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No plan to pull out troops from border: Fernandes
New Delhi, Apr. 15 (ANI): There was no plan to recall the troops
deployed on the border with Pakistan, Defence Minister George
Fernandes said while addressing a conference of senior Army
commanders here on Monday.
Later, talking to reporters, he said it was a routine meeting of
Army officers. Twice in a year, they get together to discuss
various issues of importance.
"In this conference, army commanders discuss their
responsibilities and they take whatever decisions that are
necessary," Fernandes stated.
Asked whether there was any move to withdraw troops from the
border, he said: "No, there is no plan to recall."
India and Pakistan massed one million soldiers on the border
following a tense stand-off after New Delhi blamed Pakistan-based
Kashmiri guerrilla groups for their attack on Parliament on
December 13.
Pakistan denies the charges of arming and training Kashmiri
rebels. It says it only gives moral and political support to
"indigenous freedom struggle" of Kashmiris.
Fernandes said that during his recent tour in Russia, he
discussed the issue of supply of military spares for Indian army.
The two countries are traditional allies in the field of defence
cooperation. (ANI).
Tourism a vehicle for spreading goodwill, says PMGo to
top New Delhi, Apr. 15 (ANI): Goodwill and understanding among
various religious and ethnic communities in the new century can
be promoted through tourism, Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee
said on Monday while addressing the delegates at the annual
conference of Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) here.
"We firmly believe that promotion of peace, friendship, goodwill
and understanding among nations and among different religious and
ethnic communities has to be the overriding objective of tourism
in the new century," Vajpayee affirmed.
This observation was made at a time when foreign tourist arrivals
to India in March declined by 9.4 per cent following the worst
religious violence in a decade in Gujarat.
The five-day conference being attended by over 1,000 delegates
from 41 countries will discuss ways to boost tourism in the South
Asia region.
Vajpayee appealed to the travel and tour operators to desist from
excess commercialisation. "I urge travel and tourism operators
not to look at their business purely from a narrow angle of
short-term commercial benefit. Excessive commercialism,
especially when it takes place in the absence of effective
regulatory mechanisms, can lead to negative results," he told the
delegates.
Government data showed that arrivals dropped to 225,558 in March
from 248,965 a year earlier and compared with 227,529 in
February.
The slide in tourism hit foreign exchange earnings in January-
March, which fell by 14.3 percent to 774.09 million dollars
compared with the first quarter of last year.
Religious violence since late February, mostly in Gujarat,
prompted many to cancel holidays. This came about along with
heightened regional tensions triggered by the U.S.-led offensive
against terrorism in Afghanistan. India and Pakistan are also
locked in a tense border standoff over Kashmir.
India's peak holiday season is between October and March.
India boasts of a 5000-year-old history, the majestic Himalayas,
exotic jungles, diversified flora and fauna, sun-soaked beaches,
a wonderful variety of social customs and regional lifestyle
About 2.6 million foreign tourists -- mostly budget travellers
and backpackers -- visited India in 2000. Tourists numbered 2.4
million in 2001. By contrast, tiny Switzerland welcomed six
million foreign tourists and sunny Spain more than 13 million
last year.
Travel officials say India could draw more tourists to its
ancient Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist and Christian monuments if they
were looked after better than is the case. On top of that,
crumbling infrastructure, particularly roads, expensive air
travel and limited hotel rooms deter visitors, they add.
Also, India needs to spend more money to spruce up airports and
railway stations which are the main starting points for long-
distance journeys, tourism officials stress. (ANI)
Lok Sabha adjourned over Modi issue
Go to
top New Delhi, Apr. 15 (ANI): Irate Opposition legislators forced the
Lok Sabha to be adjourned on Monday as they renewed calls for the
dismissal of Gujarat chief minister because of his alleged inept
handling of the country's worst religious bloodshed in a decade.
The fragile BJP-led ruling coalition survived a weekend revolt
over its refusal to sack Narendra Modi over charges that he
turned a blind eye to violence in which over 820 people, mostly
Muslims, have died.
But the Opposition, along with key allies of the NDA composed of
more than 20 parties, vowed to keep up pressure on the 30-month-
old government on the issue of ousting Modi, who has rejected all
allegations of wrongdoing.
Opposition parties said they had lost faith in Vajpayee since he
refused to show Modi the door and instead ordered elections in
the bloodied state.
The government earned a reprieve on Sunday when its
second largest ally, Telegu Desam Party, stopped short of
quitting the coalition over the Gujarat crisis after the BJP --
which heads the coalition -- rejected its demand to fire Modi.
While the government is unlikely to fall in the event of the TDP
withdrawing support, this would push it to the brink with a thin
majority above the minimum 272 required and subject it to more
pressure and lobbying by disparate regional parties. (ANI)
Arson, clashes again in Ahmedabad; army deployed Go to
top Ahmedabad, Apr. 15 (ANI): Troops were called out to patrol the
streets after violence broke out once again between two groups of
people belonging to different communities here on Monday morning.
The clashes broke out at about 10 a.m. in the Muslim- dominated
walled area in the city. Six people were injured in stone-
throwing from either side in the Delhi Darwaza and Idgah Chowki
areas of the old town. According to officials, some rumours led
to the violence.
Angry mobs burnt down four shops and a house in the melee before
the security forces could reach the spot. Fire tenders were
pressed into service to extinguish the flames and the injured
were taken to hospitals by the police.
With the army deployed in the streets, the situation in the area
is under control, the police claimed. The rest of the state was
peaceful even as curfew remains in force in more than a dozen
areas. (ANI)
Modi uproar rocks Parliament
Go to
top New Delhi, Apr 15 (ANI): Opposition lawmakers forced Parliament
to adjourn on Monday as they kept up pressure for the dismissal
of the Gujarat chief minister over his handling of the country's
worst religious bloodshed in a decade.
The fragile BJP-led ruling coalition survived a weekend revolt
over its refusal to fire Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi
over charges he turned a blind eye to violence in which over 820
people, mostly Muslims, have died.
But the opposition, along with key allies of the coalition of
more than 20 parties, vowed to keep up the heat on the 30-month-
old BJP-led government to dismiss Modi, who has rejected all
allegations of wrongdoing.
"Today Gujarat is burning, tomorrow the country will burn,"
shouted activists of the main opposition Congress party as
lawmakers stormed to the centre of the lower house, forcing the
speaker to adjourn proceedings until Tuesday.
Mulayam Singh Yadav, leader of the Samajwadi party, condemned
the government's decision to let Modi continue as the state's
chief minister.
"If the entire nation, the Human Rights Commission, opposition
and allies are asserting that Gujarat chief minister is
responsible for the riots in the state which are still continuing
and in which Muslims have been targeted, there must be some truth
in it. We agree that what happened in Godhra was wrong and we
have condemned it and want the culprits to be punished. But what
happened later was also condemnable and for this Modi has to be
punished," said Yadav.
Opposition parties said they had lost faith in Prime Minister
Atal Behari Vajpayee after he refused to dismiss Modi and instead
called for early elections in the bloodied state.
"Until the Gujarat Chief Minister is dismissed, the situation
cannot be normal. The entire opposition is united on this issue.
We want the adjournment motion to be passed in Parliament," said
Girija Vyas, of the Congress.
Some key allies of the coalition have also pledged to join the
opposition in demanding the sacking of Modi despite the BJP
rejecting the calls at a weekend national executive meeting.
Vajpayee's government won a reprieve on Sunday when an ally, the
Telugu Desam Party (TDP) stopped short of withdrawing its support
over the Gujarat crisis.
The TDP with 28 seats in the 545-member lower house, is the
second-largest member of the federal coalition.
While the government was unlikely to fall if the Telugu Desam
withdrew backing, it would leave it with just a thin majority
above the minimum 272 seats required and make it more vulnerable
to pressure and lobbying by disparate regional parties.
"Telugu Desam Party demanded this is not the proper time to go to
elections. First, you go to restore peace and harmony, to go for
relief and rehabilitation operations, you construct houses for
affected victims. If the state is without any violence or
disturbance then you can go. These are the two demands that the
party has made," said Yerran Naidu, TDP's parliamentary leader.
Some political analysts say the BJP could sweep the polls in
Gujarat on a wave of Hindu-revivalist sentiment if it held a
state election soon.
Gujarat is the last major state held by the BJP after a string of
regional election routs.
Vijay Kumar Malhotra, the BJP spokesperson, defended Modi's
handling of the situation.
"We have debated on Gujarat many times. We have no objections to
holding any debate on Gujarat. But, obstructing proceedings in
Parliament is against democracy. Narendra Modi has handled the
communal situation in well. Now violence in the state is under
control and there has been no untoward incident. But the
opposition wants these riots to continue in other parts of the
country also," said Malhotra.
The violence erupted on February 27 after a Muslim mob burned 59
Hindu pilgrims alive in an attack on a train, triggering massive
reprisals by Hindu gangs. More than 800 people , mostly Muslims,
have been killed in recent weeks.(ANI)
Iran calls for oil embargo against Israel's allies
Go to
top Dubai, Apr. 15 (ANI): Iranian President Mohammad Khatami urged
the oil-exporting Islamic countries on Monday to stop selling
petroleum for a month to those nations who are supporting
Israel's acts of incursion into Palestinian territory.
The message was directed to the head of the Organisation of
Islamic Conference (OIC). The idea is to prevent Tel Aviv's
alleged misadventures with what is perceived as blessings from
the USA.
Earlier, a similar appeal was made by Iran's Supreme Leader
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei which generally fell on deaf ears.
Neighbouring Iraq was the only country to respond. Last week
Baghdad declared its intention to impose an unilateral oil
embargo against Israel's allies. (ANI)
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