NK'S POST

NK SINGH The Madhya Pradesh Government on Thursday announced an inquiry by the Central Bureau of Investigation to solve the mystery shrouding the death of a political worker at the residence of a leading Congress-1 MLA at Gwalior recently. The Government decision, taken amidst reports that the State CID investigations had proved that it was not a case of suicide but a case of murder, caused unprecedented pandemonium in the State Assembly. Slogan-shouting opposition stalled the proceedings of the House for over two hours, alleging that by handing over the case to the CBI at this stage, the Government was trying to shield the ruling party member involved in the case, Mr Ramashanker Singh. The body of Mr Rajesh Bhatnagar was found in the compound of Mr Ramashanker Singh's bungalow Gweher on the night of March 30. The bullet that killed him was allegedly fired from Mr Singh's revolver. The State Government's announcement regarding the CBI inquiry into the sensational case cause...

NK SINGH With the Vibhakar-Karanth affair taking a back seat with the passage of time, the focus of attention is now shifting towards Bharat Bhavan, the sprawling lakeside cultural complex that employed both the principal characters of the highly emotional drama enacted in Bhopal last month. When the Bharat Bhavan management yesterday formally announced an inquiry into the functioning of the “house of arts” by its trustees, Ms. Pupul Jayakar, a number of cultural organisations in the city reacted strongly to the announcement, saying that it was like asking a thief to catch a thief. A press note issued on behalf of the Bharat Bhavan Trust said that any person or organisation wishing to lodge a complaint against Bharat Bhavan may send complaints or allegations “directly in a sealed cover” to Ms. Jayakar by June 15. The handout said that Ms. Jayakar, the Government of India nominee on the trust, had been appointed to inquire into complaints against the trust. About two dozen cultural and ...

                                            N.K. SINGH It appears to be a scene straight out of a Hindi formula movie—something that the distinguished filmmaker of Chomana Duddi will never do professionally. With both B. V. Karanth, the renowned drama director, and Ms Vibha Mishra, the actress he allegedly tried to burn to death, making contradictory statements to the police, the incident looks like a familiar movie plot where the hero suddenly takes responsibility for the crime and the heroine, on her part, tries to save the hero. "Indian people love melodrama," the 57-year-old bearded recipient of the Padamshree said on Monday, soon after the Bhopal police arrested him on the charge of attempt to Smurder. The theatreman was explaining why Tendulkar's Ghasiram Kotwal full of violence, sex and melodrama, was more popular with audiences than Bretch's Causican chalk circle. Karant...

NK SINGH Bhopal: The Madhya Pradesh Government on Thursday promulgated an ordinance for the restoration of moveable property sold by some people while fleeing Bhopal in panic following the gas leakage. The ordinance covers any transaction made by a person residing within the limits of the municipal corporation of Bhopal and specifies the period of the transaction as December 3 to December 24, 1984,  Any person who sold the moveable property within the specified period for a consideration which he feels was not commensurate with the prevailing market price may apply to the competent authority to be appointed by the state Government for declaring the transaction of sale to be void.  The applicant will furnish in his application the name and address of the purchaser, details of the moveable property sold, consideration received, the date and place of sale and any other particular which may be required.  The competent authority, on receipt of such an application, will conduct...

NK SINGH Bhopal: The distribution of free foodgrain and milk to the gas-hit people of Bhopal, which commenced soon after they returned to their localities, has continued for the past four months, providing succour to a very large population distress. The Madhya Pradesh Government has already spent over Rs 6.4 crore on this. The state Government decided to distribute free food grain to affected persons on December 21 last year. According to official sources, the magnitude of this operation was so great that almost 500 officers and employees from various departments of the Government had to be mobilised to assist the district administration in organising this distribution. A large number of new ration cards had to be prepared and fair distribution ensured. In all, 212 fair price shops were assigned the distribution work and arrangements were made for supervising the work of these shops. Each individual was issued 9 kg of wheat, 3 kg. of rice, 500 grams of sugar and 500 m.1. of edible oil...

NK SINGH Bhopal: The day the world will be observing 'Bhopal Day', to mourn the dead on the 100th day of the worst industrial disaster in history, the Madhya Pradesh Government Culture Department will start a celebration of classical dances. By a cruel coincidence, the State Government's Culture Department will organise its week-long Khajuraho festival of classical dances from March 12, the day the international environment groups, including the United Nations agencies, have decided to observe as Bhopal Day. The Culture Department and ifs prestigious show-piece, Bharat Bhavan, the multi-arts complex at Bhopal, was the subject of a recent controversy because of its insensitivity towards the plight of the poor illiterate gas victims. In a handout issued here on Saturday, the Madhya Pradesh Government has invited tourists from all over the world for the "most spectacular and exhilarating cultural experience of the year". Renowned dancers like Yamini Krishnamurti, Pro...

                  NK SINGH                                                       Bhopal: The 1985 Vidhan Sabha elections changed the colours in the political map of Madhya Pradesh. While the Bharatiya Janata Party has been almost wiped out of its traditional stronghold in Madhya Bharat region, it has been able to make an impressive dent in the Congress-(I) fortresses in Chhattisgarh Vidhan and Mahakoshal regions. The results may have far-reaching consequences on the future, political strategies of both the ruling Congress-(I) party, which has bagged 250 of the 320 seats in the State Assembly, and its distant rival, the BJP, which has emerged as the main Opposition party by winning 58 seats. The BJP lost heavily in the Madhya Bharat region, considered to be a stronghold of the party. It could win only 14 s...

NK SINGH Bhopal: The Madhya Pradesh Government on Sunday announced that the new reservation policy would not be implemented till it was reviewed even as the three-week-old anti-reservation stir of students spread to new areas and parents also joined the agitation at Indore.  The Chief Minister, Mr Arjun Singh, announced that the government would review its new policy, providing 25 per cent reservation in jobs, promotions and admissions to professional colleges to backward communities. He also told a meeting of office-bearers of students' unions of the various universities and colleges, besides some student leaders, that the policy would not be implemented till it was reviewed: The meeting had been convened by the Government to discuss the new reservation policy, which has triggered off a wave of protest all over the State. State Govt. claim The government's assurance not to implement the new policy is not considered important because last week the high court had stayed its impl...

NK SINGH Bhopal: Poisonous gas and acid fumes leaked again from the "killer Carbide pesticide plant here on Thursday and Monday. causing widespread panic in the city of the dead. Hundreds of panic-stricken residents of shanty towns surrounding the pesticide plant. which leaked toxic methyl iso-cyanate gas last December killing about 2500 persons. Ailed for safety on Thursday night and again on Monday morning following the leak of chlorine and chlorosulphuric acid fumes. A spokesman of the multi-national Union Carbide said the "minor leak" of chlorine. which occurred around 9 p.m. on Thursday, was immediately controlled with the help of water jets, which were swiftly turned on to neutralise the leaking gas. Three workers of the plant. including a supervisor who was admitted for first aid in the carbide dispensary on the plant premises. The leak also affected the functioning of the neighbouring railway cabin whose staff fled in panic, Fortunately, no train passed through t...