[sacw] SACW (21 June 01)

[aiindex@mnet.fr]

South Asia Citizens Wire
21 June 2001
http://www.mnet.fr/aiindex

----------

#1. Pakistan: The CEO becomes President
#2. Afghanistan: Taliban tighten their hold on both Afghans and foreigners=
=20
and launch a summer offensive in the north; millions of people face starvat=
ion
#3. Sri Lanka: Government urging people to have larger families, to swell=20
the ranks of the army and the clergy.
#4. India: Press Note - Naga Students Association
#5. India: Screening of the film Gadar causes havoc in Bhopal
#6. India: VHP Sends Early Warning

--------------------------

#1.

[On General Musharraf becoming President of Pakistan]

By M.B. Naqvi

[Karachi June 20]

A newspaper here led on Wednesday (June 20) with the story that CE Gen.
Parvez Musharraf is taking oath of office as the President of Pakistan
at the Presidential Palace in Islamabad today (Wednesday). Other
newspapers report that the capital is rife with the rumours to the same
effect. Foreign envoys have been discussing this upcoming development
for some days. Everybody knows that architect of this legal engineering
that is required for its instruments: veteran lawyer and invaluable aide
to all previous dictators Syed Sharifudddin Pirzada.

A third amendment to the Provisional Constitutional Orders (PCO) is
expected to enable the Chief Justice of Pakistan --- maybe after a new
oath for himself --- to take the oath from Gen. Musharraf and to induct
him into the Presidency through his own agency. The legal ingenuity of
this eminence grise will ensure that Gen. Musharraf will hold many hats
simultaneously: apart from being the President and Commander-in-Chief of
all the defence forces, he will remain the Chief of Army Staff on active
duty as also the Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee and also the
Chairman of the NSC. May be he may continue to hold other offices that
are not commonly known.

At least until quite late in the morning of Wednesday the normal
government did not know when precisely would the ceremony start at the
President House, informally known as the house on the hill if at all.
Some think that the actual ceremony will be on Thursday, in view of a
lot of prior groundwork has still to be laid. But it does not look that
the original story was groundless; the personnae dramatis had confirmed
it a long while ago.

For the choice of the time for the change of residence --- from Pak Army
House in Rawalpindi to the house on the hill --- Musharraf has to thank
India's Atal Behari Vajpayee who has invited him for talks to Delhi and
Agra. Bureaucrats and military's diplomats --- believe it or not one is
told this genre exists --- first went into arcane discussions about
protocol and the status and authority that words of a CE vis-=E0-vis a
Prime Minister and his colleagues would or would not have. The upshot,
one is told, was that it was felt that if a President of Pakistan spoke
to Vajpayee the latter would be more respectful than if a mere CEO were
to convey what he has to convey. Anyway this is the supposedly solid
reason why a change of designation is being effected --- that may
incidentally facilitate an unending series of conveniences and
fulfillment of desires.

No matter how beautifully and comprehensively do the legal draftsmen
compile the suitable number of words, this route will involve amending a
suspended constitution --- whatever that may be --- by CE or President
or both, i.e. Gen. Musharraf. No other person or institution exists who
is authorised to do it. It is easy enough to do it and it will surely be
done. All it will take is its promulgation in the Gazette Extraordinary,
with the press and electronic media broadcasting it earlier. But some
people think that a certain problem might arise. The big wigs had better
consider this also.

What is involved, according to some loyal bureaucrats, is the question
of credibility and legitimacy. Pakistanis now number more than 140
million. Some of them will question the moral authority of one
individual to go on changing the basic law of the land to suit his own
convenience. That, they say, won't do. The solution --- and there is
1984 precedent of Gen. Ziaul Haq to follow --- lies in holding a
referendum. Since the precedent is not an entirely happy one --- no one
believed its genuineness with actually 4 to 6 per cent people voting in
it --- it will have to be a very well crafted scheme and has to be
superbly executed to make a large number of people come and vote the
desired way.

Now there are many sceptics among the commentators and analysts. Some of
them hold that the present crop of generals will not trust common voters
to come out and decide on such a vital matter. They will either soldier
on, credibility or no credibility. But if their skin has somehow become
thin, then they might opt for an older and safer precedent: get the
confirmation from 225,000 elected councillors and their elected
executive officers of the district governments, the centrepiece of
Musharraf's political engineering. Though even that may present some
problem in making them an electoral college with its uncanny resemblance
to President Ayub Khan's Basic Democracies. But it is likely to work.

It may be the last resort help may be sought from the Supreme Court that
has already provided the fig leaf of legitimacy that Gen. Musharraf has.
If asked suitably, it might again oblige, what with its record and PCO
oaths.

Well, later they have come through with the official announcement that
swearing will take place at 1600 hours on Wednesday. The only new
element in the announcement is that all the five Assemblies, one
National and four provincial, have been dissolved. That opens up a whole
new series of intriguing questions about the constitutional necessity of
holding polls within 90 days of their dissolution. Would there be no new
polls by Sept. 19, 2001? If so what is the overall design? Is it the
roadmap the Americans have been asking for? No use speculating. The
design would anyhow become clear in the next few days or weeks. Ends.

________

#2.

Far Eastern Economic Review
Issue of June 21, 2001

AFGHANISTAN
Going All the Way in Kabul

The Taliban tighten their hold on both Afghans and foreigners and launch a=
=20
summer offensive in the north; millions of people face starvation

By Ahmed Rashid/ISLAMABAD

Issue cover-dated June 21, 2001

THE ARMED VIGILANTES who are the Taliban's religious police got a shock=20
after storming into a hospital in the city of Herat in western Afghanistan=
=20
on June 3. As they forcibly tried to shave the heads of doctors and male=20
nurses as punishment for not keeping their beards long enough, a doctor was=
=20
pulled away from the operating table. The unarmed staff fought back,=20
injuring several Taliban, aid workers say. The patient who had been=20
undergoing surgery later died.

Doctors then led a crowd of protesters to the governor's mansion where they=
=20
complained of the religious police's excesses. Governor Mullah Khairullah=20
Khairkhwa reprimanded the police, leading to a tense stand-off with them.=20
It was the first anti-Taliban demonstration of the year, and it may be=20
followed by more--particularly if a hardline clique around Taliban leader=20
Mullah Mohammed Omar keeps up its harassment of United Nations and other=20
foreign aid agencies.

To many aid workers, the Taliban appear to be intent on forcing them to=20
leave Afghanistan, even though 1 million Afghans are homeless and millions=
=20
more face starvation amid the civil war and the worst drought in 30 years.=
=20
"Ideally they want us to walk out ourselves, otherwise they will just kick=
=20
us out," says the head of a foreign relief agency. Their withdrawal would=20
leave the Taliban even more internationally isolated, endanger millions of=
=20
civilians and probably trigger diplomatic repercussions against Pakistan's=
=20
military regime, which supports the Taliban.

Since the Taliban destroyed two giant Buddha statues in March, a series of=
=20
religious edicts and actions by the religious police have made it=20
increasingly hard for UN relief agencies to cope with the humanitarian=20
catastrophe. Hardliners now dominate the Taliban. "Moderate Taliban have=20
lost out in a power struggle with a small clique of hardliners who now=20
dominate decision making around Mullah Omar," says an Afghan tribal leader.=
=20
"They want to force out all Westerners in order to create the purest=20
Islamic state in the world." According to some Afghans, the advisers to=20
Omar include wanted Saudi-born terrorist Osama bin Laden, other radical=20
Arabs and some Pakistani clerics.

Since late May, religious police have attacked three hospitals, shutting=20
down two--including one for war-wounded Taliban in Kandahar run by the=20
International Committee of the Red Cross. Local UN workers have been=20
arrested in Kabul and Herat, while foreign UN staff are threatened by Arab=
=20
militants. The Taliban have said an edict will soon be signed by Omar to=20
force Afghanistan's small Hindu population to wear yellow badges on their=20
clothes. After an international uproar, the Taliban claimed the badges were=
=20
only to protect the Hindus against the religious police. Female foreign aid=
=20
workers, meanwhile, have been forbidden to drive cars.

The most serious problem came on May 29, when six-month-long talks between=
=20
the Taliban and the UN World Food Programme broke down with the Taliban=20
refusing to allow the WFP to conduct a survey at 116 WFP-run bakeries,=20
which feed nearly 300,000 people including widows and orphans in Kabul. The=
=20
Taliban barred the WFP from hiring Afghan women to conduct the survey. The=
=20
WFP said it would close the bakeries on June 15 unless the Taliban backed=20
down. The Taliban, however, have asked bin Laden and radical Islamic=20
charities in Pakistan and elsewhere to take over the bakeries.

On May 31, the Taliban issued new forms for the 100 foreign workers in=20
Afghanistan to sign, committing them to not breaking Taliban-imposed rules=
=20
and placing themselves under the jurisdiction of Islamic law and the=20
religious police. Aid workers would have to agree, for example, not to play=
=20
music, wear "immoral" clothes, drink alcohol, interview Afghan women or=20
photograph living things. If caught, foreigners could face punishments=20
ranging from expulsion to stoning to death for adultery. Taliban Foreign=20
Minister Wakil Ahmad Muttawakil told reporters on June 1 that the UN aid=20
agencies were being "influenced" by Jewish American women's organizations=20
"that are against the Islamic emirate."

The UN sent the form to its legal department in New York, but it appears=20
unlikely that UN workers can sign it without violating international=20
principles and guarantees on their treatment. "The Taliban should come to=20
terms with reality and start accepting that the UN are bound by certain=20
basic principles and rules set by the international community," Erick de=20
Mul, the UN coordinator for Afghanistan, told a news conference. He even=20
compared Afghanistan to the Titanic, saying: "The ship is sinking and the=20
officers on deck are reluctant to take note of danger signals."

Instead, the Taliban have launched a summer offensive against the=20
anti-Taliban forces of the United Front led by Ahmad Shah Masud. According=
=20
to de Mul, 30,000 fighters (many of them non-Afghans) are trying to capture=
=20
Badakhshan province, Masud's last redoubt in the northeast. The Taliban are=
=20
using aircraft, tanks and artillery to bombard Masud's forces and the=20
civilian population, adding to the refugee crisis. However, Masud's forces,=
=20
which have received fresh military supplies from Russia, Iran and India,=20
are expected to hold the line for now.

As the Taliban cut themselves further off from much of the outside world,=20
Western powers are pressuring Pakistan to end its support. Russia and=20
France have presented evidence to the UN Security Council that Islamabad=20
has broken UN sanctions against military aid for the Taliban. On June 11,=20
Pakistani Foreign Minister Abdul Sattar left for London, Ottawa and=20
Washington to explain Islamabad's position. Significantly, Sattar was=20
accompanied by senior officers from the Inter-Services Intelligence=20
Directorate, which is reputed to give covert support to the Taliban.

"Afghanistan is top of the agenda," says a European ambassador in=20
Islamabad. "If the military regime does not roll back its support for the=20
Taliban and bring about a change of policy, it will affect Pakistan's=20
relations with the U.S. and the European Union across the board." Pakistan=
=20
denies breaking the sanctions.

In a possible bid to appease Washington over both Afghanistan and Islamic=20
groups fighting in Kashmir, Pakistani Chief Executive Gen. Pervaiz=20
Musharraf on June 5 said Islamic militants were damaging Pakistan and=20
driving away foreign investment. "The world thinks we're terrorists," he=20
told religious scholars. Since January, Islamic parties in Pakistan have=20
sent up to 4,000 students to fight with the Taliban, according to diplomats=
=20
and Pakistani Islamic leaders, On June 9, Musharraf's government said it=20
would launch searches for illegal weapons in refugee camps for Afghans.

But punitive measures against the Taliban have largely only strengthened=20
the hardliners at home. In the longer term, incentives are needed--such as=
=20
an international reconstruction fund. These would give Taliban moderates a=
=20
stronger hand and encourage Afghans to demand peace. "A policy of more=20
carrots and less stick could help change the political and military=20
stalemate in Afghanistan," notes the ambassador.

THE TALIBAN RULES

The Taliban demand that all foreigners in Afghanistan pledge to abstain=20
from, among other things: smuggling, meeting and interviewing Afghan women,=
=20
taking photographs of living creatures, encouraging atheism, playing=20
musical instruments and ringing bells loudly, having sex with Afghan women,=
=20
adultery, eating pork and selling books, magazines or cassettes contrary to=
=20
Taliban policies.

Copyright =A92001 Review Publishing Company Limited, Hong Kong. All rights=
=20
reserved.

_______

#3.

BBC News Online: World: South Asia
Tuesday, 19 June, 2001, 10:41 GMT 11:41 UK

Sri Lankans urged to multiply for war

<Image: Sri Lankan army>
The Sri Lankan Government is urging people to have larger families, to=20
swell the ranks of the army and the clergy.

Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake said it was time to ignore the=20
Small is Beautiful family planning programme established in the 1970s.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Concentrate on producing more children
Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake

------------------------------------------------------------------------
He said the low birth-rate meant fewer recruits for the army, handicapping=
=20
its fight against separatist Tamil Tiger rebels.

Sri Lanka's family planning policy is widely regarded as a success story.

But, speaking at a Buddhist ceremony, Mr Wickremanayake said people should=
=20
concentrate on having more children.

"It is time for people to think that big is better."

He said his campaign to enlist 10,000 additional soldiers and 2,000=20
Buddhist monks had failed because people had opted for smaller families.

An official newspaper says the government now plans special bonuses for=20
families with more than two children.

Successful policy

The BBC's Frances Harrison in Colombo says the prime minister has a=20
reputation for making controversial statements.

<Image: Ratnasiri Wickremanayake>
The country's Family Planning Association says it is unsure what the prime=
=20
minister's statement is supposed to imply, and hopes it will not translate=
=20
into action.

An estimated 63,000 people have been killed during the course of the=20
long-running civil war.

Our correspondent says the poor response to the army's recruitment drive=20
has more to do with the fact that the conflict has lasted this long, rather=
=20
than the size of the population.

The United Nations Population Fund holds Sri Lanka as a prime example of a=
=20
successful family planning campaign.

Started in the 1970s, the Small is Beautiful campaign distributed condoms=20
and gave incentives to people undergoing sterilisation.

Sri Lanka has a population of 20 million people, with an annual growth rate=
=20
of 1.4%. Life expectancy is more than 70 years.
______

#4.
OFFICE OF THE
NAGA STUDENTS=92 FEDERATION
OKING : NAGA CLUB BUILDING
KOHIMA =AD 797 001 (NAGALAND)

PRESS NOTE
Dated 19th of June 2001

The Naga Students' Federation laud and welcome the extension of the Cease-f=
ire
Area Coverage between the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (I-M) and t=
he
Government of India to all Naga inhabited Areas, which removed the impasse
that threatened to break the hard earned Cease-fire. However, in the wake o=
f
opposition to it by some responsible individuals and organisations NSF is
constrained to register its indignation with regret that, 'short-sightednes=
s
is prevailing over reason'. 'Peace' is the catchword in the Northeast of th=
e
Indian sub-continent but paradoxically people resist giving it a chance.

The violence that has marred Manipur in protest against the extension of
Cease-fire to its area is unfortunate and devoid of reason. The untoward
episode is being flared up mainly due to the illogical views and statements
issued by persons with myopic vision.

The NSF, through its earlier press statement, has made appeal to understand
the Naga struggle - the struggle that has already cost immense loss and
sufferings. For more than five decades blood and tears have been unceasingl=
y
flowing in the Naga areas. And, Nagas want peace in its real sense to
prevail.

If some Meitei leaders have not come across the term 'Naga' in Manipur then
they have been blind and deaf to what have been happening to the Nagas all
these years.

If the extension of the Cease-fire Area Coverage is an attempt to balkanise
Manipur state, as stated by the working president of Manipur State Congress
(N), then it should be kept in mind that Nagas were arbitrarily divided in=
to
two countries and four states of a country, without the slightest consultat=
ion
with the Nagas, despite the aspiration to live as one people and under one
political administrative roof.

Arunachal Pradesh and Assam cannot deny that there are a large number of Na=
gas
living in its areas just as Burma (Myanmar) cannot deny the existence of ma=
ny
Nagas in its purported areas.

The NSF, once again, appeal to pave way to reason instead of issuing
derogatory statements which provoke unwanted sentiments resulting to untowa=
rd
incidents. People struggling for identity and self-determination should
understand and support each other rather than instigate to come at
loggerheads.

The NSF also endorsed the joint statement issued by the United Naga Council
(UNC), All Naga Students=92 Association, Manipur (ANSAM) and Naga Women=92s=
Union,
Manipur (NWUM) that, =93no Naga legislators will have the mandate to repres=
ent
the Nagas if their views and statements go against the interest of the Naga=
s=94.
People, whosoever, should desist from indulging in self-interest narrow
politics but give a chance to bring about a lasting solution to the vex
Indo-Naga Imbroglio.
The NSF will not stand steadfast in its ideals and give every effort to bri=
ng
about amicable understanding amongst all, keeping in view the rights and
aspiration of the Nagas. Further, the NSF appeal to all the Nagas living in
different areas to restrain themselves in spite of threats or intimidations
and steadfastly uphold the moral and physical integrity of the Nagas in
re-affirming our commitment to a =93JUST PEACE=94.

Sd/-
(VIPOPAL KINTSO)
President.

Sd/-
(VIVI NYUTHE)
General Secretary.

--------------------------

#5.

Tehelka.com

GADAR SCREENING CREATES HAVOC IN BHOPAL

Protesting the use of the word "Shariat" in the film and miffed at a scene=
=20
where the Muslim heroine wears a Hindu symbol, a sindoor, while praying,=20
the Bhopal
Youth Congress president and 300 supporters go
on the rampage, reports Sangeeta Madan

Bhopal, June 20

Like the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), which has been grandiosely=20
interpreting the success of filmstar Hrithik Roshan as a Hindu icon pitched=
=20
against the Khan trio -Aamir, Salman and Shahrukh - some Urdu newspapers=20
have been fanning another kind of fire. Newspapers published from Mumbai=20
and Bhopal are miffed that in film after film with crossborder/Partition=20
themes, it is a Muslim girl who keeps falling in love with
a Hindu hero according to these papers published both from Bhopal and=20
Mumbai. This libertinism is not acceptable to the orthodoxy.

Also not acceptable is even the merest mention of word "Shariat" in Gadar=20
and the fact that the Muslim heroine, played by Amisha Patel, wears an=20
unambiguous Hindu symbol, the sindoor, on her hairline while offering an=20
equally specific Islamic ritual, the namaaz. The Bhopal district Youth=20
Congress (YC) president, Arif Masood, and 300 of his followers had enough=20
of this sign of active secularism and attacked Lily Talkies, where the film=
=20
was running to full houses, with petrol bombs, swords and stones.

Following the violence yesterday (Tuesday, June 20) prohibitory orders have=
=20
been imposed in the Muslim-dominated Old City area of Bhopal. Tension hangs=
=20
like a pall around Lily Talkies. While Masood is evading arrest, 100-odd of=
=20
his supporters have been taken into custody. Condemning the incident,=20
Madhya Pradesh Congress president R K Malviya has gone to the extent of=20
disowning Masood as a Congress officebearer. Police say that Masood is=20
likely to be arrested today.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
The district administration now believes that the violence was not a=20
spontaneous minority community outpouring against certain scenes in the fil=
m

------------------------------------------------------------------------

The district administration now believes that the violence was not a=20
spontaneous minority community outpouring against certain scenes in the=20
film. Masood had apparently informed the district administration about the=
=20
objections his community had against the said scenes. The district=20
administration, led by the Collector S K Vashishtha and Additional=20
Superintendent of Police (ASP) Balbir Singh had even screened the movie for=
=20
Masood and 15 of his supporters.

Says Balbir: "We had asked him to identify the objectionable scenes so that=
=20
these could be edited but
at the time they kept quiet.'' The attack on the cinema hall was apparently=
=20
effected with some larger motive in mind. Observers say that the Students=20
Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) is in the process of spreading its wings=20
in the state and the best way to advertise itself is to bring its people=20
into confrontation with other extremist organizations the like Bajrang Dal=
=20
and the Vishwa
Hindu Parishad (VHP).

The Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) state unit chief, Madanlal Khurana, was=
=20
in town yesterday to hold a meeting of the state officebearers. The VHP is=
=20
also planning to hold a meeting of its national executive from June 23=20
onwards. At a time like this, fomenting communal trouble may be on top of=20
the agenda of some leaders. The Hindu leaders here condemned the violence,=
=20
but, tellingly, by the evening there was a sudden wash of saffron in the=20
city. Every supporter wore a saffron teeka on the forehead and a saffron=20
kurta - just in case.

On the other hand, Digvijay Singh has sought a ban on both the Bajrang Dal=
=20
and the SIMI in the state, and Masood may be trying to motivate more Muslim=
=20
youth
to resist Singh. Within the district Congress, Masood is generally regarded=
=20
as an enfant terribl=E9. That he does not get along with Minorities Ministe=
r=20
Arif Aqueel is hardly a secret. Observers see the recent violence as=20
Masood's attempt to carve a niche for himself as a self-styled protector of=
=20
Muslim rights.

The incident, which occurred just before the matinee show of the film,=20
blocked subsequent viewings, too. The paramilitary Rapid Action Force (RAF)=
=20
staged a flag march in the area. Shows at another cinema hall screening the=
=20
same movie were also stopped. Four paramilitary platoons have been deployed=
=20
in sensitive localities of the Old City.

copyright =A9 2000 tehelka.com

_________

#6.

The Telegraph
21 June 2001

VHP SENDS EARLY WARNING

FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

New Delhi, June 20: The Vishwa Hindu Parishad today advanced the date for=20
starting its Chetavni Yatra (Yatra of Warning) from February 17, 2002, to=20
January 21 next year.

The yatra will commence from the disputed site at Ayodhya and end in front=
=20
of Parliament House on February 27 when the budget session is on.

The objective of the yatra is to demand that the Centre immediately hand=20
over the disputed land of the Ramjanmabhoomi-Babri masjid site to the=20
VHP-sponsored Ramjanmabhoomi Nyas, the trust created to ensure the=20
construction of a =93permanent=94 temple on the land which used to house th=
e=20
mosque.

=93We will demand from the government and all the MPs that they make sure t=
he=20
land is immediately handed over for the temple construction,=94 VHP working=
=20
president Ashok Singhal told reporters here today. =93Even Justice=20
Venkatachaliah had said that the land can be legally handed over for this=20
purpose.=94

Singhal said copies of a satellite photograph, retrieved from the National=
=20
Geographic archives =97 which shows what the VHP claims to be the =93remain=
s of=20
a bridge Shri Ram had built for crossing over to Ravana=92s Lanka to rescue=
=20
his divine consort Sri Sita=94 =97 will be distributed to the MPs to buttre=
ss=20
the Hindutva brigade=92s contention that Ram was not a mythical persona but=
a=20
historical figure.

Singhal, who had chaired a two-day meeting of the Ram Mandir Nirman Samiti=
=20
which ended today, said the VHP stuck to the decision taken at the Dharam=20
Sansad last January to begin construction any time after Shivratri which=20
falls on February 19 next year. He said the VHP has marshalled the services=
=20
of astrologers all over the country to fix a date and time to begin the tas=
k.

The meeting also reiterated the Dharam Sansad=92s decision to launch a =93J=
ap=20
Jagran abhiyaan=94 from September 18 to create a =93pro-temple=94 ambience =
in the=20
country. The jap yagya will end in Ayodhya on November 24, when, Singhal=20
claimed, lakhs of devotees would take a dip in the Saryu river.

The VHP leader denied that the efforts to resurrect the temple issue were=20
meant to help the BJP in the run-up to the UP Assembly election. =93We don=
=92t=20
plan our programmes according to elections. On December 6, 1992, there was=
=20
no election anywhere. Instead, after that, four BJP governments were=20
unlawfully dismissed,=94 he said.

However, the two-day meeting was not attended by the two leading sants from=
=20
Ayodhya =97 Ramchander Das Parmahans, who heads the Nirman Samiti, and Nrit=
ya=20
Gopal Das. Singhal said Parmahans was =93too ill=94 to move out while Das w=
as=20
recovering from the injuries he suffered when he was recently attacked.

But apparently the opposition from a large section of the Akhara Parishad =
=97=20
a powerful body of the Hindu clerics of north India =97 has forced both the=
=20
Ayodhya sants to distance themselves from the VHP.

During the Kumbh Mela, when the Dharam Sansad was in session, the Akhara=20
Parishad had adopted a resolution condemning the VHP=92s =93tactics=94 aime=
d at=20
=93politicising=94 the temple issue. After that, when Singhal threatened to=
=20
launch an indefinite fast to protest against the Tehri Dam construction,=20
the Akhara Parishad passed yet another resolution criticising his decision.

_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/

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