Statesman (India) articles from August 2000, page 7

Statesman (India) archives from August 2000

Putin blamed for Kursk disaster.
August 21, 2000... MOSCOW, Aug. 18. - The slow death of the Kursk turned into a punishing lesson for the President, Mr Vladimir Putin , yesterday as Russians turned on him for keeping the disaster at arm's length and Russian submersibles failed for a third day...

Gore charts separate path.
August 21, 2000... WASHINGTON, Aug. 18. - Separating himself from the scandal-wracked Clinton presidency with a single phrase, "I am my own man," Vice-President Al Gore accepted the presidential nomination at the Democratic convention in Los Angeles on...

CPM note admits crack in LF.
August 18, 2000... CALCUTTA, Aug. 17. - The CPI-M central committee (CC) admits to a "weakening" in Left unity in recent times. A secret CC note refers to political disagreements with RSP and Forward Bloc; presumably the two parties' stance of keeping...

Bail for ISI professor.
August 18, 2000... ASANSOL, Aug. 17. - Dr Gurapada Kar, scientist and professor of nuclear physics, Indian Statistical Institute, and prime accused in the Poorva Express explosives case, was granted bail this afternoon by Mr PK Chakraborty, additional district...

Mayor smells vendetta.
August 18, 2000... CALCUTTA, Aug. 17. - Mr Subrata Mukherjee, mayor and Congress MLA, expressed surprise today over the "inordinate haste" in slapping the provisions of anti-defection laws on him. The mayor was making his submission at the Speaker, Mr Hashim...

BJP surprise at Trinamul attack.
August 18, 2000... CALCUTTA, Aug. 17. - The state BJP today expressed surprise at the intemperate language used by the Trinamul spokesman yesterday against a section of its leaders, particularly the description of Mr Tapan Sikdar as a "CPI-M stooge". Mr...

Nanda's hils a promise goes awry.
August 18, 2000... CALCUTTA, Aug. 17. - Rs 240 a kg at Lansdowne; Rs 260 at Madhyamgram; Rs 220 at Gariahat; Rs 200 at Kalibabur Bazar in Howrah town; Rs 200 at Manicktala, Kalighat and Kasba. It's the season for ilish maach bhaaja and khichuri, but most...

Anil threatens action.
August 18, 2000... CALCUTTA, Aug. 17. - The state CPI-M leadership today hinted that Mr Subhas Chakraborty might face trouble if his charges against the two Citu leaders proved to be untrue. At the recent party state committee meeting, the transport...

Sun Infoways approves share acquisition.
August 18, 2000... MUMBAI, Aug 17. - In a major deal in the infotech sector, Sun Infoways Ltd has approved acquisition of the equity shares of Zap Infotech at the rate of Rs 850 per share, amounting to Rs 475 crore. The share price may alternatively be the...

Petro hike not ruled out.
August 18, 2000... NEW DELHI, Aug. 17. - With international crude prices continuing to rise, the Centre is under pressure to go in for an upward revision of prices of petroleum products. Prices have gone up by nearly 160 per cent compared to the level...

Calcutta cast for American film.
August 18, 2000... Rohit Jogessar is based in New York and is about to launch his first film, Guiana - the Movie on the plight of Indian slaves in South America. Last week he was in Calcutta to select part of the cast so as to produce an element of authenticity...

Cinema: Double trouble.
August 18, 2000... Starring Ajay Devgan, Urmila Matondkar, Mahima Showing at Jyoti, Crown, Uttara Double role dramas date back to the seventies when he had hits like Ram Aur Shyam and Sita Aur Geeta. To try to now revive the old magic in a situation where...

From the land of Padma.
August 18, 2000... A food festival beings hard-to-come-by Bangladeshi specialities to the gourmet, writes Arundhati Ray To the uninitiated, there appears to be little difference between the cuisines of the two Bengals - both appear to be built around three...

Human appeal in Mexican films.
August 18, 2000... A rare glimpse of social and human interests in contemporary Mexican films generates new hopes for the film society scene in Calcutta It is not often that filmgoers in Calcutta get an opportunity to see a package of Mexican films. But...

Digest: Melody lovers.
August 18, 2000... If you're wondering what tabla maestro Sabir Khan is doing in the world of ghazals, you needn't be surprised. He has been at it since 1980 in partnership with Aruna Kundanani, the two making waves for nearly five years on the ghazal scene in...

Digest: When music was young.
August 18, 2000... Tara Bangla with Akangksha presented a band show at Nazrul Mancha. Called Hathat Gaaner Janya, it had all the elements of a an exciting event with psychedelic lighting, sounds and howls from the audience. The groups - Cactus, Paras Pathar and...

Digest: More poetry.
August 18, 2000... High profile poets may be slowly disappearing from the scene. But that Bengal is the largest poetry producing state in India was evident from the large number of book of poems and poetry journals produced in Calcutta. Two evenings were...

Radio.
August 18, 2000... Of course it's a man's world. And there are more festivals devoted to men than to women. The idea arose during hard talk on Night Flight on the "brothers only" festival called Rakshabandhan. Well, most male callers argued that the world is a...

Highly individual style.
August 18, 2000... Purnendu Pattrea (1931-1997) was a trend-setter in book illustrations and lettering styles and became famous when the turned to films. But above all he was a painter and throughout his life wielded the brush and paint in a highly individual...

Glowing tributes.
August 18, 2000... The presence of a large crowd listening to exponents of Nazrulgeeti at the Nazrul birth anniversary celebration was a sign of the growing popularity of this form of music. The curtain-raiser was "Tora sab jayadhwani kar" sung in chorus by...

Their master's voices: Sailajaranjan Majumdar created.
August 18, 2000... a unique chemistry between the teacher and the taught that resulted in the Rabindrasangeet world getting such outstanding talents as Kanika Banerjee, Suchitra Mitra, Ashoktaru Banerjee, Gita Ghatak and Prasad Sen, says Sailajaranjan...

Helping hand.
August 18, 2000... Almost 20 million people in India suffer from some kind of physical disability, of which barely one per cent have access to any kind of aid. Renu Govil recounts Mobility India's efforts to ensure a better life for the afflicted ...

What is a Bengali?
August 18, 2000... As a person who toured around the world, who spent the greatest part of his time in taverns, coffee-houses and other places of public resort, Oliver Goldsmith had some very nice things to say about national prejudices. Once Goldsmith came...

Centre knot to Jharkhand tangle.
August 18, 2000... RANCHI, Aug. 17. - While the process has picked up for the creation of the establishments for the new Jharkhand state here, one of the reported communications of the Union home ministry to the state government has put the local officials in a...

Sonia's committees: The Congress looks for a shape.
August 18, 2000... The Congress is beginning to induce drowsiness in all those who have to think about it as part of their professional duties. The last major policy pronouncement was the feeble suggestion, made in Parliament, that the Government include...

Chaudhry comes home with battle call.
August 18, 2000... ROHTAK, Aug. 17. - Fiji's deposed Prime Minister Mr Mahendra Chaudhry today urged India to take "strong steps" to restore democracy and the Fijian constitution of 1997 in that country. He said his current international tour was aimed at...

Supreme Court, ST officials' rise made easier.
August 18, 2000... NEW DELHI, Aug. 17. - Legislative action was taken by the Rajya Sabha today to restore the system by which qualifying marks and evaluation standards could be lowered in matters pertaining to promotions of members of the Scheduled Castes and...

UP BJP rebel withdraws in tears.
August 18, 2000... LUCKNOW, Aug. 17. - The UP BJP escaped an embarrassing contest for the state unit chief's post at the eleventh hour today, but the rebel contestant against Mr Kalraj Mishra was driven to tears as he stepped back to allow "consensus" to...

4 days a week, Pakistanis pray for Indians.
August 18, 2000... ISLAMABAD, Aug. 17. - Four days a week thousands of Pakistanis sit without fail in front of their television sets with anticipation in their hearts and sometimes, a prayer on their lips for many of their counterparts across the border in...

Advani's reply to LS debate on minorities tomorrow.
August 18, 2000... NEW DELHI, Aug. 17. - The discussion on atrocities against linguistic and religious minorities, initiated in the Lok Sabha by Mr Moninul Hassan, continued till late tonight without a quorum. There were 23 members, six from the Opposition...

Jaswant discusses terror with UN.
August 18, 2000... NEW DELHI, Aug. 17. - Peacekeeping, international terrorism and the proposed restructuring of the UN Security Council were the major issues discussed by the president of the UN General Assembly, Dr Theo-ben Gurirab, and the external affairs...

Hurriyat should have backed ceasefire.
August 18, 2000... SRINAGAR, Aug. 17. - Holding the Centre responsible for the collapse of the dialogue with the Hizbul Mujahideen, the Jamaat-e-Islami leadership today attacked the All-Party Hurriyat Conference for not supporting the ceasefire "which could...

Choice of capital Uttaranchal's sore point.
August 18, 2000... DEHRA DUN, Aug. 17.- With Parliament having passed the Uttaranchal Bill, there is great expectancy among the hill people. Lawyers are happy over plans for a separate High Court Bench; politicians are up and about at the prospects the new...

Prasar remake hurdles for I&B.
August 18, 2000... NEW DELHI, Aug. 17. - The information and broadcasting ministry faces a number of problems as it attempts to restructure Prasar Bharati on the lines of the Shunu Sen committee's recommendations. The three-member committee was appointed by...

Picking a bone in Park Street.
August 18, 2000... Dust to dust, ashes to ashes, but if you plan to 'rest' forever in Calcutta - forget it! Beacuse, says Peter McManus, you're liable to get something on your chest you were not expecting, and will be hard pressed to move At the...

Back to the Future.
August 18, 2000... Architects of IIT Kharagpur dig into the past, looking for clues to design buildings which would be in sync with the lives of the people who live in them. Chitralekha Basu reports Readers of Nirad C Chaudhuri's An Autobiography of an...

Then & Now: Debajit Kar meets.
August 18, 2000... Salt Lake's oldest resident and learns of the metamorphosis from mosquito-ridden serenity to satellite township No roads, no public transport, no electricity, no water supply, no sewage connection, just vast empty land with a profusion of...

Business Supreme Courthools: How To Make A Fast Buck.
August 18, 2000... Of late starting a business school has become an attractive business proposition. It attracts investment not only from the reputed business houses but also from small-time entrepreneurs in search of a profit-making venture. The majority of...

Strain in Nepal: Conflicting interests, multiplying problems.
August 18, 2000... The ruling Nepali Congress which received the people's mandate 15 months ago is under strain again. Prime Minister and party chief GP Koirala has turned down the dissidents' demand to vacate one of the posts and he can assert himself since he...

Up with booze, down with films in Bihar.
August 18, 2000... PATNA, Aug. 17. - Bihar is fast becoming a paradise for tipplers. At about the same pace, it is becoming a graveyard for movie theatres. The number of liquor shops has of late grown by leaps and bounds, while the number of cinemas has...

Four killed by Tripura ultras.
August 18, 2000... AGARTALA, Aug.17. - At least four persons were killed in the state last night in stray attacks by armed rebels and nine villagers kidnapped in separate incidents in the past 24 hours, police said. Insurgents of the outlawed NLFT raided...

IAF officer held for church blasts.
August 18, 2000... BANGALORE, Aug. 17. - An Indian Air Force officer has been arrested from Gurgaon near Delhi in connection with the recent bomb blasts in three churches in Karnataka. The Karnataka Corps of Det-ectives arrested Syed Hasan Ur Zama (51) on...

Paswan splurge irks PMO.
August 18, 2000... NEW DELHI, Aug. 17. - The Prime Minister's Office, which has been trying to teach all ministries some financial discipline, is not happy with Mr Ram Vilas Paswan's profligacy. The Union communications minister, on the other hand, finds...

Ranga still critical, Patwa in hospital.
August 18, 2000... NEW DELHI, Aug. 17. - Even as the Power Minister, Mr PR Kumaramangalam, is battling for life at AIIMS, Mr Sunderlal Patwa was admitted there today after he complained of dizziness in the Rajya Sabha. The rural development minister...

Bus crushes child on school compound.
August 18, 2000... CALCUTTA, Aug. 17. - Five-year-old Pragya Dalmia was crushed under the rear wheels of her school bus on Shri Shikshayatan's compound in Lord Sinha Road today. Around 11.30 a.m., the bus (WBY 5809) was being moved in reverse gear to be...

Govt ready for J&K challenge: PM.
August 18, 2000... NEW DELHI, Aug. 17. - The government is ready to deal with any situation in Jammu and Kashmir, the Prime Minister said today. Speaking at a meeting of the BJP Parliamentary Party, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee confirmed reports about fighting...

/net.news/.
August 18, 2000... Siamese twins We have celebrations for twins in many parts of the world, but none could have been more famous than the Bunker brothers, Chang and Eng, who were joined at the waist. They arrived in the USA in 1829 from their native Siam...

Copycats gives academic research a bad name.
August 18, 2000... A plague of plagiarism and manipulated data has broken out in German universities, sapping the confidence of an already demoralised academic community. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, German scientists were world-beaters, setting...

They can run but can't hide.
August 18, 2000... Remember the summer of 1998? In the heat of a Roman August, charged with exhaust fumes, the international community approved the establishment of an International Criminal Court that will enable those accused of "crimes against humanity" to...

E Bengal win by the odd goal in three.
August 18, 2000... CALCUTTA, Aug 17. - East Bengal defeated Salkia Friends 2-1 in their Super Division League match at home today. The reigning champions have thus earned 25 points from nine matches, while the losers own a solitary point from eight outings. The...

Lieberman humour pill peps Gore campaign.
August 18, 2000... WASHINGTON, Aug. 17. - Al Gore's image as America's best-looking statue after Oscar got a shot of life and humour yesterday when vice presidential candidate Joseph I Lieberman made his acceptance speech at the Democratic convention in Los...

Russian city prepares for the worst.
August 18, 2000... KURSK/MOSCOW, Aug. 17. - The crew of the Kursk is drawn from across Russia, but no city is more attached to the submarine or anguished by its fate than Kursk itself. Mr Viktor Kuznetsov, 27, was born in this "hero city", 300 miles...

German baby bank registers first arrival.
August 18, 2000... BERLIN, Aug 17. -- Ronja, a chubby girl, has become the first deposit in Germany's controversial baby bank. She was pushed through a hatch by a teenage mother and is already in the care of foster parents. The Hamburg baby bank is intended to...

Centre to expand divestment panel.
August 17, 2000... NEW DELHI, Aug. 16. - Having decided to set up a new Disinvestment Commission, the government is now in the process of expanding the fledgling Ministry of Disinvestment to pursue cases of public sector units whose divestment has been cleared....

The HDW Supreme Courtandal: German Somersault, Hinduja Amusement.
August 17, 2000... The disclosure by the CBI in the Delhi High Court on 12 July that the German authorities have asked for direct documentary evidence, showing that a commission of 7 per cent was paid to some Indians to clinch the Rs 420-crore deal of HDW...

VSNL first PSU to be listed on NYSE.
August 17, 2000... CALCUTTA, Aug. 16. - Videsh Sanchar Nigam Limited (VSNL), a Navaratna public sector company, was listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) yesterday. With this, VSNL becomes the first Indian public sector unit (PSU) to be listed on...

BJP churns after civic election disaster.
August 17, 2000... CALCUTTA, Aug. 16. - The state BJP leadership's role has come under severe criticism by a section of the partymen as well as Trinamul Congress leaders after the party's debacle in the Uttarpara-Kotrung civic polls. They hold the party...

Pending cases a big burden on tribunal.
August 17, 2000... CALCUTTA, Aug. 16. - This is a case of defeated purpose. The State Administrative Tribunal in Salt Lake had been created to dispose pending cases, and dispose them fast. But what if there are more than 10,000 cases pending at the SAT itself?...

Voter apathy, feud within bury CPM.
August 17, 2000... CALCUTTA, Aug. 16. - The CPI-M's dismal performance in the Uttarpara-Kotrung municipal polls was due to infighting that outflanked the Trinamul's internal bickerings. The CPI-M had banked equally on its own muscle and the Trinamul's...

Co-op secy may be removed.
August 17, 2000... Calcutta, Aug. 16. - Preparations are underway for issuing marching orders to the West Bengal cooperation department secretary because of his differences with the minister on several issues. It is learnt that Mr B K Biswas, the...

Subhas flings mud at Citu leaders.
August 17, 2000... CALCUTTA, Aug. 16. - Mr Subhas Chakraborty has created another controversy. This time he's accused two party leaders - state and central committee members - of taking undue favours from an industrialist. Alimuddin Street mandarins have...

Scribes in silent vigil.
August 17, 2000... CALCUTTA, Aug 16 - Journalists, photographers, cameramen and employees of newspapers today took out a silent procession to protest against the recent attacks on journalists in West Bengal. The huge procession started from Calcutta Pres...

/net.news/.
August 17, 2000... Peterloo In recent times, we hear of Tiananmen as a great assault by the Chinese government on people's freedom to protest. The Westerners learned their tolerance also through events like the Peterloo Massacre. A demonstration of about...

Rupee firm, Sensex up 96 points.
August 17, 2000... MUMBAI, Aug. 16. - Despite a sudden spurt in the prices of oil internationally, the Indian currency today remained firm while the Sensitive Index of the Stock Exchange, Mumbai recorded a gain of 93.16 points (up about 2.7 per cent) mainly on...

J & K Newsletter: Gasping for oxygen.
August 17, 2000... KAVITA SURI in Jammu Former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher had once said in reference to the Northern Ireland crisis that "Terrorism feeds on the oxygen of publicity." The same is true of the 11-year insurgency in the Kashmir...

Britain clips Concorde's wings.
August 17, 2000... LONDON/PARIS, Aug. 16. - Serious doubts were raised last night over whether Concorde will ever fly again after British Airways' supersonic fleet was grounded. Fundamental flaws in Concorde's design, centred on the proximity of wheels to...

Families' meet brings ray of hope.
August 17, 2000... SEOUL, Aug. 16. - The landmark reunions of separated families from South and North Korea are expected to be a catalyst in thawing more than half a century of Cold War confrontation, analysts and officials said here yesterday. The issue...

Sixth win for Mohun Bagan.
August 17, 2000... CALCUTTA, Aug 16. - Mohun Bagan recorded their sixth victory, beating Manaksia Tollygunj Agragami 1-0, in their Super Division League match at Salt Lake Stadium today. While Tollygunj Agragami slumped to their fourth consecutive defeat, their...

Israel bank charged with cheating.
August 17, 2000... JERUSALEM, Aug. 16. - Israel's parliament is investigating a claim that one of the country's largest banks failed to return to their original owners or their families the assets and contents of thousands of bank accounts and safes held during...

Now & again: Bag trouble.
August 17, 2000... Here in Virginia (USA) I have a room with a view. There was a snowstorm in January and one before that which skirted the area, there was snow all the same. When I came and looked out there were bare trees with icicles hanging from the bare...

Gopal leaves to meet Veerappan.
August 17, 2000... CHENNAI, Aug. 16. - The government emissary and Nakkeeran editor, Mr RR Gopal, left tonight for the forest hideout of Veerappan. While Mr Gopal was not available for comment, a Nakkeeran employee confirmed the news that his editor had...

Surfeit of Sermons: President's words must translate into action.
August 17, 2000... The President's message to the people on the eve of Independence Day deserves respectful attention. In a pointed reference to the increasing intolerance chiefly borne out by the attacks on minority communities, Mr Narayanan deplored the fact...

CBI's findings on match-fixin a fortnight.
August 17, 2000... NEW DELHI, Aug. 16. - The CBI, probing the match-fixing case, is expected to furnish its preliminary findings to the government within a fortnight. A senior CBI official said though the date is yet to be decided, it is expected that the...

UP BJP crown awaits Kalraj.
August 17, 2000... LUCKNOW, Aug. 16. - The BJP leadership has decided to have Mr Kalraj Mishra as the next Uttar Pradesh state unit chief. But the returning officer could not declare him elected as senior vice-president along with Mr Mishra and another Mr...

CM wannabes march in battle for Jharkhand.
August 17, 2000... RANCHI, Aug. 16. - The BJP and allies have as many as five chief ministerial aspirants for Jharkhand, each of whom has pulled out all stops to showcase his claims to the post. The wannabes have taken to the streets with a vengeance during...

Defence may not get priority during Vajpayee's US trip.
August 17, 2000... NEW DELHI, Aug. 16. - During the US President's visit here, defence issues were on the back burner. Military issues may not get top priority when Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee visits the USA next month either, senior defence sources...

PM assurance to USA on CTBT unlikely.
August 17, 2000... NEW DELHI, Aug. 16. - The Prime Minister may find it difficult to give any assurance to the USA on CTBT in view of stiff opposition even from within the BJP. The differences came to the fore at a meeting the external affairs minister had with...

Chandraswamy.
August 17, 2000... NEW DELHI, Aug. 16. - A three-judge Bench of the Supreme Court comprising Mr Justice BN Kirpal, Mr Justice GB Pattanaik and Mr Justice VN Khare, today rejected Chandraswamy's prayer that he be allowed to go abroad for treatment. - SNS

Ranga battles for life at AIIMS.
August 17, 2000... NEW DELHI, Aug. 16. - The Union power minister, Mr PR Kumaramangalam, is battling for life at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences. The minister who was admitted to the hospital on Saturday, suffered from multiple organ failure last...

Basu gets a taste of freedom fighters' anger.
August 17, 2000... CALCUTTA, Aug. 16. - Mr Jyoti Basu got a taste of some freedom fighters' anger on Independence Day. The chief minister, along with other dignitaries, had been invited by the Governor to a reception at Raj Bhavan. Midway through the...

Bomb hoax calls.
August 17, 2000... NEW DELHI, Aug. 16. - Two A-I flights were delayed in Delhi last night because of bomb hoax calls, possibly by the same person. The first caller claimed to be a Hizbul militant, and the second has been traced.

Possibility of Kashmir dialogue bleak.
August 17, 2000... SRINAGAR, Aug. 16. - The possibility of talks between New Delhi and Hizbul leaders seems bleak though the outfit's emissary, Fazal Qureshi, has hinted at resumption of the stalled dialogue. Hizbul leaders in Kashmir have gone underground...

Now & again: A strange egghead.
August 15, 2000... My friend (DR) is a strange egghead. He had been a wrangler in the Forties and is still published in internationally famous journals of mathematics - journals in which the publication of one paper would entitle a person to a doctorate in any...

Yajna at crash site to ward off evil spirits.
August 15, 2000... PATNA, Aug. 14. - Residents of Chitkohara area here performed a 24-hour yajna near the site of 17 July air crash to assuage the evil spirits. A priest chanted "Hare Rama Hare Krishna" for 24 hours and offered sandalwood, grains and...