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India comes
in for praise LONDON, July 8: India’s economic reforms have come in for high praise in the new human development report which holds it responsible for the decline .......more Centre should take JALANDHAR, July 8: Former Chief Minister and President of Shiromani Akali Dal Parkash Singh Badal today urged the center to take appropriate action including dismissal ....more NHRC team reaches VADODARA, July 8 : Senior officials of National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), who arrived here this morning....more KOLKATA, July 8: Living epitome of Indian Marxism, Jyoti Basu turned 90 today regaling fellow.....more |
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Bill likely
in monsoon NEW DELHI, July 8: With an eye on Assembly Elections in the national capital, the BJP-led Centre is likely to introduce a bill for granting of full statehood .....more Magic of Doon valley Dehradun, July 8 : The eternal idyllic charm of the valley of Doon, evoked by renowned writers like Ruskin Bond and Allen Sealy in their works, has been rejuvenated by diplomat Navtej .....more Mystery in poetess NEW DELHI, July 8: The mystery behind the murder of poetess Mudhumita Shukla ......more Demolition drive should be stayed till final report: MP CHANDIGARH, July 8: BJP national executive member Satya Pal Jain today demanded......more |
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| Mayawati gives clean chit to UP
Chief Secy on Taj controversy ..... VHP asks parties to support bill to resolve Ayodhya tangle..... Enactment of law for building temple only solution: VHP.....
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India comes in for praise for ECO development, warned on AIDS LONDON, July 08: India’s economic reforms have come in for high praise in the new human development report which holds it responsible for the decline in the number of people living on less than a dollar a day, but cautioned that it, along with China, faces challenges in combating dreaded HIV/AIDS. India is placed 127th among the 175 countries in the human development index calculated by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) based on economic, social and educational indices, among others. "India, home to one in six of the world’s people, has achieved great progress on most fronts. Poverty has been dramatically reduced and improvements made in education for both males and females," the 367-page report released by its director and editor-in-chief Sakiko Fukuda-Parr, said today. UNDP chief Mark Malloch Brown, who also addressed newsmen on the report said: "I am a great admirer of the whole Indian model. India’s fate is now in India’s hand and it does not depend on some donor." Among other neighbours of India, China occupies 104th position, Sri Lanka 99th rank and Bangladesh 139th position. Referring to the impressive economic growth achieved by India and China during the past decade, the report said, the two countries, which together contain a third of the world six billion population, are the only developing nations which are poised to meet the millennium development goal of halving the people living in absolute poverty by 2015 because of their sustained economic development. The report says that though both India and China have achieved rapid, sustained economic growth, their rates of progress have been quite different. China has enjoyed the fastest sustained economic advance in human history, averaging real per capita growth of 8 per cent a year over the past decade. "Its per capita income is now 3,976 dollars in Purchasing Power Party (PPP) terms. Meanwhile, real per capita income in India grew at a robust though more modest average rate of 4.4 per cent, reaching 2,358 dollars in 2001. "Reflecting their successful economic growth, both countries have seen significant reductions in poverty," the report said. It also cautioned that both countries still face challenges, such as the spread of HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases accompanying increased labour migration and international trade. "And both face the challenge of fostering a knowledge based economy to maintain consistently high economic growth as average skill levels increase. Both also need to focus on spreading the gains of growth to regions, communities and ethnic groups that have seen so little benefit from the new prosperity. "Inclusive public policies should focus on investments in health, education and infrastructure for future development," the report said. Referring to the general progress achieved by India, the report said: "there has been tremendous improvement in gender literacy gaps, particularly in the poor States like Madhya Pradesh and to some extent Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar." (PTI) |
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Centre should take appropriate action against State Govt:Badal JALANDHAR, July 8: Former Chief Minister and President of Shiromani Akali Dal Parkash Singh Badal today urged the center to take appropriate action including dismissal of State Government and imposition of President Rule, if constitution permits for the same, as there was no law and order prevailing in the State. Centre should take appropriate action, as the Constitution allows, against the State Government as there is no law and order in the State and the Congress Government has indulged into ‘personal vendetta’ to harass Akali leaders including me and my family Badal told reporters here today after addressing the party workers to boost their morale. Welcoming the State Government decision of sacking the Forest Minister Harbans Lal for his alleged involvement in the corruption, Badal alleged that the Government would try to hush up the matter through investigation by the Vigilance Bureau, which was being used as tool of the State Government and demanded a sitting Judge should probe the allegation to take it to the logical conclusion. As the contractor benefited by the misdeeds of forest minister is also a Congressman,we do not feel that the investigation being conducted by the State Vigilance Bureau will be fair enough he added. Terming the anti-corruption drive of the State Government as fake’ Badal demanded that if captain was serious about the drive he should first take action against the six the then ministers who were indicted for corruption by the then Lok Pal. Even II MLAs had complained to the Chief Minister to take action against the indicted corrupt Congress leaders on May 2002, nothing was done in this regard and rather nine Akali leaders were booked by registering alleged false cases even without having any complaint against them he added. Hollowness of the Captain’s so called anti-corruption drive can be judged from the fact that as State Congress chief, Captain Amarinder Singh had alleged that I have nine major properties abroad, for which even I am not aware he said adding that he still challenges Captain that if he could prove that overseas properties belong to him, he would resign from the politics. Badal ruled out any difference with the leaders of Tohra faction and revealed that districts units of SAD would be abolished after July 16 for revamping of party structure to accommodate leaders of Tohra faction in party’s forum. Regarding the news published in a section of media that Tohra would take over the SGPC chief on July 10, Badal ruled out the same and said he had never given such statement to the media. Meanwhile, rural wing of Tohra faction of the district boycotted Badal’s meeting in protest against the alleged derogatory remarks made by the Akali leader and ex-MLA Gurdeep Singh Bhullar against Gurcharan Singh Tohra in a political function held at Nurmahal on July 6. (PTI) |
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NHRC team reaches Vadodara, meets Police Commissioner VADODARA, July 8 : Senior officials of National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), who arrived here this morning to examine documents pertaining to the best bakery case and the judgement awarded by a Fast Track Court, held a closed door meeting with city Police Commissioner Sudhir Sinha. The meeting lasted for almost an hour, according to P G J Nampoothri, special rapporteur for the Commission in Gujarat, who is accompanying Bhari Hoake, Registrar of Law and Sudhir Chaudhary, DIG (Investigations), the NHRC team members from New Delhi. Nampoothri told PTI that the team, however, has no plans to visit the best bakery premises located in Hanuman Tekri area, where 12 persons were burnt alive in the bakery and two went missing on March 1, 2002 during a bandh call in the post-Godhra communal riots. On June 27, a Fast Track Court here had acquitted 21 accused in this case due to lack of evidence, mainly due to witnesses turning hostile. The NHRC members are presently conducting a meeting with district and Sessions Judge J C Upadhyay at the Court. They are also likely to meet senior police officials during the day-long visit. The acquittal of the accused in the bakery carnage has generated a lot of heat with NHRC Chairman A S Anand terming it as ‘miscarraige of justice’ even as the key witness Zahira Sheikh, who had turned hostile during the trial, stated in Mumbai yesterday that she had been "threatened", and demanded re-opening of the case in a higher Court outside Gujarat. (PTI) |
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Mystery in poetess murder case deepens as finger prints vanish NEW DELHI, July 8: The mystery behind the murder of poetess Mudhumita Shukla, who was killed at her residence in Lucknow on May 9, has deepened with the CBI finding no finger prints from the scene of crime. Highly-placed agency sources told PTI that the CBI team, which was probing the murder case, had found no finger prints at the residence of the poetess and the Uttar Pradesh Police had no convincing explanation to offer. The sources said that police officials said that the murderers had wiped off all the finger prints but failed to explain the missing of foot prints as the killers could not have vanished in thin air. The scene of crime and the sequence of events was also not actually being recast by the State Police, the sources said and added that the State Police could not even support their claims with any circumstantial evidence. About the meeting of the CBI team with the family of the poetess, the sources said they co-operated with the investigating agency and also threw some light on the deceased’s personal life. The 24-year old poetess was shot dead by two assailants in her Paper Mill Colony residence on May 9. The alleged relationship between Madhumita and the former BSP minister Amar Mani Tripathi created ripples in political circles forcing Chief Minister Mayawati to sack him from the ministry. The CBI sources said questioning of certain people was slated to be completed soon and did not rule out the possibility of examining the former BSP minister. Tripathi has denied any involvement in the murder saying that he was in no way involved in the case and the allegations levelled against him were baseless and the CBI probe would bring out the truth. Asked about the DNA test to be conducted on the foetus allegedly being carried by the deceased poetess, the sources said these aspects of the investigations would be carried out later. As of now the investigations were focussed on finding the murderer, the sources said, adding the criminal conspiracy behind the ghastly crime could be unearthed later. The sources said the agency would carry out independent DNA test of the foetus at a later stage. CBI registered a case into the murder of Madhumita against unknown people on June 24 after the State Government had issued notification for handing over the case to the Investigating Agency. The case was being looked after by a high-level team led by Deputy Inspector General of Police in the CBI. Mayawati has recommended a CBI probe as the poetess’ murder became a big political controversy in the State after the name of Tripathi was linked to it. (PTI) |
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Demolition drive should be stayed till final report: MP CHANDIGARH, July 8: BJP national executive member Satya Pal Jain today demanded that the demolition drive being carried out by the Chandigarh administration in the city be stayed till the Committee constituted by it submits its final report. Addressing a news conference here, Mr Jain said to review the situation vis-a-vis the demolition drive being carried out by the administration, Union Minister of State for Home I D Swami would come to Chandigarh tomorrow. Mr Swami would also meet Chandigarh Administrator Justice (Retd) O P Verma in this regard, he informed. Mr Swami would also meet the affected persons and would listen to their plight, he added. Mr Jain said Mr Swami would leave for Delhi tomorrow evening itself and submit his report to Union Home Minister Lal Krishan Advani. " Many people have made need-based changes in their houses, but these cannot be called encroachments as they have been made on their premises itself and they should be regularised. No action on the notices issued to these people should be taken and these notices should be kept under suspended animation till the committee submits its final report," he added. He said some religious institutions were also razed to the ground in this drive without keeping in mind the religious sentiments of the people. A policy should be made regarding the religious places and those which were not allotted should be regularised. Water and electricity supply should also be made to all the religious places, he added. Regarding the labour colonies, he said a survey should be conducted and a list of persons eligible for house allotment be issued. He described demolition of houses as a "human problem" which should be tackled in a "humane way". He said a person’s whose house is demolished becomes a nervous wreck and his problems should be dealt with in a compassionate manner. He said those, whose houses were being demolished, were settling in the villages on the periphery of Chandigarh from where they were also being evicted by Punjab Police personnel or Commandos for no rhyme or reason. (UNI) Mayawati gives clean chit to UP Chief Secy on Taj controversy LUCKNOW, July 8: Setting to rest speculations about the removal of Uttar Pradesh Chief Secretary D S Bagga following the Taj Heritage Corridor (THC) controversy, Chief Minister Mayawati today gave a clean chit to the officer and blamed elements with "vested interests" for spreading rumours to demoralise the bureaucracy. Earlier, Ms Mayawati had suspended State Environment Secretary R K Sharma following the controversy, claiming that he was the only official responsible for the illegal construction work near the Taj Mahal under the thc project. She also blamed Mr Sharma for not taking prior permission from the finance department and the concerned ministers before sanctioning Rs 17 crore for the controversial project which had placed her and Union Tourism Minister Jagmohan at Loggerheads. Mr Bagga was assigned the responsibility of investigating the case when it came to light last month. "The Chief Secretary would not be transferred and rumours to this effect are baseless," Ms Mayawati said here in a statement, adding, "Mr Bagga is discharging his duty with dedication, implementing policies of the State Government with honesty". She said some elements with vested interests were spreading rumours to create confusion within the State administration. The name of Mr Bagga was recently linked with the controversy pertaining to the construction in the vicinity of the 18th century monument under the thc project. He was also summoned to New Delhi by Mr Jagmohan. The project — costing around Rs 170 crore — was disbandened following a strong protest by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and Union Tourism Ministry. The ASI had even lodged an FIR at Agra against the construction activity which could have endangered the Mughal monument of love. The UNESCO too had threatened to withdraw the Taj from its list of heritage monuments if the thc project was continued and the Taj was endangered. The opposition parties in the State had alleged that "kickbacks" were the main reason behind the State Government starting the project. The Samajwadi Party (SP) and Congress had sought an enquiry into the "scam" by a retired High Court Judge. (UNI) VHP asks parties to support bill to resolve Ayodhya tangle AYODHYA, July 8: VHP chief Ashok Singhal today asked political parties to clarify whether they favoured a central legislation to resolve the Ayodhya dispute, but threatened to launch an agitation if they chose to issue whips to oppose such a law. "Sonia Gandhi, Samajwadi Party, other parties and those belonging to the NDA should decide not to issue the whip in pursuance of their party policies and allow the MPs to vote freely," he told a press conference here. But in case a whip is issued, "we will have no other option but to launch a mass movement against these parties which oppose the construction of a temple", he said. The political parties have to decide whether they are prepared to bring in such a legislation to support the construction of a temple in Ayodhya, the VHP president said. The parties, which do not support the legislation, would stand exposed, he said. Singhal, who yesterday held a closed-door meeting of senior VHP functionaries in Lucknow before arriving here, has convened another meeting on July 11 to chalk out the VHP’s further course of action in the wake of All India Muslim Personal Law Board rejecting Kanchi Shankaracharya’s proposals to solve the Ayodhya issue. (PTI) SILIGURI, July 8: Fourteen people were killed and six others were reported missing in a series of landslides triggered by incessant rains in Darjeeling hills in the wee hours today. District Magistrate H Mohon told PTI over phone that more bodies were feared buried under the debris and rescue, relief operations have been hit due to rains and inaccessible roads. Twelve bodies were recovered from Gayabari and two from Dakhale Bustee in Kurseong sub-division by the rescue teams, he said. The landslides spread over Darjeeling district have cut off the entire hill area, landlocked state of Sikkim and parts of dooars from the rest of the country, he added. Additional District Magistrate R Ranjit has rushed to Gayabari to supervise rescue and relief measures and the Sub-Divisional Officer of Kalimpong has been given charge of the operation in his subdivision, Mohon said. of dooars from the rest of the country, he added. The District Magistrate, meanwhile, showed concern over the situation following rise in waters of the Teesta river, flowing at the danger level mark near Coronation Bridge. Efforts are on to open Pankhabari road connecting Darjeeling to Siliguri to small vehicles by tomorrow evening. However, the work of clearing the debris at Tindharia would take another three days, he said.. The rains and the accompanying landslides damaged at different points the NH 55 (Hill Cart Road), which connects Siliguri to Darjeeling and NH 31A, which connects Kalimpong, Sikkim and a part of the dooars regions, besides Pankhabari Road, the District Magistrate said. Two bridges near Garidhura were also damaged, Mohon said. (PTI) Enactment of law for building temple only solution: VHP AYODHYA, July 8: VHP today said with the rejection of Kanchi Sankaracharya’s proposals on Ayodhya, enactment of a law by Parliament for building a temple was the only solution and warned of a mass movement against political parties which oppose it. Addressing a press conference, VHP president Ashok Singhal said the political parties should clarify their stand whether they favoured a central legislation to resolve the Ayodhya tangle. "Sonia Gandhi, Samajwadi Party, other parties and those belonging to the NDA should decide not not to issue the whip in pursuance of their party policies and allow MPs to vote freely according to their conscience. "But in case a whip is issued, the VHP would have no other option but to launch a mass movement against the parties which oppose the construction of a temple," he said. Singhal said the VHP’s programme of mobilising support from MPs for a supporting a legislation was continuing and so far 169 MPs had given their written consent to it. The programme would continuing during the coming monsoon session. Appreciating the efforts of the Kanchi seer to resolve the temple issue, Singhal said he had put forward "reasonable" proposals to resolve the matter amicably, but regretted their rejection by the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB). The rejection was "disgraceful and humiliating" to the seer, he said. The VHP supremo said that the seer’s proposals of July one reflected the sentiments of the saints and seers in the country though his earlier proposals sent to the AIMPLB on June 24 last were "not in conformity" with the views of the saint community. The Shankaracharya was a respected personality in the country and he made a sincere effort to resolve the Ayodhya issue, Singhal said. Replying to a question about his demand for the resignation of Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, Singhal said Vajpayee should either get a law enacted for the temple construction or leave his post and go to the people. To a question about the Supreme Court’s order on the acquired land, he said Parliament was the supreme body and had the necessary powers to enact the law. Singhal said that he was not angry with Vajpayee and the Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani, who had undertaken a Rath Yatra to spearhead the temple movement. He said that VHP’s Sankalp Yatra would begin this month and would continue till September next. He said that the RSS had, in its recent executive meeting at Kanyakumari, decided to fully support the programme. The VHP supremo said that some English newspapers were not presenting the true picture about the temple movement and wer trying to create a wedge between the VHP and the BJP leaders. Referring to the ongoing excavation work at the disputed area, Singhal said that many responsible persons have been issuing irresponsible statement that there was no evidence of temple at the site. The historical articles, including Nandi Bull, decorated stone pieces and blackstone pillars, were found during the excavation which were part of a big temple in the ancient period, he claimed. Some of the articles belonged to the Gaharwar period of history, he said adding altogether 264 articles had been found after the demolition of the disputed structure in 1992. Singhal said that their doors were open for a peaceful negotiation and talks on the Ayodhya issue but warned that the Hindu community’s tolerance should not be taken otherwise and the ‘flood gate’ of the Hindu sentiments on the temple issue could not be contained for long. (PTI) |
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