Railway Board Chairman IIMS Rana who had expressed suspision over ISI involvement in the accident, Jha said.

The Rajdhani Express mishap has triggered a blame game between the Railways and the Bihar Government with the former citing sabotage as the reason behind the tragedy and the latter attributing the accident to the poor maintanence of the Dhave bridge and tracks.

As a result of strong difference of opinion, the Railways and the Bihar police had filed two separate FIRs with the Rafiganj Police Station following the mishap and instituted parallel probes.(PTI)

No IAF aircraft was flying at time of reported intrusion

NEW DELHI, Oct 4: Indian Air Force (IAF) today said none of its aircraft was flying over a village in north Dinajpur district near the Indo-Bangladesh border from where there were reports that an unidentified airplane had intruded into the air space and dropped sack-like objects.

"There was no IAF aircraft flying over the place where the incident is supposed to have taken place," an IAF spokesman, Sqdn Ldr R K Dhingra, said reacting to reports that the incident could have been a fallout of an IAF air drill that was being conducted in the area.

Dhingra, however, said he cannot say with certainty that no other aircraft was flying over the area since investigations are on.

"An IAF probe revealed that there is no evidence whatsoever of anything having been airdropped. So reports regarding water changing colour at the pond where the dropping is supposed to have taken place are absolutely baseless and without any evidence," Dhingra said.

Reviving memories of the infamous Purulia arms drop, an unidentified low flying aircraft intruded into an Indian air space shortly after noon yesterday and dropped two objects, which looked like sacks, changing the colour of the large hyacinth-covered pond at Magdomganj village.

An explosion was also reportedly heard creating panic among the villagers after the incident yesterday afternoon.

Dhingra said an IAF team rushed to the site of mysterious airdrop and conducted investigations with the help of local people and authorities.

He said what the IAF team could make out was that the initial report was based on a version of a 11-year old girl who had seen something being dropped.

Her statement has not been corroborated by any investigations at the ground level, the spokesman said. (PTI)

18,000 rare manuscripts found missing in
Orissa state museum

BHUBANESWAR, Oct 4: Over 18,000 rare manuscripts have been found missing from the State museum here, according to the report of an official inquiry conducted recently.

While the museum had 37,273 manuscripts — 380 of them illustrated — belonging to the period between 15th and 20th century on August 30, 2000, a physical verification done by the inquiry team in May found only 19,220 manuscripts, the report said.

The inquiry team comprised two curators, a documentation assistant and the office superintendent.

The report observed that new labels carrying numbers had been attached to many manuscripts which was explained by the sectional curators as replacement for damaged labels.

It expressed doubts about the genuineness of the manuscripts and called for their verification by experts.

As per the findings, all the manuscripts in the Veda section contained new labels and numbers which needed to be examined by experts. In the Dharma Sastra and Tantra sections, as many as 23 and 13 manuscripts in particular required verification relating to their genuineness, the report said.

This would mean that the number of manuscripts lost in the museum could be much more, the report said.

The report said of the four stock registers in the sections, one was not available. The verification was done on the basis of existing stock of manuscripts physically available in the section.

Some manuscripts were issued to officials of the culture department who had either never cared to return the same or lost them, the inquiry report said.

Besides, 345 manuscripts in Dharma Sastra section, 248 in Sanskrit Purana section and 191 in Oriya Kavya section had been found in damaged condition, it said.

The museum is known to have one of the richest collections of manuscripts of various kinds kept in 28 different sections including Veda, Jyotisha, Dharma Sastra, Ayurveda, Ganita, Tantra, Silpa Sastra, Sangita, Avidhana, Byakarana, Sanskrit Purana, Sanskrit Gadya, Sanskrit Kavya, Oriya Gadya, Oriya historical literature, Sanskrit paper manuscripts, Persian manuscripts, Bengali, Telugu, Hindi and illustrated manuscripts. (PTI)

18,000 rare manuscripts found missing in
Orissa state museum

BHUBANESWAR, Oct 4: Over 18,000 rare manuscripts have been found missing from the State museum here, according to the report of an official inquiry conducted recently.

While the museum had 37,273 manuscripts — 380 of them illustrated — belonging to the period between 15th and 20th century on August 30, 2000, a physical verification done by the inquiry team in May found only 19,220 manuscripts, the report said.

The inquiry team comprised two curators, a documentation assistant and the office superintendent.

The report observed that new labels carrying numbers had been attached to many manuscripts which was explained by the sectional curators as replacement for damaged labels.

It expressed doubts about the genuineness of the manuscripts and called for their verification by experts.

As per the findings, all the manuscripts in the Veda section contained new labels and numbers which needed to be examined by experts. In the Dharma Sastra and Tantra sections, as many as 23 and 13 manuscripts in particular required verification relating to their genuineness, the report said.

This would mean that the number of manuscripts lost in the museum could be much more, the report said.

The report said of the four stock registers in the sections, one was not available. The verification was done on the basis of existing stock of manuscripts physically available in the section.

Some manuscripts were issued to officials of the culture department who had either never cared to return the same or lost them, the inquiry report said.

Besides, 345 manuscripts in Dharma Sastra section, 248 in Sanskrit Purana section and 191 in Oriya Kavya section had been found in damaged condition, it said.

The museum is known to have one of the richest collections of manuscripts of various kinds kept in 28 different sections including Veda, Jyotisha, Dharma Sastra, Ayurveda, Ganita, Tantra, Silpa Sastra, Sangita, Avidhana, Byakarana, Sanskrit Purana, Sanskrit Gadya, Sanskrit Kavya, Oriya Gadya, Oriya historical literature, Sanskrit paper manuscripts, Persian manuscripts, Bengali, Telugu, Hindi and illustrated manuscripts. (PTI)

Tribal inmates set example of creativity behind bars

JAGDALPUR (CHATTISGARAH), Oct 4: Brushing aside their anti-social image, tribal inmates of the central jail here have set an example of creativity behind bars.

Undertaking the journey from crime to creativity and achieving self-sufficiency in the process, the inmates have proved that although they are behind the bars for some wrong committed, their creativity has not been diminished.

To tap the deep-seated creativity, the jail authorities have devised a plan to engage them profitably in manufacturing their traditional tribal arts.

These skilled, job-oriented works would make them self-reliant, enabling them to earn their livelihood through socially accepted means after completion of their jail term, Jail Superintendent P D Verma said.

A sum of Rs five lakh has been deposited in the prisoners’ welfare fund and nearly 800 prisoners have now become account holders.

However, Mr Verma said it is all the inmates’ own creative ideas which has taken the form of jail industry. The jail authorities have virtually done little except provide the raw materials and create a conducive environment to exhibit their intrinsic artistic capabilities, he added. Mr Verma said the inmates have been trained in their traditional arts of wood carving, cecile, metal sculptures, chalk, tat patti, furniture, weaving and sewing, weaving of tussar clothes and others.

Pointing out that tussar is a minor forest produce of Bastar and the region is well-known around the world for its tussar cocoons and tussar silk clothing, he said the prisoners had started training in yarn making and weaving since the last independence day under the aegis of the district panchayat.

With the limited resources available, Mr Verma said the inmates have developed within the jail premises a nursery of flowers and plants of over 22 species. More than 7,000 colourful flowers have been grown and greet visitors to the jail. The manure for the flowers has been arranged from wastes and garbage kept within the jail premises.

Referring to the superb tribal carpentry, he said furniture was a timber-based traditional craft for tribals. More than 125 prisoners were busy in visualising and designing chairs, tables, sofas and beds. This traditional tribal work is exhibited and marketed on occasions like Lokotsava.

The tribal inmates are also displaying expertise in their traditional carving skills and their products are available in the market at a comparatively low cost. Some 70 prisoners are engaged in carving idols, statues, tables, beds, dressing tables and other furniture. These products manufactured by inmates are finding a market beyond Chhattisgarh, Mr Verma added.

Mat making (cecile) works like pen-stand, dinner mats, telephone mats, and other attractive items prepared by them have also got good response in the market, he said, adding that sewing, dress designing and other works are being taken up by the prisoners with zeal and enthusiasm.

The entire process has turned these prisoners into creative earning members of the society, he said. (UNI)

Speedy review of criminal justice system
required: Shekhawat

NEW DELHI, Oct 4: Vice President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat today sought speedy review of the criminal justice system and taking a holistic view to reform policing even as NHRC Chairman J S Verma stressed that political will was essential for police reforms.

Asking the judiciary to pin-point the causes of delay in resolving cases and making those responsible for it accountable, Shekhawat said such delays led even the witnesses falling prey to corruption which, in turn, resulted in criminals going scot-free.

"There is a large scope of corruption if justice is delayed," he said inaugurating a FICCI-organised roundtable on police reforms here.

In his keynote address, Justice Verma stressed the need for insulation of police from political pressure and asked how could the same police in Gujarat take swift action against terrorists in Akshardham but could not control violence in the aftermath of Godhra incident.

"Why is that whatever happened (in Gujarat) for months after Godhra could not be controlled. But the terrorist incident was brought under control swiftly with the same available resources," the NHRC Chairman asked.

Suggesting that judges while delivering the verdict should also pin-point the causes of delay and nail down those responsible for it, the Vice President asked the judiciary to conduct a survey to ascertain the causes behind delays even in minor cases relating to public grievances or even traffic complaints and getting compensation in consumer courts.

Shekhawat, who himself has a police background, gave the example of a rape case in which the rapist gets the benefit of doubt as the witness backtracks after a cerain point of time. He also gave examples of murderers and smugglers being let off as corruption comes to play following considerable delay in resolving the cases.

He asserted that a holistic view should be taken on the matter and "a single-window" approach towards reforming the policing system would not serve the purpose.

Referring to his findings while probing security lapses which led to Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination, the NHRC chief said it was "possible to avert and prevent" the killing of the former Premier had the policemen on duty being allowed to perform their role by those organising the fateful public meeting on the night of May 21, 1991. There was "enough intelligence information" about the threat perception also.

On the hawala case in which he had himself given a judgment as the Chief Justice of India, Verma said the case had brought out that it was "not merely corruption by certain individuals, but its impact on national security .... The extent to which national security was in danger".

While the same hawala channels were used to fund terrorists and politicians together, he said "today you are hearing the same very names which you had heard then".

The former Chief Justice said those police officers who had played their part in containing violence in Gujarat were transferred. "What law do you need to stop that," he asked.

Stressing that civil society has to play a participatory role in a republican democracy, Justice Verma said an "internal mechanism" has to be created to monitor and enforce accountability of the police force.

Justice Leila Seth, who chaired the conference, stressed on insulating police from pressures of politicians and bureaucrats.

She lamented that the recommendations of the National Police Commission had not been implemented even 23 years after they were made. "Let us hope these are implemented before we reach the silver jubilee of making of these recommendations," she said.

FICCI president R S Lodha sought speedy modernisation of police force across the country given the sophistication of weapons used by terrorists and criminals.

He said a survey carried out by his organisation had shown that 80 per cent of respondents found the image of police as satisfactory, while the "critical shortcoming" of the police was "external interference". (PTI)

Women-oriented films dominate Indian panorama

NEW DELHI, Oct 4: Renowned film-maker Mrinal Sen says "women are wiser than men", a confession reflected by several directors in the Indian panorama section dominated by women-oriented films in the 33rd international film festival of India here.

Sen, whose "Aamaar Bhuvan" (this my land) was the inaugural film of the Indian panorama section, said he felt "in society it is women who are wiser than men.... They are more responsive in situations."

He was answering questions about men being shown as "weaklings" in his film.

Anwar Jamal’s "Swaraaj" revolves around the experiences of four women in Rajasthan though it is based on a woman named Leelavathi in Madurai.

"My film is an act of faith in the power of grassroots democracy, in the resistance of women and in the indomitable strength of those called low caste."

The cast of the film actually went through the hardships of people in Rajasthan during the shooting.

T V Chandran’s Malayalam film "Dany" questions the father’s social role in narratives of masculinity, while Girish Kassaravalli in his award winning "Dweepa" (the island) describes the main female protagonist, Nagi, as water. "Nothing can discourage her forever and nothing can stop her".

"Jameela", a Tamil film directed by Ponvannan, is about the impact of the word "Talaq" on Muslim women and Jameela’s preferring death to the Muslim custom of marrying another person in order to remarry her divorced husband.

Urmi Chakravorty’s Hemanter Pakhi (autumn bird) is the story of Aditi who is crushed under the grindstone of domestic demands and any effort to recast the system is denigrated as an act of blasphemy.

"The male dominated society talks of woman’s emancipation. Of women’s liberation. Of equal rights. But in practice? the minute a woman makes it on her own, they bare their nasty fangs," says Chakravorty.

Buddhadeb Dasgupta’s "Manda Meyer Upakhyan" (a tale of a naughty girl) is about teenaged Lati who lives in a brothel where her mother Rajni works as a prostitute.

Lati’s efforts to transcend the station in which she was born coincides with man’s first trip to the moon in 1969, lending a ready metaphor to her quest for emancipation.

Shaji N Karun’s "Nishad" deals with the anguish of a mother who is traumatised about the lost of her first son.

"Tiladaanam" (the sacrifice), a Telegu film directed by K N T Sastry, is about Padma, a woman caught between two warring members, who decides to eschew tradition and opt for modern methods of cremation.

Madhur Bhandharkar’s "Chandni Bar" is based on the story of bar girls, about their emotions, pressures and destinies.

"Vastupurush", directed by Sumitra Bhave and Sunil Sukthankar, depicts women as strong, down to earth women who change with the times and accepted the loss of status and riches that entailed land reforms. (PTI)

Badal accuses Amarinder-Ravi Inder
of plotting his murder

CHANDIGARH, Oct 4: Akali stalwart Parkash Singh Badal today alleged that Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh and his friend Ravi Inder Singh have hatched a conspiracy to kill him.

After levelling the allegation towards the fag end of his news conference without being prompted by any question from any journalist, the former Chief Minister, who is now the leader of the opposition in Punjab Assembly, gave journalists the option to highlight his allegation or not.

Ravi Inder Singh, a former Speaker and erstwhile colleague of Badal in the Akali party, dismissed the allegation as "his (Badal) hallucination". "There is not an iota of truth in it," he told UNI.

Asked what could have prompted Badal to level such a serious allegation, he said Mr Badal had been railing against him from day one.

Earlier, when told that he had never in his 50-year public life levelled such a serious allegation against any of his political rival, Mr Badal said, "I am serious about it.... I have inputs from both political and other sources."

Asked what could have motivated the hatching of the conspiracy, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president said since Mr Amarinder Singh and Ravi Inder Singh felt they could not have a free hand in running the State, frustration had driven them to think about such a drastic step. Asked if he would raise his murder conspiracy issue with Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani because of his being a Z-plus protectee under the Union Home Ministry, Mr Badal replied in the negative, adding his threat perception was assessed jointly by the State and Central intelligence agencies. He revealed,"the latest threat perception about me and my son Sukhbir Singh Badal ( by these agencies) have mentioned of heightened threat to both of us ... We have been asked to avoid going towards Ludhiana side."

Earlier, Mr Badal had stated that he was going to meet Mr Advani tomorrow to schedule meeting of Shiromani Gurdwara Prbandhak Committee (SGPC) members with him (Advani) about their alleged intimidation by the Punjab Police in view of the coming SGPC executive elections next month.

When asked as to how he was going to meet the alleged murder threat to his life if he was not going to take it up with the Union Home Minister, Mr Badal, prompted by SGPC chief Kirpal Singh Badungar sitting beside him, quipped raising his hand above ‘’ almighty alone will look after me ‘’.

Earlier, while levelling the allegation, Mr Badal had included Sarb Hind Shiromani Akali Dal (SHSAD) president Gurcharan Singh Tohra among the conspirators but later requested the journalists to drop his name, saying," he (Tohra) is an old man."

Mr Badal, before and after the Assembly elections in Punjab, had repeatedly dubbed Tohra a "Congress agent ", alleging he was operating against him in tandem with Amarinder and Ravi. Mr Badal, however, reiterated his charge that politically Amarinder, Ravi and Tohra were still functioning in unison against him. (UNI)

Ministerial aspirants in UP BJP start intense lobbying

LUCKNOW, Oct 4: With Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati announcing that her Cabinet would be expanded this month, ministerial aspirants within BJP have started intense lobbying with as many as 40 MLAs staking claim for cabinet berths.

Although state BJP chief Vinay Katiyar has exuded confidence that the party would have no problem in finalising the list of its ministers, party insiders say about 40 MLAs have already staked claim for ministerial posts.

Apart from 18 BJP MLAs who were ministers in the previous Rajnath Singh Government and failed to find a place in the present BSP-BJP coalition Ministry, about two dozen others backed by senior leaders were vying for cabinet berths, party insiders said.

While some believe they have a right to be in the ministry because of their seniority and experience, others claim that their presence in the Government was a must to maintain regional balance, they said, adding a few others cite their big victory margins or the political heavy weights they had thrashed in the elections to stake their claim for a cabinet berth.

Mayawati had said yesterday in New Delhi that she would undertake the ministry expansion this month.

BJP’s problems have been confounded by the Chief Minister’s resolve to keep the size of her ministry small. Mayawati wishes to restrict the strength of her ministry to about 60 to 70 and in that case, BJP and its allies would get only 30 to 35 berths, BJP sources said.

Although sources close to Mayawati said she might be a little flexible in accommodating BJP and its allies, the saffron party has no doubts about her reservations over having a jumbo size ministry.

Admitting that all those aspiring to be ministers could not be satisfied under the given circumstances, Katiyar said the party would make the disappointed lot see reason and efforts would be made to pacify them through other means.

Expressing confidence that BJP MLAs would not go against the wishes and decision of party leaders, he said the list of prospective candidates would be finalised once the Chief Minister indicated her view on the exact size of the ministry.

Earlier at the time of Government formation in May last, the party had witnessed an open revolt by senior leaders over their neglect. Senior party MLA from Bahraich Chandra Mani Kant Singh was one among those who had threatened to resign from the party over the issue and the Chief Minister herself had mediated to resolve the issue.

It might also be mentioned that in August last, ministry expansion was put off at the request of BJP leaders who had feared that dissidence over the issue in the party would come to the fore in the budget session of the Assembly in August-September.(PTI)

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