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No compromise with terrorism: PM
Relaxation in visa on cards
Air Chief for setting up aerospace command
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Arguments on seer’s petition ends
Prakas Jha backs Nitish
BJP MLA accused in Golu case
BJP flays attack
Baglihar to be completed on schedule
India, France ink Scorpene subs deal
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No compromise with terrorism: PM
New Delhi, October 6 Addressing top police and security officials who have gathered here from all over the country for a three-day conference to deliberate on evolving ways to deal with threats to national security, the Prime Minister said democracies provide legitimate means to express dissent and engage in political activity and must continue to do so. ‘’No cause could ever justify the indiscriminate killing of innocent men, women and children. For several years, India has faced cross-border terrorism, directed against its unity and territorial integrity. There is no question of any compromise with terror anywhere, be it in Jammu and Kashmir or any other part of our nation,’’ he said while asserting that they could not afford to be soft on terror. The Prime Minister said he was aware of the multi-dimensional security challenges in different regions, including Jammu and Kashmir, the North East and in a large swathe of the hinterland, which is affected by Left Wing extremism. ‘’No group or organisation can be allowed to take the law of the land in their own hands and indulge in violence. In this connection, the scenario on the naxalism front remains grim, which would require concerted and comprehensive endeavour on the part of all agencies involved before the situation can improve.’’ he said. He said the problem of naxalism could not be solved by police action alone. While there was a need for sustained and effective police action, it was also important to accelerate socio-economic development of the Naxal-affected areas. Development programmes of the government were aimed at reducing imbalances between regions and improving the lot of poor people. The Border Area Development Programme is another programme which has a comprehensive approach to effective border management. It aimed at ensuring socio-economic development of the border areas and promoting a sense of security among the people living there. Apart from investing in social and physical infrastructure in the naxalite and border areas, there was an urgent need to improve the quality of governance in these areas. Superior outcomes must reflect the increased outlays in these districts. ‘’This is not only the experience of the developing countries like ours, but a clearly recognised problem in the West as well. The gap between growing awareness and sensitivity vis-a-vis practical application has, therefore, been recognised as the central obstacle in the substantive realisation of human rights,’’ he said. |
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Relaxation in visa on cards
New Delhi, October 6 India had placed on the table three draft agreements on visa, consular access and visits to religious shrines when the Indo-Pakistan Joint Economic Commission met at Islamabad on October 4 during External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh’s just concluded visit to Pakistan (October 2-5). There was no immediate response from the Pakistani side, but it is understood that the matter will be taken up at the Home Secretary-level talks under the composite dialogue format. The two countries have already agreed to update the 1974 visa agreement, to revise 1982 protocol on consular access, and to expand the scope of the 1974 bilateral protocol on visits to religious shrines in order to improve people-to-people contacts and keeping in mind the humanitarian issue of early consular access and release of prisoners, fishermen and inadvertent LoC crossers. The main amendments proposed by India in the three drafts are as follows:
India has also proposed due inclusion of the following three new categories of visas: (i) Pilgrim visa — restricted to one month, non-extendable, given jointly to the group; (ii) Business visa — Six months’ multiple entry, may be issued for up to one year specifying period of stay of the businessman; and (iii) Student visa — given for the duration of course of study and specifying the institution of study. Two other draft agreements proposed by India are as follows: Protocol of consular access:
Protocol on visit to religious shrines:
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Air Chief for setting up aerospace command
New Delhi, October 6 The IAF Chief emphasised the need for a new command to control and protect India’s space-based assets like satellites that would play a key role in future wars. “The new medium to be exploited in this environment is space. Considering that space is just an extension beyond the medium of air...it is but natural that we are advocating the setting up of an Aerospace Command to exploit the military usage of space,” he said. Like his predecessor, Air Chief Marshal Tyagi also stressed on the need for the new command pointing out that India was already using space for communications, navigation and reconnaissance and was sending a large number of satellites into space. “ There would soon be a requirement to safeguard” these assets, he said. Addressing a news conference ahead of Air Force Day on October 8, he said, “Therefore, there is a pressing need to set up an organisation that will be dedicated to exploiting space utilisation”. On the purchase of 126 fighter aircrafts for the IAF, the Air Chief pointed out that not every air force in the world can order 126 aircraft. It is a very big deal”. Noting that an array of complex issues like technical evaluations and deciding on weapons and avionics to be fitted in the jets, were linked to the deal, Air Chief Marshal Tyagi said it would take “years, and not months” to finalise. He refused to set a timeframe. The IAF had first projected a need for the 126 jets in 2001. Last year, it sought information from four aviation majors - France’s
Dassault, Russia’s MiG RAC, Sweden’s Saab and Lockheed Martin of the USA - on jets that met its criteria. The USA later offered Boeing’s F-18 jet for consideration by India and Washington has aggressively promoted the cause of F-18 and Lockheed Martin’s F-16 in the recent months. The Air Chief said requests for proposals or bids from the manufacturers would be sought by the year-end and asserted there was no pressure from the government on IAF to choose the US jets. He also announced that IAF was keen on purchasing a large number of medium lift transport aircraft and 80 multi-role medium lift helicopters, most of which would primarily be used for the force’s growing role in aiding the civil administration during emergencies and natural disasters like the December 26 tsunami. He pointed out that the IAF had airlifted 54,000 persons and had carried 1,500 tonnes of relief materials after the tsunami and heavy snowfall in the Kashmir valley early this year - marking a four-fold increase in such operations over the previous year. IAF planes also carried relief to tsunami-hit Asian nations and to the USA after Hurricane Katrina. The IAF Chief also asserted that India’s growing energy needs “necessitated enhancement of strategic reach” and the purchase of “weapons with strategic reach”. Towards this end, the IAF was looking at buying more air-to-air refuelling jets that could double as cargo planes as well as helicopters and transport aircraft. The Air Chief said his force was looking for medium-lift transport aircraft that fitted in between its Russian-made AN-32s capable of lifting five tonnes and Il-76s that can carry up to 50 tonnes. “We want to join hands with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) to produce (a 15-20 tonne class transport aircraft),” he said, noting that there was a demand for similar aircraft in India’s burgeoning civil aviation sector. “These can be converted into 100-seat aircraft for civilian use.” |
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Arguments on seer’s petition ends
New Delhi, October 6 The prosecution and defence were asked whether they could sift the long list of 370 witnesses to state which were really important for them, how the problem of language would be tackled in case the transfer petition was allowed and which states were be preferred for trial. Making it clear that the court was not expressing any opinion on the merit of the case at this stage, a Bench of Chief Justice R C Lahoti and Mr Justice G P Mathur said these questions had to be examined only if the court came to the conclusion that the trial needed to be shifted out, otherwise they would be rendered redundant. “But we have to look into the convenience of witnesses and accused persons,” the court told Shankaracharya’s counsel Fali S. Nariman, Tamil Nadu Government counsel Rajiv Dhawan, junior pontiff’s counsel Ashok Desai and lawyers for other 22 accused. The court directed them to submit their replies by October 20 when it would consider the further course of action. On the question how a magistrate had “waited” for filing of the chargesheet on national holiday of “Id” on January 21 in the Kanchipuram court complex, the Bench further directed that either side would submit affidavit by a lawyer clarifying the procedure for filing and accepting chargesheets in Tamil Nadu. This was necessary in the face of the state government’s explanation that the magistrate was sitting only to deal with remand applications in routine manner as the Bench said as per the practice in other state when a chargesheet is filed, a prior notice is issued to all accused. This information was sought in view of the special investigation team (SIT) chief Prem Kumar taking the chargesheet in full public galore to Lord Vardaraja temple on January 21 and placing it before the deity prior to its submission to the magistrate. |
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Prakas Jha backs Nitish
Patna, October 6 Born in Bihar and now settled in Mumbai, Prakas Jha faced the ire of RJD leader Lalu Prasad Yadav and his supporters, when his film “Gangajal" was released two years ago. The villain in the film resembled Sadhu Yadav, Lalu's brother-in-law, which prompted RJD workers to close down the screening of the film at certain cinema halls in Bihar. The forthcoming film of Prakas Jha once again portrays a dark side of Bihar, 'abduction and
kidnaping', with Ajay Devgan, Bipasa Basu and Nana Patekar in lead roles. Jha was in Patna in connection with some work related to his film. He said he decided to campaign for Mr Nitish Kumar as he felt that only he could build a “new Bihar”. Jha made no bones about the fact that criminalisation of politics has reached its nadir in Bihar. |
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BJP MLA accused in Golu case
Patna, October 6 DGP Ashish Ranja Sinha said the police had some definite clues that the student from DAV Public School had been handed over to a Varanasi based gang having the support of the BJP MLA. The MLA represents Mohammadabad constituency near Varanasi, located near the Bihar-Eastern UP border. The boy was handed over by a
Buxar-based Loolan, to Guddu Rai gang in eastern UP. For RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav, the news has come as a shot in his arm, as the opposition
BJP-JD(U) charged him with patronising “mafia raj” in Bihar. Lalu, in turn, lampooned the
BJP-JD(U) for establishing “goonda raj”. Mr Nitish Kumar tried to put up a brave front by stating that “whoever was found guilty should be booked”. He, however, wanted the police to be impartial. State BJP president Sushil Modi claimed that the alleged involvement of his party MLA in the abduction case was “nothing but a conspiracy”. He pointed out that the RJD, before the February Assembly polls, failed to prove the involvement of the BJP MLAs in the abduction of another school student
Kishalaya, despite framing charges against his party. “It is nothing but political vendetta and Lalu Prasad’s effort to shed his links with criminals,” Modi said. |
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BJP flays attack
New Delhi, October 6 “This attack is a symbol of a total collapse of law and order in Bihar. We, therefore, urge the Election Commission to order a security review in the state,” BJP General Secretary Arun Jaitley said at the daily briefing here. Mr Jaitley condemned the attack on his party colleague and lamented the poor security arrangements of the state administration which enabled a person carrying two guns to climb up the dais and shoot at the leader from point-blank range. The incident happened despite the administration having full knowledge that the first phase of Assembly election covered largely Naxal infested areas, Mr Jaitley wondered about the law and order situation in the state and said the party does not expect much from the local administration. Asked if the party would reschedule the election programme of BJP leaders, Mr Jaitley said there was no question of review and all leaders would proceed as per programme. |
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Baglihar to be completed on schedule
New Delhi, October 6 Refusing to comment on the inspection of Baglihar project site in Jammu and Kashmir by World Bank-appointed Swiss neutral expert Raymond Lafitee, the minister said the team was doing its work. He said India had filed its reply about the project not being a violation of the Indus Waters Treaty. |
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India, France ink Scorpene subs deal
New Delhi, October 6 Scorpene, billed as the world’s most silent underwater killer machine, would be manufactured under full-technology transfer by the state-owned Mazagoan Docks and delivered between 2012 and 2017. The agreement was signed by French Ambassador Dominique Girard and S Banerjee, Additional Secretary Ministry of Defence.
— PTI |
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