Ministers stay away from Dalai Lama function

NEW DELHI, Nov 3 (Agencies): Apparently keen on not offending Chinese government's sentiments, government on Saturday asked ministers to keep away from a function here to felicitate Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, who has just returned from a visit to the United States.

The advisory was issued by the Cabinet Secretariat but it gave no reasons for it, official sources said.

The Dalai Lama had recently visited the United States where he received the highest civilian award bestowed by the US Congress, much to the chagrin of China, which unleashed a fresh tirade at the US over his warm reception in Washington.

Saturday's felicitation function was organised by the Gandhi Peace Foundation and the All India Parliamentary Forum for Tibet.

Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, who was to address the function and had confirmed her participation, too skipped it.

Her office told the organisers that she had to "rush" to Mumbai for a meeting.

The organisers of the function expressed disappointment over the absence of ministers.

The Dalai Lama himself refused to attach much importance to the issue.

Asked whether Indian government's representatives should have been present on the occasion, he said, "No, I don't think (so)...This is private (function)." Asked about the relations between him and the Indian government, the Dalai Lama said it was "excellent".

"We had sent invitations to all ministers and MPs.

But no Minister turned up citing some reason or the other," Gelek Namgyal, Programme Coordinator of the function, said.

However, Parliamentary Forum convener Bashishtha Narain Singh said, "We did not invite any minister personally.

We just sent invitations to all MPs." Asked about the absence of Dikshit, Singh said, "She had to cancel it at the last minute.

Don't try to read any meaning in this." Among those present to honour the Dalai Lama were former Prime Minister I K Gujral, Delhi Mayor Arti Mehra, scholar Kapila Vatsayan and other supporters of the Tibetan cause.

The move comes in the wake of government assuring China that it will not allow Dalai Lama to engage in political activities.

Bluelines at it again, one more mowed down in Delhi NEW DELHI,Nov 3 (Agencies): Blueline menace continues in the Capital.

One person has died and two have been injured in yet another accident involving a Blueline bus.

The bus plying on route number 621 ran over pavement dwellers in the R K Puram area of South Delhi on early Saturday morning.

This has brought the total death toll of Blueline bus accidents up to 103 this year alone.

Meanwhile, the angry mob has blocked the RK Puram road and pelted stones at two DTC busses passing by.

One of the victim's relative says, "I got to know about the accident.

He had been taken to the hospital." "When I was at home, I saw a Blueline bus entangled in a tree.

Then I heard them saying on the news channels that three people had died in the collision but when I reached the spot I found out that one had died and two others were in the hospital, " says an eyewitness.

Earlier on Friday evening, a Blueline struck in Naraina killing a motorcyclist.

The police identified the deceased as Puneet Suri, 35, a resident of Punjabi Bagh.

According to the police, the bus plying on route number 479, between Badarpur and Punjabi Bagh, rammed into the motorcyclist from behind near the Brar Square subway near Naraina village.

The man was rushed to Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Hospital at Hari Nagar where he was declared brought dead.

The police were yet to register a case against the driver who is reported to be absconding.

Sources said that soon after the accident, a crowd had gathered around the bus and attacked it, damaging it.

In the past six months, Blueline buses have killed more than 64 people on Delhi roads.

There have been 488 fatal accidents involving buses in three years and most of them belong to the Blueline service.

At present, 3,800 Blueline buses run on Delhi roads.

Earlier in October, the Delhi government admitted before the High Court that 826 Blueline buses in the city had been found with tampered speed governors and only nine of them had been booked for speeding this year.

The court ordered that buses involved in fatal accidents or those that had caused serious injury would be released only if it permitted.

"This is sufficient warning for them.

Now we will pinch the bus owners also," the court said adding the owner of the bus has to pay a heavy penalty before getting his bus involved in fatal accident, released from the court.

The government also told the court it would found out by November 26 who own the buses, but sources tell CNN-IBN permits issued to half of the buses couldn't be traced to their address provide