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Bukhari warns of civil war
New Delhi, Apr 19 (ANI): The chief cleric of Jama Masjid warned
on Friday that civil war would erupt if what he called genocide
against Muslims in the Gujarat did not end.
Syed Ahmed Bukhari, in a fiery speech after Friday prayers at
Jama Masjid, said Muslims would have to "think out ways for our
self-protection" in the wake of worst religious violence in the
past decade.
"I want to make it clear that Muslims in India are not going to
take things lying down. I want to tell the secular Hindus that if
the country is to be saved then fundamentalist forces need to be
reined," said Bukhari.
Bukhari accused Hindu organisations - Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh
(RSS), Bajrang Dal and other groups for inciting religious
tension in Gujarat.
More than 750 people, most of them Muslims, have died in reprisal
killings and communal clashes after a Muslim mob burnt alive 59
Hindus in a train in late February.
After the prayers, the enraged Muslims burnt the effigy of
Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi.
Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee's Bharatiya Janata Party has
rejected demands from coalition partners and the opposition to
remove Modi, accused of turning a blind eye to the bloodshed,
charges he has denied.
Bukhari also accused the state authorities of not looking after
riots survivors, most of whom are Muslims, properly.
More than 100,000 traumatised survivors of the country's worst
religious bloodletting in a decade are crammed into over 100
shelters set up after violence erupted in Gujarat.
Nearly half of them are lodged in 54 relief camps set up in the
worst-hit Ahmedabad.(ANI)
George assurance to riot victims
Go to
top Ahmedabad, Apr 19 (ANI): Defence Minister George Fernandes, on
the second day of his four-day-visit to Gujarat, met the
representatives of minorities in some relief camps.
He listened to their problems and assured them that their
problems would be resolved.
He said," We came here to asses the present situation and hear
your problems, how to solve them and how to meet your
expectations. It's time to make up for the snapped relations."
He also held meetings with Chief Minister Narendra Modi and
senior Army and civil officials to review deployment of Army
in violence-affected areas of the city and other parts of the
state.(ANI)
No end to Parliament deadlock
Go to
top
New Delhi, Apr 19 (ANI): Opposition deputies paralysed
Parliament for a fifth day on Friday, demanding the BJP-led
government dismiss Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi over the
country's worst religious bloodshed in a decade.
Parliament, which must approve the budget for 2002/2003 (April-
March) during the session that ends in mid-May, has failed to
transact any business since it reconvened on Monday after a
recess.
Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee's BJP has rejected demands
from coalition partners and the opposition to remove Narendra
Modi, accused of turning a blind eye to the religious bloodshed.
More than 800 people, most of them belonging to the minority
population, died in communal clashes in Gujarat after a Muslim
mob burnt alive 59 Hindus in a train.
Leaders of political parties including Vajpayee, and the head of
the main opposition Congress party, Sonia Gandhi, attended an
all-party meeting convened by Deputy Speaker of the Lower House
P.M.Sayeed, but failed to break the deadlock.
Opposition parties have pressed for discussion under rule 184,
which entails voting after debate.
"Sonia Gandhi firmly stated the party's position and pressed for
a debate under rule 184 followed by voting. This did not find
favour with the government," said Anand Sharma, Congress
spokesman.
Following chaos by opposition members for the fifth consecutive
day, the lower house was adjourned until Monday.
Somnath Chaterjee, leader of Communist Party of India (Marxist),
said that the Deputy Speaker should take a decision on his own.
"Article 184 is an ordinary rule for submitting motions. Why
should they worry? And the matter cannot be decided because of
the internal problems of the NDA (National Democratic Alliance).
I said we are all aware that because of some problems in the NDA
they are opposing this 184. All major matters have been
discussed under 184. We requested the Speaker that he is not
bound by anybody's consent, he should exercise his consent and
this is a very vital matter. Even today, people are being killed
there," Chatterjee said.
Meanwhile, Yerran Naidu, leader of the Telugu Desam Party, the
largest ruling coalition ally which has joined the opposition in
demanding the Gujarat chief minister's ouster, said the House
should immediately meet and complete the legislative business.
"We are for discussion immediately. The House should resolve the
problem. We have lost five days, so many important bills, even
the railway budget, the general budget, we have to discuss. So,
that's why my party is appealing we have to go for discussion
immediately. We have to put our facts and our case on the floor
of the House. That's why my party is in favour of a discussion
without any delay," said Naidu.
BJP spokesman, Vijay Kumar Malhotra, accused the oppositon of
politicising the Gujarat issue.
"The Prime Minister has said that whatever debate needs to be
conducted can be done. He said that the purpose of the opposition
was not to establish peace in Gujarat but for political purposes
to break the federal coalition and continue with chaos in
Gujarat," he said.
The Budget session of Parliament is scheduled to end on May
17.(ANI)
Amar Singh attacks SoniaGo to
top New Delhi, Apr 19 (ANI): Samajwadi Party general secretary Amar
Singh on Friday held the Congress responsible for the "further
alienation of minorities" by not allying with the SP, which is a
"non-communal" force. "In UP, the Congress' slogan seems to be
BJP Zindabaad."
Directly attacking Congress President Sonia Gandhi, Amar Singh
said: "What has Sonia done for the people in Gujarat? Mulayam
Singh and I met her, but she declined to help us keep the
communal forces at bay in UP."
The Congress doesn't want Narendra Modi to continue as chief
minister in Gujarat. So doesn't the Samajwadi Party. But when it
comes to UP, each prefers to take its own lane on the political
highway, Amar Singh said.
While the Congress and the Samajwadi Party have been the most
vociferous in their demands - disjointedly, of course - for
Modi's removal, the fact that the largest Opposition party, the
Congress, has so far rejected the SP's appeals for an alliance in
Uttar Pradesh only points towards one thing: mutual
distrust.(ANI)
A 1906 Kalka-Simla rail journey re-enacted
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top Simla, Apr 19 (ANI): Simla, which is already a favourite tourist
destination, witnessed a flag-off of a steam engine, Pawan Doot,
on its Kalka-Simla track to attract more tourists.
For this two-hour railway track, coming and going, there is no
fixed departure and arrival time.
According to Surendra Kumar, a senior transport manager, "We
launched this railway service to attract domestic as well as
foreign tourists to Simla. It will also help in increasing
Railway income. There is no fixed arrival and departure time for
this train but as per the requiremnet, we run it during the day,
from sunrise to sunset."
Made in 1903, this engine was first put on the track in 1906. It
was withdrawn from its service in 1971. Later in 1975 all steam
engines were replaced by diesel engines. However, to commomerate
the 150 years of Indian Railways, this steam engine has once
again been flagged off.
This railway service between Shimla and Kalka track and vice
versa will be available throughout the week, whereas you can
enjoy travelling between Shimla nad Kapdaghat just on weekdays,
Saturdays and Sundays.
Pan Singh is the man who drove it 25 years ago and now he is
happy for getting the chance of driving it. However driving
steam engines in hills is strenuous.
As he says, "Driving steam engines in hills is tough. You have to
use more physical power, whereas, in electric engines, you just
have to operate through machines ."
Since this is the age of electric engines and there is no steam
engine being manufactured nowadays, a steam engine, which has
become rare, will definitely attract a large number of tourists,
who want to enjoy the steam era.
To travel by this train you can book tickets from your nearest
booking houses and get the required information from the net. So
this time if you go to Simla to beat the heat, do not forget to
board this mini steam train.(ANI)
Let Opposition move no-trust motion: PM
Go to
top New Delhi, Apr 19 (ANI): Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee on
Friday told an all-party meeting convened by Deputy Speaker PM
Sayeed in a bid to evolve a consensus and break the deadlock on
Gujarat that the opposition could move a no-confidence motion if
it wanted to test the strength of the ruling NDA in the Lok
Sabha.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pramod Mahajan was asked about
Government's position on the opposition demand for a discussion
under Rule 184 which entails voting. He said the ruling NDA felt
such a debate was not feasible under the business rules since
Gujarat issue had already been raised in the House besides the
Centre was not directly involved.
Another reason that the Gujarat violence was being probed by an
inquiry commission went against a debate under Rule 184, he said
observing that a final decision whether the discussion should be
under Rule 184 or Rule 193, which does not require voting, has to
be decided by the Chair.
Besides a no-confidence motion as suggested by the Prime
Minister, the opposition could move a cut motion to defeat the
Finance Bill, Mahajan said, adding there were ways in which the
opposition could test whether the ruling alliance has a majority.
During the hour-long all-party meeting attended by Leader of the
Opposition in the Lok Sabha Sonia Gandhi and leaders of major
political parties, Mahajan said there was unanimity that there
should be a discussion in the House on the Gujarat situation but
the bone of contention was under which rule.
"There were sharp differences at the meeting on the mode of
discussion and it did not reach any conclusion," he said, adding
Government would make efforts again on Monday to evolve a
consensus on the issue with the opposition.
Earlier, Sayeed appealed to all political parties to reach a
common ground and expressed the hope that both the ruling NDA and
the opposition would find a via media in the next two or three
days.
Asked if the Government was under pressure because of continuous
adjournments of both Houses of Parliament as crucial legislative
business, including passage of Finance Bill and the Railway
budget, was pending, Mahajan said the Government had time till
May 14 to get the Finance Bill and the Railway Budget passed by
both Houses. (ANI)
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