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Stepped-up activities PATNA, Dec 24: Derailment of Rajdhani Express killing 116 people in one of the ....more Emboldened
Dalits LUCKNOW, Dec 24: If the rise in cases registered by Dalits against upper castes in Amethi-Rae Bareli belt during . .....more SHIMLA, Dec 24: Election fever is catching on in Himachal Pradesh, which goes to Assembly polls early next year, ...more Suspended
Home CHANDIGARH, Dec 24: Former Chandigarh Home Secretary N K Jain, alleged .....more |
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BJP members evicted BANGALORE, Dec 24: Bharatiya Janata Party members in the Karnataka ....more Organising
‘Ram Katha’ JAIPUR, Dec 24: A week long ‘Ram Katha’, being publicly organised here in the first ....more Metro:
‘A dream NEW DELHI, Dec 24: Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee today said ‘a dream...more Amarinder
comes as CHANDIGARH, Dec 24: Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh today announced....more |
PATNA, Dec 24: Derailment of Rajdhani Express killing 116 people in one of the worst rail disasters, a spate of jail unrest and stepped-up activities by outlawed groups and ISI made it yet another eventful year for Bihar. The year began with Bihar strongman Laloo Prasad Yadav finding himself in jail for his alleged involvement in multi-crore fodder scam but contrary to apprehension about the survival of the Rabri Devi ministry, it turned out to be smooth sailing for his Chief Minister wife. Laloo Yadav drew on his political managment skill to ensure simple majority for Rabri Devi Goverment by engineering split in BSP and JD (U) in the face of threat by Congress, an ally of ruling RJD, to withdraw support. Several bogies of the Rajdhani Express was thrown off the track over a bridge and fell into Dhaba river near Rafiganj station on the night of September nine. The disaster kicked off a sparring between Railway Minister Nitish Kumar who said sabotage caused the derailment and the State administration which rubbished Kumar’s contention and charged that poor maintenance of the 100-year-old bridge had led to the train disaster. The Commissioner of railway safety Mahesh Chand’s report confirming the sabotage theory drew flak from RJD boss who accused him of being incompetent to hold such an inquiry. The year saw no let up in internecine conflicts between the outlawed Naxalite outfits People’s War and the Maoist Communist Centre on one hand and the private militia of landlords like Ranvir Sena on the other claiming several lives. The MCC scripted yet another bloody chapter in its history when its armed squad abducted and brutally killed the divisional forest officer of Shahabad range, Sanjay Kumar Singh, in Rohtas district on February 14. The killing sent a shock wave across the State as the Government recommended a CBI probe into the killing. The State police, however, could boast on its exemplary performance arresting the high-profile Ranvir Sena chief Brahmeshwar Singh on August 31 dealing a blow to landlord’s private army in central Bihar. Police also made prize catch by arresting an armed squad comprising 13 People’s War members, besides unearthing of several illegal gun-manufacturing factories, seizing sophisticated fire arms and killing notorious gangsters like terror of west Champaran Lalu Yadav in encounter. Spurt in activities of the ISI and infiltration of Maoist rebels from Nepal caused concern with the Centre and State Government working in tandem to check their infiltration from across the border. North Bihar faced the brunt of devastating floods this year again that claimed more than 350 lives and rendered thousands of families homeless during the monsoon. The year saw a spate of unrest climaxing into jail-breaks and siege of Chapra and Gopalganj jails by hardened criminals protesting the State Government’s decision to shift them to some other jails. The jail-siege was lifted after a commando operation in which six prisoners were killed in March. Over-crowding of the jails was found to be the root cause of the jail disturbances. A major air mishap was averted when Indian Airlines flight IC-809 from New Delhi made a hard woobly landing at Patna airport on April eight forcing Civil Aviation Minister Shahnawaz Hussain to threaten shutting down the airport here due to lack of infrastructure. Hussain’s threat snowballed into a major controversy with the ruling RJD vehemently opposing it. He said Patna airport was not safe and sought cooperation from the State Government for ensuring safety measures. The State Government agreed to provide the land required for the extension of the runway and prune the trees in the botanical garden adjacent to the airport. (PTI) |
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Emboldened Dalits register more cases against upper caste LUCKNOW, Dec 24: If the rise in cases registered by Dalits against upper castes in Amethi-Rae Bareli belt during past one month were any indication, Priyanka Gandhi’s recent gesture of taking up cudgles for a Dalit in Amethi appeared to have emboldened the Dalits. According to intelligence sources, as many as 51 cases of Dalit attrocities were registered in different police stations in the belt during last month as against 38 cases registered on an average during last few months. Increase in registration of cases is a clear indication that Dalits, in this belt, are now ready to call spade a spade earlier, a senior intelligence officer told PTI. In Saitha village in Sultanpur district, a Dalit’s house was demolished by a Thakur in June. The Dalit remained quiet for four months but later mustered enough courage to lodge a named FIR against the culprit in first week of December. This particular case is a clear indication of changed social equation, the intelligence officer said adding it was ostensibly believed that Priyanaka’s gesture and the political heat the incident had generated had emboldened Dalits to file cases against upper caste. Intelligence officials claim land dispute as the major bone of contention between the two castes. Thakurs claim that Dalit had illegally occupied their lands while Dalits claim themselves to be the rightful owner. The Amethi incident, in which Priyanka intervened, was also a case of land dispute, said the official. Priyanka, during her recent visit to Amethi, had helped a Dalit Shambhu Nath Kori in Punapur village to lodge a complaint against Thakurs, who had reportedly demolished his house. She herself went to the police station and stayed there till an FIR was lodged. Priyanka also gave a call to Congress workers to build a house of Nath through Shramdaan. The incident sparked a row. Local administration urged Priyanka to shelve Shramdaan and assured her that Nath would be allotted a separate piece of land. This incident also created ripples in political circles forcing Chief Minister Mayawati to hold a Saavdhan (alert) rally in Amethi. She also announced many development schemes for the area and accorded a district status to Amethi. The political heat generated by this incident had brought Nath to the centrestage, they say adding lodging of FIR and immediate redressal given to him had given a ray of hope to Dalits that they could also get quick relief. (PTI) |
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SHIMLA, Dec 24: Election fever is catching on in Himachal Pradesh, which goes to Assembly polls early next year, and so is dissidence in ruling BJP and main opposition Congress, the contenders for power. Encouraged by Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi successfully staving off anti-incumbency factor in recent Assembly polls in his State and apparently taking a cue from his "Gaurav Yatra," Himachal Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal launched the home-grown version "Vishwas Yatra" yesterday virtually launching the campaign for the coming elections. The Congress, on the other hand, came up with a show of unity among CLP leader and former Chief Minister V B Singh and State unit chief Vidya Stokes at a press conference here yesterday even though the two leaders are known to lead rival groups in the party. As part of unity efforts, Singh and Stokes, said the party would not project any one as Chief Ministerial candidate. However, infighting plagued both BJP and Congress resulting in suspension and expulsion of senior leaders while Himachal Vikas Congress, a constituent of BJP-led coalition, blew hot and and cold. Congress expelled former MLAs Manjeet Singh Dogra, Kuldeep Singh Pathania and Shonkia Ram for indiscipline but revoked the expulsion of Kuldeep Singh and Shonkia Ram. The dissidence problem seems to be more worrying for the BJP which expelled its former minister Mohinder Sofat and former Hamirpur district unit president Narinder Thakur for organising a meeting of dissidents. The BJP State unit is clearly split into factions led by Dhumal and Union Minister Shanta Kumar and nowhere has the rivalry taken a more pronounced shape than the issue of delimitation of Assembly constituencies. In fact, senior BJP leader Kamal Padha was suspended for targetting Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal to protest working paper circulated by the delimitation commission. The delimitation proposals virtually split BJP with Shanta Kumar resenting the commission’s reported move to reduce the number of constituencies in Kangra region, the home turn of the Union Minister, from 18 to 15. A majority of Kangra MLAs and other prominent leaders of the region rallied behind Kumar and described the commission move as a conspiracy to belittle the cut to size Kumar and his loyalits. The deferment of the delimitation process, however, came as a reprieve for BJP but Shanta Kumar minced no words in criticising the Government. Santosh Shaialja, the wife of Shanta Kumar, also issued a strongly worded statement blaming the Government for "humiliating" her husband and alleged manipulations in delimitation draft. A move to create new districts was also put on hold after bitter controversy in BJP and a letter from the delimitation commission directing the Government not to alter the existing administrative units came handy to the Government to wriggle out of the situation. The Congress too was divided on the issue and CLP leader V B Singh vehemently opposed the proposal terming the entire exercise as a conspiracy. The State came in for rap from the Supreme Court which slammed a fine of Rs one crore for its failure to protect the environment in the wake of a PIL against defacement of rocks near the famous tourist resort of Manali by a soft drinks major. The Government’s attempt to take over the prestigious Wild Flower Hall Hotel of the Oberoi group turned out to be misadventure with the company law board setting aside the decision of the Government to remove four Directors of Oberoi Group and Subsequent steps taken by Government directors. The company law board restored the original composition of the Board of Directors and reinstated all the four directors of the Oberoi group in the seven-member board. Himachal Pradesh witnessed catalytic growth inspite of acute financial crunch and prolonged drought during 2002. The foundation of Rs 1300 crore Rohtang tunnel project, a long cherished dream of people of tribal Lahaul valley, was laid by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee who also announced an industrial package for the State. The State made major headway in hydro-power development sector and made concerted efforts to get projects with 2226 mw capacity commissioned by end of next year and starting work on projects with 8000 mw potential and set 2007 as deadline for completion of these projects. The Government concentrated on hydro-power sector which would earn a revenue of Rs 2000 crore for the Government by 2007 and withdrew the power tariff hike to give relief to the people. The Government introduced self assessment scheme for filing returns for the traders with turnover upto Rs 50 lakh accepting their longstanding demand and gave concessions in special road tax and token tax to the private bus operators. Regularisation of daily wage staff, enhancement of various allowances, recruitment of teachers, doctors and other staff, opening of health and educational institutions, construction of road and water supply schemes and irrigation projects continued at an accelerated pace and financial crunch was not allowed to come in the way. (PTI) |
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Metro: ‘A dream come true’, says PM NEW DELHI, Dec 24: Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee today said ‘a dream has true’ with the inauguration of the metro rail in Delhi which has now joined other world capitals in having this facility. "The metro is a boon for Delhi with a growing population, and will help in reducing pollution and congestion on roads and buses...," Mr Vajpayee said after pulling a lever which gave the green signal for the inaugural run. Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani, Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, Urban Development Minister Ananth Kumar, and Lt Governor Vijai Kapoor were among those who attended the ceremony at the Seelampur station from where the first metro train rolled out to Tis Hazari station. Mr Vajpayee said metro was one of the biggest necessity for Delhi and would fulfill the people’s demand for a convenient mode of transport. Almost all the world capitals have this rail system. He said the Delhi metro has come to symbolise and celebrate the abiding friendship between India and Japan during the past 50 years and will help in cementing bilateral ties further. "It is an example of international cooperation." In an apparent reference to the ongoing tussle between the Delhi Government and the Centre for Control of the Metro, he said both should cooperate and make joint efforts to run the system smoothly and efficiently. "My good wishes are that the metro expands and flourishes in times to come," the Prime Minister said. (UNI) |
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Amarinder comes as an angel for ailing Amrita Pritam CHANDIGARH, Dec 24: Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh today announced a cheque of Rs one lakh for the ailing septuagenarian and world famous Punjabi author Amrita Pritam. The announcement was made by the Chief Minister here on behalf of publishing house Rupa and Co, which agreed to pay the amount after Amarinder Singh urged publishers in general "to take care of those authors who spend their entire lives promoting a language or whatever their area of interest, but fall on bad days due to any reasons and find it difficult to meet even their two ends meet". Addressing a select gathering after releasing a book ‘Heart to Heart’ authored by senior Congress leader and his relative K Natwar Singh, the Chief Minister said "authors like Amrita Pritam who spend her entire life in promoting Punjabi language and literature...Wrote some 82 books which have been published in 155 languages across the globe, today finds that there is nobody to take care of her, especially when she is unwell". "Publishers must look after authors, particularly people like Amrita Pritam who have spend their entire lives promoting literature," he said. Talking about the book, Amarinder said, "its labour of love with 58 essays written over 17 years. It has the author’s experiences in China, United States and while he was on diplomatic assignments. I will call it history portrayed in a personal manner. The book touches wide ranging issues from politics to sports including some reference to Sir Donald Bradman...I hope the book will find a place in most readers’ homes," he said. K Natwar Singh said that he had been a compulsive reader for the past 50 years and not a single day had passed without him reading any book. "I am a compulsive reader," he remarked. He said that in the recent past, especially after Salman Rushdie’s publication of Midnight’s Children, the writings by Indian authors in English language had flourished. Talking about the IT revolution and books, he said there was a need to promote reading books among the people, especially the younger generation. "Books not only enrich our intellect, but with books you can never be bored". ‘Heart to Heart’ has been published by Rupa and Co and is priced at Rs 395. (PTI) Dreams realised through MP’s agri-extension programme BHOPAL, Dec 24: India’s maiden experiment regarding private partnership in agricultural extension has evoked a positive response not only in Madhya Pradesh but also in neighbouring Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh. Impressed by its year-long successful implementation in this state, Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh sought details of the programme during a recent visit to the Priyadarshini Park at Pench in Seoni district. Madhya Pradesh’s Director (Agriculture) G S Kaushal said in a statement that he had already dispatched the details to the Maharashtra Government. "The programme has been implemented in Hoshangabad distri with the Dhanuka group and the results are quite encouraging," he said, adding that the process of finalising a Memorandum of Understanding, with other manufacturers and producers of fertilisers, pesticides and seeds, was in progress. The programme is designed by the Hyderabad-based National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management, which is documenting implementation in Pawarkheda village for preparing a role model to be circulated to Agricultural Departments of all states. The Andhra Government has already emulated the Madhya Pradesh model of agricultural extension. Besides Dhanuka, reputed agri-companies have come forward to take up the programme in selected districts. The firms include Kribhco, IPL, IFFCO, Shri Ram Chemicals and Fertilisers, NFL and BEL. "The agriculture sector could witness a sea change with the enlightened and active participation of private companies," Dr Kaushal said, adding that it was impossible for Government-run agencies to access each farmer. However, private firms have delivered the goods along with promoting their business. All this also helped the Government save finances. What is most important is that cultivators themselves are approaching soil-testing laboratories with their samples. More than 9,000 samples have been received at the lab set up at Pawarkheda. The peasants were given advice on application of suitable fertilisers after analysis. This enhanced level of awareness towards scientific farming will go a long way in improving the yield to better cultivators’ economic lot. Farmers’ training and exposure visits, demonstration, promotion of organic farming, setting up of a cyber-dhaba, krishi mela, screening films on success stories and ensuring quality seeds are some of the programmes being initiated in the area for agricultural extension. Dhanuka’s Pawarkheda Satcom (satellite-based communication) Centre is providing advice every week through All India Radio and Doordarshan. Under this, farmers raise queries through telephone and get their problems solved by experts.(UNI) Nature captured thro’ lens at display NEW DELHI, Dec 24: It is an amazing phenomenon to see that a bureaucrat—and that too in the heartless Income Tax department—is able to preserve his poetic sensitivity and ‘capture’ nature in rare beauteous moods in his photographs. Prakash Dubey, Income-Tax Commissioner, Delhi, has earned international fame as a photographer, nay a photo-artist, and has been acclaimed by organisations such as the National Geographic. An exhibition of his latest photographs, "Landscapes", is on at ‘The Gallery’, India International Centre till December 31. Inaugurating the exhibition last evening, Tourism and Culture Minister Jagmohan said Prakash Dubey has not only captured the structure of nature but also its spirit and soul. Dubey’s photographs present nature in different moods—from the sublime to the capricious. When hit by the wanderlust, he takes time off from the daily grind and goes into the lap of nature. "I am a peace-loving and sensitive person, and photography provides me a medium through which I am able to release tension and express my creativity," says Dubey. And photography has taken him to far off lands—from Ladakh to Darjeeling. "Photography makes me see what others cannot see—to see pattern where there is none and to bring meaning into the ‘unmeaning’ lens," he says. One of his photographs of the Himalayas shows darts of light shooting out from gaps between the mountain range, touching the dark brooding rocks as they spring to life in shades of ochre, orange and red. Another shows the sun rays hitting the snow peaks, making them glint like stars, and then falling on the serene blue water of lake Pangong Tso in the high altitude of Ladakh, awakening it to a dance of colour. Using the light like a palette of colours through control of aperture and speed of the lens, Dubey has captured the lake in its different moods—from royal purple, rich red and deep brown to turquoise blue and deep ink-blue. "Many a time a good dose of patience is required, particularly in the high mountain regions where weather conditions can change in the blink of an eye and the day may be lost," he says. Chilka, a lagoon in Orissa, a world heritage site, was another vista for him. A photograph shows the lagoon in the warm orange glow of a dipping sun as boats and boatmen change to silhouettes against the light and are like black masses gliding silently on the vast expanse of water shimmering orange and gold in parts, while the rest of its expanse settles into a dark silent mass with birds whirling in large numbers. But Dubey’s favourite is of the Keoladeo Ghana bird sanctuary in Bharatpur, Rajasthan. "This photograh gives the impression of a 17 century painting," says the Commissioner pointing to the picture frame of the sanctuary, smothered in a chilly winter mist that has wrapped its wispy strings around the branches of every tree, with the rowing boats by the edge of the lake lying ghostly and dim under the greenish-grey pallor of colourless sky and the birds sitting unmoving awaiting the arrival of the sun. "This exhibition is a preview of my book,‘Indiascapes’, which will contain 50 per cent of these photographs," he says. "when people start seeing nature is so beautiful, they will start preserving it."(UNI) Jayalalithaa to enter national politics: AIADMK CHENNAI, Dec 24: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and AIADMK general secretary J Jayalalithaa will be the future Prime Minister of India, party presidium chairman Pulamai Pithan declared today. "No one can stop her from marching to the Red Fort and guiding the destiny of the country," he proclaimed, before administering a pledge to the partymen on the occasion of the 15th memorial day of party founder and late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M G Ramachandran at his Samadhi here. Ms Mayalalithaa was present on the dais when Mr Pithan made the declaration. There was no one in the country to match her leadership qualities, charisma and intellect, he said. A national political role for Ms Jayalalithaa is a recurring theme in AIADMK party gatherings in recent times. Several speakers at last week’s party general council meeting wanted Ms Jayalalithaa to enter national politics and become the Prime Minister. Ms Jayalalithaa, accepting the plea, had told the general council that her taking up a national role depended upon the opportunities and the work partymen put in. But there was nothing wrong in dreaming and opportunities had to be grabbed, she had said. Earlier, Ms Jayalalithaa led a silent procession from the Anna statue to the Marina and paid floral tributes to the late leader. Ministers, party functionaries and thousands of workers gathered at the Marina for the solemn occasion. One of the 15 pledges administered by Mr Pithan asserted that terrorism and extremism would be wiped out of Tamil Nadu and the State would be made a garden of peace. MGR followers, belonging to other parties, paid floral tributes to the late leader separately. BJP leader and Union Minister of State for Shipping S Thirunavukkarasar, a long time associate of MGR and whose MGR ADMK had been merged with the BJP recently, led his supporters in paying homage to his mentor. Elaborate security arrangements were made at the Marina for the occasion. (UNI) R’yatra turned controversy to liberation movt for temple : VP NEW DELHI, Dec 24: With BJP leader L K Advani’s Rath Yatra in 1990, the controversy over the disputed structure in Ayodhya turned into a "struggle for liberation of Lord Rama’s birth place" acquiring a high political content, former Prime Minister V P Singh said here today. "The controversy was going on for quite sometime but after the Rath Yatra, it was converted into a struggle and it acquired a high political content," Singh told the Liberhan Commission, probing the demolition of disputed structure in Ayodhya on December 6, 1992. "First time when I came to know that there was struggle for it was at the time of Rath Yatra," Singh said during his cross-examination by Centre’s counsel Lala Ram Gupta, who asked him when he came to know that the issue became a "struggle for liberation of Rama’s birthplace." Singh said efforts were made by him as Prime Minister to reach a compromise but when that did not fructify he had no choice but to uphold the Supreme Court order. The former Prime Minister said as an administrator he was keen on reaching an amicable settlement between the parties concerned. If it was not reached then upholding of the constitution and Supreme Court order on the issue was the main concern, he added. When the Centre’s counsel suggested that as a Prime Minister he had come to know that no Namaz (prayers) was offered in the disputed structure since 1934, Singh said "this is a matter in which the court will go into. I am aware of it". To a question about the visit to disputed site, he said he never visited the Ram Janambhoomi Babri Masjid complex prior to December 6, 1992. When the Government counsel asked why he did not think it wise to visit the complex as Prime Minister to resolve the dispute, Singh said "so far as issue was concerned I applied my mind. Pictures and photographs were available to me". "As an administrator it is wiser not to get to a controversial spot," he added. Singh said while trying to bring about settlement on the issue he was concerned with the facts raised by both the parties. On repeated questioning by the Centre’s counsel about the efforts made by him to resolve the issue, the former Prime Minister narrated in detail about his earlier deposition before the commission. He said he had made efforts to end the dispute before and after becoming Prime Minister. "Till Advani was arrested all efforts were made to hammer out some solution," Singh said. (PTI) |
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