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Gujarat will see peace again and govt means it: Advani New Delhi, May 2 (ANI): Home Minister Lal Krishna Advani said here on Thursday that peace would soon be restored in Gujarat. Addressing a group of handicapped children from Gandhinagar, who came to meet him at his residence, Advani said that along with the government, it was also the duty of the society as well as people's representatives to work for bringing peace back in the riot- ravaged state. "We took pledge that we will work to bring back peace and communal harmony in Gujarat. The government is striving towards this. The society and people's representatives will also be involved. All together we will soon establish such an atmosphere that people will think it is really a land of peace," Advani added. Meanwhile in Ahmedabad, there was a semblance of normalcy as people were seen getting back to their businesses on Thursday. According to reports, day curfew has been lifted from several areas. Out of the 15 areas, which were under curfew last week, night curfew remains in force only in seven areas now. Residents of Kalupur area, who poured into the streets after spending three days under restrictions, said they were fed up of violence and yearned for peace. "I am confident there will be peace. Shops should open and people should get back to work," said Vinod Shah, a city inhabitant. Though no major violence was reported from anywhere in Ahmedabad in the past two days, the authorities remained on high alert. Meanwhile, a peace rally organised by Indian Peoples Theatre Association to commemorate 60 years of the organisation was taken out in Mumbai on Wednesday. Noted film actress Shabana Azmi, her husband and film writer Javed Akthar and film maker Mahesh Bhatt led the march. Dozens of theatre lovers who participated in it carried placards and banners conveying messages of peace and brotherhood. "Well, we hope to shatter the apathy and the indifference of the people of India. Because I sincerely feel it is the silence of good people, the apathy and indifference of good people are what cause damage to the society," said Mahesh Bhatt. Javed Akhtar said that through such peace marches they wanted create awareness among people about the importance of secularism. (ANI) Govt to support censure motion in letter and spiritGo to top New Delhi, May 2 (ANI): The Centre made two anouncements in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday - that the Oppostition-sponsored censure motion would be supported in "letter and spirit" and measures will continue to be taken under Article 355 of the Constitution for thr protection of life and property of the people. The assurance, a strategic and pre-emptive stroke, came from the Leader of the House Jaswant Singh soon after senior Congress member Arjun Singh initiated the discussion on the motion. The seven-line motion drafted in consultation with all political parties expressed deep sense of anguish at the persistence of violence in Gujarat for over six weeks. (ANI)
50 burnt alive as diesel tanker catches fire
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top Nasik, May 2 (ANI): At least 50 people were burnt alive on Thursday when a diesel tanker caught fire in Ahmednagar district in Maharashtra. Several victims were charred beyond recognition The diesel tanker belonging to the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation was on its way to Shirdi from Kannad in Marathwada region when the incident took place near Khadki phata, police said. Fire brigades from nearby areas rushed to the site of the accident and the injured were taken to hospitals in Ahmednagar and Aurangabad. Other details were awaited.(ANI) Poll contestants must declare assets, says Supreme Court
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to top New Delhi, May 2 (ANI): Disclosure of assets will be compulsory for anyone aspiring to contest for a post in an elected body. The Supreme Court gave this ruling on Thursday while upholding a petition that wanted such a clause to be made mandatory for a poll candidate. The order is likely to have far-reaching consequences on the way elections are contested in India and also affect the contestants. The apex court also ruled that the voters have a fundamental right to know about the background, criminal or otherwise, of a candidate. It has further directed the Election Commission to issue orders ensuring that candidates made public the cases pending against them as well as their assets and liabilities. The Court has upheld the order passed by the Delhi High Court in November 2000. A three-judge Bench comprising Justice M B Shah, Justice B P Singh and Justice H K Sema agreed with the Delhi High Court directive and said the candidates should also declare their educational qualification. (ANI)
Mystery banners in Uttaranchal village create scareGo
to top Udhamsingh Nagar, May 2 (ANI): Two mystery banners on which was written "Pak aims convocation 2002" were found last Sunday by the villagers of Dhara near the Jim Corbett National Park in Uttaranchal. The banners, two and a half metres long and half a metre wide, were found dangling along with 1500 balloons. At first sight, the villagers got scared, thinking the banners may have come from Pakistan or some terrorist outfit may have planted them, for the meaning of the slogan written on them was beyond their comprehension. When brought to his notice, the range officer started investigation. The SDO, AN Singh, of Jim Corbett Park, ruled out any terrorist links and said the banners probably may have been used for advertising purposes. However, this whole episode has created fear and curiosity among the simple villagers who never saw such a thing before. "When I went out early in the morning, I saw something big floating along with balloons. We got scared. But people who started pouring in and went near the banners found bright yellow banners on which "PAK AIMS Convocation 2002" was written with blue ink," said Mahesh, a villager. The local police does not seem much amused. Corbett officials are of the opinion that it may be the work of some mischief mongers. Could these banners have really come from Pakistan or were they used to convey some message by some terrorist organizations? These are the questions that are yet to be answered.(ANI)
Exhibition on Sikh troops of two world wars opened in London
London, May 2 (ANI): A photographic exhibition honouring the part played by Sikhs in two world wars has been opened in London by Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales. "From Jawans to Generals" will be on show at the Wellington Arch, the famous architectural landmark near Buckingham Palace, for six months. The Roll of Honour of Sikhs who died in the two wars includes 83,005 names; 109,045 others were wounded. Sikh units fought with distinction on the German and Turkish fronts in the 1914-18 war, and in Europe, Africa and Burma between 1939 and 1945. Thousands won awards, five of them the Victoria Cross - Britain's highest award for gallantry. The First World War Sikhs made up nearly 20% of the British Indian Army, despite being only 2% of the population. At the end of the Second World War the British Indian Army had a total strength of 2.5 million, and again the Sikhs made up a disproportionately large part of it. They were regarded as the mainstay of the Army. The exhibition at the Wellington Arch seeks to tell the story of how the Sikhs fought for Britain and for freedom and won glory in doing so. Six million photographs stored in the archives of the Imperial War Museum were sifted through to find the most telling. Together with video presentations, they provide a fascinating insight into a sector of military history that is not widely appreciated. The exhibition, said Prince Charles, "does demonstrate graphically the extent of the relationship there was between the Sikhs and this country, and the sacrifice made by so many in two world wars." The preservation of that relationship is one of the aims of the Maharajah Duleep Singh Centenary Trust, whose intitiative lies behind the exhibition. The Trust was formed to mark the centenary of the death of the last Sikh monarch, who came to Britain as a youth following the annexation of the Sikh kingdom by the British in 1849 and lived the remainder of his life in this country, becoming a well known figure in British society. The Trust's main aim is to promote an appreciation of the heritage shared by Britain and by Sikhs, and the exhibition is one of several initiatives on its agenda. There is close co-operation between the Trust and the Victoria and Albert Museum, where there is a special Sikh Heritage Desk. The Museum houses many exhibits reflecting the Sikhs and Sikhism, notably the golden throne of Ranjit Singh, the founder of the Sikh kingdom. English Heritage, whose function is to promote an appreciation of England's past, also works closely with the Trust, and the exhibition opened by Prince Charles provided an excellent platform for the Imperial War Museum, which exists to commemmorate Britain's part in the two world wars of the twentieth century. Within 200 yards of the Sikh exhibition, work is nearing completion on memorial gates which are to commemmorate the part played by troops from Commonwealth countries - mainly the troops of the sub-continent - in the two world wars. Straddling Constitution Hill, which runs alongside the gardens of Buckingham Palace, they will be opened later this year as part of the celebrations to mark the Queen's Golden Jubilee. (ANI)
Supporters greet Arafat as he steps out to freedom
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to top Nicosia, May 2 (ANI): Hundreds of Palestinians greeted Yasser Arafat as he stepped out of his shattered headquarters in Ramallah, West Bank, on Thursday morning for the first time since the end of a month-long Israeli siege. The Israeli army confirmed that it had pulled the last of its troops and tanks away from the Palestinian president's compound early on Thursday, but said it would continue to maintain an overall vigil in the city. Flashing a victory sign to cheering supporters, a visibly happy Arafat, whose virtual house arrest came to an end following a US- brokered deal, was immediately whisked into a convoy of cars for a tour of the battle-scarred city of Ramallah. He first visited a makeshift memorial to pay his tributes to Palestinians killed in their uprising against Israeli occupation. He then moved on to the city's main hospital. Asked how he felt as he toured the Palestinian Education Ministry, Arafat pointed to a group of children and said: "This is how I feel ... One of these children will wave the flag over a Palestinian state." The deal to end the Ramallah siege followed an initiative by US President George W Bush. Under the deal, late on Thursday Palestinian, US and British officials escorted six men out of Arafat's compound into armoured vehicles which took them to detention in Jericho, which will be supervised by a US and British team. Israel originally demanded that the six, four of whom were convicted by the Palestinians for the assassination of an Israeli minister, be handed over for trial in Israel. "We do hope that this result or this conclusion will lead to a real negotiation with the Israelis, to go back to the political track," Palestinian cabinet minister Nabil Amr said. Israeli Foreign Ministry official Mark Sofer said, "We hope that he (Arafat) will use this opportunity to fight against the terror." Meanwhile, tensions still remain high in the region as fierce fighting broke out overnight between Israeli troops and Palestinian gunmen in a standoff at the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem and Israeli troops briefly raided the town of Tulkarm in the West Bank. (ANI) |