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EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE
VATICAN CITY, Sept 1: While many may already think of Mother Teresa as a saint, any official canonisation will has to wait, under Vatican rules that require a five-year interval after a candidate's death.
With the first anniversary of her death at the age of 87 on September 5 last year, tributes to the diminutive yet media savvy nun who catered to Calcutta's needy have again brought this question to the forefront.
Even a person like Mother Teresa, whose selfless devotion to the downtrodden and oppressed helped win her the 1979 Nobel Peace prize, cannot justify speeding up the process, said a Vatican spokesman.
``All candidates for sanctification are equal before God,'' he said. The rules require a five-year wait before the path towards sainthood starts. After her death, many voices within the Roman Catholic church tried to push for an exception in Mother Teresa's case and urged for an immediate canonisation. Among them was her close friend Italian cardinal Pio Laghi, now 76, who argued that MotherTeresa had ``done what Jesus did 2,000 years ago''.
In Rome, however, members of Her Missionaries of Charity, a community of 2,500 nuns around the world who minister to the poor, sick and abandoned, uphold Vatican rules and have not pressed for any early start to the canonisation procedure.
Though Pope John Paul II simplified the process in 1983, the path towards sainthood is still a long one. It starts with the local bishop in the diocese where the candidate lived, who must conduct a full inquiry into the acts, writings, and possible martyrdom of an individual whose ``reputation for holiness'' has been brought to the attention of religious authorities.
In the case of Mother Teresa, this would fall to the Calcutta diocese to collect evidence of what the church refers to as the ``heroic virtue'' of the candidate, meaning their practice of the Christian virtues of faith, hope and charity to an outstanding degree.
Should this initial inquiry prove worthy in the bishop's eyes, the file will be transferredto a special Vatican committee for a second look to see if it is deemed worthy enough to send on the Pope, who makes the final decision.
In his 20 years as pontiff, John Paul II has broken church records for pronouncing the most number of beatifications - a first formal step on the road to sainthood - and actual canonisations. As of August, he has beatified 803 people and canonised 279 saints.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. CHENNAI, Sept 1: Virtually every major political party in Tamil Nadu is busy shifting loyalties and schisms in political alliances dominate the scene as the game of numbers at the Centre casts a shadow on them.
Poll allies from 1996, the DMK and the Tamil Maanila Congress (TMC) continue to be part of the United Front (UF) but the DMK seems to be reaching out to the BJP in an effort to save its Government from the marauding influence of the AIADMK, while the TMC's G K Moopanar prefers a Congress-led Government at the Centre. The TMC's view is fortified by the Left parties' inclination to pave way for a Congress-led Government, which they consider is the lesser evil as compared to the BJP. However, with opinion divided in the UF, confusion pervades, with each constituent chalking out the best option for itself.
Despite different goals, the DMK and TMC continue to keep their alliance in Tamil Nadu afloat. However, a break will be inevitable if they have to choose between the BJP and the Congress as anational ally. It would require considerable sagacity to keep their alliance going in Tamil Nadu in the event of the two opting for different stable-mates at the Centre.
The picture on the other side is even more chaotic. The AIADMK's now-on now-off relationship with the BJP has even got her allies protesting. The Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK), the Marumalarchi DMK (MDMK) and the Tamizhaga Rajiv Congress (TRC) are willing to throw their lot with the BJP at the Centre but are reluctant to announce a break in ties with the AIADMK in Tamil Nadu.
These AIADMK allies have announced that they would continue to back the Vajpayee Government and that they wanted the AIADMK to continue backing it. The PMK and MDMK have even struck a note of rebellion by declaring that they would continue to back the BJP Government even if Jayalalitha withdrew her party's support. The TRC has also made it clear that it would not pull out of the Government.
However, they are willing to wound but afraid to strike, when it comes totheir relationship with the AIADMK. Obviously, for the TRC, it is difficult to give up a good portfolio like Petroleum. These allies, too, are in a dilemma to choose between the BJP and the AIADMK as their future poll partner, just as the UF partners have their own choices.
It is thus that the MDMK leader Vaiko and the PMK founder-leader Dr S Ramadoss soft-pedal their parties' stand regarding the AIADMK and do not take their relationship with the AIADMK to the point of no-return, even while making it clear to the BJP leadership that they stand by it.
The misgivings of the MDMK, PMK and the TRC regarding the AIADMK's repeated threats against the Vajpayee Government can be traced to the political formations at the Centre. These three parties do not find a place in AICC president Sonia Gandhi's long-term strategy to form a Congress-led Government.
The perceived softness of the MDMK and PMK for the LTTE, which has been identified by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) as responsible for the assassinationof Rajiv Gandhi, has come in the way of any understanding with the Congress. Sonia Gandhi is also upset over the way in which Vazhapadi K Ramamurthy, who launched a party (TRC) in the name of Rajiv Gandhi, has teamed up with the BJP and joined its Government. With the Congress doors not likely to open for these three parties, they prefer to be within the security provided by the BJP, especially when lucrative ministerships are at stake.
Consequently, the fluid political situation has thrown up the curious spectacle of these three parties trying to please the BJP on one hand, even if that means displeasure for the Poes Garden lady; and on the other hand, humouring Jayalalitha to keep the AIADMK-led combine going.
Jayalalitha, on her part, is a prominent BJP ally but is more busy these days trying to establish lines of communication with the AICC leaders and usher in an alternative Government. Her only ally in this venture is Subramanian Swamy.
The decisive moment when parties will have to stand up and becounted will come when the Congress makes its moves to form a Government at the Centre and the AIADMK supports the Congress. If and when that happens, the AIADMK could gain some at the Centre and lose some in Tamil Nadu.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. OSLO, Sept 1: Not only did they probably discover America, the Vikings may also have invented the precursor of the modern pizza more than 1,000 years ago, according to findings published by a Norwegian archaeologist.
Flat, round crusts with an array of tasty toppings and toasted on stone platters in large pizza-style ovens were being consumed by hungry Vikings as early as the 9th century AD, researcher Astri Riddervold said in Oslo's newspaper yesterday. Digs have unearthed the ovens and the stone platters, she said, adding that the toppings clearly ran the gamut of ``everything available at any given season'' of the year. She said the evidence indicates that seafood pizzas were a particular favourite for some 400 years up until innovations in grinding procedures and yeast-production gave rise to bread baking in the 13th century, ushering in the demise of pizzas in Scandinavia until the 20th century. Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. BANGALORE, Sept 1: Karnataka's Agriculture Minister C Byre Gowda on Tuesday blamed the ``stupidity'' of the BJP government at the Centre for the nation-wide shortfall in fertiliser imports and held Prime Minister A B Vajpayee, who also holds the Agriculture portfolio, directly responsible for this ``neglect of the agriculture sector''. He was countering Karnataka BJP president B S Yediyurappa's charge, made on Monday, that the State Government was neglecting the interests of farmers by not taking measures to meet their fertiliser requirements. Defending the shortfall in the State's requirement of the fertiliser, Muriate of Phosphate (MoP) -- for this kharif season -- he said the country's entire requirement was being met through imports which have always been the responsibility of the Union Government. Gowda told media persons here, that it was for the first time that the country was witnessing this unprecedented shortfall of over 50 per cent in the supply of MoP, which is not indigenously produced. Ofa total requirement of 21,40,000 metric tonnes (mt) of MoP, only 10,00,000 mt had been supplied throughout the country this year. With the prime minister having retained charge of the Agriculture portfolio for himself, and Som Pal being only a Minister of State, this amounts to a ``sheer neglect of the agriculture sector in the country'' by the BJP government, he added. In all the years since farmers started using fertilisers, the Central government had taken care of the fertiliser needs of the entire country. India Potash Limited, a wholly-owned Government of India undertaking was vested with powers to authorise imports in this regard. However, this year the Centre had not imported the required quantity of potash and because of the ``BJP government's stupidity the whole country has to face this shortage now,'' he added. Gowda himself had written both to Som Pal and Union Fertiliser Minister S S Barnala, in June this year, urging them to take measures to meet the State's need. Moreover, as far back asMarch, during the zonal meeting of agriculture ministers, Karnataka had indicated its requirement for the season. However, the response from both ministers had not been positive. Subsequently Chief Minister J H Patel too had written to both Union ministers, with little success. Last month, both Gowda and Patel had also tried to meet them, but they were busy tackling the political problems in their respective states. ``We have made all-out efforts to make available the required quantity of MoP in the State. But it is the responsibility of the Government of India to meet it,'' he added. Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. MUMBAI, SEPT 1: The State government has awarded the contract for setting up a 12 MW hydro power station at Bhandaradara in Ahmednagar district to an NRI firm D L International. Joshi today announced this decision after the State Cabinet approved the same in its routine weekly meeting at Mantralaya. DLI, owned by an NRI originally from Maharashtra, V Rajadhyaksha, will be involved in setting up the 36 MW plant to be completed in 15 months. Talking to reporters after the weekly cabinet meeting, Joshi said the power station on completion would be given to the company on a 30-year lease. The power produce would be purchased by the Maharashtra State Electricity Board (MSEB) at an initial rate of Rs 2.13 and subsequently at Rs 2.38 per unit. DLI would pay Rs 18 lakh per year to the Irrigation Department of the state government as royalty to use water for generating power. The said project was a result of the Advantage Maharashtra exhibition held recently to attract NRIs to invest in key sectors ofdevelopment in Maharashtra. : The State Cabinet, in another decision, conferred the rights on the MSEB to alter the agreement between the State government and Reliance Industries Limited on the Rs 463.13-cr Patalganga project. The government and representatives of the company had signed an agreement recently according to which the MSEB was to buy about 410 MW power generated at the proposed plant. The agreement had provided that the levelised capacity charge would be Rs 1.55 per unit. But, when the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) imposed certain conditions before sanctioning the project to reduce project costs by Rs 32.82 crore and to increase the generation capacity to 447 MW from the projected 410 MW, it resulted in reducing the levelised capacity charge to Rs 1.41 per unit. The Cabinet today accepted the request from RI on raising the rate and empowered the MSEB to amend the earlier agreement. The new levelised capacity charge will be Rs 1.48 per unit instead of theearlier of Rs 1.55 per unit. Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. MYSORE, SEPT 1: The Mysore chapter of People For Animals (PFA) has decided to campaign against the practice of making elephants carry the 750-kg golden howdah during the Dussehra celebrations. ``This amounts to cruelty on animals. Why should an elephant be forced to carry the huge weight for more than 4 km during Vijayadashami procession apart from having to practise carrying it weeks before the celebrations?'' Geetha Manja, PFA convenor asked. Geetha said the matter had been discussed with the national PFA chairperson Maneka Gandhi on Sunday. ``We will not impose our will on the organisers or the people but try to convince them not to subject the elephants to such ardous tasks.'' The howdah is used to carry the idol of goddess Chamundeshwari during the festival. Suggestions to use a chariot to carry the howdah have been doing the rounds since an elephant, Arjuna, damaged it when he threw a tantrum four years ago. The death of another elephant, Drona, who had carried the howdah for 16 years, hasbolstered the idea. Meanwhile, speculation is rife that the scion of the Mysore royal family, Srikantadutta Narasimharaja Wadiyar, will not hand over the golden howdah to the State Government. Wadiyar had earlier gone on record saying he would hand it over as he did not want to be seen obstructing the celebrations. But with the President giving his assent to the take-over of the palace, Wadiyar is unlikely to stick to his words. The movables in the palace including the golden throne are listed as private collections of Wadiyar, with others are under joint management of the government and Wadiyar. Culture Minister and Dussehra celebrations committee chairperson Leeladevi R Prasad is frantic to meet Wadiyar and have the matter sorted out as soon as possible at a ``time and place of his convenience''. But Wadiyar is out of town fighting legal battles to save his palaces. Consequently, the minister left a letter with Dussehra special officer Bore Gowda to be handed over personally to Wadiyar when hereturns. In the letter, the minister has sought total co-operation of the scion to organise the `Nada Habba' (a people's festival) without any hiccups. However, she told that she would resort to legal measures if necessary to secure the golden howdah. She said she has sought to prevail upon Wadiyar that the Government was not out to `insult' anybody. Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
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