''When time comes, I am quite confident that a significant majority in both Houses of the Congress will support the agreement the way it is formulated...Not a single member of the Congress has come out against it and the government of India is also doing a terrific job,'' said Mr Blackwill who was responsible for government-wide policy planning to help develop UN Foreign Policy in the Bush Administration.

Speaking at a seminar on 'India's rise as a great power and US-India relations' here, organised by the CII, he said the Bush Administration hoped that this legislation would be passed by the Congress by June. (UNI)

The Chief Secretaries of West Bengal, Assam, Tripura, Meghalaya and Mizoram have been is served with the notices to depute their respective counsel to apprise the court about the action initiated by them. The Court asked the Centre to state in an affidavit the number of illegal Bangladeshi migrants in India.

''Whether a census was carried out to count the illegal Bangladeshis? If not state the reasons for not doing so in two weeks,'' said the Bench. The Court also asked the Border Security Force(BSF) to give details of deportation of Bangladeshis month-wise between 2000-05. (UNI)

New Delhi: Taking strong exception to UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi's remarks against the Left governments in Kerala and West Bengal, the Left parties Wednesday said it had done some ''pioneering works'' in the two states and hoped the Congress Chief ''would change her perception.''

Asserting the electorate would certainly vindicate their viewpoint at the hustings the Left leaders claimed, their governments had ''heralded a new era of development in land reforms, employment generation, literacy, public health and social amity among others.

They also criticised the Manmohan Singh government's plans to allow cent per cent FDI in insurance sector, more FDI in retail and ''anti-labour'' moves, saying they would continue to oppose them in and outside the Parliament. Ms Gandhi has alleged that the Left was following the path of confrontation, having no vision of development and the Left speaks in different voices when in and out of power, during her recent election campaigns. But Prime minister Manmohan Singh described the Left as ''valued allies'' in his address in Kolkata.

The CPI leaders, A B Bardhan and D Raja, said Ms Gandhi's observations surely contradict those of the Prime Minister. CPI(M) Polit Bureau member and Rajya Sabha member Brinda Karat said, ''The people of Kerala and West Bengal will give the right answer to her comments in the ongoing assembly polls.''

On the government's proposals for further liberalising the financial sector, the CPI leaders said, ''The government will have to bring legislations in Parliament, where we will vote against them.''

Mr Bardhan wanted to know the motive behind introducing 100 per cent FDI in the insurance sector. ''When our domestic insurance companies are competitive enough, and making profits, why should we further open up our insurance sector. In our opnion, it is not necessary at all,'' he said.

On labour reforms, Mr Raja said if it meant a ''hire and fire,'' it was never acceptable to them, adding the government had yet to explain the kinds of changes it sought in labour laws. ''This is definitely the negation of the CMP, which is the very basis of governance, which says clearly for that it has to talk to the trade unions,'' Mr Raja said.

Referring to the Congress President's remarks describing the Left as ''obstructionist and anti-development,'' CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat said, ''The Left will continue to obstruct if it means defending people's rights and opposing the Congress-led UPA government's anti people policies. We dont mind obstructing these policies in the larger interest of our country.''

She said the Left simply wanted the government to ''faithfully and honestly'' stick to the letter and spirt of the CMP. ''The Left has already given detailed notes to the UPA-Left Coordination Committee on the pitfalls of opening up the insurance sector, FDI in retail and rationalising labour laws. We have yet to get and answer,'' she said. Ms Karat said, ''There can be no compromise on these issues.''

CPI(M) Chief whip in Lok Sabha Rup Chand Pal said the Congress chief seemed to have bowed to the pressure from Kerala Congress, otherwise why she should contradict the PM's statment on the issue. Stating that the Left had never participated in any Central government as they had never participated in any government at the Centre earlier, it would not be possible for them to implement the agenda they had in mind for the whole country, Mr Pal said.

''We have implemented this agenda in states where we have ruled within the framework of the Constitution and only with limited powers a state enjoys,'' he said.Rubbishing the comm-ents of the Congress president about the two Left state governments, he said, ''West Bengal had been a pioneer in implementing land reforms and change the face of rural Bengal. The Kerala model of development is also quoted the world over for its achievements in employment generation, literacy, health care and social amity.''

''The Left governments achieved this because they had a strong support base even among the grassroot level,'' he added. Forward Bloc National Secretary G Devrajan said, it was unfortunate that the Manmohan Singh government which thrived on the support of the Left parties was out to violate the letter and spirit of the CMP. (UNI)

Aurangabad: Shivaji Salunke, a prisoner serving his life imprisionment at the Open Jail of Paithan in this district, has offered to donate his liver to the BJP general secretary Pramod Mahajan, who is battling for his life at Mumbai's Hinduja hospital with three bullets still embedded inside after being shot at by his youngest brother Pravin on April 22 morning.

One of the three bullets has severely damaged Mr Mahajan’s liver and there have been reports that the BJP leader could undergo liver transplant. In an application to the Jail authorites on April 24, Salunke expressed his desire to donate his liver. According to the convict, who has been received the Maharashtra government's award for best literature for his poetry collelction 'Atmazad'', the life of a politician like Mahajan is more important for the society as well as the nation and, therefore, he felt it was appropriate for him to donate his liver to the BJP leader. (UNI)

Rae Bareli: Amethi MP Rahul Gandhi Wednesday took an obvious dig at the Mulayam Singh Government in Uttar Pradesh, a day after making his intention clear to take the lead for the party in the coming Assembly elections in the state early next year. Mr Gandhi reiterated his charge that the contribution of Uttar Pradesh government in the development of Rae Bareli was negligible.

Addressing several public meetings in Satawan assembly segment here, Rahul claimed that despite the indifferent attitude of the state dispensation, Congress had undertaken several developmental works with the help of the central government.

Rahul had Tuesday kickstarted campaign for his mother and AICC president Sonia Gandhi, who is seeking re-election from Rae Bareli Lok Sabha seat on May 8.

''The Gandhi family shares a 'seasoned' bond with Rae Bareli. When my grandmother late prime minister Indira Gandhi represented this constituency, good development was witnessed here,'' he said.

He listed several schemes related to roads, drinking water and employment, which were ushered in following the victory of Ms Sonia Gandhi from the segment in 2004.

''I consider myself the representative of both Amethi and Rae Bareli parliamentary constituencies,'' he observed.

Clad in white pyjama-kurta and sporting a tilak, the MP alighted at several places from the vehicle -- driven by party leader and former union minister Capt Satish Sharma -- and interacted with women and children. He made a fervent appeal to the electorate to ensure Sonia’s victory by a huge margin of votes at the hustings.

The MP announced that his mother would also campaign in the constituency for 2-3 days. The Rae Bareli bypoll was necessitated following the resignation of Sonia from the LS seat over office of profit controversy. (UNI)

New Delhi: Delhi police Wednesday lobbed teargas shells and used water canons to disperse hundreds of students of five premier medical colleges who staged a demonstration against the government's move to provide reservation in elite educational institutions.

The police action came when an estimated 400 agitatiors were moving to other place from the scheduled venue of protest of Jantar Mantar triggering a scuffle between the two sides. Accusing the political parties of resorting to vote-bank politics while moving such a proposal, the protestors also threatened to go on strike if their demand to rollback the 27 per cent reservation for the OBCs was not met.

The students, under the banner of "Youth for Equality", blocked the roads creating traffic snarls in and around busy Connaught Place area.

Shouting slogans like "Arjun Singh hai hai", "Aaj Ka Arjun Duryodhan Hai" and "Youth for equality education not reservation", the students of AIIMS, Maulana Azad Medical College, Lady Hardinge Medical College and University College of Medical Sciences said reservation would lead to divisions within the health profession. (PTI)

"Standards of healthcare to the general public will be compromised even as our politicians make a beeline to foreign countries to get treatment for their afflictions," Nandana Acharjee, an OBC student said. "The politicians are catering to their vote banks. Not one party opposed the bill in Parliament. They are playing divide and rule," Supriya Gupta, President Lady Hardigne College Students' body, said.

"The quota will severely compromise the kind of health professionals this country gets.It is not machines or instruments but human life that is at stake," she said adding that colleagues from the OBC category are "fnancialy, intellectually and economically equal." PTI

Jabalpur (MP): Dubbing it as "an unnecessary and extra-constitutional body", Leader of Opposition LK Advani on Wednesday demanded disbanding the National Advisory Council, alleging it was created to give "powers without any accountability" to the Congress President.

"The BJP was always of the view that the NAC is an unnecessary and extra-constitutional body created solely to provide a cover to Congress President (Sonia Gandhi) to exercise power without any accountability in the Union Government," the BJP leader told reporters before starting on the 15th day of his 'Bharat Suraksha Yatra here.

Alleging that NAC "downgraded" the high constitutional office of Prime Minister, he asked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to disband it since it was the duty of the PM's office to review and monitor functioning of the Government.

On the office-of-profit issue, Advani said the UPA Government should take people into confidence on the proposed legislation.

"The Opposition can only make its views known on the office-of-profit after the Government shares with us its thinking on the proposed legislation, planned to be introduced during second half of budget session from May 10," he added. The proposed legislation should not undermine the rationale and logic evolved by the makers of the Constitution in Articles 102 and 103, the BJP leader said. "The Government should not take easy way out by simply exempting a long list of offices from the category of offices of profit and thereby release them from purview of the constitutional provisions attracting disqualifications," the former BJP President said.

On BJP’s stand about its MPs and legislators, including Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, allegedly holding offices of profit, Advani said, "we will do whatever is appropriate but will wait till Government makes its stand clear."Accusing the Centre of failing to uplift the plight of farmers, Advani claimed that over 4000 farmers have committed suicide in Andhra Pradesh in recent days and similar incidents were reported in Maharashtra. Asked about the security situation, he said "unlike the UPA Government, there were no compromises struck with terrorists when we (NDA) were in power. Over 70 modules of Pakistan’s ISI were traced and destroyed every year for six years during NDA rule. But in 2005, number came down to 15."

On expelled BJP leader Uma Bharti's plans to float a new party, Advani said, "everyone has a right to run his own party." Asked about the possibility of Bharti's return to BJP, he said party President Rajnath Singh has made it amply clear.

Advani said as Congress has deteriorated since independence. BJP was also affected by "Congress-isation". "But I am proud that BJP workers, including the younger generation, work for the people's welfare without expecting any returns," he said.

Advani also asked naxal-hit BJP-ruled states to utilise the Central funds for modernisation of police force to deal with the menace. (PTI)

New Delhi: A Rs 560 crore hydro-electric project, funded by India, was inaugurated in Mongar district in Eastern Bhutan Wednesday, marking yet another milestone in the ongoing partnership between the two countries in hydro-power sector.

The Project, a run-of-the river 60 MW project on Kurichhu river, was inaugurated by Bhutan's Crown Prince Jigme Khesar Namgyel and India's Amba-ssador to that country Sudhir Vyas. The ceremony was also attended by Lyonpo Yeshey Zimba, Bhutan's Minister for Trade, Industry and Power, and other dignitaries. (UNI)

Koduvalli (Kerala): All that glittered was once gold for the people of this quiet hamlet in Kozhikode district. Around 130 of the 240 shops here trade in jewellery - which explains how flourishing the gold business used to be in this village, 45 km from Kozhikode town.

"Every household in Koduvalli has at least two people working in the gold industry," said the secretary of the Koduvalli Gold and Silver Merchant Association, who gave his name only as Surendran.

This village was known to be a trading centre that affected gold rates in the country. No longer. The rising prices of gold and competition from jewellery shops in neighbouring areas that are offering new designs are making Koduvalli lose its golden sheen.

Even as Kerala is in the grip of election fever, businessmen here are more worried about the steep hike in gold prices. This assembly constituency goes to the polls Saturday along with 66 other constituencies. "For instance, the rate could be Rs.887 (per gram) in the morning but increase to Rs.902 in the afternoon," said Feroz Babu, the rtner of Silsila Jewellers.

Like Babu, each merchant in Koduvalli gets updated on his mobile phone about the international rate of gold every hour. "We have tracking agencies. We pay them Rs.100-150 monthly for this information," Babu explained.

Koduvalli, which celebrated a centenary in the gold business in 1998 with an almost month-long extravaganza, claims to sell the "best and purest gold" in the country.

"Even a teenager here can identify pure gold. So we cannot afford any cheating," said Abdul Karim, another merchant.

The gold business in Koduvalli began when some Muslims goldsmiths began working for individual households at a time when other people from the community considered doing business in the yellow metal anti-Islamic.

"Perhaps ours is the first place in the country where Muslims began doing business in gold. A leading Muslim personality called Purayil Ahamed established it as a proper business," Surendran said.

The gold business in the whole of northern Kerala became Koduvalli-centric then. Buyers from neighbouring Karnataka and Tamil Nadu started pouring into the village to purchase pure gold. But today, gold traders here say, high prices are discouraging people. "An average family here used to buy at least 400 grams of gold for a marriage. Now it has come down to just half," Babu said.

Business had flourished during 1980-90, but stagnated in the next decade and went down further as new jewellery shops came up in neighbouring places. It has also affected the flow of buyers from outside. Interestingly, the secondary market - in which old gold ornaments are bought and converted into pure gold before being newly designed - is flourishing in the village.

"So we do not have to buy gold from outside. Ninety percent of our gold is from old gold ornaments that people sell," said Surendran.

The jewellery shops in Koduvalli have workers from West Bengal who have skills in designing ornaments and workers from Maharashtra's Sangli who convert old ornaments into pure 24-carat gold (IANS).

New Delhi: Softdrink giant Pepsi has been ordered to pay over Rs one lakh compensation by a city consumer court after a man found a condom inside a sealed bottle of the company. 

"This case is an eye-opener for others who are engaged in manufacturing softdrinks and are required to maintain the prescribed standards of purity in public interest during the course of their business activities," Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum (North) comprising president K K Chopra and members R K Prabhakar and Neeru Mittal said.

Terming the case as "rare" with a serious bearing on the public health, the court directed Pepsico India Holdings Ltd to pay Rs one lakh towards the Consumer Legal Aid Fund and Rs 20,000 as damages to the complainant. Complainant Sudesh Sharma, a resident of Ujhani village here, had purchased two bottles of Pepsi from a retail shop near Kashmere Gate in the Capital in year 2003. He started suffering from severe dyspepsia and headache, followed by insomnia, after drinking from one of the bottles. His condition worsened over a period of time and he had to seek medical treatment.

Meanwhile, Sharma, on inspecting the bottle from which he had drunk, found dirt and other contaminants inside it. Even worse, Sharma was shocked to find a condom inside the other Pepsi bottle, which was still sealed. Staunchly denying any negligence on its part, Pepsi maintained in court that the bottles may have contained spurious products illegally marketed under its brand name.

To this, the court held that the softdrink major had failed in its "bounden duty" towards its customers by not taking any deterrent action against such unscrupulous persons who pass off spurious products as Pepsi's. Further, the court rejected as a "lame excuse" Pepsi's objection that it could not be held liable in the case as it did not have any authorised dealers in the vicinity of Kashmere Gate.

"This is at best only a lame excuse and does not carry any weight as they have got various dealers everywhere despite the fact that the manufacturing process might have taken place at some particular place," the court observed.

Dismissing Pepsi's argument that Sharma had not submitted any proof of purchase of the bottles, the court observed that it was not a practice in the open market among shopkeepers to issue receipt or cash memo whenever a person purchased one or two bottles. The Forum also directed the company to pay Rs 3,000 as litigation costs. (PTI)

State Parliamentary Affairs Minister JD Rymbai said immediately after the last session, he wrote to the concerned departments to hand over the land. "The Agriculture and Horticulture departments will hand over their land (plots) documents to the Speaker soon", Mr Rymbai said.

Once this is done, the State government would invite tenders for the construction works, the Minister said. He said that even the Indian Air Force (IAF) gave its approval for the construction of the building. The Meghalaya Assembly Speaker and Chairman of the High-Powered Committee, Mr MM Danggo said, "We are awaiting the handing over of the land by the State government through its General Administrative Department".

Agriculture Commissioner P Kharkongor said the matter was "being processed" as it also "has to go to the Revenue department as it deals with land". The Agriculture department has written to both the Public Works Department and the Revenue department to survey the land and find the area of land that is needed for the construction, Mr Kharkongor said.

The said plot of land at Upper Shillong is now being used as a fruit and vegetable farm of the two departments. The Assembly had recently passed a motion to construct the new Assembly building at Upper Shillong on a site cleared by the High-Power Committee. The IAF also gave its no objection certificate.

This was decided at the public rally held at Iawmusiang, Jowai on Wednesday which was participated by leaders of Jaintia Students' Union (JSU), Jaintia Youth Federation (JYF) and headmen of 20 villages under Leshka area.

The NGOs also warned of strong agitation in Jaintia Hills district if the State Government failed to meet the demand within the stipulated time. They also sought the support of the KSU on the issue as according to them "the demand is not against only one person".

"I am busy right now" was the only reaction from the minister when The Shillong Times tried to seek his view on the allegation.

Meanwhile, reacting to the allegation, the GSU has condemned Mr Sangma for acting in the interest of the official instead of doing something to stop "open looting" of money meant for the poor and downtrodden of Garo Hills.

"The action is indeed deplorable," GSU Khasi Hills Zone general secretary Aldo Sangma said.

Meanwhile, Mr Roy in a telephonic interview with The Shillong Times here on Wednesday said that he was ready to face any inquiry including CBI probe regarding allegation of his involvement in the scandal.

"No problem, I am ready to face any inquiry including that of CBI," Dr Roy said adding that his appointment for the post of BDO was done by the State Government even though he was a mere veterinary doctor.

"I am ready to go back to my profession as veterinary doctor if the Government decides to remove me from the present post," Dr Roy said. He also denied his involvement in withdrawal of money from the State Bank of India (SBI) Tura Branch two years ago.

SHILLONG: HNLC emissary Rev PBM Basaiawmoit vent out his frustration with the lack of sincerity on the part of the Centre to expedite the process of cease-fire agreement with the underground outfit.

In a statement issued here, Rev Basaiawmoit said Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil had failed to honour his commitment for unconditional dialogue with the HNLC as was reported in the media recently and that the Centre was speaking in "forked tongue" on the issue.

"With regard to HNLC, it was the agencies of the Home Ministry based in Shillong which requested me to make contact with the underground outfit to find out if the latter would like to hold talks with the government", Rev Basaiawmoit said.

The Church leader said that the HNLC had reciprocated positively to the offer as per its letter to the Prime Minister followed by his subsequent talks with the Union Minister of State for Home and the MHA officials in February 2005 in New Delhi on the issue.

"So far, I have been defending the role of the Centre, but now it appears that it is not sincere enough and perhaps was using me for its other designs instead of holding talks with the HNLC starting with ceasefire agreement. Otherwise why is this delay and the forked tongue speaking", Rev Basaiawmoit wanted to know.

On the delay to proceed with the talks offer, Rev Basaiawmoit said the Union Home Ministry changed its course on the issue of tripartite agreement involving the Centre, State government and the HNLC, when the outfit recognised the role of the State government in this regard.

"If the Centre can have ceasefire agreement with the ANVC, UPDS, DHD, HPC, NSCN-IM and NSCN-K, why is it going back on its words and intention by engaging me unnecessarily from December 2004", Rev Basaiawmoit said while lauding the gesture and response of the State government including Chief Minister DD Lapang on the issue.

Rev Basaiawmoit also said that it now for the Centre to reciprocate in a 'statesman like manner' since the HNLC had offered the olive branch. He also appreciated Union DONER and Tribal Affairs Minister PR Kyndiah for his proposal to carry the message to the Centre for speeding up the peace process.

Meanwhile, the HNLC in a letter to Rev Basaiawmoit said that it would be forced to withdraw its peace offer if both the Centre and the State government went ahead with the proposed uranium mining in West Khasi Hills.

The letter signed by its publicity secretary Sainkupar Nongtraw has it that "if the State government gives its permission for uranium mining, we will withdraw from our peace initiative. We will not compromise with our stand. We know that if we can not emerge as powerful now, we are confident of being able to do so even after five years", the HNLC said.

While charging the State government of failing to deal with influx and corruption through a "clear cut strategy", the underground outfit said that the government had "sold out all its resources to businessmen from outside the State in the name of economic progress without any policy to protect tribal interest including employment opportunity for the local people".

"It is useless to abjure violence if the government continues to reject our historical right and if the same policy of blowing hot and cold goes on, it means that the authorities are forcing us to resort to more extremist methods", the HNLC said.

Eight heavily armed UANF militants waylaid the jeep Superintendent Mr D Bora and Inspector Mr Mrinal Sharma were travelling in at Baburambeel border area 6 am in the morning. The two officers were heading for Dalu from Gasuapara to catch the morning Sumo service enroute to Phulbari.

The militants dragged the two officers out of the vehicle and took them towards the International border. The driver, who was let off, immediately rushed towards the nearest BSF Border Outpost to inform the matter. The Commandant of 56 Battalion of the BSF, Mr B K Jha, has also rushed to the area and is supervising the search operations.

Meanwhile, a flag meeting between the BSF and the BDR took place on Wednesday to discuss the issue.

Meanwhile, the Dorbar Dong Demseiniong has clarified that the youth who committed suicide on April 24 is not from the locality but from an area under Umkaliar.

Mr Abraham said, "If we could operate the pumps for the whole day, the scarcity would not have been there". He said that there was plenty of water available in the dam, but due to power shortage, the department could not pump enough to meet the demand.

According to current requirement, the city needs at least six million gallons per day. Through the Greater Shillong Water Supply Scheme (GSWSS), water is supplied to some remote villages near Mawphlang and this is also contributing to the already grim situation. "But the department is now planning to have a separate scheme for the villages. After the completion of that scheme, GSWSS would supplied water only to the city", Mr Abraham said. Under the GSWSS, 135 litres of water is sanctioned per day for each individual.

Meanwhile, he said the Shillong Municipal Board (SMB) is supplying 0.75 million gallons of per day and PHE is supplying five million gallons per day to meet the requirement. He said that Rs three crore was being spent annually for electricity,  which includes the expenditure incurred for pumping of water, besides the electricity consumed in the thermal plant.

"We have completed the first phase of replacing the old pumps and after the completion of the second phase, the quantity of water supply would increase upto 11.5 million gallons per day", he said.

The PHE has already installed water meter in the main reservoir in order to streamline the distribution of water in the city. It also constituted a team with a Magistrate and a number of staff representing the PHE and the SMB to check water leakage and other related problems.

"With the installation of treatment plant, the water supply from the GSWSS has been made fully safe for drinking", Mr Abraham said.

He said that the PHE had even submitted the concept of Shillong Sub-Urban Water Supply Scheme to the DONER Ministry to tackle water crisis in the city during the next ten years.

The committee will be headed by the Labour Commissioner as chairperson, Under Secretary, Labour Department as member secretary and members which include chief inspector of Boilers and Factories, Director of Industries, chairperson o Meghalaya State Social Welfare Advisory Board, Nursing Superintendent, DIIS, Ganesh Das Hospital, President Impulse NGO, Young Women Christian Association and president, Mother’s Union, Tura.

TURA: The Meghalaya State Planning Board held a review meeting with the district officers at Tura Circuit House on Tuesday, to study the progress of implementation of various developmental schemes and also to look into the problems faced by them while implementing the schemes and projects.

Chairman of the State Planning Board Mr Salseng C Marak, while addressing the district officers, said that since the 10th five-year plan was almost coming to an end, the time has come to prepare new plans and proposals for the 11th Plan. He said that there was general feeling in the minds of the people of Garo Hills that the government was not giving adequate attention to their needs, and therefore asked the officers at district level to suggest what they think would be important for development of the district and where priority can be given. He also reminded the officers that they were the main functionaries without which State Government cannot not function properly.

Mr Marak also emphasised that all officers were duty-bound to make field visits from time to time for inspection of the works being undertaken by their respective depart-ments. Besides, the Chairman, the Deputy Chairman Dr R C Laloo, Mr A H Scott Lyngdoh, Commissioner of Divisions, East, West & South Garo Hills Mr P W Ingty, members of the Board Mr. Augustine D Marak, Mr Sanggra A Sangma and Mr Polycarp Marak were also present at the Review meeting.

Mr Scott Lyngdoh said that for any socio-economic development, the district officers are the pivot as they are constantly in touch with the people. He said that the Board has not come on a fault-finding mission, but to find out whether Garo Hills have been really neglected by the government or if something was amiss. Mr Scott Lyngdoh also felt the need to have an assessment done on the impact of all the development schemes being taken up.

Earlier, the Deputy Commissioner Mr. P Sampath Kumar welcomed the members and the officers to the review meeting and urged the officers to clearly state their annual plan proposals and highlight achievements as well as their problems during the meeting. The Deputy Commissioner also later highlighted the central schemes being imple-mented in the rural areas through the DRDA, like IAY, SGSY and SGRY and the progress made so far in the new National Rural Employ-ment Guarantee scheme.

Beah volleyball, archery and fishing competition were some activities organised during the festival. In the volleyball match, Mawkhywang Sports Club won the champion’s trophy while in archery, Laitlawsnai won the trophy as well as bagged the best team prize. Shanbok Sohphon of Lawblei village won first prize in fishing.

Mr Lapang said that the revival pillar will help to strengthen the belief of the Christians that under the banner of the cross lies the unity of the mind, the heart and the soul.

"This pillar will also help to announce the word of God upto the hills of Calvary", Mr Lapang said.

Meanwhile, Founder and President of United Christian Revival Movement (UCRM), Rev R Victor Dharmaraj informed that similar kind of pillars will be constructed in Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh, Kanyakumari, Gujarat, Delhi and Chennai.

"The vision of the UCRM to erect pillars all over the country is on the way to bring more rewards in terms of spirituality and humanity", Rev Dharmaraj stated.

Rev Dharmaraj stated that the UCRM has dedicated this pillar to the revival to this part of the country 100 years ago at Mairang. It may mentioned that the height of the pillar is 100 ft, while the radius is 200 ft.

In this Revival Centenary Pillar there is also a proposal for the construction of a prayer and guest room. The total cost of the project is Rs 42 lakh. Others present on the occasion include Founder and Chairman of Jesus For India, Rev (Dr) R James Jacob, Bishop Anglican Church of India, Dr A John Sathyakumar, State Legislators and Moderator KJP Synod Sepngi, Rev BC Lyngdoh.

From a thundering beginning in Bombay to a whimpering end in Bihar after three stints in power without purpose or principle in New Delhi. That sums up the chequered career of George Fernandes, one of the most colourful politicians India has ever produced. Mr Fernandes, of course, looked distinctly off colour on April 12 after having been comprehensively trounced in the election to the president’s post in his party, the Janata Dal (United). Mr Fernandes’s supporters had taken his victory virtually for granted. But he received a miserable 25 votes against his one-time protégé Sharad Yadav’s 413. He has taken this decisive defeat peevishly and shown himself a bad loser.

Mr Fernandes is now an isolated, bitter, lonely old man without a future. He’s too deeply compromised with the Bharatiya Janata Party and the RSS to be really respected and trusted by his JD(U) colleagues. And yet, he’s not in the Sangh’s core, despite having come to Hindutva’s rescue countless times, including most infamously by giving a clean chit to the Bajrang Dal for the burning alive of Graham Staines and his sons in Orissa, and by rationalising the Gujarat pogrom four years ago. He may at best be given a decorative position in a Sangh parivar organisation. Mr Fernandes started out in the late 1950s as a dynamic leader of Bombay’s dockworkers, and later of taxi-men and bus drivers. Control over the city’s transportation arteries gave him unmatched power: he was the Uncrowned King of the Bandh. Thanks to his militant appeal, he vanquished the powerful Congress boss, S.K. Patil in South Bombay in 1967. He led the 1974 railway workers’ strike, one of the biggest struggles in India’s history, involving eight lakh workers, which frontally challenged Indira Gandhi. She was already besieged in Gujarat and Bihar by movements aimed at toppling corrupt Congress governments. The railway strike gave the political opposition a national character. But it exposed serious flaws in Mr Fernandes’ leadership too: he vanished underground and remained inaccessible just when thousands of railwaymen were arrested and needed help.

The railway strike marked the peak of "George the Giant-Killer’s" political career, capped by the Baroda conspiracy case and underground activities that gave Mr Fernandes a maverick character as a fighter against Emergency rule. By the time the Janata Party came to power following the Emergency, Industries Minister Fernandes was already in search of gimmicks -- like throwing out Coca-Cola and IBM while forcing the public sector BHEL to "collaborate" with the German multinational Siemens. He also advocated nuclear cooperation with the dubious regime of Col Moammar Gaddafi of Libya.

Mr Fernandes’ trajectory since then has been one of erratic and inconsistent behaviour, sometimes calculated to shock, but always guided by blind opposition to both the Congress and the Communists. In 1974, he emerged as a strong critic of India’s first nuclear test. He condemned the "nuclear misadventure" as immoral and unethical: so long as Indians lack "enough food, clothing and shelter", he said, even thinking of nuclear weapons is "obscene". But he became increasingly hawkish as the number of Indians without enough food swelled. By 1998, he had become a dogmatic votary of India’s nuclear weapons. Mr Fernandes became the greatest apologist of Hindutva outside the BJP and moved close to the RSS itself. The Tehelka expose and the coffin import scam during the Kargil war showed him deeply compromised as India’s Defence Minister. Soon he became an embarrassment for the Samata Party and the JD(U) with which it merged. Mr Nitish Kumar, once his protégé, denied him a ticket from the Nalanda constituency.

Mr Fernandes’ is the latest case of an Indian Socialist turning a traitor to the causes he once espoused, including secularism, working class rights, and peace. Alas, he’s not the only one. Recently, Mr H.D. Deve Gowda became collusive in splitting his own Janata Dal (Secular) in Karnataka and supporting his son in forming a defectors’ government in alliance with the BJP. At one time or another, Messrs Nitish Kumar, Ram Bilas Paswan and Sharad Yadav have all been or are Hindutva collaborators.

Today, the entire Socialist movement, which emerged as an independent political current after leaving the Congress fold in 1934, is in danger of dissolution. Most veteran Socialists are to be found in regional groupings like the Samajwadi Party, JD(S) or JD(U), or in small one-person outfits like Mr Chandrasekhar’s. The movement lost its organisational identity long ago. It could soon lose what little ideological affiliation many of its leaders once shared.

The history of the Indian Socialist movement is, regrettably, a story of splits, divisions and confusions. Thus, in the first 17 years after Independence, it underwent no fewer than four splits, in 1955, 1964, 1965 and 1972. These were driven as much by personality considerations as by ideological differences, for instance over the stance to be adopted vis-à-vis the Congress. Much of Socialist politics has been reactive—a search for identity in contraposition to others.

The worst disintegration of the Socialist movement came in and after 1978 when the Janata Party split over its Jana Sangh component’s "dual membership" issue. The split was initiated by eminent Socialist Madhu Limaye. But the Socialists themselves didn’t present a united front. They got badly divided. Some joined factions supporting the Jana Sangh, which soon morphed into the BJP. There was a brief realignment of the Socialists under the Janata Dal in the late 1980s, but that too quickly underwent fission.

The Socialists’ history of splits and ideological disorientation is doubly tragic. They once formed an important political current which represented the interests of the poor and downtrodden. Not only were they strong in Western India. In the Hindi heartland too, they provided a counterweight to social conservatism and Rightwing politics. Indeed, because the Communists were always weak in the Hindi belt, barring Bihar, the Socialists became the sole progressive alternative for millions of youth charged by the ideals of justice and equity.

Secondly, the Socialist movement threw up brilliant leaders, from Narendra Dev and Ram Manohar Lohiya to Ashok Mehta, Jaya Prakash Narayan, H.V. Kamath, Madhu Limaye, S.M. Joshi and N.G. Goray. Some were outstanding parliamentarians. Some others (e.g. Lohiya) were original thinkers who developed a sophisticated understanding of Indian society based not just on class (which the Communists over-emphasised), but caste too. The Indian concept of affirmative action owes much to Lohiya. Lohiya went politically astray after his 1967 strategy of forming anti-Congress governments indiscriminately in several states. But his contribution to our understanding of the importance of Dalit and OBC empowerment and linking it to secularism, women’s equality, and radical social reform is undeniable.

The Socialist movement was marred by three great flaws: obsessive anti-Congressism; Cold War-style anti-Communism and hence reluctance to work with the rest of the Left; and a personality-led style of politics. The Communists too were deeply suspicious of the Socialists because of the history of the split in the international working class movement. The Samyukta Socialist Party had few compunctions in joining hands with Right-wing groups like the Swatantra Party against the Communists.

A particularly pernicious role was played in this by JP, who bestowed respectability upon the RSS through the Bihar agitation of the 1970s. Without JP’s misconceived intervention, the Jana Sangh couldn’t have found a place in the Janata, nor acquired the influence in the post-Emergency government that it did through the likes of Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee and L.K. Advani. The Sanghis consciously infiltrated the government apparatus and the media -- a key to their influence among the middle classes in later years.

The Socialist movement is today at a crossroads. Either its remnants regroup themselves as a staunchly Leftwing secular current with a progressive or radical agenda. Or it will sink without a trace. Fortunately, leaders like Kishan Pattanaik and Madhu Dandavate (who recently died), Surendra Mohan, Mrinal Gore and P.G.R. Scindhia opted for the first course. Four years ago, they floated the "Socialist Front", to regroup Socialists who are outside of both the National Democratic Alliance and the Congress.

Sir,

Apropos the news item "JSU Ultimatum for reinstatement of PJ Bazeley" (ST, April 24), it seems that the JSU is drifting farther and farther away from the KSU. This is a very dangerous development and God forbid, it might lead to division among the Hynñiewtrep people. Nothing could be worse than this. I am surprised why the JSU is bent on the reinstatement of Mr Bazeley when all odds are against him and when he himself has judiciously chosen to turn down the offer. Don't they realise that MeSEB without him can function normally. A question we need to ask ourselves is - should we allow one person to become the cause of the division of our race? That would be the most foolish mistake we can fall into and the whole world will laugh at us for such folly. As things have developed in the past few years, the JSU seems to have adopted a reactionary attitude or a counter-position against the KSU. We have a lot to learn from the Nagas who in spite of their conspicuous linguistic differences, continue to strengthen their common ethnicity and this has kept them up as one strong race. Why do we Khynriams and Pnars who have so insignificant differences between us in terms of language, culture and life style, still harbour division among ourselves? We share the same origin, ethnicity, history, culture and tradition. In the past, the issue of ethnic difference between the two groups was never heard of or never contemplated. Of late another very ugly tendency is emerging between the two groups, namely, competition and comparison. One group looks at the other as a potential adversary and competitor and they keep on comparing among themselves. Consequently one group tries to outdo the other or one boycotts the other's initiatives in an attempt to sabotage them. This is by no means a noble behaviour befitting the children of the Hynñiewtrep Hynñiewskum. We ought to keep in mind that "a race that is divided among itself cannot stand the test of time". Let not the wicked policy of "divide and rule" used by our colonizers become the same tool that we use to destroy ourselves. I know the ordinary people in Khasi and Jaiñtia Hills do not even dream of such divisive elements. It is the politicians and the so called "enlightened people" who fabricate make-believe arguments for division. I appeal to both Students' Unions to become agents of unification among our people and not of division. There are more things that bind us together than those that can keep us apart. I am fully convinced that if both groups will work together like brothers and sisters, there is nothing that can hinder our way to development, peace and prosperity.

Yours etc,
B. Mawrie
Via e-mail

Sir,

A great deal of debate took place in the recent past in support of and against the reservation of seats for certain sections of students in the professional institutes like the IITs and IIMs. I am not totally against the provision of reservation, be it for SC, ST or OBCs, but opposed to the criteria that are being followed for reservation. If the law-makers of our land want us to believe that, the reservation system aims at the uplift of the poor and the deprived class of our society, the economic condition of the candidates (aspiring for higher studies etc.) ought to be the criterion but not on the basis of caste or creed that a candidate belongs. Moreover, in institutes like the IITs and the IIMs, which have excelled globally in terms of quality education and which are the pride of our nation's intellectual fraternity, it would be better to do away with the quota system totally. This would help maintain the academic standard of such reputed institutes and even if reservation system is to be there at all, it should be based on the economic condition of applicants. All students belonging to the general category are not necessarily rich, nor are all students from the so-called backward castes richer. There might be an upper caste student who is very brilliant but financially not sound and therefore, he cannot think of pursuing his study in reputed institutes like the IITs and IIMs. One should remember that, he/she is deprived of quality education in both ways - economically as well as for the reservation in place. Even among the students, who fall under the reserved categories but also with poor and rural background, are always a deprived lot - regardless of reservation. This is true because, there are many students who have the advantage of both reservation and strong financial background and hence, nothing would be able to stop them from attaining quality education. The fact of the matter is that, the poor are always deprived and as such, the criterion for reservation should be the economic condition of the candidates concerned and not the caste or tribe.

Yours etc,
D. Chakraborty,
Shillong-3
Via e-mail

Of the 62 members of legislative assemblies from the northeast listed on the commission's website, 25 legislators belong to Arunachal Pradesh, 17 to Sikkim, 14 to Tripura and six to Manipur.

"Tripura legislators have been protected and they will not be disqualified as the state has an act," state's law secretary Swapan Kumar Das told IANS Wednesday.

Quoting the Tripura State Legislature Members (Removal of Disqualifications) Act, 1972, Das said: "A person shall not be disqualified for being chosen as, or for being, a member of the Tripura legislative assembly by reason of the fact that he holds any of the offices specified in the schedule so far as it is an office of profit under the government of India or the state government."

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had lodged complaints against the legislators of Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur, while the Sikkim Pradesh Congress Committee, the BJP and the Sikkim Himali Rajya Parisad complained against the Sikkim assembly members. Tripura opposition leader Ratan Lal Nath and Indigenous Nationalist Party of Tripura leader Shyamacharan Tripura filed complaints against the 14 legislators of the ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist.

The Election Commission has asked Nath and Tripura to submit their documents supported by affidavits before it by May 5.

The state's lone Rajya Sabha member Motilal Sarkar - included in the commission's list posted in the website - is the chairman of the Khadi and Village Industries Board, Tripura.BJP to take up Chouhan issue after EC action: Meanwhile, the BJP will mull over the office-of-profit issue involving Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan only after the Election Commission's action on the matter, senior party leader L K Advani said at Jabbalpur on Wednesday.

His comment came in response to a media query regarding complaints against Mr Chouhan, who is also Vidisha MP, for allegedly occupying more than one office of profit. (Agencies)

AGARTALA: The Uranium Corporation of India Ltd (UCIL) is determined to go ahead with uranium mining at Domiasiat despite local opposition. The Corporation would soon undertake work to construct an approach road from Nongstein to Domiasiat to expedite the much-awaited uranium mining in Northeast, said Mr SK Malhotra, head of awareness division, Department of Atomic Energy on Wednesday.

"Of course there are controversies in Meghalaya, but the mining would start within a couple of years", he said adding that the UCIL was trying its best to start mining since 1998.

"The UCIL would adopt all possible steps for mining without causing any health hazard", Mr Malhotra, who is here to attend a seminar on societal application of Atomic energy said, assuring that people need not to get panic about the uranium mining.

Referring to the mishaps in mining areas of various Northeastern states, including Meghalaya, he argued as what were the safety measures taken for coal mining in the state? "A number of workers are killed regularly due to mishaps in coal mines in Meghalaya", he said.

Mr Malhotra reaffirmed that uranium mining is perfectly designed and engineered and the UCIL  would not compromise with safety measures.

Recalling the importance of the Nuclear energy for mankind, he said Northeast was getting positive results of the uranium mining and operation of reactors across the country. "The UNCL did nothing in terms of mining in Meghalaya, but the State is already yielding fruits of expected mining", the Atomic Energy official said, ringing an alarm for the Northeast saying that the company would get uranium from elsewhere in the country, "if it fails to undertake mining at Domiasiat"

However, he admitted that some radiation affect would be there but this would be minor and be neutralised by taking adequate safety measures. About India's nuclear programme, he said Indo-US cooperation would enrich the country's nuke initiatives in days to come. However, he said the country was not in any arms race or has any intention to exhibit its arsenal to the world.

"The country will be benefited from the nuclear energy", he asserted giving a clear indication of feeding the national power grid in the coming year.

It may be recalled that the Department of Atomic Energy has earmarked 22000-MW power from nuclear energy by 2020. As on date, nuclear energy contributes only three percent of the country's total generation.

Aizawl: The Mizoram government has approved the decision to amend the Mizoram Union Territory Members (removal of disqualification) act 1975 here. It was approved in a cabinet meeting here on Wednesday. The decision to amend the act came following representation sent to the Election Commission of India by opposition parties to disqualify some of the assembly members on the office of profit grounds.

The Mizoram Congress party had mentioned more than eight names in the list of members to be disqualified. It is likely that the Governor may soon call a special assembly session to amend the act. It was learnt that Governor A R Kohli had refused to sign an ordinance in this respect and advised for the special assembly session to discuss it in the floor of the house.

The cabinet meeting also approved the ongoing privatisation of vehicles according to which government vehicles are sold off to the officers at their book value. Also approved by the cabinet was the new guidelines for the self-sufficiency programme called Mizoram Intodelhna programme, the raising of 3rd IR Battalion and duty allowance for home guard volunteers.(UNI)

Guwahati: Uncertainty over the extension of ceasefire between the Centre and the banned Bodo militant group, National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) which expires on May 31 has led to tension in Bodo tribal dominated areas. The uncertainty is rooted in the non-starting of the actual negotiation with the militant group.

The militant group has put a pre-condition for extension of the truce which include information on the whereabouts of some NDFB leaders and cadres who went missing in the wake of Operation All Clear launched by Royal Bhutan Army (RBA) in December 2003.

Concerned over the delay in talks, convener of the All Bodo Peace Forum, Bharmon Baglari said an undercurrent of tension has gripped the Bodo areas.

"If the ceasefire breaks down because of non-holding of negotiation, the Centre will be held responsible for the fallout," he said.

The Peace Forum played a key role in persuading the NDFB to declare unilateral ceasefire in October, 2004. Justifying the delay in holding talks, the Centre has cited NDFB’s failure to submit its charter of demands on time. However, the NDFB denied receiving any formal written request from the Centre on the charter of demands.

"Continuous rain for the past few weeks have damaged five road points including washing off two of them," he informed, adding that there was no road in a particular point for approximately 200 meters.

The DC further pointed out that disruption of road communication had led to severe crisis in availability of essential commodities in the district.

"There is no stock of essential commodities like rice, salt and sugar at fair price shops, godowns and private shops. Although we have written about the food scarcity to the concerned authorities a long time back, there is yet to be any action in the matter", the DC said. If immediate attention was not taken to restore surface communication and supply of essential items, law and order problem might rise as a consequent, he added.(UNI)

The department of Health Services has started continuous spraying of insecticide in the border areas during April and this would continue for five months. The department has also started dispensing anti-malaria drugs to the public and deployed trained volunteers besides also opening up 800 drug distribution centres, particularly in the interior areas.

Any kind of fever, if not proven to be otherwise, is taken to be a malarial case and presumptive dose of chloroquine is administered so that the parasite reservoirs are reduced, State Programme Officer, Dr. R. Rose said. Rapid diagnostic test kits have been distributed to all the field workers posted in the interior.(NNN)

In the first phase, CNG operated auto rickshaws would start moving in the city and in the second phase small cars would be converted into CNG operated vehicles. Tripura would become the 20th state in the country to operate on CNG compliant vehicles, the sources said. The decision for introduce of CNG was taken at a high-level meeting under the chairmanship of state Transport Minister Manik Dey on Tuesday.

Representatives of State Pollution Control Board, TNGC, owners of vehicles and leaders of the trade unions were present in the meeting. In all three CNG filling stations would be set up in this city. The CNG would cost Rs 16 per kg, sources said. (UNI)

Police said the clash took place after the people turned violent on announcement of closure of the week-long Baisakhi Fair in the town. The fair was earlier extended for two days.Sources said the situation has become tense in Amarpur after the incident.(UNI)

Talking to UNI here on Wednesday, Agriculture plant protection officer James Lalsiamliana said "normally these species of big rat exist only in the plains, however, due to bamboo flowering in the region it could have migrated to the hills".

To verify the reports of the people from Darlawn village area in north eastern Mizoram, who have noticed this kind of big rat, the department has offered a reward of Rs 1000 for the rat.

Mr James said "our department would be investigating all these rumours either to disprove them or to confirm it".

According to the local expert C Rokhuma, 81 years old and a Padmashri recipient of 1992, Chawmnu is a giant rodent that is as big as a young female pig and is considered to be a notorious ringleader.

Rokhuma, who headed the rodent control team during last bamboo flowering said "During the 1977 Thingtam (bamboo flowering) famine, one such giant-sized rat was killed in Diltlang village. The Chawmnu rat has a white spot on its forehead and the tail is usually white."(UNI)

Recently several male and female models from the northeast region walked the ramp in New Delhi. With a distinctive look and a different identity, Ethiel Konyak is the latest name in the world of fashion, to set the ramp on fire. This 22-year-old from Nagaland represents the aspirations of emerging talent from the region. "I feel proud being different from other girls. I look different. People get to notice me even more. In this way, I feel better," said Konyak. Ethiel's entry to the world of modeling at such a young age is indicative of how fast the situation is changing in the state. Her love for clothes and her desire to make a name for herself in the world of fashion has brought this glamorous girl far away from North East India to the capital.

Ethiel represents a growing breed of youngsters who are not afraid to explore new vocations, much in part due to the improving ground situation after years of insurgency. She believes that the situation is fast changing in her region. "There was a bad time. Now, good times are coming and, I feel proud when I say I am a Naga", said Ethiel. Ethiel’s desire and determination to make big in life does not deter her from staying alone in Delhi. The city of opportunities, as Delhi is also called, has given a wonderful launching pad to this lissome lady. When she gets time off from her busy schedule, she likes to play with her pet.(UNI)