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Salem’s deportation BHUBANESWAR, Sept 21: India has sought the deportation of the underworld Don Abu Salem, a .....more Regionalism required for ITANAGAR, Sep 21: Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) president Brindaban Goswami has stressed on.....more RANCHI, Sept 21: The Jharkhand bandh called by the Jharkhand Desom Party (JDP) on September ......more UCM to boycott IMPHAL, Sep 21: United Committee Nanipur (UCM) today said it would boycott the visit of President......more |
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Bhopal police
issues arrest warrants for Salem, Monica BHOPAL, Sep 21: City police has issued arrest warrants against underworld don Abu Salem, who was.......more Additional companies NEW DELHI, Sept 21: A total of 160 additional companies of the Central Reserve Police.....more Advani asks Orissa BHUBANESWAR, Sept 21: Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani today asked Orissa......more Punjab jails would AMRITSAR, Sep 21: Punjab jails department has introduced "participating management....more |
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Bhabendra Nath, Adoor win Kamal Kumari awards.... Court admits plea resisting homosexual rights petition ...
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India seeks Salem’s deportation BHUBANESWAR, Sept 21: India has sought the deportation of the underworld Don Abu Salem, a key accused in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts, from Portugal and would give in writing to Lisbon that he would not be handed over death penalty if found guilty of the charges against him, Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani said today. Advani told reporters here that Salem has been detained in Portugal for three months and during this period CBI with the help of the Interpol would try to get him deported. "I hope during this period the task would be completed and Salem would be brought back and tried for the crimes he has committed," he said. He said that Portugese Government has been requested through its Embassy in New Delhi and the Indian mission in Lisbon to Deport Salem to India. Advani said the Indian Government would give in writing to the Portugal, a member of the European Union, that Salem, if deported, would not be given death penalty. According to a convention to which EU countries are signatories, an accused cannot be deported to a country where he might be executed. Advani said India can give an assurance of this kind to the Portuguese Government as European countries are signatory to a convention which prohibits deportation of an accused to a country where he is likely to face death sentence. "In this case, it is possible and Indian law permits that the necessary assurance may be given to the concerned Government," Advani said. Salem, one of India’s most wanted criminals, was arrested along with his companion Monica Bedi by the Interpol in Portugal on Wednesday, nine years after he fled to Karachi in the wake of Mumbai blasts. Home Ministry sources said Advani spoke to Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on the issue and the process to seek deportation of salem was being worked out by the Home Ministry and the Law Ministry. A CBI team is likely to leave for Lisbon shortly, the sources said. (PTI) |
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Regionalism required for peace, unity in NE: AGP ITANAGAR, Sep 21: Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) president Brindaban Goswami has stressed on developing a "sense of regionalism" among the people of the North East as it is the pre-requisite for peace, progress and unity in the region. Speaking at the seventh foundation day celebrations of the Arunachal Congress here yesterday, Mr Goswami, the opposition leader in the Assam assembly, said the states of the region had to build their relationship according to the changing social scenario. "There is no difference between the peoples of the North Eastern states, but political differences do exist," he said and added that the role of regional parties was very important in the days to come. " The Arunachal Government would face problems in the future if plannings were not done in a proper way," he warned. Describing the relationship between Assam and Arunachal Pradesh in the erstwhile "greater Assam" as "cordial", the AGP chief said the present border dispute between the two states was "politically motivated" which could be solved with political determination. Mr Goswami said the North East as a whole was a "living museum" and its preservation was the responsibility of all. "If any foreigner is allowed to settle here, the composite culture and the social fabric of the region would be threatened," he said and called for preservation of the region’s heritage. AC Working Committee chairman and former chief minister Gegong Apang criticised the Arunachal Pradesh Government led by Chief Minister Mukut Mithi for its "failure" on all fronts. He alleged that the Government was adopting "anti-people policies" and enacting "anti-people laws," violating all rules of good governance. "The Government is playing with the agony of the people. The state’s future has been mortgaged. "As a result all developmental activities have come to a grinding halt," Mr Apang said. The Arunachal Congress, he said, had been fighting for the people’s cause by raising its voice against the "misdeeds" of the Government. He said that the party would contest the coming panchayat elections in the state on party lines. Former Speaker of Assam assembly Haneeh Kutum, ex-AGP MLA Padma Hazarika and AC president Kameng Ringu also spoke on the occasion. The day-long celebration was marked by community feast, traditional dances and colourful cultural programmes. (UNI) |
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RANCHI, Sept 21: The Jharkhand bandh called by the Jharkhand Desom Party (JDP) on September 24 has been opposed by nearly 30 pro-domicile organisations which have described it as "Government sponsored". The bandh called by the JDP, led by Bhartiya Janta Party MP Salkhan Murmu, has also failed to garner support from the political parties which feel that it would amount to the contempt of court. The reservation and domicile issues are still pending before the Jharkhand High Court. The representatives of the 30 pro-domicile organisations, who met here yesterday, held that the proposed bandh called by JDP would in no way serve the purpose of the ‘Adivasis’ and the ‘Moolwasis’ (tribal and non-tribal aborigines). The leaders appealed to Mr Murmu to defer the bandh till September 29 when a state level conference on domicile had been convened by the pro-domicile organisations. Prominent organisations opposing the bandh are Adivasi-Moolwasi Rakhsha Manch led by Congress MLA Deo Kumar Dhan, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), Adivasi Raksha Manch, All Jharkhand Students Union, Samajwadi Party and Jharkhand Peoples Party and the Moolwasi Adhikar Manch. The 30 organisations, which constitute the Adviasi-Moolwasi Jhnadhikar Manch, has asked its convenor R P Sahu to intiate action against all leaders trying to break the unity of the Manch for personal political gains . Meanwhile, a high level meeting of the state officials was held here yesterday to review the law and order situation and decided to take all possible precautionary measures to prevent any untoward incident during the bandh. It was attended among others by state Director General of Police R R Prasad, Chief Secretary G Krishnan, Home Secretary Shushma Singh besides senior civil and police officials of the district. Keeping in view the issue involved, the state administration has decided to impose prohibitory orders in Ranchi from September 23. Preventive arrests would be made and two special camp (jails) are being set up to house all those arrested during the bandh. Rapid action force had been directed to remain alert. Besides, transporters have been instructed not to provide vehicles for ferrying bandh supporters. Meanwhile, Rashtriya Hind Sena led by Mr Babban Choubey has demanded action against Mr Murmu under Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) for vitiating social harmony of the whole region. (UNI) |
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Advani asks Orissa Govt to take
steps to BHUBANESWAR, Sept 21: Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani today asked Orissa Government to take all necessary steps to prevent deaths due to hunger and malnutrition. Good governance is that which can tackle the problems of enormity in a proper manner and relieve the burden on the poor, he told a drought review meeting held at Raj Bhawan here. While appreciating efforts undertaken by the state Government so far to tackle the drought situation, Advani, on a day’s visit to the state, noted that Orissa had been faced with natural calamities like supercyclones, floods and drought over the last 10 years. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik urged Advani to provide an interim Central assistance of Rs 100 crore and 2 lakh tonnes of rice to tide over the present situation. He also asked the Centre to waive a sum of Rs 69 crore due from the state on account of relief, rehabilitation and airdropping operations undertaken by the Indian Air Force during supercyclone and floods. The Central Government would look into its demands sympathetically, Advani said. A presentation was made on behalf of Orissa Government in which it was pointed out that the state had sustained a crop damage to the tune of Rs 1879 crore due to prolonged dry spell. As many as 283 out of 314 blocks of the state had been affected by the drought, Advani was told. According to state’s Special Relief Commissioner, R Balakrishnan, the state Government had submitted a memorandum to the Centre seeking an assistance of Rs 871.40 crore and 12.19 million tonnes of rice. A Central team had already visited five drought affected districts of the state and its report was expected soon, he said. Balakrishnan said official machinery at the grassroot level was fully geared up to face the situation. Cause of each death was being enquired into properly to ensure that there was no starvation death anywhere.(PTI) |
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Punjab jails would be made model jails: ADGP Alam AMRITSAR, Sep 21: Punjab jails department has introduced "participating management system" in all jails across the state to improve the existing food quality structure and other facilities being provided to the inmates. Punjab Additional Director General (prisons) Izhar Alam who was here on his routine inspection of the Amritsar central jail, talking to the here today said that the scheme of the ‘participatory management system’ had started taking off to bring remarkable changes in the functioning of the jail kitchen to serve quality food to the inmates as prescribed in the jail manuals. To make the "participatory management system" efficacious in its real sense, ADGP asserted, a body of under trials and convicts was being formed for participation, which would work in tandem with the jail administration to check the purchases of edibles items both quality wise and quantity wise to ensure its compatibility as per the norms set by the jail manuals. In addition to above, the ADGP said, elected body would also be empowered to check the functioning of the jail hospital as to whether medicines prescribed to the inmates are effectively delivered, patients are being attended properly and regarding availability of the jail doctor. To up thrust cultural, religious and sports activities, necessary steps would also be taken in this direction, the ADGP added. To have the first hand information about the impact of the above schemes, ADGP Alam maintained that he would personally make a visit to all the jails throughout the state in a routine manner, besides interacting with the inmates in this regard. In the absence of vacancy of lady doctor in the jail, she would visit jail at call, as assured by the punjab civil surgeons, Alam said adding, now all the tests of the patients would be conducted inside the jails and with the help of district civil surgeons pathological labs were being set up on war footing level. He said, with the help of national AIDS control organization all the suspected aids patients will have to under go certain required tests. For the rehabilitation of inmates and to purify their minds he said Punjab jail department had already introduced yoga classes and "art of living" in all the Punjab jails. Coming over the overcrowded old jail at Jalandhar, he said, it was very much on the current ends and the existing jail would be shifted away from the main city. The parleys, in this regard, he said, were already in progress with PUDA, which would sell the city jail land and give new land in lieu of that. Alam said that to make the Punjab jails pollution free within a week’s period throughout the state, wood and coals fuels would be down away with and instead LPG would be used for cooking adding that in this regard a complete project of installation of gas stoves have been assigned to Bharat Petroleum. To curb the increasing drug menace in the Punjab jails Alam said, strict measures have been adopted like surprise checking, frisking of all the visitors. Errant jail warders had already been booked under NDPS act, he added. "It is my best endeavor to make all the jails in the Punjab as model jails at par with best jails in the world over", Alam asserted. "But revenue is the main constrain in it. To overcome this constraint, all efforts including modernization of factory units running in the jails would be undertaken to increase revenue from the sale of products manufactured in these units". It may be added here that convicts work in these units during their conviction. (PTI) Bhabendra Nath, Adoor win Kamal Kumari awards GUWAHATI, Sept 21: Renowned filmmakers Bhabendra Nath Saikia and Adoor Gopalakrishnan have been chosen for the Kamal Kumari National awards for culture for 2000 and 2001. The Science and Technology award for 2000 went to eminent astrophysicist Jayant Vishnu Narlikar and for 2001 to Molecular Biologist Tejpal Singh. The Kamal Kumari National Awards Foundation, which announced the awards today, said Assamese filmmaker Dr Bhabendra Nath Saikia was selected for his lifelong contribution to literature, film, theatre and drama. Dr Saikia has excelled equally in literature and film-making and has contributed immensely to dramatic art through radio plays and mobile theatre. His films, which raised the standard of assamese film-making to considerable heights, have received national and international acclaim. Malayalam filmmaker Adoor Gopalakrishnan has been chosen for his wide contribution to the parallel film movement. The human concern in his films make them universal and he has placed Malayalam cinema in the world scenario, the citation said. His films convey the crisis of the middle class and the struggle between man and society. His films have motivated a new generation of film makers to use their medium in bold new ways and to explore new themes, the foundation said. Prof Narlikar was nominated for his outstanding contribution to theoretical astrophysics and cosmology. He is considered a leading expert and defender of the steady state cosmology against the more popular big bang cosmology. His work on conformal gravity theory with Fred Hoyle demonstrated how a synthesis could be achieved between einstein’s general theory of relativity and mach’s principle. Apart from his research work, Prof. Narlikar has contributed in the field of science popularisation through his writings and various visual mediums. The foundation chose Prof. Tejpal Singh for his important contributions made in the research of structural analysis of biological proteins. Prof. Singh has successfully led a series of research which has exploited combinations of the techniques of protein chemistry, molecular biology, peptide design and synthesis, X-ray deffraction and molecular modeling leading to the determinations of three dimensional structures of proteins and leading to new drug discovery. The major focus of Prof. Singh’s research is structure determination of proteins and structure based rational design of new drugs. (UNI) Court admits plea resisting homosexual rights petition NEW DELHI, Sep 21: Delhi High Court has allowed the impleadment application of Kannur-based Joint Action Council in a PIL seeking amendment to section 377 of the Indian Penal Code which prohibits unnatural (sexual) offences, including homosexuality. Joint Action Council (JAC) Kannur, while ‘resisting’ the petition, which was opposing section 377 IPC and is pending in the High Court, alleged that the sex industry, the fifth largest industry in the world, was trying to take hold in the country, and organise and industrialise sexual activities here. These forces, who wanted this industry to be legalised, were using HIV/AIDS as a powerful tool and a shield, working through various NGO networks, it claimed. A division bench comprising Justices A D Singh and R S Sodhi allowed the impleadment application in the case filed by ‘Naz Foundation’, a voluntary organisation working to prevent the spread of AIDS. The petition had sought amendment to section 377 IPC, as it prohibited sex between two consenting adults of same sex, saying it was a hurdle in the AIDS awareness campaign run by the NGO. Denying the NGOs claim that homosexuals were harassed by the authorties and the law enforcing agencies, the JAC said that in India there was no discrimination whatsoever in the name of sexual preferences. No instances have been provided by the petitioner to show how and when the state agencies discriminated against ‘sexual minorities’. Nor has any evidence been given to show how such discrimination impaired HIV/AIDS prevention efforts, it said in the application. It was pertinent to mention that because of section 377 ipc it was not possible to run as an industry or commercialise homosexuality, sodomy, bestiality or child sexual abuse, it added. On April 23, the High Court had dismissed JAC’s petition, which had claimed that the court did not have jurisdiction to try matters questioning the constitutional validity of section 377 IPC. A division bench comprising Justices Devinder Gupta and Shameet Mukherjee had overruled JAC’s jurisdictional objection but said the council was at liberty to intervene in the petition, filed by Naz Foundation. Saying courts were not the right forum to deliberate on the issue, JAC had said "such petitions only want publicity, social sanction, permissiveness and liberty." On August 26, the High Court had given the Central Government a last chance to respond to the PIL seeking amendment to the section 377 IPC. A division bench comprising Justices Vijender Jain and R S Sodhi also observed that the Government should be open and may consider the demands of Gay Rights activists that sex between two consenting adults of same sex be legalised. Such relations existed in society since time immemorial so why should such persons not be given a chance to raise a family and live together, the bench said. The court gave the final chance as the Government did not submit a reply on the issue on three occasions. On November 7 last year, the court had issued a notice to the Union Government on the petition. On January 28 this year, the court asked Attorney General Soli Sorabjee to assist the court by informing what the Government’s view was in this regard. On April 23, Additional Solicitor General Mukul Rohtagi had asked for six weeks time to file the reply. The Ministry of Home Affairs was examining the matter from legal, social (moral and ethical) and anthropological angles, the judges were informed. The petition had claimed that harassment of the homosexuals was an attack on their fundamental and human rights. It was an intrusion on their rights protected under Article 21 of the Constitution, it said. In its petition, the NGO, working on issues of HIV/AIDS with the vulnerable men who have sex with men (MSM) and Gay Community, said section 377 IPC dealt with ‘unnatural offences’, which included sodomy. "It criminalises same sexual behaviour irrespective of the consent of the people involved. The section has been one of the major impediments in the programmes with the MSM community as it to much harassment and extortion of the ‘outreach’ NGO workers by the police. "For these reasons, the provision has proved to be one of the biggest barriers in effective HIV/AIDS interventions with sexual minorities. The section seriously aggravates vulnerability to HIV/AIDS for marginalised communities as well as for the general population," it said. "The impugned part of the IPC violates the right to life and personal liberty, the right to equality and the right to freedom guaranteed to all citizens in fundamental rights of the Constitution," it added. The petitioners sought a permanent injunction restraining the Government and its officers from enforcing the provision to consenting adults. The public authorities commonly employed the section for the harassment and extortion of MSM and sexuality minorities (including gays, lesbians and transgendered individuals), which was a blatant abuse of the fundamental rights,the petition said "The section creates an arbitrary and unreasonable classification between natural (penile-vaginal) and unnatural (penile-non-vaginal) sexual acts that violates article 14’s guarantee of equal protection before and under the law. The classification enjoys no rationale because it is culturally accepted that sex is not engaged for procreation alone. Socio-scientific evidence also suggests that the prohibited acts are indeed not ‘unnatural’," it added. "The provision is discriminatory legislation because it criminalises predominantly homosexual act, which renders it violative of the Constitution. By criminalising non-procreative sexual acts, it imposes traditional gender stereotypes concerning the ‘natural’ sexual roles for men and women upon sexuality minorities. In effect it also provides moral and legal sanction for the continued social discrimination of sexuality minorities, "the petition said. "These social effects in turn drive MSM persons underground, with a devastating impact upon HIV/AIDS prevention efforts. Once underground the MSM community becomes extremely vulnerable to the disease.(UNI) |
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