 |
|
| 3 ULFA activists killed in Assam GUWAHATI, Dec 9: At least three ULFA activists were
killed and four, including a hardcore....more PATNA, Dec 9 : At least 15 people were killed and as many....more Islamic scholar disapproves NEW DELHI, Dec 9: Noted Islamic scholar Maulana Wahiduddin Khan ......more 50 charred to death in PATNA,
Dec 9: At least
fifty persons were charred to death when a bus .....more NEW DELHI, Dec 9: Expenditure on VVIP and VIP security has gone up ...more
White paper on ISI activities
|
 |
Uproar over remarks NEW
DELHI, Dec 9:
Proceedings in the Lok Sabha were thrown into disarray
for over 15 minutes....more CHENNAI, Dec 9: AIADMK general secretary Jayalalitha today justified her party’s decision to join.......more
Islamic scholar disapproves NEW DELHI, Dec 9: Noted Islamic scholar Maulana Wahiduddin Khan today said Deepa Mehta’s...more Congmen celebrate NEW DELHI, Dec 9: Festive mood prevailed at 10, Janpath here today as Congress workers particularly.....more |
 |
3 ULFA activists killed in Assam GUWAHATI, Dec 9: At least three ULFA activists were killed and four, including a hardcore, apprehended, while extremists shot dead two policemen in separate incidents during the past 24 hours in Assam, official reports said. Two ULFA activists were shot dead in an encounter with a joint police and CRPF party at Sorutari near here last night. One of them was identified as Lieutenant Rubul Das. Another hardcore activist Tankeswar Bordoloi was shot dead by the Army at Mikirbhita in Nagaong district. Two police constables were shot dead by unidentified extremists at Nagrijuli in Nalbari district. A self-styled ULFA area commander Bijoy Buragohain was seriously injured in an encounter with police near Janji river of Sibsagar district. He was admitted to Assam Medical College, Dibrugarh. One handgranade and some incriminating documents were recovered from the spot. Some of his associates, however, managed to escape, the report said. Three ULFA activists were apprehended at Teok in Jorhat district during the period, the report added.(UNI) |
|
15 RJD rallyists killed in bus- tanker collision PATNA, Dec 9 : At least 15 people were killed and as many injured when a bus carrying Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) supporters returning from a rally collided with an oil tanker at Dharai in Bhojpur district today, officials said. State Home Secretary Rajkumar Singh told PTI that while ten persons died on the spot, some five others were reported to have succumbed to their injuries on way to hospitals. He said the condition of eight of the 1 injured was stated to be critical and they were admitted to nearby hospitals at Ara and Jagdishpur. The bus was carrying RJD supporters on their way back to Buxer and Rohtas from Patna, after yesterday’s Rashtriya Loktantrik Morcha (RLM) rally here. Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi expressed profound grief over the mishap and directed the Bhojpur administration to take steps to provide proper medical care to the injured. (PTI) Islamic scholar disapproves Sena’s protest NEW DELHI, Dec 9: Noted Islamic scholar Maulana Wahiduddin Khan today said Deepa Mehta’s controversial film "fire" on Lesbian relationship was not nice enough to be shown in cinemas but disapproved Shiv Sena’s reaction to it. The theme of the film is not compatible to our society. It is alien to our culture. It is not a nice film to be shown in picture houses, Khan told, when asked about his reaction to the protests against the film. Asked about Deepa Mehta’s statement that lesbianism was part of the Indian heritage, Khan said everyone knows that husband and wife share physical relations, but you do not show it in a naked manner on the screen. He, however, admitted that he had not seen the film and his reactions were based on press reports. Khan was equally critical of the Shiv Sainiks’ attack on cinemas screening the movie saying, if the film is not nice, the reactions were also not good. In a democratic country, protests should be through peaceful methods and not destruction, he said. Khan, considered an authority on Islam and widely known for his moderate stand on issues like the Babri Masjid, said singing of the national song, Vande Mataram, was not acceptable to Muslims as it amounted to idol worship. Patriotism means love to motherland whereas worship relates to religion and ‘Vande Mataram’ is a prayer to mother India, he said. (PTI) 50 charred to death in bus - tanker collision PATNA, Dec 9: At least fifty persons were charred to death when a bus smashed into an oil tanker near Dhangai under Jagdishpur Police Station in Bhojpur district today. Director General of Police K Jacob told PTI that five others suffered serious injuries in the mishap. Jacob said there was an explosion after the two vehicles collided. Jacob said the tanker carrying petroleum exploded as the bus rammed into it. Fire engulfed the tanker and the bus carrying over 50 people who tried to save themselves but in vain. At least 50 of them were charred to death, Jacob said, adding the condition of five admitted to nearby hospitals with 70 per cent burns was stated to be critical. Senior district officials of Bhojpur district including District Magistrate and Police superintendent had gone to the spot, he said. Jacob said the ill-fated bus was on its way to Patna from Bhabua when the mishap occurred. The state Home Secretary, Rajkumar Singh had earlier said fifteen of those killed were RJD supporters. The DGP said the earlier report to the state headquarters was Preliminary. Chief Minister Rabri Devi, expressed profound grief over the mishap and directed the Bhojpur administration to provide proper medicare to the injured state Home Secretary, Singh and DGP rushed to the spot. (PTI) |
|
Expenditure on VVIP security on rise NEW DELHI, Dec 9: Expenditure on VVIP and VIP security has gone up by about 40 per cent in two years, the Rajya Sabha was informed during question hour today. Delhi Police and the Special Protection Group (SPG) incurred an expenditure of Rs 84.02 crore in 1997-98 on such security as compared to Rs 60.47 spent in 1995-96, Home Minister L.K. Advani said in a written reply. Of this, Delhi Police alone accounted for Rs 40.68 crore in 1997-98 and Rs 27.58 crore in 1995-96. SPG and Delhi Police spent Rs 71.82 crore on VIP and VVIP security in 1996-97, Mr Advani said. Languages: As many as 76 languages are spoken in Delhi. Of the 94 million people in the city, nearly 7.7 million speak Hindi followed by those speaking Punjabi (7.48 lakh), Urdu (5.13 lakh), Bengali (1.22 lakh), Tamil (84,873), and Malayalam (84,952), Mr Advani told the house quoting the paper one of 1997-language and 1991 census figures. ISI: The involvement of the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) was found in two cases of crime in Delhi this year. A case was registered in July following the arrest of 4 persons, including 3 Pakistani nationals, and seizure of two kilograms of RDX, one kilogram of PETN explosive and 10 detonators. In another case, 2 kilograms each of RDX and PETN were seized from 3 persons in September, Mr Advani said. Crime: There has been only 3.42 per cent increase in the crimes in Delhi till November this year as compared to the number of such incidents during the corresponding period last year, Mr Advani said. Group D: The civilian group D staff in Delhi Police, excepting those in the category of sweeper and daftari do not at present have any promotional avenue as there are no higher posts in direct line of promotion available to them. Custodial: Only one custodial death was reported in Delhi in the last 7 months. A person arrested by police, after he was beaten up by the public on the suspicion that he was thief, complained of uneasiness and was taken to hospital where he was declared brought dead.(UNI) |
|
White paper on ISI activities likely this session: Advani NEW DELHI, Dec 9 : Government is likely to table a white paper on activities of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) in Parliament during the current session, Home Minister L K Advani informed the Rajya Sabha today. Replying to supplementaries during question hour, Advani said the white paper, currently under preparation, would be tabled in the House after it was approved by the suitable forum within the government. "I have chosen my words very carefully. I hope that the white paper would be placed in the current session itself", he said when the main questioner Saroj Khaparde (Cong) sought to know whether it would be tabled in this session. The decision to prepare a white paper was taken after the Parliamentary Consultative Committee on Home Affairs suggested that certain information given by the Home Ministry be made public and tabled in Parliament, Advani said. After suffering a setback in their operations in Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir, the ISI had attempted to move South and to the Northeast by sponsoring violence in places like Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra, he said. Government’s efforts through making intelligence more effective have already yielded results as more than 20 modules of the ISI have been smashed this year alone, he said. Referring to underworld don Dawood Ibrahim’s alleged frontman Romesh Sharma, Advani said CBI has been asked to probe as to how Sharma could operate successfully from Delhi for over 10 years. What is of concern is the fact that a Dubai-based don can get a frontman in the national capital, he said and stressed that this could not have happened without protection from the higher ups, may be from politics, bureaucracy or the police. In reply to another question from Jayant Malhoutra (N), Vajpayee said government was not keen to disclose the names of persons against whom investigations were on as this would only serve the purpose of maligning and witch-hunting. Just because a person has a picture taken with a suspect does not mean that he is a party to crime, he said adding that it could only serve to initiate investigation against them. When asked why government was still allowing some senior officials linked to Sharma to continue in office and whether this did not amount to a threat to national security, Advani said he was awaiting a preliminary report on these officials and a decision would only be taken thereafter. To another question, he said the number of madarsas (places of worship) had sprung up along he Indo-Pak border in the past couple of years and this gave the impression that isi was using these places to create trouble in India. (PTI) |
|
Uproar over remarks of Bihar CM NEW DELHI, Dec 9: Proceedings in the Lok Sabha were thrown into disarray for over 15 minutes when some Bharatiya Janata Party and Rashtriya Janata Dal members clashed on the issue of alleged remarks of Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi against the state Governor. The issue was raised during zero hour by Mrs Rita Verma and her party colleague Prabhunath Singh, who said that the Chief Minister had made this statement yesterday in a public meeting in Patna. Mrs Verma said this kind of behaviour could not be permitted, especially since the Governor was a representative of the President. In any case, both members said that it was not ethical on the part of a Chief Minister to make remarks like Mrs Rabri Devi had made. Even as most members in the house shouted "shame shame," RJD member Mohan Singh said that it was also not becoming of the Governor to go around the state, making statements against the state Government. This led to an angry exchange of words, and nothing could be heard. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Madan Lal Khurana said that though law and order were issues in the realm of the state, the matter was very shameful if press reports were to be believed. The rest of what Mr Khurana said was drowned in the angry exchange that followed, and some members of the RJD marched to the well of the house. Speaker G.M.C. Balayogi said that the matter was about a state and its Governor, and could not be raised in the house. But his pleas appeared to fall on deaf ears and so he called upon other members who had issues to raise to speak.(UNI) |
|
|
party’s decision to
join the nation-wide anti-Centre general strike
on December 11, claiming it was not directed
against the Centre, but an expression of
solidarity with the working class. 
Congress workers
particularly women danced to the tunes of drums
and distributed sweets to celebrate the 52nd
birthday of party president Sonia Gandhi.