Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!mips!dimacs.rutgers.edu!aramis.rutgers.edu!remus.rutgers.edu!leland.stanford.edu From: ajax@leland.stanford.edu (Ajai Banerji) Newsgroups: misc.news.southasia Subject: India news Message-ID: Date: 15 Jun 91 11:51:17 GMT Sender: gaddam@remus.rutgers.edu Lines: 137 Approved: gaddam@remus.rutgers.edu ===================================================================== Sources: India West, Times of India ajax@leland.stanford.edu (Ajai Banerji) ===================================================================== NEWS-June 14 The following is from India West, June 14 ELECTION RUNUP It now appears likely that there will be a bitter battle for leadership of the Congress Parliamentary Party. Although Narasimha Rao is said to favor selection by consensus, a sizable number of younger leaders are insistent on a seccret ballot. At last count elections had been countermanded in 10 LS and 23 VS seats. In 5 LS seats the reason was large-scale malpracctices on the polling day. These are Patna, Purnea, Meerut, Bulandshahr and Etawah. Same for 15 VS seats in UP. Elections in the following LS seats were countermanded due to the deaths of candidates:Nanded, Dhenkanal, Kutch, Barh and Gaya. Same for 6 VS seats in Punjab, 1 in TN and 1 in Assam. CPM and BJP are boyccotting the polls in Tripura in protest against violence by Congress workers. PREDICTIONS The bookies at Bombay's Satta Bazar seem to think that although Congress will get the most seats, Advani stands the best chance of becoming PM. Here are some odds being offered: Congress will get 200 seats: 7.5 to 10. i.e. if you bet Rs 10 on this occurence you will get Rs 7.50 if it comes true. BJP will get 200 seats:35 to 10 Advani beccomes PM: 25 to 10 Vajpayee becomes PM: 30 to 10 Narasimha Rao becomes PM: 50 to 10 V.P. Singh becomes PM: 50 to 10 (They do not seem to think Chandrasekhar is worth betting on). ECONOMY The government's sale of 20 tons of confiscated gold to raise about $200 million has been sharply ccriticized by other parties. The finance minister clarified that it was only mortgaged and not sold, and that the gold would be returned after 6 months. This action was essentially to avert a situation where India would default on its $70 billion foreign debt for the first time. However, short term loans from various countries like Japan, UK, Germany and Netherlands have come through to tide over the present situation. But the IMF will not sanction any further borrowing until a new budget is passed. The World Bank continues to grant loans for specified projects. It was reported that the World Bank has insisted on devaluation of the rupee, but they have denied this. In any case the rupee is linked to a basket of currencies and the exchange rate changes every day. Thus there has been an effective devaluation of 50% against the dollar over the past 3 years. Financial analysts feel that the dollar will cross the 25-rupee mark before the end of the year. (COMMENT: This will make it more and more difficult for Indian students to study in the US without aid. On the other hand, those already here who had financed their education with loans from India will find it much easier to repay.) ASSASSINATION UPDATE The mysterious man in the kurta-pajama has been identified as Raghu alias Raghuraman, who is believed to be LTTE's intelligence chief. A police officer who was injured in the blast squarely blamed Congress workers for disrupting security at the meeting site, as they allowed unrestricted access to the venue and disobeyed police officals. Further, a woman constable had indeed tried to keep the assassin away but RG himself encouraged the assassin to come forward. TERRORISM A Vancouver court sentenced I.S.Reyat to 10 years in jail for his part in a bomb explosion at Tokyo airport in which 2 persons were killed. There is strong circumstantial evidence that the persons behind this blast were also responsible for the sabotage of an Air India plane on the same day in which 329 persons were killed. But no one is likely to be convicted of this crime since the physical evidence lies at the bottom of the sea. In the Tokyo case, it was clearly proved that the accused had purchased the components used in the bomb. The two kidnapped Swedish engineers continue to be untraced. It is over three months sincce they were abducted by the Jaanbaaz group in Kashmir. PAKISTAN Pakistan's new policy of economic liberalization is in full swing. For example, a Paris-based company owned by the Aga Khan has been allowed to set up an airline which will compete with PIA on domestic routes. It may later be allowed to start international flights. The large state telecom network is also being offered for sale. This is one of the 150 state enterprises which are being privatized. Former PM Mustafa Jatoi alleged that his hotel room was bugged during a recent visit to Islamabad. The government has ordered an enquiry. INDIA AND USA A California congressman Wally Herger has proposed a bill seeking to deny India most-favored-nation status unless Amnesty is allowed to probe alleged excesses in Punjab. A similar bill is already pending in the House. A Guntur-born Stanford freshman, Laxmi Poruri, was a key player in that university's recent victory in the national women's tennis championship. CRICKET England defeated West Indies by 115 runs in the first test at Leeds. This was their first home victory against WI in 22 years. An England player of Indian origin, Mark Ramprakash, scored 27 and 27 on debut besides taking a few catches. The much-heralded Graeme Hick did not fare so well on his debut, scoring only 6 and 6. India is will play a test series in Australia this winter just before the world cup. NOTE: Most of the above items are from Reuters and NOT UNI and PTI. ====================================================================== The following is from Times of India, week ending June 6: ELECTION TRIVIA An independent candidate called Dharti Pukar is contesting from as many as 17 LS and 35 VS seats, most of them being VIP constituencies. Major parties are annoyed, since if anything happens to him all 52 contests will be countermanded. As many as 200 independent candidates are contesting from one VS seat in Tamil Nadu. Polling was held in some isolated areas of Meghalaya on May 22-since the news of postponement had not reached the officials there. These areas are now having a repoll. BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY An Indian farmers organization is likely to sell foodgrains on credit to Iraq. Although such transactions are permitted by the UN sanctions, most other countries are unwilling to extend credit to Iraq. India's first indigenously built missile boat was handed over by Mazagon Docks to the Navy. It will be recalled that similar Soviet-built boats were quite successful in the 1971 war. The railways are introducing a new Rajdhani-type train which will run between Bombay and New Delhi 3 times a week, in addition to the existing Rajdhani which runs 6 times a week. MISCELLANY After Kerala has reached the goal of "total literacy", Bengal is likely to follow soon. Burdwan district has reached this level already. Film director Raj Khosla is dead.