Home   Contact Us                                                            Dateline New Delhi, Wednesday, January 22, 2003

          NEW DELHI: India on Wednesday expelled two senior Pakistani diplomats and two officials from Islamabad's mission in New Delhi, ordering them to leave within 48 hours. Indian foreign ministry spokesman Navtej Sarna told reporters the four "have been found indulging in activities incompatible with their official status" (diplomatic code for spying).                                                                                        (More)

Indian Muslims Protest Against US Plan to Attack Iraq

          NEW DELHI: Muslims across India on Wednesday staged an anti-war rally in New Delhi following reports that the United States and its allies were planning to strike Iraq. The protest comes in the wake of recent reports by a United Nations arms inspector, which make an attack on the oil-rich nation look imminent.

          Chief weapons inspector Hans Blix had said on Tuesday that "Iraq still had to answer many questions on its weapons programme." Muslims across the world fear that the presentation of a final report by Blix on January 27 will trigger a full scale war. Russian news agency Interfax also said on Wednesday that the Russian army had obtained information that the United States had decided to launch military action in Iraq from mid-February.

          The source added that the main aim of the war would be to secure control of Iraqi oilfields. Iraq has been consistently expressing fears that the US will use the weapons inspections programme, resumed after four years, as an excuse to attack. It maintains that it has no weapons of mass destruction. The United States says it is building up a force estimated to reach more than 150,000 by the end of next month. Britain is sending a further 30,000 troops.

          No other allies have come forward with significant military commitments so far and some, notably France, Germany and Russia are against rapid action.

Parliament's Golden Jubilee Celebrated (Go To Top)

          NEW DELHI: A function was held in the Parliament House on Wednesday to mark the golden jubilee of the Indian Parliament. President APJ Abdul Kalam was ushered into the complex of this grandiose structure in a stately procession led by his guards riding horses. Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and Speakers of both Houses and members were present.

          For 50 years, Sansad Bhavan has been hosting the bicameral legislature made up of nearly 800 members and their secretariats. The imperial edifice bears distinctive stamp of British architecture, a legacy of the pre-independence era before India won its freedom on August 15, 1947. India also adapted the model of British parliamentary democracy into its Constitution, adopted on January 26, 1950, which has since been marked as the country's Republic Day. Parliament was constituted on 22 January 1952 after the first general elections.

Salman's Plea for Return of Car Rejected (Go To Top)

          MUMBAI: Film actor Salman Khan's plea for a direction to the police to return his car - which rammed into a bakery killing one person and injuring four others in September last year - was rejected by a metropolitan magistrate on Wednesday. He has now referred his case to sessions court for trial. (Details)

Shinde Wins Trust Vote (Go To Top)

          MUMBAI: The Congress-NCP-led Democratic Front Government in Maharashtra on Wednesday won the vote of confidence in the State Assembly by a simple voice vote. Congress leader Rohidas Patil moved a one-line motion stating, "the House expresses full confidence in the Sushil Kumar Shinde ministry" which was adopted without any objection from the Opposition.

           The Government had been asked by the Governor to prove its majority on the floor of the House within 15 days of their claim to form the Government, but Shinde chose to do it within a week as he was sure of winning the trust vote. Now the next step that has to be taken is finalization of the names of candidates for induction into the ministry. Shinde would be flying to Delhi to get clearance from the high command.

           The party-wise position in the 289-member House is Congress-74, Shiv Sena-69, NCP-56, BJP-56, PWP-5, RPI (Bahujan Mahasangh-B)-3, CPM-2, Janata Dal (Secular)-1, Gondwana Gantantra Party-1, Native People's Party-1, RPI (Gavai)-1, Samajwadi Janata Party-1, Independents-12 and one nominated member. Six MLAs were disqualified by the Speaker under the provisions of anti-defection law in June last year.

Buddhists Hold Prayers at Dhamek Stupa Despite Ban by ASI (Go To Top)

          SARNATH: Despite a ban by the federal Government on religious ceremonies at protected monuments, Buddhist spiritual leader Dalai Lama on Tuesday conducted prayers at Dhamek Stupa (dome) in Sarnath.

           Ten km from Varanasi city, Sarnath is the ancient town where Lord Buddha preached his first sermon. The spot today is marked by the majestic Dhamek Stupa. Lord Buddha is said to have met his five disciples here. According to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) Act 1958, worshipping at protected monuments is a punishable offence amounting to at least six months of simple imprisonment.

          The Dalai Lama said he had taken prior permission from the authorities before conducting prayers at the Dhamek stupa.

'N Korea not Keen on Nuclear Weapons' (Go To Top)

          SEOUL: A North Korean delegation to high-level talks with South Korea said on Wednesday the Communist State has no intention of producing nuclear weapons. "The North stressed that it has no intention to produce nuclear weapons," said Rhee Bong-Jo, spokesman for South Korea's delegation to the Cabinet-level talks. Briefing on the first, hour-long session, Rhee said the North's statement came after the South Korean side urged the Stalinist regime to abandon its nuclear ambitions.

Pak Gas Pipeline Blown Up(Go To Top)

          ISLAMABAD: The gas pipeline from Dera Bugti to Punjab was blown up on Tuesday night when some unknown attackers fired three rockets on it at Goth Mazari near the common border of Balochistan, Sindh and Punjab, report BBC and PTV. The rocket attack on the pipeline at Goth Mazari, situated between Rajanpur and Kashmore, caused extensive damage. A huge fire erupted resulting in the suspension of gas supply to several areas of Punjab. The fire could be seen from miles away. The explosion also caused damage to the pipeline supplying water to the Sui purification plant from Guddu. As a result of which the supply of water has also been suspended.

           The 5,215-km Sui pipeline network is a major supplier of domestic gas. The official linked the attack to problems with local tribal people over electricity supplies which were stopped a few days ago due to non-payment of bills.

No Place for Jews, Hindus Among Jurors in UK Anti-cleric Case(Go To Top)

          LONDON: Jews and Hindus have been barred from sitting on a jury in connection with a case here involving a Muslim cleric. This unusual measure was taken on Tuesday by Judge Beaumont, the Common Serjeant of London and the second most senior judge at the Old Baily court, reports Independent.co.uk. The cleric, Abdullah el-Faisal, 39, a Jamaican-born preacher at two mosques in north-west London had, before his arrest in February last year, allegedly exhorted his followers to kill "non-believers" - namely Jews, Indian Hindus and Americans - in a series of cassette recordings carrying titles such as "No Peace with the Jews" and "Them and Us". The decision to exclude people from the Jewish or Hindu religions from the jury came after a day of legal argument at the Old court at the start of a trial expected to last three weeks.

Abuse of Children's Rights by Silk Industry Alleged(Go To Top)
-by Trevor Barnard

          LONDON: The Government of India stands accused of failing to protect the rights of hundreds of thouands of children who toil as virtual slaves in the country's silk industry. The accusation comes in a report from Human Rights Watch, which was launched in London today.

           The New York-based organisation carried out a survey in three States that account for the bulk of silk and sari industry - Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu - interviewing children, employers, Government officials and members of non-governmental organisations (NGOs). In the light of what it found, it calls on the Government to "free and rehabilitate the bonded children" who work in the industry.

           The 85-page report, entitled "Small Change: Bonded Child Labour in India's Silk Industry", says the children are bound to their employers in exchange for a loan to their families. They are unable to leave while in debt and earn so little they may never be free. A majority of them are Dalits.The report points out that the Supreme Court has made rehabilitation of child workers a legal requirement and that India's National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has successfully pressured some local Governments to act. However, it says, "many of the small improvements are now being rolled back".

India Expels Four Pak Mission Staff ...

(Contd) ... "The charge d'affaires was also informed that four officials of the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi have been found indulging in activities incompatible with their official status. They were Mansoor Syed Sheikh, Mian Mohammed Asif, Mohammed Taslim Khan and Sheir Mohammad. These officials were declared persona non-grata and the Government of Pakistan was asked to withdraw them immediately within the next 48 hours," Sarna said.

          No other details were given for the expulsions, which came after India's acting ambassador in Islamabad complained of harassment by Pakistani authorities. "The charge d'affaires of the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi was summoned today to the ministry of external affairs. It was pointed out to him that the harassment meted out by Pakistani agencies to the Indian charge d'affaires in Islamabad on Saturday was completely unacceptable.

          Over the last three days the harassment of our charge d'affaires in Islamabad has continued, also obstructing him in the discharge of his normal diplomatic functions," said Sarna. "These activities of Pakistani agencies constitute a grave violation of all norms and conventions of diplomatic interactions, provisions of the Vienna Convention on diplomatic relations 1961, and the code of conduct for treatment of diplomatic personnel in India and Pakistan signed by the two countries in August 1992. The Government of India reiterates that it is the responsibility of the Government of Pakistan to ensure the security and safety of all personnel of the high commission of India, Islamabad, and their families," he added.

          India's senior diplomat in Pakistan, Sudhir Vyas, said on Tuesday he was still suffering from "aggressive surveillance" by Pakistani agents in spite of complaints to the Government about his treatment. Vyas first complained on Sunday that his official car had been repeatedly blocked by Pakistani intelligence vehicles while he was trying to drive to diplomatic functions in Islamabad. On Monday, the Pakistani foreign ministry dismissed Vyas's complaints as baseless.

          Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesman Aziz Ahmed Khan said on Monday Pakistani diplomats in New Delhi had been harassed by Indian security agencies for the past month or so and India had ignored Islamabad's protests. Indian spokesman Sarna said the complaints were investigated and found to be untrue.

           Both sides scaled down their diplomatic presence during a tense military stand-off that almost brought them to war after a 2001 attack on India's parliament that New Delhi blamed on Pakistan-based Islamic militants. Both sides have yet to reappoint high commissioners. India accuses Pakistan of arming, training and sending Muslim guerrillas to fight Indian rule in disputed Kashmir - charges Pakistan denies. The hostile nuclear-armed neighbours, who have fought three wars since independence in 1947, regularly exchange accusations of dirty tricks by security agencies.