Kashmir a show window of secularism: Mufti

Excelsior Special Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Oct 28: Describing Kashmir as the show window of Indian secularism, Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed today said that it was the cherished dream of national leaders like Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru to make Kashmir as the emblem of unity in diversity.

Inaugurating the 5th Roundtable Conference of Ministers and Secretaries of States on Panchayati Raj here this morning Mufti Sayeed, however, regretted the failure of politicians in keeping up with the cherished dreams of national leaders resulting in alienation of people.

Mufti Sayeed said the turnaround in the situation in Jammu and Kashmir was visible. He said when he took over the reigns of administration in the State he gave categorical instructions to the police and security forces that violation of human rights would not be tolerated and they would have to be responsive to the emerging situations. The turnaround has brought a positive change in Kashmir and this season witnessed the record arrival of around three lakh tourists and more than four lakh pilgrims on the Amarnath Yatra to the Valley. He said the sporadic incidents of violence by the enemies won’t change the determination of the people of the state who had vowed for peace with dignity.

Referring to process of reconciliation between India and Pakistan, the Chief Minister said the dialogue with Pakistan has to be carried on with a positive mindset and the internal dimension of the problem should be addressed to with an equal importance.

Referring to the development of Panchayati Raj in the State, Mufti Sayeed described Panchayats as the instruments to reach the have not’s and people below poverty line. Reminding the famous maxim-India lives in villages-Mufti Sayeed asked the participant delegates to think of measures by which the community participation is ensured in the developmental activities of the Panchayats.

Asking for making Panchayats more powerful, the Chief Minister said these are the institutions which take the democratisation of the country to the grassroot levels. He said by providing adequate funds and powers Panchayats are beneficial in addressing the alienation of the people.

In his presidential remarks Union Minister for Petroleum and Panchayati Raj Mani Shanker Aiyar said the aim of these roundtables was to deliberate upon the future course of action to be adopted on the implementation of Panchayati Raj in the country. He said the people of the country need to be told about this through their respective assemblies.

Detailing the efforts of his ministry in this regard, Mr. Aiyer said the activity mapping of all Panchayats whereby the prioritisation of works to be taken up by the respective Panchayats has been undertaken and in this connection he said the technical assistance is available to the State governments. He said in about one lakh Panchayats power production units are being established which would not only suffice the local needs but also be able to sell the surplus to State Electricity Boards. The raw material to be used by such plants, he added, would be the waste material coming out of the daily livelihood. He specifically offered to visit the J&K state again to see the process on the ground.

Mr. Aiyer said the delegation of functions, functionaries and finances to the Panchayats would usher in a new beginning in the working of Panchayats in the country. Referring to his Principle of Subsidiary in which the allocation of functions to the Panchayats is undertaken, he said the focus of development should now come from the needy villages and not transcend down from the power corridors of New Delhi.

Earlier in his address, the Deputy Chief Minister Pt. Mangat Ram Sharma said the aim of convening such conferences was to evolve a unified mechanism for the implementation of Panchayati Raj. He said the Common Minimum Programme of the present coalition Government has given a thrust to the establishment of Panchayat Raj institutions in the State.

In his welcome address Minister for Rural Development Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed said Panchayati Raj was the dream of Mahatma Gandhi and late Rajiv Gandhi. He said the State Government has so far transferred works pertaining to 18 departmental schemes to Panchayats and the functional Panchayats in the State have been duly funded. Mufti Sayeed said the Government is keen on conducting the elections to these institutions and very soon the process would be set on. He said women, SC’s/ST’s would be given appropriate representation in these bodies and hoped that the union Panchayati Raj ministry would not only provide adequate funds but also render the necessary technical advice to the State as well.

Civilian injured in Rajouri
Pak militant gunned down in Poonch

Excelsior Special Correspondent

JAMMU, Oct 28: A Pakistani militant was gunned down by the Army and police at village Chandyal falling between Manjakote and Gursai in Poonch district this morning while a civilian was seriously injured in a militant attack in Darhal last night.

The Border Security Force (BSF) arrested a suspected militant in Gool and restored an old Pakistan national to Rangers about 10 days after his arrest in Samba sector.

Official sources said troops of 38 Rashtriya Rifles, assisted by Manjakote police, carried out a search operation at village Morha Chandyal under the jurisdiction of Gursai police station, falling on Manjakote-Gursai border, early this morning.

A Pakistani militant Tariq Khan of Karachi, an activist of Al Badr outfit was gunned down in the encounter. One AK-56 rifle, four magazines, 95 rounds and one pouch were recovered from the slain militant.

Security forces didn’t suffer any casualties in the operation.

Sources said two militants entered in the house of Mohd Iqbal at Topa, Darhal in Rajouri district late last night and kidnapped his son Abdul Kaif, 25.

The militants whisked away Kaif to a field where he was subjected to severe thrashing. His both legs were fractured in the attack. The militants escaped leaving the victim in field.

A police party shifted the victim to district hospital Rajouri this morning from where he was referred to the Medical College hospital here. His condition was stated to be serious.

An Over Ground Worker (OGW) of the militants was today arrested by the jawans of BSF’s 30 battalion at village Basht in Gool area of Ramban police district.

Identified as Haji Mohd Yusuf son of Jamaal Din, a resident of Kasoor, Mantalai in Udhampur district, the suspect was arrested when he was moving under mysterious circumstances outside the BSF post.

From his possession, the BSF jawans recovered five detonators, five meters safety fuse, used in making IEDs and one kg charas.

Meanwhile, in a goodwill gesture, BSF today handed over a 70 year old Pakistani national Ahmed Din son of Mohamada R/o Topa, Shakargarh in Narowal district of Pakistan, to Pakistan Rangers.

He was arrested in Samba sector on October 18 when he crossed over to the Indian side due to mistake. Rs 11 in Pakistan currency were recovered from him at the time of arrest.

He was handed over to the Rangers at 11 am at Benglard post in Samba sector by the BSF officers and jawans of 93rd battatlion, the sources said, adding five cattle, which had strayed into the Indian territory, were also restored to the Rangers.

80 more influential doctors to be detached

Excelsior Special Correspondent

JAMMU, Oct 28: Continuing her efforts to streamline health facilities in the far-flung and neglected areas, the Health and Medical Education Minister, Suman Lata Bhagat has directed her department to detach as many as 80 more ‘influential’ doctors, who have been working in the urban areas against the post of peripheries.

Detachment order, comprising of 20 doctors from Jammu and 60 from Kashmir province, is likely to be issued in the first week of the next month after opening of Darbar in Jammu. Health Minister has already detached 101 influential doctors this month.

Sources of the Health Department told the Excelsior that the Department had collected data of more than 124 doctors, who have been working in the city and adjoining areas on the unsanctioned posts but detachment order of only 101 doctors were issued due to non-availability of proper information of remaining doctors.

"Now, we have collected all information of the remaining doctors after intense exercise and their detachment orders will be issued very soon", sources said, adding, "list of these doctors has been already prepared and will be issued as early as possible".

Sources said that issuance of the detachment order of some of these remaining doctors was not in the competence of the Director Health Services so it was decided to issue this order from the Secretariat. "The department want to detach some more doctors who have been working in Government Medical College against unsanctioned posts", sources said and added as many as 42 doctors have been working in Government Medical College against unsanctioned posts. "The Health Department has been seeking legal opinion to detach these doctors also", sources said.

Sources said that Health Department has collected data of all vacant posts of doctors in the far-flung areas of Kashmir province. "A good number of influential medicos have been already detached in the Kashmir province", sources said, adding, "remaining doctors, which number about 60, will also be detached very soon".

As reported earlier, the Health Department, according to Govt Order number 428 of HME of 2004, has already detached 101 ‘influential’ doctors this month.

As these doctors have ‘approach’ and ‘links’ with politicians and influential people, the Director Health Services, Jammu Dr Kailash Kohli had filed a caveat in the High Court before serving the order to these doctors. Majority of those detached doctors were working in and around city against unsanctioned posts.

It is worthwhile to mention here that Health and Medical Education Minister Suman Bhagat has decided to streamline health facilities in the far-flung and backward areas. She has given strict directions to her department to take all possible efforts in this regard.

Mehbooba objects to Abdullahs’ plea to
PM on security cover

NEW DELHI, Oct 28: Angered over the reports of the Centre summoning Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed following the assassination attempts on top National Conference leadership, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti today accused the main opposition party of politicising the issue, saying even her party colleagues were being regularly targetted by militants.

"It is wrong to blame the state Government for the attack while leaders of all shades of opinion have fallen prey to the bullets of the militants," Ms Mufti said here.

She took strong objection to NC patron and former Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah and his son and party president Omar Abdullah’s appeal to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to ensure their safety in view of the "near fatal" landmine blast in a south Kashmir village on October 24.

The blame-game is not going to help any political party, she said, adding the NC had no political issue to present before the people and the humiliating defeat of its candidates in the October 13 by-elections to four Assembly seats demonstrated that the party had lost credibility in the State.

"It is now using the recent attack to seek sympathies of the people. Me and my party’s senior ministers, including Muzaffar Hussain Baig and Ghulam Hassan Mir were targetted by the militants. Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed had a close shave with death at a rally in Badgam district this year. One of our MLAs was shot dead," Ms Mufti said.

Media reports had suggested that the Centre had summoned Mr Sayeed for consultations on revamping of security cover of Dr Abdaullah and his son after they pleaded before the Prime Minister that the state Government was out to "banish them".

"The allegations are baseless and irresponsible. What is new in this attack. More than two dozen top political leaders, including Hurriyat’s Abdul Ghani Lone, Shia cleric Aga Syed Mehdi and even Ministers were killed during the NC regime. I and my father were targetted and our house was attacked several times during that period. But, we never complained," Ms Mufti said.

She said Dr Abdullah and his son have Z category security cover. "what else can we provide?" she asked.

Immediately after the attack on him at Sarnal where he had gone to offer "fateha (prayers)" to former state Minister Safdar Ali Beg who was killed by unidentified gunmen near his house on October 21, the NC chief had said, ‘NC smell a conspiracy as the jammer vehicle provided by the authorities could not stop the IED blast and there was no senior police officer present at Sarnal."

"There is some understanding between militants and the Chief Minister as majority of incidents take place in his hometown," Mr Abdullah alleged.

The state Government has ordered a probe into the attack while the Centre has sought detailed report about the incident. (UNI)

Chance encounter near Srinagar Airport
Pak militant, trooper, civilian killed

Excelsior Special Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Oct 28: A top-wanted Pakistani commander of Lashkar-e-Toiba, a soldier of Rashtriya Rifles and the driver of a tractor have got killed in the overnight gunbattle between militants and security forces at Namtahal village, behind Srinagar Airport, in Budgam district.

Informed sources told the EXCELSIOR that over a specific information, two joint parties of RR 53 Bn and SOG Budgam were on way to Ropora village in Chadoura area of Budgam district late last evening. Suddenly a 12-member party of Army and Police observed a tractor heading towards Namtahal. The soldiers directed the driver to halt. He put off his headlights but continued driving in violation of the troops’ signal.

As troops chased the tractor, three armed militants sitting in its trolley lobbed grenades and opened fire on them. Two of the soldiers sustained injuries. One of them succumbed to injuries while being evacuated. In exchange of gunfire, driver of the tractor, namely Nazir Ahmed Bhat S/o Sonaullah Bhat R/o Panzan, got killed and his associate, Fayaz Hassan Dar R/o Panzan, sustained injuries. Even as two militants managed to escape with the advantage of darkness, one militant got injured. He too ran away and managed to hide in the house of one Pir Baba.

With the help of a trail of blood, troops tracked him down and shot him dead. Residents, however, insisted that the militant was captured, interrogated for three hours and finally bumped off. Officials claimed that he died in the encounter. They said that one AK-47 rifle, one wireless set and three hand grenades were recovered from his possession. He carried a fake identity card in the name of Ghulam Mohammad Khan S/o Noor Mohammad Khan R/o Warnow, Lolab, Kupwara. However, he was identified as Mohammad Rasheed Awan alias Abu Talha, radio code "Mike India" S/o Mohammad Sulaiman Awan R/o Mansehra, Abbotabad, Pakistan.

Officials claimed that "Mike India" was a top-wanted militant of Lashkar-e-Toiba. He, according to official sources, had escaped from a gunbattle at Danseer Beerwah in which he had sustained injuries. He had also escaped from two more gunbattles at Kalshipora and Gopalpora, Chadoura, this year. According to the tip off provided to Army, "Mika India" and two more of his associates were on way to "Picnic Point" in Baghat Barzullah when he got killed in an accidental encounter at Namtahal.

Meanwhile, suspected militants fired upon a counter-insurgent Ikhwani, Mohammad Ashraf Wani S/o Ghulam Rasool Wani R/o Bugam, when he was probably following a woman in the interior of Kulgam town this afternoon. He sustained gunshot wounds but he ran away and was quickly rushed to Kulgam hospital by his associates. He had been staying at a protected Ikhwani camp in Kulgam.

Arjun Singh for universalisation of education

NEW DELHI, Oct 28: With more than 8.1 million children still out of school, Human Resource Development Minister Arjun Singh today stressed not letting political differences hinder universalisation of education across India.

"Failure to discharge our responsibilities will only be interpreted as inefficiency," Singh said, opening a conference of School Education Ministers of States and Union Territories.

The HRD Minister said Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan was a national agenda and political differences must not affect its implementation.

Noting that notwithstanding political differences, a consensus existed on universalisation of education in the country, Singh said there were still about 8.1 million out-of-school children who must be brought into schools to achieve the goals of SSA.

Besides SSA, the meeting focused on mid-day meal and EDUSAT programmes.

A wide range of steps— from erecting walls around girls’ schools to tapping education satellite facilities— were underscored by the ministers as each narrated problems of their respective state or UT. Some ministers, such as those from Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, called for raising the Re 1 allowance currently allocated for daily mid-day meal per child. They wanted the Centre to consider at least a slight increase to make the meal adequately nourishing.

The minister from Rajasthan stressed the need for the Centre to share the major burden of teachers’ salaries for longer than a year. The prospect that the burden would largely fall on the State after the first year was discouraging the hiring process.

The minister from West Bengal highlighted a problem he said has not been remedied in 23 years— State Ministers are furnished the agenda on the eve of the meeting, leaving them no time to prepare.

The minister from Bihar, which has been lagging in SSA and other schemes, spoke of raising standards of Government schooling.

The HRD Minister said that the Centre had taken bold steps to overcome the resource crunch by levying two per cent cess on all taxes and making it a non-lapsable fund.

"We have to go beyond paying platitudes and prove ourselves in making SSA a success as we cannot take shelter under excuses of resource crunch any more. Failure to discharge our responsibilities will only be interpreted as inefficiency," he said. Singh touched on another sensitive issue— Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), believed to afflict 5.1 million Indians, the highest in the world after South Africa.

Singh underscored urgent need to create greater awareness and educate youth about AIDS prevention. He warned that unless authorities act now, HIV/AIDS will not only affect the health of the people but also all aspects of national life.

He said the Health and Family Welfare Ministry was preparing an awareness programme for school children and appealed to the State Ministers to work towards making it a success.

On mid-day meal schemes, he said the primary objective was two-fold— to ensure that all children, especially those from the disadvantaged groups, receive nutritious and wholesome diet, and to bring more children to schools.

He said it was necesssary that the food served under the scheme "is as close to home-made food as possible."

Refering to the deployment of the education satellite EDUSAT, Singh asked states to take full advantage of the facility.

Speaking on the occasion, Minister of State for Education M A A Fatmi stressed constituting a Central Board for Madrassa Education and Modernising "willing and participating Madrassas" by introducing such subjects as science, mathematics and computer education.

He said the Government was concerned about the low rate of literacy among Muslims— and even lower among Muslim girls.

Speakers also included Elementary Education Secretary Kumud Bansal and Education Secretary B S Baswan. (UNI)

SSP’s PSO among 6 arrested on spot
Sopore girl raped at CRPF guarded guest house

Excelsior Special Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Oct 28: In a bizarre incident, six persons—all of them residents of Jammu—have mass raped a 20-year-old girl at a guest house, guarded by Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), in the high security zone of Rajbagh in this Capital city last night. Police have arrested all the six, including two Army personnel and a Personal Security Officer (PSO) of SSP Vigilance, and conducted the victim’s medical examination which has confirmed rape.

Informed sources told the EXCELSIOR that on a communication from the CRPF, SHO Rajbagh N S Parihar conducted a raid on Sahara Guest House near Zero Bridge in the high security zone of Rajbagh early in the morning today. The Police party found a 20-year-old girl in unconscious condition in the joint room of Constable Sanjiv Kumar S/o Amar Nath R/o Surian Nowshera, Jammu, and Ashwani Kumar S/o Ram Chander R/o Gum Bahi, Jammu. While as Ashwani is working as Orderly in Vigilance Organisation, Sanjiv Kumar is a PSO with SSP Vigilance Mushtaq Mohammad Sadiq.

As the girl, who had marks of physical torture on her body, gained her consciousness, she revealed to Police that she was a resident of Sopore. On Wednesday, she was returning to Srinagar from Jammu in Tata Sumo No: JK02-U-8040. She reached Tourist Reception Centre in the evening when she had no means to reach her home in Sopore. She enquired from the fellow passengers if they knew a family in Srinagar where she could put up for the night with some women. Two officials of the Vigilance Organisation assured her that they would lead her to a safe place where Government had made adequate arrangement for the boarding and lodging of females.

Finally, the two Vigilance officials took her to their CRPF-protected guest house and kept her in wrongful confinement. The girl stated that the driver of the Tata Sumo, namely Shams-ud-din of Janipura, Jammu, and three more of her fellow passengers also appeared in the same room. They were identified as Karnail Singh S/o Prem Singh (an employee in Civil Secretariat), Bal Krishen Handoo S/o Gyan Chand R/o Naiwalla, Akhnoor, and Rakesh Kumar S/o Ram Dutt R/o Hiranagar, Jammu, (both working in JAKLI). She revealed to Police that all the six overpowered her and committed rape on her, one after another, for the whole night. She cried and screamed but nobody came to her rescue.

Police arrested all the six criminals from the same guest house. Sources said that some CRPF guards alerted Police after they heard the confined girl’s shrieks. Police swung into action, rescued the girl and arrested all the six Jammu residents.

Sources said that the girl was rushed to Lal Ded Hospital where doctors conducted her medical examination and confirmed that the unmarried girl had been raped repeatedly by more than one person. The rape victim has identified as the six who are now under sustained interrogation.

Police have filed case FIR No: 132 of 2004 under sections 366, 109 and 376 RPC and started the process of seeking the detainees’ remand from a judicial magistrate.

Railways hike Tatkal charges

CHANDIGARH, Oct 28: The Railways have decided to steeply hike the "Tatkal charges" payable by passengers undertaking train journey at short notice in case of any emergency from November 14, Railway sources said here today.

The two month non-peak period (July 15 to September 15) and 10 month peak period have also been introduced, the sources said adding that the 2nd AC peak period charges would be Rs 300 per passenger as against the present Rs 200 - a hike of 50 per cent.

The charges for travel in 3rd AC would also be Rs 300 -doubled from the present Rs 150, for AC chair car and sleeper class the charges have been hiked to Rs 150 each from the present Rs 50 in each class during the peak period.

The non-peak period charges are Rs 200 each passenger in 2nd AC and 3rd AC and Rs 75 per passenger in AC chair car and sleeper classes.

The Tatkal facility of reservation would not be available in first class- AC and non AC.

The railways have also decided to discontinue with the practice of attaching coaches designated as "Tatkal coach" in various trains, including the prestigious Rajdhani Expresses and Shatabdi Expresses. Instead there will be Tatkal quota in 2nd AC, 3rd AC, AC chair car and sleeper class coaches in each train.

Four berths in each 2nd AC coach, six berths/ seats each in 3rd AC and AC chair car and 10 per cent of the accommodation in each sleeper class coach (which has around 72 berths) has been earmarked for Tatkal passengers from November 14.

The provision of passenger having reserved seat under the Tatkal quota carrying the identity card during the journey has been deleted on an experimental basis for six months after which it will be reviewed, the sources said.

Though the changes, including the hike in charges, were approved at a meeting of Chief Commercial Managers in New Delhi on August 28 this year, the new provisions would be applicable in trains from November 15 since reservation in Indian Railway can be done 60 days in advance.

The Railways have made changes in the Computerized Passenger Reservation System (CPRS) all over the country to earmark the seats in the four defined classes for booking of seats in the trains, the sources said.

The Tatkal reservation facility will not be available to passengers wishing to travel on some concession, no change of name will be permitted, reservation under this scheme will be available only up to the time of preparation of reservation charts and booking will be done only from originating to terminating point of the train with boarding facility from intermediate station. (PTI)

JD-U rejects Hindutva plank

PAWAPURI (BIHAR), Oct 28: Differences surfaced in the NDA today over newly-elected BJP president L K Advani’s move to invoke Hindutva and bring back Ayodhya to the centrestage with a prominent ally JD-U rejecting the move and declaring that it would review its ties with the saffron party at its national executive meeting in Ranchi tomorrow.

"We outrightly reject BJP’s assertion to invoke Hindutva plank. We will not compromise on our ideology," JD-U Parliamentary party leader Nitish Kumar said while addressing his party workers on the concluding day of the three-day conclave here today.

"Nobody will be allowed to destroy the secular fabric of our country where there are equal rights guaranteed for the people belonging to all the religions," he said alleging that the Hindutva plank smacked of `religious fundamentalism.’

JD-U president George Fer-nandes said he would talk to BJP president L K Advani on the sudden shift in the BJP’s stance.

He said that his party had extended support to the erstwhile NDA Government on the promise that the saffron brigade would drop the issues like construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya, Hindutva and Abrrogation of Article 370.

He said that the JD-U national executive would meet in Ranchi tomorrow to review the political situation arising out of the installation of ‘hardliner’ Advani as BJP president.

Kumar also announced that his party would release its own manifesto for the coming Assembly poll in Bihar as differences persisted in the rank and file of the JD-U over continuance of its alliance with the BJP.

He said his party was also keen to firm up an electoral pact with like-minded groups, including the Lok Janshakti Party of his bete noire and Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan without forcing any condition and denied that he was in the race for the post of Chief Minister.

"The JD-U national executive, which is scheduled to meet in Jharkhand tomorrow, will decide the fate of the alliance with the BJP, but it is sure that we will contest the elections on our own manifesto," Kumar said.

Kumar said that JD-U was in favour of an alliance with anti-Lalu forces to end the ‘RJD misrule.’ "If the LJP decides to fight the elections on its own it would only benefit the RJD."

Kumar urged Paswan to reconsider his decision and work for the defeat of the RJD.(PTI)

US disputes Jaswant’s claim

WASHINGTON, Oct 28: Disputing former External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh’s rejection, the US today insisted that Secretary of State Colin Powell had set up a telephonic conversation between the then Prime Ministers of India and Pakistan which led to a thaw in the Indo-Pak ties.

"The story as told by the Secretary (Powell) is the true story," State Department Spokesman Richard Boucher told reporters reacting to Singh’s rejection of Powell’s claim.

Singh said on Tuesday "there is no truth.... Powell has never spoken on the telephone ever. The way he has gone about claiming credit is total concoction and a matter of imagination the way he conjured up biological weapons in Iraq."

Boucher said he did not know exactly what Singh had said. "I guess I sort of heard about these remarks."

"The Secretary (Powell) has several times sort of described the efforts that he made to try to support the Indian and Pakistani Governments as they made efforts to work together, that this has been a matter that we have long supported with our policy."

Powell, in his interview to the USA Today last week, was quoted as saying that it was the US which initiated India and Pakistan into a historic telephonic call between Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Zafarullah Khan Jamali that eventually led to restoration of diplomatic ties between the two countries.

He said Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf in one of their telephonic conversations had asked him "do you think if my Prime Minister, the Pakistani Prime Minister, were to call the Indian Prime Minister would he take the call?

"I said I’ll call you back in a little while. And we set it up. The call was made. We also arranged for the call to be How are you? Fine. How are you? Fine, just to begin the dialogue." (PTI)

Tiwari ready to bow out

NEW DELHI, Oct 28: Ending months of speculation, Uttaranchal Chief Minister N D Tiwari today said he was ready to bow out if the Congress high command felt that there was a need for a change of leadership in the State.

"I met Congress president Sonia Gandhi today and told her that if she and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh think that there is a need for change of leadership in the State, I will have no objection to it", Tiwari told reporters after a lengthy meeting with Gandhi.

Asked what was Gandhi’s response to his suggestion, Tiwari said she merely said she would consider it.

The Uttaranchal Chief Minister said that he told Gandhi and the Prime Minister that he was ready to serve the organisation in whatever capacity they desired, whether at the Centre or as a Governor.

"I am willing to serve the party in whatever manner the party high command wants to utilise my services", he said when asked whether he was insisting on a Cabinet berth at the Centre or governorship of a particular State.

At the same time, he said he would also be happy to continue as Uttaranchal Chief Minister.

"I am a committed worker and I will work for the organisation", he said.

After Tiwari’s meeting with Gandhi, highly placed Congress sources had indicated that Tiwari was on his way out and he may opt for a gubernatorial post, either in Maharashtra or Rajasthan.

Gandhi also had a meeting with senior party leaders from Uttaranchal including the PCC president Harish Rawat, Satpal Maharaj and Rita Bahuguna. (PTI)

Bihar Governor resigns

PATNA, Oct 28: In the second NDA-appointed Governor making exit in less than a week, Bihar Governor M Rama Jois today resigned after an eventful 16-month term often marked by frequent stand-off between him and Rabri Devi Ministry.

Jois faxed his resignation letter to the President with the request that it be accepted with effect from November 1 this year, Raj Bhawan sources said.

The resignation came a few days after senior BJP leader Madan Lal Khurana quit as Rajasthan Governor in a bid to return to active politics.

Bihar’s ruling RJD had stepped up the demand for the removal of Jois, who took over on June 12, 2003, since the UPA Government came to power at the Centre.

The Rabri Devi ministry was at loggerheads with the Raj Bhavan on several issues, including appointment of Vice Chancellors of different State universities, chairman of the State University (Constituent Colleges) Service Commission and recruitment of lecturers into which a Vigilance probe was ordered.

Prior to taking over the charge of Bihar, Jois was Governor of Jharkhand. He was earlier Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court.(PTI)

Advani shouldn’t mix religion with politics: Bharadwaj

NEW DELHI, Oct 28: A day after BJP president L K Advani declared his party’s commitment to build the Ram Temple at Ayodhya, Union Law Minister H R Bharadwaj cautioned him not to mix religion with politics.

"I am firmly of the opinion that no political party should be allowed to mix religion with politics. Moreover, it is always a corrupt practice under the electoral laws," he said today.

Warning that mixing religion with politics would prove "disastrous" for the country, he said religion was meant for self-purification and not for anybody’s political end.

Questioning the former deputy Prime Minister’s assertion yesterday that work on Ram Mandir would have commenced had BJP got the mandate in the last Lok Sabha elections, Bharadwaj wondered "is Advani a priest to take up the Ram Mandir issue every now and then!"

"Advani is not a priest. We expect senior leaders like him to indulge in politics that is based on economic and social issues confronting the poor of the country," he said.

Bharadwaj said "Advani should be suggesting methods to ameliorate the condition of the poor and downtrodden rather than attempt to divide them on the lines of religion."

Each time the BJP loses election, it comes back to the Ayodhya issue, which they had failed to fulfill during the time they were in power, the Law Minister said.

Advani, while addressing BJP national council which approved his apointment as party president yesterday, said "BJP’s growth is reflective of the national will and desire of crores of people of this country that a magnificient temple be constructed at the Ram Janamsthan at Ayodhya in the place of the existing makeshift temple. Our desire is to ensure that the temple is built."

"If the NDA had been re-elected, the construction of the temple would have begun by now", he had said.

Reminding the BJP president that secularism was part of the basic features of our Constitution as interpreted by the Supreme Court, Bharadwaj said it was expected of everybody to respect and abide by the core guiding principles of governance in India.

Turning philosophical, the Law Minister said "secularism is like pure honey, which is not produced from the nectar of a single flower. Honey is made by the bee by collecting nectar from several kinds of flowers."

Comparing secularism to honey, he said it meant equal respect to all religions, howsoever small in number their followers were, he said. (PTI)
 
 
 
 

 

 

| home | state | national | business| editorial | advertisement | sports |
| international | weather | mailbag | suggestions | search | subscribe | send mail |