Traditional Muslim leaders upstaged by hawkish younger lot Saturday, September 1, 2001
BY LEENA MISRA, TIMES NEWS NETWORK
GANDHINAGAR: Disturbed by the trends in communal violence in the city since the past week, the state government has decided on a three-pronged confidence-building measure to patch up the warring groups which will begin right from the police stations.
But what has concerned the authorities is the fact that "an invisible network of anti-social elements was building up" in the city. "This is the first time that there was a bandh for which there was only a covert declaration, or probably no declaration at all", observes a senior police official. But the fact remains that several unsigned hand-outs attempting to hold hands had already been in circulation just after the Vatva incident which was ostensibly no provocation at all, believe police officials. The reason being, not just minority groups were assaulted here.
The second concern is that this uprising appeared to be initiated by the younger 'hot-blooded' generation of "extremists" and none of the traditional leaders (read 'pacifiers') had dared to speak up against them.
The indications are that things might get worse, with political forces like the Lok Janshakti Party and others trying to fish in troubled waters. Consequent to the police firing on Wednesday night in which 25-year old Noorkhan Nazirkhan Husainkhan Pathan lost his life, a group of 40-odd minority group leaders led by AMC's standing committee chairman Badruddin Shaikh marched to the state assembly to meet chief minister Keshubhai Patel. They were reportedly protesting against the minority groups coming in the line of police fire.
A scuffle followed after which Shaikh and 32 others were detained by the Gandhinagar district police and then released. They then met minister of state for home Haren Pandya and demanded that the deployment of Rapid Action Force be increased in the city. "We don't feel safe with the SRP around", Congress MLA Faroukh Shaikh told TOI.
Incidentally Wednesday night's scuffle had been provoked by an incident of stone-throwing at a funeral procession.
Speaking to TOI, Pandya said that he had conceded to their demand and would station additional RAF companies (besides the four that exist). "We have thought of strategies to build confidence between the communities". Talking about ambitious plans like "stress-relieving" and so on, Pandya says, "the idea is to have the new, effective and identified leaders of both communities come face to face at the police stations and discuss their problems" He believes this will build trust between the communities. "They should have given the administration some time to nab the culprits", he said, referring to the Vatva incident.
"This is the first time that certain organisations have suddenly got active and there was a bandh that could not be attributed to any known outfit", observes a member from Keshubhai's ministry. Incidentally, the police have not yet been able to locate the Muslim Youth Association and its mysterious convenor Altaf Shaikh who had given the 'bandh' call.
News Source : Times News Network [ Lightning News ]
Traditional Muslim leaders upstaged by hawkish younger lot Saturday, September 1, 2001
BY LEENA MISRA, TIMES NEWS NETWORK
GANDHINAGAR: Disturbed by the trends in communal violence in the city since the past week, the state government has decided on a three-pronged confidence-building measure to patch up the warring groups which will begin right from the police stations.
But what has concerned the authorities is the fact that "an invisible network of anti-social elements was building up" in the city. "This is the first time that there was a bandh for which there was only a covert declaration, or probably no declaration at all", observes a senior police official. But the fact remains that several unsigned hand-outs attempting to hold hands had already been in circulation just after the Vatva incident which was ostensibly no provocation at all, believe police officials. The reason being, not just minority groups were assaulted here.
The second concern is that this uprising appeared to be initiated by the younger 'hot-blooded' generation of "extremists" and none of the traditional leaders (read 'pacifiers') had dared to speak up against them.
The indications are that things might get worse, with political forces like the Lok Janshakti Party and others trying to fish in troubled waters. Consequent to the police firing on Wednesday night in which 25-year old Noorkhan Nazirkhan Husainkhan Pathan lost his life, a group of 40-odd minority group leaders led by AMC's standing committee chairman Badruddin Shaikh marched to the state assembly to meet chief minister Keshubhai Patel. They were reportedly protesting against the minority groups coming in the line of police fire.
A scuffle followed after which Shaikh and 32 others were detained by the Gandhinagar district police and then released. They then met minister of state for home Haren Pandya and demanded that the deployment of Rapid Action Force be increased in the city. "We don't feel safe with the SRP around", Congress MLA Faroukh Shaikh told TOI.
Incidentally Wednesday night's scuffle had been provoked by an incident of stone-throwing at a funeral procession.
Speaking to TOI, Pandya said that he had conceded to their demand and would station additional RAF companies (besides the four that exist). "We have thought of strategies to build confidence between the communities". Talking about ambitious plans like "stress-relieving" and so on, Pandya says, "the idea is to have the new, effective and identified leaders of both communities come face to face at the police stations and discuss their problems" He believes this will build trust between the communities. "They should have given the administration some time to nab the culprits", he said, referring to the Vatva incident.
"This is the first time that certain organisations have suddenly got active and there was a bandh that could not be attributed to any known outfit", observes a member from Keshubhai's ministry. Incidentally, the police have not yet been able to locate the Muslim Youth Association and its mysterious convenor Altaf Shaikh who had given the 'bandh' call.
News Source : Times News Network [ Lightning News ]
CAG report slams purchase of Rs 19 crore aircraft Saturday, September 1, 2001
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
GANDHINAGAR: The Comptroller and Auditor General of India has criticised Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel for interfering in the purchase Super King Air-B 200 aircraft at the cost of Rs 19.12 crore in November 1999 despite the official suggestion to buy a much cheaper aircraft of similar brand available with the Maharashtra government. Additional chief secretary, indsutries and mines, C.K. Koshy, and chief secretary L.N.S. Mukundan had suggested to buy from Maharashtra an aircraft with the same specifications, a turbo-propeller with little hours in the log, at the cost of a mere Rs 8 crore.
In its report placed in the state assembly on Friday, the last day of the budget session, the CAG also indicts the department of civil aviation falling under Suresh Mehta, for purchasing the aircraft "without exploring the possibility of competitive reates by inviting global tenders." As per the rule 18 (2) of the Gujarat Financial Rule, 1971, in the case of purchase of plant and machinery and equiment from foreign countries, "contract shall be placed only after global tenders have been openly invited."
Yet, the department placed indent with the Central Stores Purchase Organisation for purchase of a new aircraft for the state government in May 1999 "from inland bidders only." The result was that, only one bidder offered the rate of the aggregate price of 4,359,574 dollars with the required specifications, while three other bidders requested the state government to change the specifications of the tender as the specifications mentioned in tender notice restricted the purchase option to only one category of aircraft manufactured by only one American-based company.
The CAG says, though this required global tendering, as seen in the meeting of the departmental file of the purchase committee dated April 6, 1999, the chief secretary and the principal secretary, finance, overruled this as it was it would involve publication in foreign newspapers. The CAG says, "This was not justified as there was no indigenous manufacturers of these types of aircrafts. Thus, inviting tenders locally restricted the scope of obtaining competitive rates and facilitated obtaining a tender from the desired source."
Despite opposition from the joint secretary, industries and mines, "a team of three officers, one technical and two non-technical officers who were not even members of the technical committee, was deputed to the USA for inspection of aircraft before taking delivery between April 30 and May 7, 2000." The CAG says, "Though the General Administration Department and the finance department concurred for deputing one or two officers, the team was selected as per orders of industries minister, who was also in charge CM."
News Source : Times News Network [ Lightning News ]
Rs 11 lakh for Gujarat quake relief fund Saturday, September 1, 2001
The Western India Race Horse Owners Association gave cheques for Rs 11.25 lakh for the Gujarat Earthquake Relief Activity to Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh at a ceremony at Mantralaya on Tuesday.
The cheques were presented by Vivek Jain, committee member of the Turf Club and the Owners Association in the presence of owners Ashwin Mehta, Anwar Hakim, Anil Kakodker and Prem Daryanani. This amount was in addition to the Rs 60 lakh contributed by the RWITC a few months ago.
Source - ChaloMumbai.com
Rs 11 lakh for Gujarat quake relief fund Saturday, September 1, 2001
The Western India Race Horse Owners Association gave cheques for Rs 11.25 lakh for the Gujarat Earthquake Relief Activity to Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh at a ceremony at Mantralaya on Tuesday.
The cheques were presented by Vivek Jain, committee member of the Turf Club and the Owners Association in the presence of owners Ashwin Mehta, Anwar Hakim, Anil Kakodker and Prem Daryanani. This amount was in addition to the Rs 60 lakh contributed by the RWITC a few months ago.
Source - ChaloMumbai.com
