Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.3 4.3bsd-beta 6/6/85; site ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!ucbvax!bhide From: bhide@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU (Anupam K. Bhide) Newsgroups: net.nlang.india Subject: News Message-ID: <11395@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU> Date: Mon, 13-Jan-86 00:59:57 EST Article-I.D.: ucbvax.11395 Posted: Mon Jan 13 00:59:57 1986 Date-Received: Tue, 14-Jan-86 04:40:23 EST Organization: University of California at Berkeley Lines: 152 Keywords: news Date: 12-JAN-1986 23:28 Sender: KAPUR Subject: news bulletin 1/11/86 To: iitnet@ernie.BERKELEY.EDU@smtp@tcpgateway, To: bits@UTAH-20@smtp@tcpgateway, To: mohan%suny-sbcs@csnet-relay@smtp@tcpgateway, To: raju%suny-sbcs@csnet-relay@smtp@tcpgateway, To: siva@UIUC@smtp@tcpgateway, To: mks%suny-sbcs@csnet-relay@smtp@tcpgateway, To: kapur@ge-crd@smtp@tcpgateway -------- News Bulletin 1/11/86 Punjab Accord As the time for the scheduled transfer of Chandigarh to Punjab as agreed upon by the late Sant Longowal and Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi is drawing near, the center expressed its unhappiness with the Akali Dal ministry over the law and order situation in Punjab. It is suspected that Harayana's Chief Minister Bhajan Lal would once again create obstacles in the transfer of Chandigarh on January 26 to Punjab. Bhajan Lal has already linked up the Chandigarh transfer with the completion of Sutlej-Yamuna link. Meanwhile the Akali Dal party gave an unanimous mandate to Chief Minister Surjit Singh Barnala to use a firm hand against Sikh hardliners, especially those belonging to the AISSF. Recently, at least 4 people were reported killed in extremist violence in different cities in Punjab. Opposition for a Forum on Vital Issues Fourteen opposition parties - 12 regional and 2 national - have agreed to form a forum for discussion and joint action on various problems and issues confronting the states and the nation. The proposal emerged at a 4-hour meeting of the parties in Hyderabad at Andhra's Chief Minister NT Rama Rao's residence. This meeting and the proposed forum are a continuation of discussion among the opposition started in 1983 in Hyderabad and followed up in 3 opposition conclaves. The parties represented in the meeting were Janata, Congress(S), Telugu Desam, Akali Dal, Asam Gana Parishad, DMK, National Conference of Farooq Abdullah, Samata Party, All Party Hill Leaders Conference of Meghalaya, the People's Party of Arunachal Pradesh, the Naga National Democratic Party, the Panthers' Party of Jammu and Kashmir, and Rashtriya Congress Party based in Gujarat. In a joint statement, the opposition meeting demanded a time limit for the submission of the Sarkaria commission on center-state relations. The statement assailed the trady implementation of the Punjab accord. It pointed out that the second commission to settle the territorial dispute and a tribunal to adjudicate the water dispute between Punjab and Harayana had not yet been appointed. The joint statement also denounced the Congress for what it termed as launching an intemperate and irresponsible attack on non-Congress parties, dubbing them as anti-national at the Bombay Congress centenary celebrations. According to the opposition meeting, Congress centenary celebrations should have been observed as a national event. 7 People killed in Ahmedabad Riots between pro-reservationists and anti-reservationists flared once again in Ahmedabad during a kite-flying festival on January 5. At least 7 people were killed and 18 injured. According to the PTI, three of the dead were burned alive after being stabbed on the streets of city's old quarters. Kites were flown with slogans against as well as in favor of reservations for scheduled and backwarad castes. The police clamped an indefinite curfew on parts of the city. Over 400 people were killed in anti-reservation agitation in Gujarat between February and July. 160 Die in Storms in Northern States More than 160 people died in last two weeks in what has been termed as the worst winter storm to have hit northern India in 20 years. The state of Jammu and Kashmir is reported to be the worst hit where over 40 people died in snow or due houses collapsing because of heavy rain. Nearly 50 people died in Bihar because of snow storms and a cold wave. Commission Report on Air India Crash The findings of a one-man Commission set up by the Indian government to investigate the cause of the Air India crash last June will be submitted by the end of February. According to the High Court Judge BN Kirpal heading the commission, "nothing concrete has developed so far, but certain developments are taking place which will surely help us to reach a conclusion." Kirpal had asked the lawyers to speed up the queries because most of the relatives of the victims were waiting for the outcome of the commission before filing their claims. Over 100 claims were earlier filed on behalf of relatives of the victims of the Air India crash in Montreal and Toronto. More suits are expected. Antulay Followers Rejoin Congress Responding to a recent call by Rajiv Gandhi, over 5,000 members of the Bhartiya Congress, a party launched by A R Antulay have announced to rejoin the Congress party. According to some newspaper accounts, Antulay is also eager to rejoin the Congress. Antulay had left Congress after he was denied a ticket in the Lok Sabha election in December 1984. 10 Best Films of 1985 According to the editors of the Illustrated Weekly of India, ten best films of 1985 included Aaghat of Govind Nihalani, Khamosh of Vinod Chopra, New Delhi Times of Ramesh Sharma, Paroma of Aparna Sen, Trikal of Shyam Benegal, Aadmi aur Aurat of Tapan Sinha, Chidambaram of Arvindan, Debshishu of Utpalendu Chakarvarty, Janam of Mahesh Bhatt, and Kony of Saroj De. Sources: India Now, India Abroad, the Illustrated Weekly. --------