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Katawal turns down Nepal Govt’s sack order Kathmandu:
Nepal’s Chief of Army Staff, General Rookmangud Katawal, who was sacked by the
Maoist government on Sunday morning, has reportedly refused to accept the cabinet
letter on his sacking. The government's chief secretary, Bhoj Raj Ghimire, handed
over the sack letter to General Katawal soon after the cabinet decision, but he
refused to accept it, describing the decision as unconstitutional. He said he
would consult his lawyers on the government decision. Both General Katawal and
Lt. General Kul Bahadur Khadka (the incoming army chief) were at the Prime Minister's
official residence in Baluwatar when the cabinet took the decision. Prime Minister
Pushpa Kamal Dahal (Prachanda) had held separate and joint meetings with both
generals prior to the cabinet meeting, which was boycotted by the allies. Meanwhile,
a meeting of Nepal Army generals called by General Katawal is underway at the
headquarters, discussing the cabinet decision and its repercussions, Nepal News
reported. Nepal
President unhappy with Govt’s sack of army chief Top Kathmandu:
Nepal’s President, Ram Baran Yadav, is learnt to have expressed his ''serious
disapproval'' over the Maoist government''s decision to sack Chief of Army Staff,
General Rookmangud Katawal, saying that it was taken without following "due procedures".
Reports quoted sources at Shital Niwas (the President''s Office) as saying that
President Yadav is dissatisfied with the government decision as it was done without
"political consensus". President Yadav has assured leaders of the Terai Madhesh
Democratic Party (TMDP) this afternoon that he will decide his next move only
after consulting all political parties and stakeholders. The TMDP has termed the
government decision as "undemocratic" and said it will oppose it both in parliament
and in the streets. Earlier, Nepali Congress acting president Sushil Koirala and
senior leader Sher Bahadur Deuba also met President Yadav and expressed their
party's severe opposition to the sacking of General Katawal. Emerging from the
meeting, Koirala informed that the president was annoyed as the government had
decided to take action against the Army chief without informing him about it first.
Nepali Congress-affiliated Nepal Student Union activists staged protests and burnt
tyres in front of Tri Chandra College to protest the government's decision to
sack General Katawal. A Nepal News report said that the Maoists are expected to
take out a massive rally in Kathmandu to express their solidarity with the government''s
decision. Kathmandu''s traffic has been badly hit owing to it. Reports said police
has been put on high alert and deployed along with Armed Police Force in various
parts of the city to avert any untoward incident. There is also possibility of
curfew being clamped in Kathmandu keeping in view the Maoist rally expected in
a short while. As per the provision in the Interim Constitution, the President
needs to approve the government''s decision to sack the Army chief. The President
can even advise the government to reconsider it decision or even withdraw it if
he deems it inappropriate, according to some experts.
Nathu La trade to resume on Monday Top Gangtok
(Sikkim): The fourth edition of the annual Sino-Indian border trade at Nathu
La, one of the three trading border posts between China and India, will resume
on Monday after a six-month long winter break. Apart from Nathu La, the other
two border trade check posts are Shipkila in Himachal Pradesh and Lipulekh (or
Lipulech) in Uttarakhand. Sealed by India after the 1962 Sino-Indian War, Nathu
La was re-opened in 2006 following numerous bilateral trade agreements. Currently,
agreements between the two nations limit trade across the pass to 29 types of
goods from India and 15 from the Chinese side. The annual border trade is restricted
for participation of the traders from Sikkim and Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR)
only. Under the bilateral agreement, the Indian traders visit Renguingang mart
in TAR to buy goods from there, while their counterparts from across the border
come to Sherathang Mart in Sikkim for trading purpose. The traders of the two
countries are issued Import-Export Code Number (IEC) and security passes by their
respective authorities to enable them to visit the trade marts. In spite of various
restrictions put on for trading through Nathu La, the total value of the traded
goods last year stood at Rs.9.6 million. The Government of Sikkim will organize
a function at Sherathang Mart on Monday to mark the formal inauguration of the
fourth edition of the bilateral border trade. Official delegations and traders
of the two countries will attend the function. The Sikkim Chamber of Commerce
and the Indo-Chinese Traders Association of Sikkim (ICTAS) have urged the governments
of the two countries for an urgent revision of the goods on the trade list to
add commercial value to the business. Most of the items listed in the schedule
are obsolete and lack commercial value. Central,
North India reel under heat wave and water crisis Top Varanasi/Gaya/
Raipur: With the soaring temperature breaking several old records, vast stretches
of Central and North India remain in the grip of a scorching heat wave while the
masses' woes have been further complicated by water shortage. In Varanasi, Uttar
Pradesh, the temperature is hovering over 40 degrees Celsius. Consequently, people
are taking dips in the River Ganges to beat the heat while many others visit roadside
kiosks selling water and fruit juices. "There is intense heat, temperature is
at 40-45 degree and water does not quench thirst and so I am drinking mango juice,"
said Manoj Kesri, a Varanasi resident. Meanwhile, the popular pilgrim and tourist
city of Gaya in Bihar also witnessed similar scenes with scant traffic on the
roads as people preferred to stay indoors and avoid the scorching sun. Experts
have attributed this harsh onset of summer to global warming. The dry northerly
winds from these areas are adding to the woes of the people in the Gangetic plains.
The summers season in India brings with it problems of water scarcity and power
cuts. In Raipur, Madhya Pradesh, locals are annoyed about the weather, which has
forced them to endure extreme conditions and acute water shortage. However, the
resourceful among the masses manage to buy water at exorbitant rates. "The heat
is increasing and has already broken all past records this summer. All the wells
in the area have dried up and there is acute water shortage. Some people are buying
a can at 10 rupees. We are dependent on water tankers provided by the civic agencies,"
said Anwar, a local resident of Raipur, Madhya Pradesh. Summers in our country
pose a difficult time as soaring temperatures also leads to a significant loss
of people and livestock The months of May and June are considered to be the hottest
in the country. However, with the mercury hovering in the range of 40 degrees
Celsius during the month of April itself, the people are left staggering and wondering
at the vagaries of nature. Protesting
against Pak Taliban attacks, Sikhs Top
block
Jammu-Pathankot highway Jammu:
Activists of various Sikh organizations blocked the Jammu - Pathankot National
Highway here today and burnt images of the Taliban and neighbouring Pakistan to
express their anguish over the injustice meted towards Sikhs in Pakistan''s North
West Front Province (NWFP). Holding placards, the protestors shouted slogans against
the Taliban and the Pakistan Government. They alleged that Sikhs were being subjected
to acts of barbarism in the NWFP. The protestors also burnt tyres. The highway
is the only road link that connects the state with the rest of the country. Sikh
activists called on the UPA Government to ensure the security and safety of monitories
living in Pakistan. While condemning the Taliban, Colonel Mohinder Singh, a protestor,
alleged that Pakistan has failed to protect the life and property of Sikhs out
there. He further accused Pakistan of giving rise to the Taliban. We have already
conveyed our concern to the authorities in India, he said. Another protestor,
Harminder Pal Singh Sodhi, said the Sikh community is a peace loving community
and always respects all communities and religions. However, he warned that if
anyone tries to hurt their sentiments, they should expect a befitting reply. Go
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