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SC verdict on saffronisation vindicate’s Govt’s stand: Joshi NEW DELHI, Sept 12: Buoyed by the Supreme Court verdict rejecting charges that BJP led coalition was attempting to saffronise education, HRD .....more Left
unions asked to VIJAYAWADA, Sept 12: Making it clear that there was no option for India but to compete under the WTO regime, with even Communist China opting ,....more Shahi:
Ten-point NEW DELHI, Sept 12: The Power Ministry would enforce a ten-point programme for distribution reforms without depending only on privatisation of ....more Overwhelming response to Bangalore bandh BANGALORE, Sept 12: The ‘Bangalore bandh’, called by pro-Kannada organisations to protest release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu, today evoked an ....more |
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Cabinet to decide on free power to farmers next week CHANDIGARH, Sept 12: The final decision on charging farmers for power as directed by Electricity Regulatory Commission (ERC) recently would be taken by the State Cabinet at its meeting here next .....more A dose of oxygen an aroma to fight stress KOLKATA, Sept 12: A dose of fresh oxygen with the aroma of lavender or sandalwood and twittering of the birds might be the "right recipe" for the modern man to fight stress and .....more VADODARA, Sept 12: The long standing battle over the multi-crore immovable and movable properties of Baroda’s last ruler, Maharaja Fatehsinhrao Gaekwad, has further intensified with ......more UK:Polls important for fulfilling aspirations of Kashmiris CHANDIGARH, Sept 12: Britain today termed the coming Assembly election in .....more |
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PM’s peace poems recited in Mumbai to mark 9/11..... SC clear decks for religious Edu minus religious dogmas ......
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SC verdict on saffronisation vindicate’s Govt’s stand: Joshi NEW DELHI, Sept 12: Buoyed by the Supreme Court verdict rejecting charges that BJP led coalition was attempting to saffronise education, HRD Minister Murli Manohar Joshi today said it was a vindication of Government’s stand and hit back at his detractors for "playing politics with education". "The Supreme Court has vindicated our stand. Those allegations (of saffronising education) hurled on us were politically motivated, mischievous or made out of ignorance," an elated Joshi told reporters shortly after the apex court order. Joshi, who had to face an angry opposition onslaught on the issue both inside and outside Parliament on the issue, said that the court has "demolished" charges that there was a "sinister move and hidden agenda" in the framing of the national curriculum framework for secondary education. He said with the Supreme Court upholding the curriculum, states should have no problem in implementing it. "The Supreme Court has amply approved the Government action and given a very sound judgement on the fact that there has been no saffronisation of the education system", he said. On the court upholding value education in the new syllabus, joshi said this showed the Government had equal respect for all religions. What was being taught as part of value education was the essense of all religions and not the rituals, he said. Asserting that there was nothing wrong about teaching religion and possessing knowledge about it, Joshi said that this would only foster "sarva dharma sam bhav" (equal respect for all religions). Hitting out at his detractors, he squarely blamed them for the precious loss of three months of time of students as they were unable to get their textbooks due to the controversy. "Those who went to the Supreme Court had no concern for the education of the children and they never cared whether the children get their textbooks or not. Today there is already a loss of three months," he said adding that "they should find ways and means to compensate the loss". Joshi wanted that in future "no one should play politics" with the education system as it was in the interest of the future generation. (PTI) |
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Left unions asked to shed "negative" approach VIJAYAWADA, Sept 12: Making it clear that there was no option for India but to compete under the WTO regime, with even Communist China opting for WTO, the Congress-affiliated Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC) today appealed to trade unions affiliated to the left parties to shed their "negative" approach to the second generation economic reforms in the country. Warning the CPI-affiliated All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) and the CPI(M)-affiliated Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) of counter-protests if they blindly opposed the report of the National Commission on Labour released last week, even before All Central Trade Unions discussed it thereadbare, INTUC president G Sanjeeva Reddy told a press conference here that with the cooperation of the industry and the labour unions, coupled with Governmental support, "India will win in world trade by improving its competitiveness by increasing productivity and reducing the cost of production". "Four major steel units in the country making profits at a time when steel manufacturers world-wide are incurring losses, is a pointer in this direction," he noted. Likening the trade unions affiliated to the left parties to a "person hell-bent upon getting a divorce, instead of making the marriage a success", Mr Reddy asked what prevented the marxists who were in power in West Bengal, to enact a progressive legislation to protect the interests of labourers who were in dire straits, as closure of industries and retrenchments were the order of the day in that state. Mr Reddy, a member of the Commission, said it had recommended to the Centre for resolution of any labour dispute in three months, permitting strikes only with the consent of a majority of the workers, making Government permission mandatory for closure of units employing more than 300 workers and pension for labourers in the unorganised sector. The INTUC had submitted a dissent note on the Commission’s recommendation that no Government permission was necessary on the question of retrenchments from sick industries, he revealed. The two-day Indian labour conference to be inaugurated by Prime Minister A B Vajpayee at New Delhi on September 28, would strive to evolve a consensus on the need for progressive laws to protect the interests of labour in this globalisation era, he added. (UNI) |
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Shahi: Ten-point programme for distribution reforms NEW DELHI, Sept 12: The Power Ministry would enforce a ten-point programme for distribution reforms without depending only on privatisation of State Electricity Boards (SEBs) to check losses which have mounted to Rs 30,000 crore in ten years, representing a ten-fold increase from Rs 3,000 crore in 1991. Distribution reforms do not mean merely privatisation, which is only one of the many steps that would be taken under such reforms, Power Secretary R V Shahi said today while addressing the inaugural session of a conference on deregulation in power markets organised by the Independent Power Producers Association of India (IIPAI). Under the reforms programme, the Ministry has changed the definition of distribution losses in consultation with sebs and other power utilities. From now on, the gap between the cost of the input power and revenue realisation would be taken as commercial loss and by this definition the distribution loss worked out to about 50 per cent at the national level. In order to check power theft, about half a dozen states, including West Bengal, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, have enacted legislation and another six states are in the process of bringing in such measures. The anti-theft law of West Bengal is the most stringent and many states are trying to follow this, Mr Shahi said. All the State capitals have been asked to start reporting their "electricity supply reliability index" in two months. District and other towns would be covered under this stipulation in about a year which would show the power availability situation in various areas of the country. Under the accelerated Power Development and Reform Programme (APDRP), 12 SEBs are expected to become commercially viable in two-three years, the Secretary said. Information Technology (IT) is proposed to be used in a big way to check power theft and detect line faults. Further, 25 per cent of the energy produced would be saved through conservation. Steps have already been taken in Delhi in this regard where the Central Government offices alone consumed energy worth Rs 200 crore. Central Electricity Authority (CEA) chairman H L Bajaj said energy shortage and low frequency problems in deficient regions of North, West and South would be tackled to a great extent through evacuation of power from the surplus Northeast following the commissioning of several new transmission lines in the next few months. (UNI) |
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VADODARA, Sept 12: The long standing battle over the multi-crore immovable and movable properties of Baroda’s last ruler, Maharaja Fatehsinhrao Gaekwad, has further intensified with his youngest brother Sangramsinh Gaekwad challenging their mother Rajmata Shantadevi’s will. Challenging the last testament reportedly made by the Rajmata in February 1992, the Mumbai-based industrialist son claimed that women were never considered successors according to the tradition of the Gaekwad royal family. In a petition filed in the Baroda city civil court before judge J K Gandhi here yesterday, Mr Sangramsinh opposed the probate proceedings initiated by his elder sister and Maharaja Sayajirao University Chancellor Mrunalini Devi Puar, for the execution of the will. Mr Sangramsinh, who was reportedly disinherited by his mother following some disputes, has now staked his claim over a property which include 707 acres of the Laxmi Vilas Palace compound here, 62 famous diamonds and other movable and immovable properties of the family lying in vadodara and elsewhere. Admitting the complaint petition filed by the aggrieved son, the court has fixed September 23 for the next hearing. The present dispute arose barely three months after the death of the Rajmata, following Ms Puar’s decision to seek probate to execute the controversial will, reportedly said to be in possession of the court in a sealed cover. While objecting to the Rajmata’s right to make such a will, Mr Sangramsinh has argued that the Hindu Succession Act does not apply in this case as the then Maharaja’s property come under the purview of the agreement of merger (instrument of accession). He also charged his elder sister Ms Puar with having pressurised their mother to sign such a will to occupy the position of the late Maharaja Fatehsinhrao Gaekwad. Describing the will as "illegal", Mr Sangramsinh said as his partition suit filed in 1991 had not yet been disposed of, the court should not grant any relief in the probate proceedings filed last month by Ms Puar. (UNI) |
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UK:Polls important for fulfilling aspirations of Kashmiris CHANDIGARH, Sept 12: Britain today termed the coming Assembly election in Jammu and Kashmir as "an important one" and said it could pave the way for fulfilling the aspirations of the Kashmiri people. "India has a long honourable tradition of democratic elections. We know that Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee is himself committed to and keen to see that polls in Jammu and Kashmir are held in a democratic manner", British High Commissioner Sir Rob Young told PTI here. "We see this election as an important one" which could "pave the way for fulfilling the aspirations of Kashmiri people," he said. Condemning the killing of State Law Minister Mushtaq Ahmad Lone in Kupwara yesterday, Young said "this was an attempt to undermine the democratic process in the state" and asked Pakistan to fulfill its commitment to stop cross-border terrorism. Asked if Britain would press for sending a team of international observers to monitor the four-phase elections, he said "we are happy with the efforts which the Government of India is making. They (the Centre) have made arrangements for sending a team of officials to the state next week which includes members of the High Commission". Asked if Britain viewed the killing of lone as an act of terrorists, Sir Young said "every attack on innocent people has to be viewed as a terrorist act. We condemn this act and other acts of violence in Kashmir that claim the lives of innocent people". "We condemn terrorism in every form wherever it exists. Terrorism is same everywhere—be it New York, Sri Lanka or the one in Kashmir," he said. Young was here in
connection with an interaction with the businessmen of
the region, organised by the PHDCCI. (PTI) PM’s peace poems recited in Mumbai to mark 9/11 MUMBAI, Sept 12: Poems penned by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, with peace as the theme, were recited by noted singer Seema Sehgal at a function held here last night to remember the heroes and the victims of the September 11 terrorist attacks in the United States. "Jung Hone Na Denge, Hum Jung Hone Na Denge, Vishva Shanti Ke Hum Sadhak Hai" (we shall not allow wars anymore, we are seekers of peace...We shall permit no wars), was one such line from one of the poems. As Seema, wife of Sq Ldr (retd) Anil Sehgal, rendered the poem, it was acclaimed with thunderous applause by the audience at the event organised by the American Center and the United States Consulate General here. ‘Hame Chahiye Shanti, Zindigi Hamko Hai Pyari..Hame Shanti Chahiye... Hame Shanti Chahiye, Srijan Ki Hai Tayari’ (we seek peace. Life is dear to us, we seek peace, we aspire to create),"she sang. The rendering of these songs had an added significance as Mr Vajpayee is currently in the US and is scheduled to address the UN General Assembly in New York. ‘Hamne Jung Chedi Bhuk Se, Bimari Se..Aage Aakar Hath Bataye Duniya Sare. Hare-Bhari Dharti Ko Khooni Rang Na Lene Denge...Hum Jang Na Hone Denge’ (we have declared war on disease and hunger. Let the world come and help us achieve. We shall not allow the green fields to turn bloody. We shall allow no war)", Seema concluded. The function, attended by prominent people from all walks of life, was presided over by the new US Consul General in Mumbai, Mr Angus T Simmons. Noted actor tom alter and another prominent personality Luku Sanyal also recited excerpts from poems penned by W B Yeats and T S Eliot to mark the event. Mr Alter also read out extracts from famous speeches by American President Abraham Lincoln and civil rights activist Martin Luther King, who, in different eras, fell to the assassin’s bullets while upholding their democratic principles. Ms Sanyal recited nobel laureate Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore’s famous ‘where the mind is held high...." from ‘Geetanjali’. One of the songs ‘everything is going to be all right..." perfectly reflected the mood of the audience which paid tributes to the over 3,000 people who were killed in the September 11 attacks engineered by Saudi fugitive billionaire Osama bin Laden. Another song by Seema
Sahgal and her son Kartikey and daughter Parvati
‘Need Ka Nirman Fir Fir.. Neh Ka Aahwan Fir
Fir’ (let us reconstruct the dwellings destroyed.
Let us revive the loves lost by time) penned by the
Nonagenarian Harivansh Rai Bachchan some 54 years ago
formed the perfect backdrop for the function. (UNI) SC clear decks for religious Edu minus religious dogmas NEW DELHI, Sept 12: The Supreme Court today cleared the decks for the Centre to enforce its controversial national curriculum framework 2002 for secondary school education and publication of textbooks for social sciences, including history, and Hindi. The court thereby dismissed the plea of the critics that there was an attempt by the Union Human Resource Development Ministry, headed by Dr Murli Manohar Joshi, to saffronise education in the country. The court also vacated the interim stay granted earlier against the publication of textbooks in social sciences, including history, and hindi, providing a great relief to lakhs of students who have been doing without them so far. The court said there was nothing wrong if religious studies were introduced in schools with a view to making the education value-based. A three-judge bench comprising Mr Justice M B Shah, Mr Justice D M Dharmadhikari and Mr Justice H K Sema, in their separate but concurrent judgements, observed:"we hold that non-consultation with the Central Advisory Board on Education(CABE)- now defunct - cannot be a ground for setting aside the curriculum since cabe is not a statutory body." However, the judges directed the Government to constitute cabe for guiding the Government in evolving its future educational policy. The bench, however, cautioned that in the name of religious study, the school syllabii could not contain religious dogmas, personal prejudices and superstitions. The bench said the Government should make an attempt to introduce universal value-based education containing teachings on truthfulness, righteousnerss, spirit of cooperation, respect for the religion of others and non-violence. The court said that even Mahatma Gandhi was in favour of such religious studies. The petitioners — social activist Aruna Roy, columnist B G Verghese and sociologist Meena Madakrishna Tyabji — had alleged in their petition that the Government had revised the school syllabii without consulting cabe - the apex body on the educational policy. They alleged that the Government had revised the syllabii for secondary education with a view to promoting a particular political and religious ideology. Mr Justice Shah, who wrote the main judgement, said that nowhere in the syllabii under challenge there was religious teaching which violated article 21 of the constitution, providing for the right to liberty to the children to choose the religion of their choice for study. Mr Justice Dharmadhikari, in his separate judgement, agreed with Mr Justice Shah and said that religious education could be imparted even in the Government-aided schools and educational institutions run by minorities. "The constitution does not prohibit introduction of religious studies in education and teaching of religion does not make education non-secular,"Mr Justice Dharmadhikari added. The judge said that as a matter of fact, religious studies helped in a harmonious development of students besides inculcating in them the spirit of tolerance, spirit of cooperation and respect for religion of others. Mr Justice Sema, who broadly agreed with the view of Mr Justice Shah, was, however, critical of the Government for its failure to consult cabe before finalising the syllabii. The judge said that no doubt the cabe was not a statutory body. Neverthless it had been a convention right from 1935 to take its approval in regard to educational policy of the Government. The judge, therefore, directed the Government to constitute forthwith the CABE and take its concurrence in regard to the syllabii. (UNI) |
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