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Support halves at NEW DELHI, June 28: In a bizarre turnaround in Delhi’s Akali politics, beleaguered controllers of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee .....more Babri
site to Hindus NEW DELHI, June 28 : The All India United Muslim Morcha today came up with a ‘formula’ to solve the vexed Ayodhya issue under which Hindus would ......more Congress splits up in Nagaland KOHIMA, June 28: In a late-night political development, the Congress in Nagaland yesterday received a major setback, ..more Integration
issue to be KOHIMA, June 28 : The NSCN(IM) today made it clear that it would go for a referendum on the integration issue if.....more |
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Harry Potter fever GUWAHATI, June 28 : J K rowling surely have not heard of a place called Assam in the Eastern frontier of India, but Harry Potter fever has swept .....more Globalisation carries an elitist image: Prasad NEW DELHI, June 28: Stressing that globalisation still carried an elitist image and had failed to improve the lifestyle of the deprived sections of the ....more Badal terms search as "political vendetta" CHANDIGARH, June 28: Former Punjab Chief Minister and SAD president Parkash Singh Badal today said that half of the 16 properties, for which .....more Former
CBI dig charged NEW DELHI, Jun 28: Over a decade after he was chargesheeted in a corruption case, a Delhi Court has ordered framing of charges against the then CBI DIG O P Sharma for allegedly ......more |
Support halves at DSGMC chief’s meet after rebellion NEW DELHI, June 28: In a bizarre turnaround in Delhi’s Akali politics, beleaguered controllers of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) gathered outside the office to work out plans to neutralise its united SAD-backed rebel senior vice-president who is comfortably in the saddle as officiating chief and making key electoral and administrative decisions. Barely one-third (17) of the 51 members of the resource-rich committee attended last evening’s meeting in a posh Delhi club following the shock annual election announcement by its senior vice-president Shamsher Singh Sandhu officiating in the absence of Chief Paramjit Singh Sarna, who has refused to merge his party with the United Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD). Rebel Sandhu attended the office of the president and reiterated that Mr Sarna, who at present is abroad, was free to challenge his move if he thought holding annual elections (on July 24) in time was wrong. He also sought to jusitfy his "161 administrative orders", saying he cleared only 22 new cases of appointments while the rest have been confirmations, promotions and recruitment of daily wagers at historical gurdwaras". Mr Sandhu dismmissed the DSGMC chief’s claims that his orders would heavily inflate committee expenditure. "How can just 22 new appointments inflate the bills to more than a crore in a year? it’s a ridiculous claim." Instead he accused the DSGMC chief of "non-performance" and of turning down public requests. "We know more and more members will turn to our side rapidly." On the other side, the Sarna group vowed to stem the rebellion, saying they would not accept any election "imposed upon them" and will not allow "plundering of Gurdwara funds". Mr Sarna, with support of former SGPC chief Gurcharan Singh Tohra, had swept last year’s general elections to the powerful Sikh religious administration, ending control of SAD president and former Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Badal over the Committee. After the general elections, as many as 35 of the 51 Committee members chose him the DSGMC president on July 24 last year for a one-year-term. But ahead of Delhi Assembly Elections and in the wake of a sea-change in Akali politics with the historic patch-up earlier this month between Mr Badal and Mr Tohra, trouble struck Mr Sarna, considered close to Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, as he ruled out dissolution of his separate party. Supported by Union Minister and SAD secretary-general Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, his senior deputy Sandhu fixed July 24 as election date while claiming to be officiating as president in the absence of Mr Sarna. Sarna supporter and veteran Delhi Akali leader Avtar Singh Autopin lashed out at Mr Badal for "attempting to foist his leadership on Delhi Sikhs". "They should avoid meddling in Delhi Gurdwara affairs and instead set their own house in order first." The Akali party of Mr Sarna reiterated its stand to "maintain its separate identity" despite Mr Dhindsa’s "advice to merge itself with the united SAD". "We regret Mr Dhindsa’s support to the rebellion, but we vow to maintain the separate identity of our Shiromani Akali Dal-Delhi," said party general secretary Harvinderpal Singh Sarna, brother of the DSGMC chief. Despite only one-third of DSGMC members attending the emergency meeting of his party after the rebellion in the Committee, Mr Harvinderpal Singh claimed a "comfortable majority" in the house. In his address to the meeting, DSGMC general secretary Bhajan Singh Walia said the rebel leader’s election announcement carried no legal validity as "the DSGMC president has by then already withdrawn the power delegated to him by sending a fax order from abroad". Mr Walia also described as "illegal" the administrative orders Mr Sandhu had passed while officiating as Committee president. (UNI) |
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Babri site to Hindus in lieu of reservation for Muslims? NEW DELHI, June 28 : The All India United Muslim Morcha today came up with a ‘formula’ to solve the vexed Ayodhya issue under which Hindus would get Babri Masjid site for Ram Temple construction and in return the Government should remove religious restrictions on Article 341 of the Constitution to grant reservation to Muslims as Scheduled Caste. Aiumm president M Ejaz Ali told reporters here that both the demands were within the powers of the Government and it could be easily done if the latter was really willing to solve the Ayodhya dispute. For a permanent solution of the dispute, one of the two claimants would have to withdraw its claim completely and unconditionally from the disputed land. Muslims were willing to withdraw their claims provided the loss they have already sustained could be made good by granting them reservation, he said. "President A P J Abdul Kalam and the Prime Minister should accept this formula as the Ayodhya issue is a question of the religious beliefs of Hindus. They believe that Lord rama was born at the disputed site in Ayodhya so it be granted to them while Muslims, who have remained backward even after 50 years of independence, should be given reservation by removing the religious restriction on Article 341 of the Constitution," Mr Ali said. Asked on whose behalf he was promoting this formula, the aiumm leader claimed that he has already created a consensus over the issue among muslims for this "give and take policy for the permanent solution of Ayodhya dispute." He also questioned the authority of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board to decide the matter on behalf of Muslims. "They are trying to decide the matter sitting in their drawing rooms, while our organisation has created a consensus at the grassroot level among Muslims and they are ready to accept this formula," he claimed. Mr Ali also referred to various instances when Mosques have been demolished even in the Muslim countries for the construction of palaces and roads. An AIUMM delegation had met dr kalam recently and urged him to grant reservation to muslims. Otherwise, his dream of having a developed india by 2020 could not materialise, he added. Mr Ali accused freedom movement leader Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad of betraying the cause of Muslims by agreeing to the religious ban under Article 341 due to which Muslims were deprived of reservation as Schsduled Castes. From 1935 onwards there was no religious restriction and Dalits of every religion were availing the facilities as SC but a religious ban was promulgated to it through a Presidential order in 1950, he said. "Being from Madina. Maulana Azad was not aware of the social conditions of the Indian Muslims. He betrayed them," he alleged. The religious ban on Article 341 was the repercussion of suddenly erupting Ayodhya dispute in 1949. "To cool down the post-partition tense situation in the country, an emergency compromise was needed between the two communities and the Ram Janambhoomi supporters agreed to stop pooja/darshan in Babri Mosque (as demanded by Muslims) only when the drafting Committee and the Government, with the consent of the Muslim top brass, agreed to re-promulgate the religious restriction in the Presidential order, 1950." Article 30 was also a target as an alternative to Article 341, over which the Muslim leadership did not agree as it benefitted elite Muslims while the Atricle 341 benefitted poor members of the community. Being deprived of reservation even today, 85 per cent Muslims were living below poverty line and literacy rate was not above seven percent. (UNI) |
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Congress splits up in Nagaland KOHIMA, June 28: In a late-night political development, the Congress in Nagaland yesterday received a major setback, as seven of its members abandoned the party and formed a new party, the Nagaland Congress, thereby whittling down the opposition rank to 14 members in a House of 60. With the split in the opposition Congress, the much-hyped speculation over a stormy budget session, slated for July 21 next has been reduced. The democratic alliance of Nagaland has already the support of 39 legislators and with the seven apparently joining the ruling front the tally would now be 46. There are already 34 ministers in the coalition Government. The seven, who have formed the Nagaland Congress, included its President Mr Kaito, its General Secretary Mr Wangyukh Konyak besides Mr Tokheho, Mr T R Zeliang, Mr Talinungsang, Mr Dosheho Y Sema and Mr Nyiemli Phom. The members of the newly floated party have already submitted their resignation to Nagaland Legislative Assembly Speaker Kiyanelie, who had accepted their resignation from the Congress. The latest development now leaves the Congress without any MLA from Zunheboto and Phek districts, besides from Peren and Longleng sub-divisions. This is the second split after the February 21 assembly polls. Earlier, the National Democratic Movement (NDM), which had won seven seats had split with three of its members merging with the Nagaland peoples’ front. According to the sources, at the newly formed Nagaland Congress party the decision was taken in a meeting held here yesterday by the seven members along with their party workers after reviewing the overall political and related situation in the State. The meeting appreciated the Dan Government’s approach towards the peace process to secure a peaceful solution to the protracted Naga issue, sources informed adding the meeting also lauded the Centre for extending Rs 365 crore as a peace bonus to boost the economy of the State. The Nagaland Congress has also resolved to work and strive hard for peace and create a conducive atmosphere in the State, besides working for the overall development of the people. The meeting also elected Mr T R Zeliang and Mr Tokheho as leader and Deputy leader of the House, sources informed adding Mr Kaito will be the new Nagaland Congress legislature party leader. Leader of the opposition Congress Mr I Imkong when contacted expressed surprise at this new development and said that he was not aware about such meeting or the members forming the new party. The Congress legislature party will convene a meeting today to review the situation, he added. Former Chief Minister and Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) president S C Jamir commented that he was expecting such a development even before election. He, however, declined to elaborate on what basis he was expecting such a development. It was a part of the gameplan to clean the House of opposition, Mr Jamir opined without mentioning anyone. It was not natural in Nagaland politics, the veteran Congress leader categorically said and added that even with a handful of Congress members, his party will effectively perform the role of a true opposition in the floor of the House. It might be mentioned here that Mr Jamir, a couple of days before had predicted that the Dan Government is set to collapse sooner or later and that he would review matters before deciding whether to topple the rio ministry. (UNI) |
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Badal terms search as "political vendetta" CHANDIGARH, June 28: Former Punjab Chief Minister and SAD president Parkash Singh Badal today said that half of the 16 properties, for which Punjab Vigilance Bureau (PVB) secured search warrants from a Kharar Court yesterday, were not even owned by him or his family members. Talking to reporters following a search of his family’s residence by the PVB sleuths here today, Badal termed the search as "political vendetta" unleashed against him and his family by Capt Amarinder Singh led Congress Government in the State. Badal said that 90 per cent of the ramianing properties were ancestral, including the farm house in Balasar village in Haryana while the rest were duly declared in Income Tax returnes filed over the years. Badal said that Capt Amarinder Singh Government is doing all this (search) as search is considered a bad omen among Punjabis. "Amarinder Singh wants to take political mileage through this political vendetta, but he will be exposed as he will not be able to find anything from the premises", he added. He said that before February 2001 Assembly Election Amarinder Singh had claimed to have proof of his (Badal) possessing assets worth Rs 3,500 crore- 90 per cent of which being abroad. "Even if a single penny’s investment or an inch of land holding abroad is proved I will take political sanyas", Badal said, adding Singh "just wants to humiliate me and my family". Badal said that "he accepted the challenge and will fight it politically and legally. The Government is presenting an exaggerated view before the public just to tarnish my image and also dramatising the entire thing". "If they (Vigilance) want to arrest me they can inform me and I will myself walk down to their office". Badal said that he and his party workers will derive strength from the "vendetta unleashed against me, my family and other sad leaders". Lashing out at the Capt Amarinder Singh Government’s drive against corruption, Badal said that the Chief Minister should first set his own house in order and then talk about wiping out corruption from the State. "There is this recent instance where power was being stolen using `kundi’ connection right under his nose in Patiala...He talks about my properties at America and all that, but first let him set his own house in order," he said. Asked if the timing of the search could have anything to with tomorrow’s Panchayat Elections in Punjab, he said, "yes, this is quite possible. They are trying to distract our attention. Today, a large number of SAD workers arrived at my residence here, but I told them to go back and concentrate on the elections." (PTI) |
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Former CBI dig charged for taking bribe NEW DELHI, Jun 28: Over a decade after he was chargesheeted in a corruption case, a Delhi Court has ordered framing of charges against the then CBI DIG O P Sharma for allegedly having taken bribe from a man on behalf of Jain brothers of the Hawala case fame. Special Judge P K Bhasin has fixed July 1 for framing of charges against Sharma when the Court would ask him whether he would like to plead guilty or prefer trial. The case dates back to June 16, 1991, when CBI allegedly caught him red-handed at his R K Puram residence here accepting illegal gratification of Rs 10 lakh from one L K Kaul who said to have acted on behalf of the Jain brothers -surender and Jitender. Sharma has been charged under section 506 (II) of IPC (criminal intimidation) alongwith section 7 (demading bribe) and section 13 (misuse of official position by a public servant) of Prevention of Corruption Act. He faces a maximum punishment of seven years rigorous imprisonment. In his complaint, Kaul alleged that Sharma had threatened to register a Tada case against his friends Surender and Jitender unless he was paid Rs 30 lakh. According to CBI counsel K N Sharma, the Jain brothers were prime accused in the Hawala case which had rocked the country in the 90s. Kaul alleged he had received Rs 20 lakh from Surender in May 1991 of which he paid Rs 19 lakh to Sharma and retained Rs one lakh with him. Surender stated that in the first week of June 1991, he advanced the balance amount of Rs 10 lakh to Kaul, adding he never wanted to give this money but for the threats from Sharma. Pursuant to Kaul’s complaint that he was threatened by Sharma, CBI laid a trap and arrested the accused. (PTI) Vigilance returns empty-handed from Badal’s mansion CHANDIGARH, June 28: Punjab vigilance sleuths, who raided the premises of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president and former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal here today under protest from the Badal family and sad activists, returned empty-handed with no illegal property or documents recovered. "There is nothing illegal found at House Number 256, Sector 9," stated a document signed by the VB official the copy of which was given to the Badal family after the raids. SAD MLA and Mr Badal’s nephew Manpreet Singh Badal showed the copy of the statement to the scribes at the venue. As soon as the VB sleuths, led by DIG Uppal, came out of the mansion after over five hours of raids, hundreds of SAD activists raised anti-Amarinder Singh Government slogans. Earlier during the day, the SAD activists burnt the effigy of Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh in front of the mansion. The VB team reached the residence of Mr Badal in Sector 9 here this morning and began to take measurement of the building, besides searching the entire premises. SAD MLA Manpreet Singh Badal and a few other acquaintance of the former Chief Minister remained inside the house with the VB sleuths throughout the raids. The agitated SAD activists at the venue were led by SAD Chandigarh unit president Riar and other local leaders. The VB yesterday got search warrants to raid several of the houses of Mr Badal and his family in a case of corruption registered against the SAD leader, his wife Surinder Kaur, son and Rajya Sabha MP Sukhbir Singh Badal, and their associates. The premises for which the search warrants have been given to the vigilance include the House Number 50 in Sector 2, his official residence, his private house in Sector 9, his ancestral house in village Badal of Muktsar district and the official residence of Rajya Sabha MP Sukhbir Singh Badal and two flats in the Punjabi Bagh area of Delhi, the orbit resorts on the outskirts of Delhi, Balasar farm house in Haryana, an old building at the Killianwala village on the Punjab-Haryana border. (UNI) Flood situation worsens in Assam, Bihar, Tripura NEW DELHI, June 28: Flood situation in Assam, Bihar and Tripura have worsened with major rivers inundating large areas following incessant rains since the past two days, reports said today. The Brahmaputra and its major tributaries was raising alarmingly due to heavy rains since yesterday in Assam as the worst-hit Dhemaji district remained cut-off from the rest of the country since June 12 following washing away of roads and railway tracks by raising waters of Jiadhoi river at two places of Bhajugaon and Kekuri. River Jaibhoroli, a major tributary of the Brahmaputra, was flowing above the danger mark and vast areas have been flooded in thickly populated areas of Samdhara, Dikoraijan, Napaam and Borghat. More than 3.5 lakh people have been affected in eight districts of the state in the first wave of floods, reports from Guwahati said. In Bihar, with heavy rains lashing Northern parts of the state, swollen rivers have inundated a large number of villages in Sitamarhi, Madhubani, East Champaran and West Champaran districts. Several rivers in the state, including the Ganga, Sone, Ghaghra, Gandak and Adhvara group were rising at many points along their course. Adhvara group of river was flowing above the danger mark at Kamtual in Madhubabi district, reports from Patna said. Vehicular traffic between Sitamarhi and Muzaffarpur has been affected with swollen Bagmati overtopping the road. Flood water has entered several villages and large tracts of land. At least 150 families were rendered homeless following incessant rains for the past two days in Sabroom sub-division of South Tripura district. Major low-lying areas of Battala, Baishnabpur, Chotkhil, Gangfera and some adjoining areas of the sub-division have been flooded displacing more than 37,000 people of 150 families, reports from Agartala said. (PTI) US rejects Musharraf’s call for mediatiion on Kashmir NEW DELHI, June 28: The United States today rejected Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf’s call to the US to mediate on the Kashmir issue as part of his road map for normalisation of Indo-Pak ties, asserting there will be no third party at the negotiating table. "The decision makers are India and Pakistan, so there will not be a third chair at the table," outgoing US Ambassador to India Robert Blackwill told a television channel. Musharraf’s suggestion for a West Asia type peace roadmap on Kashmir involving US during his visit to Washington has already been rejected by India. The Pakistan President has also outlined a four-stage approach to resolve the issue, saying any search for immediate solution to the problem would be rejected by extremists in both India and Pakistan. He had suggested that India and Pakistan start talking to each other, accepting the centrality of the Kashmir dispute, elimination of whatever was unacceptable to Pakistan and working out a solution that was ‘win-win’ for both countries and the people of Kashmir. Blackwill said "there is no middle path, we are not going to mediate. What we will do is just facilitate the two countries and that is substance, it is not a road map, it is not a game plan and it is not a blueprint", the Sahara Television quoted him as saying in a release. Sharing India’s concerns, the American Envoy said "relations (between India and Pakistan) cannot be normal in the long term until terrorism emanating from Pakistan ends but in the short term, talking is better than not talking at all. Blackwill said the US was working on ending terrorism against India virtually every day. "We are not going to leave this problem and we will continue to work on it and eventually defeat it while working with India and other countries". On why the US wanted Indian peace keeping forces in Iraq, he said India had a very professional army and it was one of the most-experienced armies in peace-keeping. "The ties between Iraq and India are historical and go back to thousands of years. Also the people of Iraq have faith in India and if the Indian Government agreed to send its peace keeping forces to Iraq it would be a great contribution in moving that country towards democracy," he said. Even if the Indian forces were not sent to Iraq, it would have no adverse fallout on Indo-US relations, he said. On the just-concluded visit to China by Vajpayee, Blakwill said the US belived that the better the relations between India and China, the better it was for his country. "There is no power rivalry and the US applauds good relations amongst all the powers," he said. Blakwill denied that the US had intensions of setting up bases in India. "Rumours on this crop up time and again but that is never going to happen," he added. (PTI) Former CBI dig charged for taking bribe NEW DELHI, Jun 28: Over a decade after he was chargesheeted in a corruption case, a Delhi Court has ordered framing of charges against the then CBI DIG O P Sharma for allegedly having taken bribe from a man on behalf of Jain brothers of the Hawala case fame. Special Judge P K Bhasin has fixed July 1 for framing of charges against Sharma when the Court would ask him whether he would like to plead guilty or prefer trial. The case dates back to June 16, 1991, when CBI allegedly caught him red-handed at his R K Puram residence here accepting illegal gratification of Rs 10 lakh from one L K Kaul who said to have acted on behalf of the Jain brothers -surender and Jitender. Sharma has been charged under section 506 (II) of IPC (criminal intimidation) alongwith section 7 (demading bribe) and section 13 (misuse of official position by a public servant) of Prevention of Corruption Act. He faces a maximum punishment of seven years rigorous imprisonment. In his complaint, Kaul alleged that Sharma had threatened to register a Tada case against his friends Surender and Jitender unless he was paid Rs 30 lakh. According to CBI counsel K N Sharma, the Jain brothers were prime accused in the Hawala case which had rocked the country in the 90s. Kaul alleged he had received Rs 20 lakh from Surender in May 1991 of which he paid Rs 19 lakh to Sharma and retained Rs one lakh with him. Surender stated that in the first week of June 1991, he advanced the balance amount of Rs 10 lakh to Kaul, adding he never wanted to give this money but for the threats from Sharma. Pursuant to Kaul’s complaint that he was threatened by Sharma, CBI laid a trap and arrested the accused. (PTI) |
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