Mufti hopeful on opening of Muzaffarabad road
J&K poised for accelerated development: CM

Excelsior Special Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Dec 25: Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed has said that Jammu and Kashmir is poised for an accelerated development in the years to come and Rs 18000 crore central projects would generate rapid economic activity in the State and change its development profile.

In an informal chat with a group of visiting media persons from New Delhi today, he said that central projects under the Prime Minister’s economic package for the State announced last month would create employment avenues besides raising mega hydel power projects, the royalty of which would accrue to J&K. He said he has emphasized on employment of local skilled and unskilled labour in these projects and has been assured that this would be done.

The Chief Minister said that the Indus Water Treaty between India and Pakistan has put the State of Jammu and Kashmir to major disadvantage. He said under the treaty the State could not build dams or store water of its rivers for construction of power projects that have to be run-of-the-river schemes.

"Ever since the signing of the treaty in 1960s the State has suffered massive losses for not being able to fully exploit its hydel potential. The Government has asked for compensation of the losses and demanded transfer of NHPC power projects like the Salal Hydel project to the State as the Corporation has more than covered the cost of the project over the years," he added.

Mufti Sayeed said the Kishenganga hydel project to be taken up in border area of Gurez in north Kashmir would be an exception, as it does not come within the purview of the Indus Water Treaty. The project would be constructed on a tributary of River Jhelum and not on the river itself which is one of the five rivers of the State the right over whose waters has been conceded to Pakistan under the treaty. It would be the first mega power project for which a dam would be built, he added.

The Chief Minister said that his Government has accorded top priority to ensuring development of the State. He said during the last two years since the coalition government is in office, Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed unprecedented development activity, covering for the first time even the remotest areas of the State. He said infrastructure development is in special focus and apart from Prime Minister’s package and normal state plan, institutional funding has also been arranged.

He added the Asian Development Bank has sanctioned $250 million for infrastructure building and the money so available would usher the State in a new phase of reconstruction. He said the Prime Minister’s package also includes assistance of Rs. 6000 crore for development schemes and the money has to be spent in a span of four years. He said new colleges and polytechnics would be set up and tourist villages and model villages developed. He said every block would have one model village to transform the rural scenario in the State.

Making a special mention of the promotion of tourism, the core sector of state’s economy, the Chief Minister said steps taken in this sphere have revived tourism in Jammu and Kashmir. He said during the last summer Kashmir valley witnessed such a rush of tourists that the infrastructure fell short of actual requirement. He said many tourists fanned out in villages to get accommodation.

He said pilgrim tourism is also on the rise adding that Amarnath and Vaishnodevi shrines in the State had a record number of pilgrims at 4 lakhs and 50 lakhs, respectively this year. He said Kashmir is again becoming hub of the tourist activity and a round-the-year destination. He said for the last two years the Valley gets a substantial number of tourists during the winter also and reiterated his resolve to make Kashmir the world’s No.1 destination.

In reply to a question on the proposed opening of the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road and its impact on the situation, the Chief Minister said that he considers the opening of the road as the single biggest normalising factor in the Indo-Pak relations. He said it would change the misperceptions of the people of Pakistan about the situation in Kashmir. He said despite initial difficulty he was confident that the road would be opened and people on either side allowed to travel between Srinagar and Muzaffarabad.

The Chief Minister said the situation in Jammu and Kashmir has considerably improved and people are feeling greater sense of security. He said the prominence given to isolated incidents of violence some times give people of the country the feeling that situation is bad here while the fact is the reverse of it. He cited the instance of the fidayee attack is Srinagar on the day of the Prime Minister’s rally last month and said while the media highlighted the incident throughout the day, the fact that thousands of people had come to listen to the Prime Minister from far and wide of the Valley was lost sight of. He said as more and more people come to Kashmir they return with positive feelings. "I have met lot of people who came here with a different perception and left with altogether opposite one and a commitment to come again", he said.

Pandits will themselve choose reverse of migration: Mangat

NEW DELHI, Dec 25 : Amid fears that Kashmiri Pandits might be "compelled" to return to the Valley, Jammu and Kashmir Government today assured the community that they themselves would choose the timing of reverse migration.

"You will go back only when you are ready mentally. There is no reason for compelling you to return as it can backfire," Deputy Chief Minister Mangat Ram Sharma said addressing the `international conference’ organised by Kashmiri Samiti, an organisation of Kashmiri Pandits.

He said representation of Kashmiri Pandits in State Government was "almost negligible" as "adequate" number of youth from the community had not been recruited after 1990 and added that this situation need to be corrected.

Describing as "unfortunate" the fact that Pandits had to live as refugees in their own country, he said the "atmosphere has changed to a large extent".

"You will go back only when you feel that you can live in the Valley safely, with honour and dignity. In that situation, you will go on your own and there will be no need for anyone to tell you anything," he said responding to fears expressed by Kashmir Samiti president Sunil Shakdher and some other leaders of the community.

He, however, said if anybody wanted to go back at individual level, the Government would help him in acquiring land and provide monetary support.

Common Muslims of the Valley want Pandits to be back, he said but noted that some fundamentalists were opposed to it.

Referring to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s announcement for construction of two-room tenements for Pandit migrants in Jammu, Sharma said it is a priority area.

The conference, attended by leaders of Panun Kashmir, Panun Kashmir Movement, All India Kashmiri Samaj, J and K Kashmiri Pandit Conference and some groups based abroad besides Kashmiri Samiti, adopted a declaration which opposed grant of autonomy to the State under the "garb of Kashmiriyat".

It also demanded creation of separate homeland for Hindus in Kashmir to be administered directly by the Central Government.

"The international conference cautions the Central Government against any mis-step and any compromise with the Muslim Jehad in the name of the so-called `peace process’," it said.

The conference affirmed to fight against any attempts aimed at reaching a "settlement with Jehad or Pakistan which involves dilution of the Indian sovereignty in the State."

The international conference believes that the dilution of the Indian sovereignty in the State in the name of autonomy, porous borders, international protectorate, demilitarisation of the Line of Control, etc will lead to the second partition of India," the declaration said. (PTI)

India-Pak Foreign Secretaries to hold informal talks today

ISLAMABAD, Dec 25: Foreign Secretaries of India and Pakistan are scheduled to hold informal talks here tomorrow a day ahead of the second round of Indo-Pak composite dialogue process, even as Islamabad said it would continue the dialogue with India on equal footing to resolve all outstanding issues including Kashmir.

Indian Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran, who arrived in Peshawar today to take part in the two-day second round beginning from Monday would informally begin talks with his Pakistan counterpart Riaz Khokhar over dinner here tomorrow.

The two Foreign Secretaries will discuss the contours of their talks covering a broad agenda, officials here said.

Ahead of the talks, Pakistan Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri said that Pakistan would continue the dialogue process with India to resolve all bilateral issues including Kashmir issue even while adhering to its principled stance on Kashmir.

Pakistan wants the dialogue to be held on equal footing, local Geo TV quoted Kasuri as telling the media at Changa Manga in Pakistan.

He said that Pakistan and India had fought big wars in the past and realised that such an approach has not yielded any results and decided to bring back the bilateral relations to normal track.

Kasuri hoped that Monday’s Foreign Secretary-level talks would make some progress on the crucial issues.

Saran, along with Indian High Commissioner Shivshankar Menon and other Indian officials would be spending tonight and tomorrow in Peshawar, the capital of North-West Frontier Province (NWFP).

The Indian Foreign Secretary would visit Peshawar museum and the Pakistan-Afghanistan border at Torkham and some other historic places there before travelling to Islamabad by road in the afternoon.

On Monday, Saran and Khokhar would discuss Kashmir, peace and security and CBMs and fix a calendar for officials level talks on other outstanding issues like Siachen and Sir Creek. Saran is scheduled to leave for home on Dec 29.

Before crossing the Wagah border to go to Pakistan by road, Saran told reporters today that the main focus of his talks with Khohkar would be "to build mutual trust in nuclear and conventional fields and to counter narcotics trafficking."

"We have already narrowed down differences on issues like visa relaxations, which has already produced good results," Saran said.

On his arrival, Saran and his official delegation was received by Pakistans protocol officials, Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan Shivshankar Menon and Deputy High Commissioner T.C.A.Raghavan.

Besides the contentious issues listed in the composite dialogue process, the two officials were expected to discuss issues like resolving differences over documents to be carried by passengers of the proposed Srinagar-Muzafarabad bus service to connect the two sides of the Kashmir and Hydro electric project being built by India on the Chenab river at Baglihar in Jammu and Kashmir. (PTI)

J&K more free than PoK: US Survey

WASHINGTON, Dec 25: Disputing Pakistan’s claims of Indian oppression in Jammu and Kashmir, a survey by a US think tank has said the State has a greater degree of freedom than Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

The ‘freedom of the world report 2005’ has classified PoK as "not free" as compared to "partly free" status for Jammu and Kashmir. The pronouncement by the think tank Freedom House challenges Pakistan’s charges of oppression by India in Jammu and Kashmir and its calls for "self-determination" for the State.

The annual survey, released earlier this week, ranks countries on the basis of political rights and civil liberties. India, with a ranking of 2.5 is the only country in south Asia that is classified as "free".

Disputing claims of democracy by military-ruled Pakistan, the survey lists Pakistan, with a ranking of 5.5, as "not free," suggesting that its status is worse than India’s "partly free" Jammu and Kashmir.

Other south Asian states — Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal —all rate better than Pakistan with their "partly free" status.

Expectedly, most western Europe states and the United States top the freedom chart with a ranking of 1. India has been ranked along with Brazil, Philippines and Thailand below Greece, Japan, South Africa, Taiwan, South Korea and Israel among others.

In an assessment of territories classified as "disputed", only northern Turkish Cyprus has been rated "free." Jammu and Kashmir, along with Nagorno-Karabakh (disputed between Armenia and Azarbaijan), is rated "partly free." PoK, Tibet, Israeli-occupied Territories, Palestinian-occupied Territories, Chechnya and Kosovo are considered "not free."

The report says 89 countries are "free" and their 2.8 billion inhabitants (44 per cent of the world’s population) enjoy a broad range of rights. There are 54 countries under the "partly free" category, representing 1.2 billion people (19 per cent), where political rights and civil liberties are more limited and corruption, dominant ruling parties or ethnic or religious strife are often the norm.

Labelling 49 countries "not free", the survey says the 2.4 billion inhabitants (37 per cent) of these countries, nearly three-fifths of whom live in China, are denied most basic political rights and civil liberties. Among the worst rated countries are Burma, Cuba, Libya, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Sudan and Turkmenistan.

The ratings reflect global events from December 1, 2003 through November 30, 2004. Country narratives will be released in book form in spring 2005.

Since 1978, Freedom House has published freedom in the world, an annual comparative assessment of the state of political rights and civil liberties in 192 countries and 14 related and disputed territories.

Founded over 60 years ago by Eleanor Roosevelt, Wendell Willkie, and other Americans concerned with the mounting threats to peace and democracy, Freedom House has been a vigorous proponent of democratic values and a steadfast opponent of dictatorships.

It is a non-profit, nonpartisan organisation that conducts an array of US and overseas research, advocacy, education, and training initiatives that promote human rights, democracy, free market economics, the rule of law, independent media, and US engagement in international affairs. (UNI)

Elect honest persons to local bodies: Baig

Excelsior Special Correspondent

BARAMULLA, Dec 25: Minister for Finance & Planning, Muzaffar Hussain Baig has asked the people to elect only honest, responsible and dedicated representatives, who are sensitive to their problems, to the Local Bodies and Panchayat in the upcoming elections. He said these elections have provided a golden opportunity to the people to get involved in the development process and ensure proper utilization of funds and strict monitoring of works.

Addressing the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) district convention here yesterday, Mr Baig said right from the day Coalition Government assumed office, our belief is that we have not been endowed with power but with responsibility and accountability. "Through these elections, the present Government wants to share its responsibility with the common people by involving them in the decision-making," he said adding that only honest and dedicated representatives can perform this duty with a sense of responsibility.

Mr Baig said active participation of people in these elections would not only ensure their involvement in the development process but would also strengthen the monitoring process as the representatives elected by the people would have greater say in the implementation and execution of the Government’s developmental programs at the grass-root level. He said this would also facilitate the Government’s resolve to root out the menace of corruption through greater vigilance by the people.

He said for the past two years, the Coalition Government has been striving hard to pull the State out of the political and economic mess. He said while on the political front positive signals are emanating from both New Delhi and Islamabad for finding a permanent solution to the vexed Kashmir issue, the Coalition Government has, on the internal front, put into place a futuristic economic program for the holistic development of the State.

Mr Baig said not only the political leadership of India and Pakistan, but the people of both the countries as well have understood the futility of carrying with the agenda of hatred and this realization has led to building of new bonds of friendship between the two people. He said the most heartening part of this new bonhomie is that the youth on both sides are actively involving themselves in this process. "The Punjab games held in Patiala recently provided an opportunity to the Punjabi youth on both the sides to mix up with each other like brothers and sisters," he said adding the time is not far away when such events could be organized between two sides of Kashmir.

He said the gun-wielding youth must realize that in the new world order there is no concept of geographical boundaries as the economic compulsions are forcing the countries across the globe to come together crossing over all the geographical barriers. "And I say with confidence that time is fast approaching when people in India and Pakistan would themselves trample under their feet the lines of hatred dividing the two countries," he said adding that Kashmiris can play a vital role in this process paving way for not only the establishment of long lasting peace in the region but also opening up new economic opportunities for themselves across the globe. He said the proposal for opening of Srinagar-Muzaffarabad and Suchetgarh-Sialkote roads is just the beginning of a new scenario emerging in the sub-continent.

On the development front, the Minister said massive infrastructure upgradation would take place in various critical sectors including road communication, drinking water, education, power, health, drainage and social services in the next four years. He said in addition to the average annual plan allocation of Rs 2200 crore capital head, around Rs 8,000 crore are being spent for infrastructure upgradation in these sectors creating massive infrastructure.

He asked the PDP workers to remain in touch with the common people and bring their grievances and problems into the notice of the Government functionaries for immediate redressel. He said despite their strenuous efforts, the Ministers can’t reach out to people every day, so it is the duty of the political workers to highlight their grievances at the appropriate forums.

Senior PDP leaders including Nizam-ud-Din Bhat and Wajahat Qureshi also addressed the convention.

Pope says entire globe yearning for peace

VATICAN CITY, Dec 25: Pope John Paul told the world in his Christmas message today that people were yearning for peace everywhere around the globe and expressed particular concern for Iraq, the West Asia and Africa.

"Everywhere peace is needed" he said in his "Urbi Et Orbi" (to the city and world) message, which he read with some difficulty.

The message was heard by thousands of people under umbrellas in a rainy St Peter’s Square and watched by tens of millions of others on live television in more than 70 countries, including several predominantly Muslim nations.

The 84-year-old Pope’s message was the shortest it has ever been in his 27 Christmas seasons as pontiff — a concession to the Parkinson’s disease that makes it difficult for him to speak more than a few sentences at a time.

"You, prince of true peace, help us to understand that the only way to build peace is to flee in horror from evil, and to pursue goodness with courage and perseverance," he said, reading his message in Italian from the steps of St Peter’s Basilica.

"Men and women of good will, of every people on the earth, come with trust to the crib of the saviour," he said in the message, about half as long as it has been in previous years. Showing the signs of his illness and the weight of his office, the leader of the world’s 1 billion Roman Catholics said the globe was marked by violence and despair in many places.

"Before the crib where you lie helpless, let there be an end to the spread of violence in its many forms, the source of untold suffering," he said, wearing gold-coloured vestments and having difficulty pronouncing some of the words. "Let there be an end to the numerous situations of unrest which risk degenerating into open conflict let there arise a firm will to seek peaceful solutions, respectful of the legitimate aspirations of individuals and peoples."

He asked the infant Jesus to encourage attempts to promote dialogue and reconciliation and to sustain peace efforts.

"I think of Africa, of the tragedy of Darfur in Sudan, of the Ivory Coast and the great lakes region. With great apprehension I follow the situation in Iraq. And how can I fail to look with anxious concern, but also invincible confidence, towards that land of which you are a son?" he said.

It was the second event for the weak Pope in less than 12 hours.

At his midnight mass in St Peter’s Basilica, he read a brief sermon in which he said the troubled world needed the message of Jesus more than ever.

No longer able to walk, he sat slightly bent on his wheeled throne at the midnight mass and appeared very pensive at times.

During the solemn mass, attended by representatives of some 150 Governments, he also read a prayer so that "peace, announced by the angels on this holy night is enjoyed by all the humanity that god loves".

In the run-up to the holiday season, the Pope and the church urged the faithful to keep Christ in Christmas and to shun the rampant materialism that has gripped Italy and other wealthy countries.

Several times in past weeks the Pope praised the significance of the traditional nativity scene, which some Italian schools discontinued so as not to offend a growing Muslim population.

It has been a long and tiring year for the Pope, although his illness appears to have stabilised in the past few months. Earlier this week he told aides he would need their help more than ever to run the church.

"As the years pass, I feel more than ever the need for the help of god and the help of men," he told them in Christmas greetings on Tuesday. (AGENCIES)

Rao consigned to flames with full military honours

HYDERABAD, Dec 25: Amidst chanting of vedic hymns, the body of former Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao was consigned to flames today with full military honours on the banks of Hussainsagar lake here as thousands of mourners bid an emotional farwell to the son of the soil who made it to the highest political office in the country.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who was initiated into politics by Rao and was his Finance Minister to steer liberalisation in the last decade, attended the funeral along with his wife Gursharan Kaur.

Rao’s eldest son P V Ranga Rao lit the pyre with his brothers Rajeshwar and Prabhakar by his side as men of the Gorkha Regiment sounded the last post and a 21 gun salute was fired marking the solemn occasion.

A large number of mourners, including villagers from his home town Vangara in Karimnagar district, gathered to have the last glimpse of the Telugu ‘Bidda’ (son) who was the first from the south to become Prime Minister. The cremation site is to be converted into a memorial.

Defence Minister Pranab Muk-herjee, who had a special equation with Rao, Finance Minister P Chidambaram, Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s representatives Motilal Vohra and Ashok Ghelot, Andhra Pradesh Governor Sushil Kumar Shinde and Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhar Reddy were among those who attended the last rites.

Leader of the opposition in Lok Sabha L K Advani, former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda, TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu, BJP leader M Venkaiah Naidu were among the galaxy of non-Congress leaders present on the occasion.

Union Ministers S Jaipal Reddy, Prithviraj Chavan, Uttranchal Chief Minister N D Tiwari, Karnataka Chief Minister Dharam Singh, Maharashtra Governor S M Krishna and Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh and Andhra Pradesh ministers and Congress leaders were also present at the cremation.

Earlier the body was kept in state at the jubilee hall where leaders and commoners paid their homage. The Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister placed a tri colour on the body before it was kept on a flower bedecked military gun carriage before being taken to the Necklace Road encircling the lake.

The Prime Minister and other leaders placed flowers on the body of Rao before the pyre was lit. Former Army Chief and J and K Governor K V Krishnarao and former Election Commissioner G V G Krishnamurthy were among those who paid their last respect.

Before the funeral procession began on its short journey, ‘Pitru Yagna’ was performed by his family members that included Rao’s five sisters and two brothers, his three sons and five daughters and grand children.

At the jubilee hall a group of villagers from Vangara raised slogans "Vangara Muddu Bidda Amar Rahe (long live the lovely son of Vangara).

The State Cabinet yesterday cleared the proposal for 2.9 acre site on the banks of the lake for the cremation and to erect a memorial for Rao later. (PTI)

3 killed in Gulmarg mishap

SRINAGAR, Dec 25 : Three tourists from Maharashtra were killed and as many wounded in a road accident at Gulmarg, about 50 km from here, in north Kashmir today.

Official sources said a vehicle carrying tourists was on way back to Srinagar when it skidded off the road and fell into a deep gorge at zig.

Sources said three tourists died on the spot while three others besides the driver, were injured.

The injured have been admitted to hospital. (UNI)

18 killed in Pak road accident

ISLAMABAD, Dec 25: At least 18 people, including women and children, were killed and 39 injured when a speeding passenger bus plunged into a ravine in Pakistan’s eastern Punjab province early today.

The bus heading to the Garrison city of Rawalpindi from Lahore, the capital of Punjab province, fell down in the Ravine near Jhelum, 100 kms southeast of Islamabad, state-run PTV reported.

The accident killed 18 people, including two women and two minor girls, and injured 39. Four of the injured are stated to be in critical condition.

Witnesses said the bus skidded off the road while taking a turn.

Most of the passengers were returning to their home towns from their work places to spend two days of holidays with their families.

The wounded were admitted to local hospitals while some seriously injured were shifted to Rawalpindi.

Seven people, including four young boys, were killed when a minibus they were travelling in collided with another bus on a narrow road near Liaya, a town in eastern Punjab province, said Mirza Ramzan, an area police officer. He gave no other details.

Earlier this month, a minibus fell into a ravine in a remote mountainous region in northwestern Pakistan, leaving nine people dead and eight others injured. (PTI)

TuM chief commander arrested

Excelsior Special Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Dec 25: A "chief commander" of Tehreek-ul-Mujahideen was captured at Natipora on outskirts of the capital city today by security forces and police.

He has been identified as Mohd Shaffi Dar alias Abdullah.

Official sources said the TuM chief was apprehended alive in a joint search operation by security forces and police.

He was operating as TuM chief for last two years.

Two AK-56 rifles and one Thoraya satellite telephone were recovered from his possession, the sources said.

Patil hails martyrs’ sacrifice

FATEHGARH SAHIB (Punjab), Dec 25 : A sea of devotees from various parts of Punjab and abroad gathered here today to commemorate the martyrdom of the two sons and mother of Tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh, with Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil hailing their sacrifice as a source of inspiration for the generations to come.

"The real tribute to them will be to imbibe the spirit of tolerance, compassion, love and communal harmony," Patil said at a function on the second day of the three-day `Shaheedi jor mela’ to mark the third centenary of the martyrdom of young Sahibzadas Baba Zorawar Singh, Baba Fateh Singh and the Guru’s mother Mata Gujri Ji.

Patil said the Guru Granth Sahib was a unique holy scripture that had included the messages of many saints irrespective of their caste or creed and propagated "the oneness of God, ethos of secularism and sense of equality."

He assured the State Government of any financial help to establish a suitable memorial for the Sahibzadas.

Speaking at the same platform, Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh targeted the Akalis, alleging they had always promoted their "own vested and narrow interests" rather than fulfiling the aspirations of the Sikhs.

Deputy Chief Minister Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, who was also present, accused the Akalis of mixing religion with politics.

Congress general secretary Ambika Soni paid homage and harped on emulating the life and philosophy of great martyrs.

Amarinder Singh along with Patil and Soni later paid obeisance at the sanctum sanctorum of Gurudwara Fatehgarh Sahib. Head Granthi of the Gurudwara Giani Baldev Singh presented siropas to them.

At the ‘Shardhanjli Samaroh’, Amarinder Singh announced that a super-speciality hospital for children would be set up here as a tribute to the young Sahibzadas.

The hospital would be equipped with state-of-the-art technology with qualified and experienced physicians, surgeons and consultants to provide the best treatment to children.

Singh said a sports centre for the children in the memory of two other Sahibzadas of the Guru, Baba Ajit Singh and Baba Jujhar Singh, would be established at Chamkaur Sahib.

At a separate function here to commemorate the occasion, SGPC president Bibi Jagir Kaur and SAD president Parkash Singh Badal urged the people, especially the younger generation, to follow the teachings of the Gurus.

Former Rajasthan Governor Madan Lal Khurana, former Union Minister Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa and SAD general secretary Capt Kanwaljit Singh was also present. (PTI)

Ambani brothers hold counsel with mother

NEW DELHI, Dec 25 : Warring Ambani brothers Mukesh and Anil have had separate meetings in the last two days with mother Kokilaben, whom both had made arbiter in their dispute over the control of Rs 90,000 crore Reliance Group, ahead of the crucial Board meeting of the flagship Reliance Industries.

There is no word so far from Kokilaben, while both the brothers have had said through aides and spokesmen that they would abide by whatever mother decided on the issue.

It is understood that some proposals from other members of Ambani clan and family friends are doing rounds, but both the camps are tightlipped.

The efforts to break the imbroglio over the ownership issues, which Mukesh had earlier claimed had been settled during the RIL’s founder chairman Dhirubhai, precede the Board meeting of the flagship company on Monday at Mumbai in a bid to avert flaring up of the issues.

Asked if there was a proposal to handover the control of Infocomm to Anil, sources in RIL, headed by Mukesh and RCIL, the holding company of the communication venture, expressed ignorance.

Ever since Mukesh gave up his 12 per cent sweat equity in Reliance Infocomm, estimated to value between Rs 5000 crore to Rs 7,000 crore, in a surprise announcement on Thursday, there were speculations that elder Ambani was willing to rescind his control over the communication venture in favour of Anil.

Asked about reports that Income Tax Department had sent queries to the company on the sweat equity given to Mukesh, which he annuled two days ago, an RCIL spokesperson said it was "a wild allegation from vested interests. There is no truth in it."

Before RCIL announcement of accepting the request of Mukesh seeking annulment of the transactions on sweat equity of 12 per cent to him, Anil Ambani had sent a communication to RIL Board members demanding a discussion on the changes in the equity pattern in Infocomm and over Rs 12,000 crore investment of flagship company in it.

A few days after the feud between the two brothers became public during the third week of last month, sources had said that Mukesh was willing to offer some of the group companies to Anil but not in RIL. However, Anil’s camp had said immediately thereafter that there would be no compromise on the flagship company. (PTI)

 
 
 
 
 

 

 

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