Excelsior... Nation

Speaker says courts have no jurisdiction
on expulsion of MPs

NEW DELHI, Jan 8: Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee is clear that the courts have no jurisdiction on expulsion of MPs from Parliament and will not respond to any judicial notices in the matter.

Talking tough that he would not allow any quarter to corruption, he is keen that Government come forward with a legislation to set up a high-level Commission to determine the salaries and allowances of MPs.

The 76-year-old eminent lawyer rejects all criticism that the punishment of expulsion given to MPs in the "cash for query" scam was hasty and that the issue should have been referred to the Privileges Committee or the Ethics Committee.

"I cannot stop anyone from going to court. But according to me, the courts have no jurisdiction at all in the matter. Any order is not not binding. I am not surrendering or submitting to the jurisdiction of the courts at this issue at all," he said during an inteview with PTI.

Chatterjee has held consultations with eminent lawyers who are fully backed his stance that the Parliament was fully competent to take action against its memebrs and that court had no jurisdiction over it.

Maintaining that he had the highest respect for the judiciary, he said it was a question of discipline and Parliament had the authority under the Constitution to decide how to discipline its errant MPs. "In this matter, under the Constitution, Parliament is the supreme authority."

Citing the recent remarks of Chief Justice of India that question of judges misconduct should be tackled within, the Speaker said "in a sense, it amounts to saying it will be decided by their peers. Likewise, we (Parliament) should be allowed this right. There should be no question."

Acknowledging that notices have been received from lawyers representing the expelled MPs, Chatterjee said that he would not send Lok Sabha officials to courts if they chose to send similar notices.

Chatterjee said he felt sad that such extreme action had to be taken which was not not a pleasure for him or for Parliament, but there has been an overwhelming support from people across the country and Indians abroad.

He has been getting hundreds of letters and e-mails hailing the action taken by Parliament against its own members in the wake of the scam.

"I am very, very clear. There can be no quarter for corruption and action will follow, howsoever, high one may be," he said.

Rejecting criticism against the quick disposal of the case by the Inquiry Committee headed by Pawan Kumar Bansal, the Speaker said it was constituted after consultations with leaders of all political parties and at that time nobody had raised any objection.

The Committere decided its own procedures and the accsued MPs had also not sought the services of lawyers nor did they even want to see the video tapes of the sting operation in which they were caught taking money.

The main question, he said, was whether due principles of natural justice were observed to allow the MPs to controvert evidence against them and it was followed. Even in the case of a Privilege Committee hearing, there was no guarantee that lawyers will be allowed because it would be for the Committee to finalise its procedures.

Asked whether low salaries and allowances could be a reason for MPs to indugle in bribery, the Speaker disagreed with the suggestion and said when one gets elected as an MP one is aware of what is in store and there can be no complaint on this score.

"There can be no room for a theory that MPs should have some extra income and that they can resort to bribery. Parliament is a trust of people’s aspirations and expectations and there can be no sustenance to corruption", he said.

Chatterjee said that he had mooted a proposal for appointment of a Commission to fix the salaries and allowances of MPs as he was against MPs deciding themselves on the issue.

The Commission, he said, will consist of RBI Governor, Comptroller and Auditor General and Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission. The proposal, which has already been cleared by leaders of various politicial parties, was now with the Government, he said and hoped that it would respond positively and bring a legislation as early as possible.

"This will be an institutionalised arrangement. Henceforth, if the MPs feel they should have a hike, they can represent to the Commission", he said.

The Speaker made it clear that he would not allow hike in salaries and allowances through the present system of legislation by MPs themselves. "I will not allow the old fashioned proposal and I am giving advance notice to Government, which is a party to the decision to the new proposal".

Expressing satisfaction that both the Houses of Parliament acted decisively on the issue of corruption, Chattejree dismissed as "bunkum" that the course of inquiry would have been different had it been done by the Privileges Committee.

"It is some sort of a red herring or kite flying", he said referring to such suggestions.

Even in the House, there was no dissent about the guilt of the members concerned except that there was a comment made that the MPs had acted stupidly in committing the offence and that the punishment was disproportionate to their act, he said.

To a question that similar disciplinary action against a member took more than six months in 1951, he shot back saying at that time the MP was not shown accepting money on camera.

Asked about procedure to be followed against MPs facing similar charges in the MPLAD scheme, the Speaker said that again it was for the concerned Committee which has been enlarged to go into it by devising its own procedures. (PTI)

Children battle for life amid superstition

NEW DELHI, Jan 8: India may be an emerging power in science and technology, age-old practices and superstitions continue to play havoc in the lives of thousands of children in the country.

If paediatricians from across the country are to be believed, a large segment of children are now caught between life and death owing to the "unscientific" methods of treatment in different states.

Whether it is pneumonia, brain fever or any other disease, people of Vagad area in Kutch district of Gujarat would first resort to branding the baby with hot iron rod.

A traditional method of treatment, which has taken a toll of innocent lives over the years, still continues unabated in the region, mostly inhabited by tribal communities.

According to Rajesh M Jeswani, a paediatrician in the area who is here to attend the 43rd national conference of Indian Academy of Paediatrics (IAP), the practice is very popular among the tribes like Koli, Rabari and Schedule Caste communities.

"The local people will not take the baby to hospital. They go to witch doctors, who apply hot iron rods about 10 to 15 times on the body of the kid as a sort of treatment," he said.

The hot rods are branded on the chest, head and belly. This results in multiple burn injuries and very often causes death, he said.

"The immunity in children are already under strain during illness. And burn injuries further aggravate their conditions," he remarked.

Jeswani said that 20 to 30 such cases to come to him every month, most of them at a very serious conditions. Malaria and pneunomia are endemic in this area, he said.

In Orissa’s tribal pockets, kids suffering from epilepsy are taken to witch doctors and treatment is conducted by witchcraft, said L K Pati, a paediatrician at sub-divisional hospital in Mayurbhanja in Orissa.

"Convulsion is a symptom of epilepsy which lasts for a few minutes. As the kid restores normalcy, the witch doctors claim it as the effect of witchcraft," he said.

This kind of practice does not check the disease rather affects the brain of the child, he remarked.

S Kumar, a retired child specialist from Bhopal said such witchcraft treatment is very common in Jhabua, Betun and Dhar districts of Madhya Pradesh and in tribal dominated pockets of Chhatishgarh and Jharkhand.

In Rohtak district of Haryana, people use garland as a method of treatment for jaundice.

"People use flower buds in the garland and ask the patient to use it. As the buds start sprouting, they think it will cure the disease. But actually it does not yield any result," said Sanjaya Tuteja, child specialist at Shivmani Hospital in Faridabad. "The Government should make a survey of these kind of treatment practices and take drastic step to check the trend," he said. (PTI)

BSES ordered to pay Rs 7 lakh for motorcyclist’s death

NEW DELHI, Jan 8: The Delhi High Court has directed BSES Rajdhani Power Ltd to pay a compensation of Rs seven lakh to the family of a man who died after his bike collided with a metal ladder placed negligently on the Capital’s road by one of the company’s contractors.

Rejecting the company’s plea that it cannot be held responsible for the negligent act done by its contractor, Justice Vikramajit Sen held that BSES Rajdhani Power Ltd owed vicarious liability for the death.

"Public and civic authorities have on a rampant and ubiquitous scale adopted a cavalier and careless attitude in fulfilling their functions, totally oblivious of the hazards and dangers that are caused to the public by their negligent functioning," the court remarked while awarding the compensation.

The petitioer Suni Manoj Mathew’s husband Manoj Mathew died after his bike collided with a mobile metal ladder used for repairing street lights had rolled down the IIT Flyover on June 17, 2002.

Suni in her petition filed through counsel Hetu Arora held the BSES, police and the Delhi Government responsible for the death of her husband and sought compensation of Rs ten lakh for the family.

Justice Sen pointed that the death occurred as the BSES and the contractor were negligent since none of its personnel was present at the site when the ladder had apparently rolled down.

Disagreeing with the view of the BSES’s counsel Dalal that the writ was not maintainable, the court ruled that referring the petitioner to an alternative remedy was a matter of convenience and in the discretion of the court.

The court ordered the company to deposit the compensation with the Registrar General within four weeks.

The Registrar General was ordered to release Rs two lakh from the amount to the family for its immediate use and invest the remaining amount with a scheduled bank or in other remunerative schemes for its future use.

Justice Sen also clarified that the compensation shall not affect any other remedy available to the petitioner or have bearing on the criminal proceedings pending before the trial court on the death. (PTI)

I am content behind the camera: Pooja Bhatt

MUMBAI, Jan 8: Actor-turned-filmmaker Pooja Bhatt, whose second directorial venture ‘Holiday’ releases on February 10, said she is content behind the camera and has no plans to act until a good role comes her way.

Pooja, who made her debut as an actress in her father Mahesh Bhatt’s film ‘Daddy’ in 1991, told UNI here that acting is a "taxing, but a fulfilling job."

"I have enjoyed my acting career. I had the opportunity to debut in a film like ‘Daddy’ and my last film was ‘Zakhm’ where I had a strong author-backed role. So, I will have to get something better than these two for acting," she said.

"When I became a producer with ‘Tamanna’ at the age of 25, I found that being a producer was mentally stimulating," she noted.

However, she admitted that she took up the directorial baton for ‘Holiday’ accidentally. "We were not finding the right director to take up a film with a female protagonist. The director required to have the sensitivities and understand the psyche of the character."

She said, in ‘Holiday’ she could use her own experiences and insecurities during her growing up years to enhance the character of protagonist, played by debutant Onjolee Nair.

Pooja’s earlier directorial film, ‘Paap’ had marked the debut of model-actress Udita Goswami.

Commenting on ‘Holiday’, Pooja said the film was simple and relevant to times. "The idea of beauty put women in a rough position. It is absolutely impossible for ordinary girls to be in sync with the idea of a perfect woman. Every girl has a gawky and awkward feeling during her growing years. Not every one can be perfect like Aishwarya Rai," she said. She said she will release the film on February 10 as the Valentine’s day special, because ‘Holiday’ was "for a target audience. (UNI)

Indo-US talks on N-issue in third week of Jan

NEW DELHI, Jan 8: India and the US will hold the next round of high-level talks on the nuclear issue here later this month amid efforts by the two countries to expedite implementation of the July 18 nuclear deal before the visit here by President George W Bush expected next month.

The talks between Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran and US Under Secretary of State Nicholas Burns will take place in the third week of this month, official sources said here today.

During the meeting, India will expect a response from the American side on the "outline" provided to them by Saran about separating civilian and military nuclear facilities as required under the July 18 deal inked during the Washington visit of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

The Foreign Secretary gave the "outline" to the US during talks with Burns in Washington last month with an assertion that New Delhi would not place fast-breeding reactors in the civilian list.

In the outline, India has specified as to what installations it would categorise as civilian and which ones as military, the sources said.

"Now, the US has to react and we are awaiting that," the sources said.

The Indian plan on separation of civilian and military nuclear facilities, as per the deal, would be presented before the US Congress which has to ratify the Bush administration’s decision to ease sanctions on high-technology trade.

New Delhi is not worried on this aspect. "We have no problems. The deal is not a secret but is being conducted in a transparent manner," the sources said.

The Bush government has been insisting that India should present a "credible" plan on separation of nuclear facilities before it approaches the Congress for ratification of its decision on sanctions.

Noting that "progress" was being made in parleys, the sources said the two countries were making "every effort to conclude or substantially conclude the deal before the visit of President Bush."

After the recent talks Saran had with Burns, the sources said, India feels that the dialogue is "on track" and the two countries should be able to have convergence if all goes well".

The US will also then be required to influence the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) so that they also ease sanctions on India on dual-use technology trade. (PTI)

New direction will be set up to
strengthen Cong: Arjun Singh

BHOPAL, Jan 8: Claiming that minorities are getting attracted in a big way towards Congress, its senior leader and Union HRD Minister Arjun Singh said a new direction would be given at the coming plenary session in Hyderabad to strengthen the party and turn "infighting" in BJP to its advantage.

"The three-day Hyderabad plenary session of Congress from January 21 will be decisive and significant as a new direction will be set to strengthen the organisation," Singh told PTI in an interview during his visit here.

Calling Uttar Pradesh and Bihar as among the weak spots of Congress, he said strategies to rejuvenate the party would be worked out after the plenary session. "Let us wait till the plenary session. Let the session be over."

Denying there was any erosion in Congress support base among minorities, the party stalwart said "I don’t think it is true (Congress losing support among minorities). It may be the view of some people. Infact, more and more minorities are now coming to the Congress fold."

Presenting a bleak future for BJP, Singh claimed the saffron party has "lost its credibility. It has lost its integrity to convince people" and said Congress can certainly take advantage of BJP’s inherent weaknesses.

On BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh getting three chief ministers in two years, he said "it is one of the symptoms of their inner contradictions and infighting. We should not be surprised if they effect change of guard in future."

Congress, on its part, is upbeat with the success in many areas of party-led UPA rule at the Centre which has effectively eliminated communal violence in the country to a large extent, Singh said. One of the major achievements of the UPA government is "putting the country on a normal key and eliminating communal violence to a large extent", though the menace is yet to be wiped out totally, he said.

On the UPA Government’s performance, the Union minister said under the circumstance in which it is functioning, the Government has fulfilled a large number of promises incorporated in the charter of Common Minimum Programme.

Concrete initiatives have been taken for implementation of most of the major programmes related to areas including employment, agriculture and education as well as for industrialisation in an effective manner, he said.

Denying that the UPA was working under the pressure from partners like Left parties, Singh said "Left parties are our valuable allies. They are supporting our Government. To the extent possible, we are trying to address their concerns though it is not possible that everything said by somebody has to be done." On groupism in Congress in states like Madhya Pradesh, he said such things keep taking place in political parties but once the leadership takes a decision, all fall in line. (PTI)

Saudi on alert as 2.5 million pilgrims start hajj

MINA, SAUDI ARABIA, Jan 8: An estimated 2.5 million Muslim pilgrims began the annual trek today from the holy city of Mecca to the valley of Mina with Saudi authorities on high alert to prevent another tragedy.

The pilgrimage rites, known as hajj, start three days after an aging hostel in the heart of Mecca collapsed, killing 76 people and wounding 62.

Rescue operations ended Friday and the rubble of the Luluat al-Kheir (Pearl of Grace) hostel was removed to allow a sea of pilgrims to flow from Mecca to Mina, some five kms to the east, to begin tracing the journey made by Prophet Mohammed more than 1,400 years ago.

Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam and a once-in-a-lifetime obligation for all devout, able-bodied Muslims with the means for the journey.

Men and women of all age, colour and nationality dressed in white robes and sandals started marching on foot or boarded buses to Mina after dawn prayers.

They will spend the day known as "Yawm at-Tarwiya" in prayers and meditation, sleeping at night in fire-proof tents before heading further south on Monday to Mount Arafat for the climax of hajj.

Some were already in Mina on Friday, camping in portable tents under bridges or on curbsides despite signs everywhere warning agqinst loitering.

Hundreds of security force members in military fatigues fanned out in the area while Asian labourers in orange jumpsuits swept the streets. (AFP)

Railways to run double-stack container
trains from June 2006

NEW DELHI, Jan 8: After opening container train services to private players, Railways plans to run double-stack container from June this year.

To start with, double stack container trains will run between Jaipur and Pipavav in Gujarat, Railway Ministry sources told PTI.

It will not only reduce the unit cost of train operations but also enable container traffic to move at more competitive rates, they said.

Railway Minister Lalu Prasad on Thursday announced a new policy allowing private players to run container trains for both import and export and domestic traffic.

The decision to privatise the container train services was announced in the Railway Budget 2005-06.

The Railways was not only focusing on the export-import traffic but "more importantly on domestic traffic".

While Exim traffic is currently 55 million tonnes, the domestic traffic which can be containerised would be more than 550 million tonnes.

The rail routes (for containerised trains) connected with the ports have been grouped together in four categories- Delhi-Mumbai, Delhi-Pipavav, Delhi-Kolkata and Delhi-Chennai.

With the exception of Delhi-Mumbai route, according to the new policy, applicants for other routes will have to pay a registration fee of Rs 10 crore and will also be allowed to run domestic containers trains all over the country except Delhi-Mumbai route.

containerised import-export traffic in India is growing at a rate of 15-20 per cent per annum and over the next five years it was expected to increase from the current 55 million tonnes to 110 million tonnes.

In the vast country like India, Lalu Prasad said there are possibilities of significant development in domestic container traffic also. Currently, Railways has a one-third share in the local domestic traffic of about 2,000 million tonnes.

Railways sources said RITES, a Public Sector Undertakings under the Ministry, had recommended Rs 134 crore per train/per route which was considered a very high licence fee as it would have been verry stiff "entry-barrier" for private players.

"What Railways has decided is a minimum symbolic fee of Rs 50 crore to keep the non-serious players out of the service," they said, adding it was not a significant amount for anyone who wants to run five trains per day for 30 years.

The permission to operate container trains will be valid for a period of 20 years, which would be extendable by another 10 years subject to satisfactory working by the applicant.

However, they clarified that the Ministry did not want any entry barrier for private players in containerised train operations nor it want to make any profit out of it, but what "we want is volume growth by capturing traffic of small and medium scale industries and trades as also export and import".

"We will make effective entry into peace-meal and small traffic which railways has lost to raod traffic," the sources said.

The applicants for Delhi-Mumbai route will be permitted to operate exim container trains on the other three categories also and domestic traffic all over India paying a registration fee of Rs 50 crore.

The process of registration and the policy of container train movement will be uniformly applicable to all applicants including Container Corporation of India Ltd (CONCOR), he said, adding "all companies will be given a level-playing field without any discrimination".

In the operation of container trains, the Railway Minister has said the principle of "first-cum-first-served" will be followed.

While Railways will provide engines and drivers, the applicant will have to provide bogies and procure its own rolling stock required for the movement of container trains, the minister said.

The Railways, he said, may also consider allowing use of its surplus lands for the construction of ICD and multi-modal logistic parks. (PTI)

Anti-dumping cases: Are Indian lawyers ready for challenge?

NEW DELHI, Jan 8: India has emerged as one of the most active members of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in terms of anti-dumping investigation. But due to lack of proper legal base to fight anti-dumping cases, domestic industries and poor farmers are being forced to depend on highly expensive western law firms, say experts.

"India lacks a proper legal base to fight all these cases. We have to take help from western law firms. It is not the Indian lawyers who take up the matter of our interest abroad but the highly expensive western lawyers do that," says Sumeet Kachwaha of Kachwaha & Partners, who successfully fought the famous soda ash case.

According to 2003-04 Annual Report of the Union Ministry of Commerce, India initiated the highest number (33) of anti-dumping investigations during the second semester of 2003. During the same period, the US had the second highest number of cases (21), China 11 while Canada, Mexico and Australia reported 9, 8 and 7 cases respectively.

But the million dollar question is - are we prepared to handle these cases and protect the domestic industry and poor farmers? Is Indian legal fraternity mature enough to handle these cases in accordance with the international laws? Is the Directorate General of Anti Dumping with a work-force of 20 personnel is sufficient to protect Indian interests.

The Government now provides technical and financial assistance to Indian exporters to effectively contest the cases before the investigating authorities of respective countries. But experts feel that this model would not help in the long run.

"Removal of trade barriers has become a reality. Now we will have to frequently handle such cases where our products will be alleged of dumping in other countries and vice versa. We will have to master it at the international level. For it we all including Government will have to act together," says Sumeet.

The Government is also silent on this issue. Agriculture, which is a major source of livelihood, is going to suffer the most. It will have a great impact on the country. Since 1995, around 25,000 farmers have committed suicide, he adds.

However, the Government can improve the situation by making it a matter of national interest. It cannot be done if we treat it as a matter of litigation. Still considering the volume of trade we do not even have a separate department for it. This is not even in the academic curricula of many law colleges in India, Sumeet laments.

But Indian lawyers are getting confident after having experience of handling such cases at the domestic level. In many cases such as PT Muliaglass, Berger Paints Knorr Bremse AG, Germany Indian lawyers have done well, says Diljeet Titus of Titus and Company.

"Being a relatively new field, there was an initial time gap when major proceedings were handled by foreign law firms in India to a large extent. However, in recent years Indian legal fraternity has actively and successfully command over anti-dumping due to increased frequency of such proceedings," said Atul Dua of Seth Dua and Associates.

"Still a comprehensive legislation dealing with subjects of dumping, imposition of quantitative restrictions and other safeguards is missing in India," says Som Mandal of FOX and Mandal.

According to the present rule, no aggrieved individual can apply against cheap imports. An anti-dumping petition made to the Ministry of Commerce for investigation has to be supported by producers contributing to at least 25 per cent of the total domestic production of a particular good.

This clause invites hectic lobbying by the vested interests and small unorganised sectors and farmers suffer, feels Titus.

"It is true that BIG industry players are more successful in bringing favourable anti-dumping actions than smaller regional players. This is because anti-dumping investigations cannot normally be launched except in response to an application by or on behalf of the domestic industry," he says.

"The Customs Tariff Rules, defines domestic industry as, ‘domestic producers as a whole engaged in manufacturing and whose collective output constitutes a major proportion of the total production’. This tilts the balance in favour of large industry players with substantial lobbies and they use it to protect their vested interests," adds Titus.

Now in many countries, Governments take interest in dumping issues regarding their products worldwide. Sumeet gives an example of the EU, which lobbies anywhere for any of its member nations.

"One of the examples in this regard is the Bed linen case involving exports from India, Pakistan and some other nations to Europe. On account of active involvement of the Government of Pakistan, positive results for their exporters have been quite visible," says Atul.

Still India as a member of the WTO, has to conform to the covenants to which it is a signatory. (PTI)

No compromise on party ideology, says Rajnath

NEW DELHI, Jan 8: While preferring to steer clear of the ongoing debate on the relationship between the RSS and his party, BJP President Rajnath Singh appears to be in a tearing hurry to cleanse the 25-year-old organisation of all the ills afflicting it.

After taking over the mantle from L K Advani on January 2, Mr Singh is charting out a rigorous plan to infuse a new vigour in the party which, he says, would adhere to zero-tolerance policy against immorality, corruption and criminalisation of politics.

In a free-wheeling interview to UNI, Mr Singh minced no words to reject Mr Advani's view that there was a perception among the people that the RSS was interfering too much in party affairs. "I don't see any problem between the Sangh and the BJP as is being projected in the media. It would be my endeavour to take everybody along to explode the strained relationship myth."

Trying to come to grips with party affairs as early as he can, Mr Singh was quite assertive during the course of the interview even as he appeared set to give final touches to his team of office- bearers and Executive Members.

When pointed out that his appointment was yet to be ratified by the party's council, he said he was doing his work and the party machinery was also following the laid out procedure.

Asked if he was making a public statement on the BJP-RSS relationship despite the fact that Mr Advani differed with him, the former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister said he was articulating his own perception of the situation, adding "for God sake don't try to create a wedge among party leaders."

"Mr Advani is one of the seniormost leaders, philospher and guide and the media should understand it," he said. His aim was to resurrect the BJP's image as a "party with difference."

In reply to a question about the BJP's announcement in its Mumbai Convention that it would adhere to its agenda of Ram Temple construction in Ayodhya, abrogation of Article 370 and the Uniform Civil Code, Mr Singh chose not to skirt the issue and said the party would not deviate from its ideology and agenda.

Mr Singh, however, remained non-committal on any agitational plan for the construction of the Ram Temple on the Ramjanmabhoomi.

He said the party had never jettisoned these issues but due to the compulsions of coalition politics, these issues were not "pressed beyond a point" as the previous NDA Government had to follow the Common Minimum Programme agreed upon by the alliance partners.

Mr Singh, former Union Agriculture Minister, declined to comment on his predecessor's observations at his December 31 press conference in Mumbai that the last 25 weeks constituted a "bad patch" for the party.

The BJP president said he would make sincere efforts to ensure that a person who faced corruption or criminal charges did not get a party ticket and added that he strongly favoured the State funding of elections to stamp out the role of money and muscle power in the polls.

Admitting that the recent sting operation in which some party MPs were caught on camera accepting bribes for asking questions in Parliament had dented the BJP's image, he, however, stated that he would not like to comment on the issue as the "facts" were yet to be established. If the MPs were also found guilty by the court, they would never be considered for any election, he added.

"Corruption and indiscipline would not be tolerated in the party at any cost," he asserted.

Mr Singh, while answering a volley of questions on issues staring the party, preferred not to duck uncomfortable queries about the "spat" between the RSS and the BJP over Mr Advani's remark on Pakistan founder Mohammad Ali Jinnah. He maintained that the RSS had never interfered in the BJP's internal affairs.

"I will just say that the RSS has never interfered in the BJP's affairs. All of us, including me, draw our inspiration from the RSS and therefore do consult the RSS leadership on various matters," he said.

Mr Singh said there could never be a clash of interests between the BJP and RSS as the former was a political party and the latter a socio-cultural organisation. "So, I don't think there should be any misunderstanding with regard to the relationship between the two organisations," he said.

On a question if the party would review its alliances in states like Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu where the tie-ups did not work with the TDP and AIADMK, he said it was too early to say anything. "All decisions will be taken collectively after a comprehensive discussion in the party," he said.

Mr Singh maintained that the BJP would work for strengthening the NDA and all the NDA constituents were together.

In reply to a question on if there could be a clash in the organisation because of the generation gap, Mr Singh denied that there was any rift between the senior and younger leaders to which he himself belonged. "All of us are together. It is only a misunderstanding about the BJP. We remain together and work together. My effort will also be to take along all the partymen," he said.

The BJP president, who hails from the Hindi heartland state of Uttar Pradesh, exuded confidence that the party would wrest power from the Samajwadi Party in the next polls as the Mulayam Singh regime had been totally discredited in the state due to its all round failures, mainly the collapse of the law and order machinery. (UNI)

DMK resents cabinet decision on subsidy cut on food

CHENNAI, Jan 8: Opposing the subsidy cut on the food grains, DMK, a key constituent of the UPA Government at the Centre, today demanded immediate roll back in the prices.

DMK president M Karunanidhi has taken up the matter with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, to whom he had sent fax messages demanding the reconsideration of the subsidy cut.

Writting in the DMK's official organ, he said he had directed the Union Surface Transport Minister T R Baalu to meet the Prime Minister tomorrow and prevail upon him to reconsider the decision.

Though the Centre had stated that the subsidy cut would not affect the people below the poverty line, it should withdraw the decision, he said.

Chief Minister Jayalalitha had yesterday slammed the Centre's decision and said her Government would not revise the price of rice in the Public Distribution System in the state, "even with this grave provocation".

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs on Friday had decided to reduce the offtake quantity of foodgrains for both Above Poverty Line and BPL families to 20 kgs and 30 kg respectively while increasing the issue prices for APL by 70 per cent of the economic cost and for BPL by 50 per cent.

On the convening the Tamil Nadu Assembly session on January 13, the 'Boghi day' - the day previous to the state's harvest festival Pongal, he said it was an insult to the Tamilians. (PTI)

India-China border talks in Kerala in Feb: Diplomat

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, Jan 8: The next round of political dialogue between India and China to settle the border row is likely to be held in Kerala next month, Chinese Ambassador to India Sun Yuxi said here today.

"The schedule has not been fixed for the seventh political round of talks but we have suggested the meet be held in Kerala in one of the house boats which gives a serene and calm atmosphere," he told reporters here at a Meet-the-Press programme organised by the Thiruvananthapuram Press Club.

The Indian side would be led by Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran while Vice Foreign Minister Dai Binggiio would head the Chinese delegation, Mr Yuxi said and added the discussions would begin soon after the framework for the talks was fixed.

He said India had suggested the current month for holding the talks but as the spring festival was on in China, it was changed.

Stressing all bilateral issues between the two countries would be settled amicably, the Ambassador said the major impediments in settling the border row, were, it involved a large area located at a very high altitude.

As a part of strengthening the border trade market, Mr Yuxi said the Nathula Pass in Sikkim would be opened in June. "Both the Indian and the Chinese sides have completed the construction of roads. Only a some infrastructural facilities like establishing an immigration office and checkposts are left," he said.

With the opening of the pass, the trade between the two nations would increase. Mr Yuxi said the bilateral trade between the two countries stood at 19 billion USD last year and both were working closely to achieve 20 billion USD in 2008 and 30 billion USD in 2010. On trade promotion, he said Chinese companies were looking for opportunities in India. About 30 Chinese companies were now operating in India while nearly 150 Indian companies were in China.

On WTO, both the countries had similar interests especially in agriculture, textiles and environmental protection. "As both India and China are developing countries, we are trying to become a stronger voice for the developing countries and be good guide in WTO," he added.

Noting that the India-China relations were viewed with some speculation, Mr Yuxi said all worries and misconceptions were only borne out of a "cold war concept."

On its relations with Pakistan, he said China was having good relations with both the Asian neighbours."Our intention is to create good relations among India, China and Pakistan. We will try our level best to promote Indo-Pak relations."

Pointing out that political and bureaucratic level talks between the two countries were going on at all levels, Mr Yuxi said the Chinese President was likely to visit India this year though no time frame has been fixed as yet.

He said Union Petroleum Minister Mani Shankar Aiyer and Union Commerce Minister Kamal Nath were likely to visit China in the coming days.

(UNI)