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LS elections likely in April-May: CEC
J&K gain boosts BJP’s morale
Wooing Voters
Engineer’s Lynching |
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Malegaon Blast
ATS questions Abhinav Bharat president
Low standard of legal education raises concern
Laws in Hindi, regional languages to be made simpler
DRDO develops stealth parachutes
108-yr-old tracker ready to help Army again
BSF faces acute manpower shortage
Security up at Kolkata airport
Mumbai terror sites drawing tourists
Tourism perking up in Goa after X’mas
14 bar girls arrested
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LS elections likely in April-May: CEC
New Delhi, December 28 “March is a month of examinations. So you could say that it would be most likely held in April-May,” the CEC said. Gopalaswami said: “It is too early for me to talk about it. By the middle of January, electoral rolls would be out for 2009. Then we will sit down and talk.” The CEC said he was satisfied with the way the seven-phased Jammu and Kashmir Assembly election was held. Attributing the unexpected high-voter turnout to lack of fear factor and good weather, he said, “I think luck played a big role. There was less militancy and the weather was good.” The polls had witnessed an unexpected high-voter turnout of 61.5 per cent, despite a boycott call by separatists. An estimated 43 per cent of voters exercised their franchise in the 2002 elections. “Given the fact that increase in voter turnout is about 15-20 per cent, it is because of no fear factor. The rest is because of ‘bijli,’ ‘sadak’ and ‘pani’,” he said. “In the past one year, there has been lowering of militancy-related actions and hence the fear factor was not there. No militant activity was the main reason for higher voter turnout,” Gopalaswami said. Gopalaswami, who had earlier expressed his reservation about holding the elections soon after the Amarnath land agitation, said, “I had certain reservations. Basically the political parties were clamouring for no elections...they are not able to canvass. Moreover, during December end, weather can be complicated and tricky.” He said another important part of the election that he repeatedly emphasised during his meeting with the police and civil administration was that no one should be forced to vote. “I remember telling the DCs that some part of the problem after 1987 was that free and fair election was not held,” he said. Responding to a question about why the elections were held in December than later, he said “unless there is an act of God to prevent elections, we had six months with us and we had to do it.” Asked if he was the man of the match, Gopalaswami, a cricket fan, said: “The voters are the man of the match. I would be the umpire always.”
— PTI
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J&K gain boosts BJP’s morale
New Delhi, December 28 The party is now convinced that its terrorism plank will be rewarding in the long run for the Lok Sabha elections too. The party, which could manage just one seat in the 2002 polls, has improved its tally to eleven this time. Party vice-president Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi reacted to the victory saying, “This is a clear verdict against the Congress’ soft policies on terrorism and separatism.” In 2002, the National Conference was a partner in the ruling NDA government, led by the BJP at the Centre, and Naqvi acknowledges that aligning with the NC was a big mistake on the part of the BJP then. This time the voters in J&K have rewarded the party for keeping a distance from such forces. He said, “Surely, it was our mistake to have aligned with the NC. Their attitude and stand on terrorism and separatism is very different from ours and that is why we suffered in that election.” As a result, the BJP has categorically announced that with its 11 MLAs it will not align with anyone to form a government and would rather sit in the Opposition. “Terrorism and separatism is still an important issue with the people of J&K and the entire country. Now, the entire country will reject the Congress’ soft stand on terrorism in the coming Lok Sabha elections,” the BJP vice-president said. The fractured verdict together with a high-voter turnout clearly signifies that while the people have expressed their faith in democracy they have no faith in any of these parties, he claimed. After the results of five assembly elections, the mood in the party was somber and the leaders felt that the terrorism plank wasn’t really working. Moreover, the main Opposition party was also flummoxed when the UPA government acted swiftly after the Mumbai terrorist strikes and launched a virulent attack against Pakistan for allowing terrorism from its soil. Contrary to expectations, the Congress strengthened the Unlawful Activities Act. Then Minority Affairs Minister A.R. Antulay raised the issue of the killing of former Maharashtra ATS chief Hemant Kakare at the hands of terrorists, giving a handle to Pakistan and also to the BJP to campaign against the government. Immediately, BJP leader Sushma Swaraj indicated that her party was planning to clutch on to the Antulay issue perhaps till the Lok Sabha elections. However, the J&K assembly results have raised the party hopes that it need not revise its strategy and can carry on with its terror poll plank.
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Wooing Voters
Hyderabad, December 28 For a state that was once synonymous with aggressive reforms, the transformation has been swift
with political players displaying competitive populism and announcing freebies at a breathless pace to woo voters. The sops range from free power, unemployment grant to low-interest loans and free housing. While Congress government has been dishing out a string of welfare schemes, the Telugu Desam Party Chief N Chandrababu Naidu, once a poster boy of reforms, is desperately trying for an image makeover after discovering the virtues of populism he once despised. Apart from supplying free power to farmers, entailing an annual burden of Rs 2,500 crore, the government has been focusing on revival of rural economy, development of irrigation and agriculture sectors. Loan waiver for farmers, scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and backward classes, health insurance scheme for the poor, low-cost loans for women self-help groups, supply of essential commodities at subsidised rates and housing for weaker sections have been the high points of the government’s populist policy. Not to be left behind, the TDP chief has been doling out promises covering virtually every section of the society. Naidu has promised 12-hour free power supply for farmers and poor households who consume less than 50 units of power per month, unemployment grant of Rs 1,000 per month, hike in oldage pension, loans to farmers at 1 per cent interest rate and free housing for the poor. He has also promised three grams of gold to every poor bride across the state if his party was voted to power. In a game of one-upmanship to win over the confidence of the poor, the government has revived the Rs 2 per kg rice scheme which was once associated with TDP patriarch and former Chief Minister late N T Rama Rao. The rice scheme, covering 1.83 crore BPL families in the state, entails an annual subsidy component of Rs 2,000 crore. In addition to this, one kg each of cooking oil and red gram are being supplied to BPL families at subsidised rate through fair price shops, costing Rs 300 crore annually. This apart, the government has enhanced income limit for BPL families in urban and rural areas, benefiting an additional 25 lakh families under the rice scheme.
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Engineer’s Lynching More extortion
reports pour in Even as public outrage over the killing of the PWD engineer is gaining momentum, reports of similar extortion by BSP leaders are pouring in from other parts of the state. A photograph published in a local Hindi daily today displayed BSP MLA from Meerut Vinod Harit sitting at the TP Nagar police station and “accepting money from people”. The MLA has been reported as saying that “people were on their own offering money for BSP supremo Mayawati’s birthday and he had no choice but to accept it”. Contradicting his claims, office-bearers of the Meerut-Bulandshahr Bus Union said that the “local BSP leaders had demanded Rs 2 lakh by December 31 or else threatened them with dire consequences”.
Lucknow, December 28 Senior UPCC leader Ranjit Singh Judeo said: “Only a CBI probe can unearth the politician-contractor nexus, which is running an extortion racket in the state.” Judeo said the Congress would not allow the state legislature to function till their demands were met. “If MPs can lose membership of Parliament on corruption charges, why should a MLA be allowed the privilege of being a member of the Vidhan Sabha when he is facing a serious charge like murder?" questioned the veteran Congress leader. Judeo, who led a Congress team to the slain engineer's house in Lakhimpur and the site of the crime in Auraiya today, justified the demand for a CBI inquiry into the murder, saying since the case involved a member of the ruling party and his henchmen, it was doubtful if a state agency could conduct an impartial probe. Describing the mental state of the deceased engineer's family, he said: “The family wants nothing but justice. They are yet to come to terms with the fact that their head of family was done to death in such a macabre manner.” The Congress has also demanded a compensation of Rs 1 crore for the family. Earlier, the family had turned down Mayawati's offer of Rs 5 lakh as compensation. Among those who visited the bereaved family to offer their condolences were Samajwadi Party president Mulayam Singh Yadav and party general secretary Amar Singh. Yadav also assured the grieving family of expert legal help on behalf of the SP to fight their case in the CBI court if a probe was ordered.
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Malegaon Blast
New Delhi, December 28 NCW chairperson Girija Vyas through her letter to Chief Minister Ashok Chavan has requested to send a "factual report" within a week over the allegations, purportedly inflicted on the Sadhvi during her detention between October 10 and October 23, 2008. Vyas' letter comes in the wake of Maharashtra director-general of police A.N. Roy and chief secretary Johny Joseph not replying to NCW member secretary S Chatterjee's query on the issue even after a month. Chatterjee had last month written a letter to the chief secretary and the DGP, asking for a 'factual' report on the allegations at the earliest. "We have, however, not received any report so far. I am bringing this to your notice, with the request that a factual report on the matter may be sent to us at the earliest, within a week," Vyas wrote in her letter. The member secretary, in his letter, had mentioned a joint representation submitted before the commission by over 50 people along with a copy of Sadhvi's affidavit submitted in the Nashik court. The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and the Gujarat Commission for Women had also demanded an inquiry into the allegations of torture against the Sadhvi.
— PTI
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ATS questions Abhinav Bharat president
Pune, December 28 Savarkar, who has been heading the self-styled outfit since April, was questioned at the ATS cell here and let off with the instruction that she could be summoned again if required during the course of investigation. Over 10 accused, including Lt Col SP Purohit, Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, ex-army man Ramesh Upadhyay and Swami Dayanand Pande, were arrested in connection with the blast. Sources in the ATS said since the investigations had shown that almost all accused in the Malegaon case had an affiliation with the AB, it was imperative that Savarkar was questioned in the case. Savarkar, who has been in the forefront of the drive to collect financial aid for the Malegaon blast accused for their legal defence, is the daughter of late Gopal Godse, the brother of Nathuram Godse, and is married to the nephew of Hindu Mahasabha founder VD Savarkar. Sources close to the Abhinav Bharat chief said she was questioned regarding the ideological profile of her organisation and role of the accused members of the outfit in the Malegaon blast. Savarkar told her interrogators that AB was working for national integration and reforms in the British-oriented educational system in the country, sources said. She also denied involvement of any of the accused members of AB in the Malegaon case, pointing out that the organisation did not believe in violence.
— PTI
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Low standard of legal education raises concern
New Delhi, December 28 "The committee strongly believes that Bar Council of India has a definite role to play in checking the mushrooming growth of law colleges without adequate infrastructure,” the 31-member panel said in its 32nd report. The committee has made the observation despite the fact that the Supreme Court has struck down a BCI scheme for training the law graduates before their enrollment for practice. The apex court had restrained the council, ruling that the Advocates Act did not empower it to prescribe a training programme as a precondition for enrollment. The BCI, following this, has suggested that the Advocates Act be amended to enable the reintroduction of pre-enrollment training. Responding to the committee's earlier recommendations for improving legal education, the BCI had squarely blamed the state governments for mushroom growth of law colleges. The states, coming under political or other compulsions, grant no-objection certificates (NOCs) to institutions which lack basic facilities and the universities without taking these shortcomings into consideration grant affiliation to such institutions, the council had contended. “When the matters come before BCI, it becomes difficult for the council to deal with these colleges as they resort to litigation. In spite of this unpleasant situation, BCI has been taking utmost care in granting approval of affiliation to new law colleges. BCI's policy is to weed out substandard law colleges and establish only institutions which have adequate infrastructure for imparting proper legal education,” the council had said. The panel asked BCI not to grant affiliation to substandard colleges. Also, BCI should approach the state governments, impressing upon them to check growth of such colleges.
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Laws in Hindi, regional languages to be made simpler
New Delhi, December 28 “To begin with, social welfare laws having frequent interface will be taken up,” said a ministry official, who indicated that workshops for the purpose are being planned. Law minister HR Bhardwaj is of the view that draft persons involved in the exercise need to be “adequately trained for the purpose in undertaking any future legislation in simple and plain language.” But some ministry officials are also wary of overdoing the simplification exercise in Hindi because of certain limitations. “We cannot deviate much from these terms and expressions as it would result into affecting the interpretation of law,” the official said. The focus would be on simplifying the language where the strict compliance of earlier settles technical words is not necessary so that the Hindi text of a legislation is more comprehensible for the common man, the official said. Another significant change has been the decision to make the Official Languages Wing to translate laws into Hindi and other regional languages and not draft them in Hindi. The workshops lined up for ministry’s drafting officials will focus on training them to the extent that while deciding the Hindi synonyms of words, terms and expression of legal or technical nature they try to include such Hindi synonyms which are simple and easily understandable.
— PTI
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DRDO develops stealth parachutes
New Delhi, December 28 The parachute will help the troopers to jump from a height of 30,000 feet as compared to the current jump height of 10,000 feet and will avoid detection from the enemy as the sound of aircraft at this height would be inaudible, say experts. "The benefit of such a capability will mean that we can start dropping our soldiers at a long distance (say up to 30 kilometres) from the objective, in a safer airspace. Besides, at this height the sound of the plane would go unnoticed by enemy forces on the ground," chief controller DRDO W Selvamurty told here. The new system comes equipped with lightweight oxygen cylinders to avoid suffocation, as at these heights, oxygen becomes scarce. The system provides oxygen on demand during breathing for nearly 45 minutes after bailout, he told. "A paratrooper till now, could only be dropped from a maximum height of 10,000 feet and one of the risks involved here is that while being airdropped from such lower heights, the para-jumper can get exposed to enemy," he said. The new parachutes also sport directional gadgets that will keep the para-jumper abreast of his landing directions. "The para-jumpers will be airborne for nearly 45 minutes. With the help of directional gadgets, he can manoeuvre the parachute to reach the target," he added. "These new parachutes would come handy for operations close to the border and for cipher activities. We had some parachutes from abroad similar to this but they were not suitable for our requirements. We developed these parachutes keeping in mind our specific needs," he said. Defence forces have already placed orders for nearly 700 units of these parachutes, he
said. — PTI
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108-yr-old tracker ready to help Army again
Banaskantha (Gujarat), December 28 Desai, fondly known as ‘pagi’, is a veteran of 1965 and 1971 wars and winner of several medals for his unique skill which helped the Indian Army capture Pakistan soldiers and key towns. The Army and the BSF rely on pagis (footprint trackers) in the times of war as well as peace to track down intruders and the movement of enemy troops. Pagis' skills can help detect the number of intruders, the time they come in, their weight and whether they are carrying any luggage in the desert districts of Kutch and Banaskantha bordering Pakistan. "I am prepared to offer my service and will show you my mettle again. Though I have grown quite old, given a chance, I am set to repeat what I have done in the past," said Desai, who lives in Limbala village of Vav taluka. Known as 'the old war camel', Desai had given proof of his tracking skills during the 1971 war when he identified Pakistan soldiers by their footprints in the desert of Kutch. “Nearly 40 years have passed but it seems as if it had happened yesterday," he said, recalling those eventful days. His tracking expertise and knowledge of the region had helped Indian soldiers recapture Chharkot in the 1965 war. Again, the centenarian tracker played a key role in capturing of Pali Nagar in the 1971 war. Desai has received three honours - Sangram Medal, Police Medal and Samar Seva Star - for his role in the 1965 and 1971 wars. He still remembers the day when the late Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw gave him a cash prize of Rs 300 for the job he had done during the 1971 war, and invited him to Dhaka. "The General was taken aback when during lunch I took out my 'bajra no rotlo' (bread) and an onion. But to my surprise he was delighted after eating it," recalled Desai. For the people of Limbala, he is a living legend. He has been bestowed the honour of hoisting the national flag on Independence Day at his village every year. Desai was 58 years old when he was introduced to the then superintendent of police of Banaskantha Vanrajsinh Jhala, who was on the lookout for a person well acquainted with border areas. After a brief interview, he was selected. "It was a turning point in my life," said Desai. “I got the opportunity to witness the unfurling of the Tricolour at the captured Pakistani town of Pali Nagar by General Manekshaw."
— PTI
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BSF faces acute manpower shortage
New Delhi, December 28 The force's intelligence set-up known as the "G" (General) branch needs at least 400 additional personnel and had placed demand of a company (about 100 people) in this regard in 2003 before the ministry of home affairs (MHA), which is yet to be met. The G branch, sanctioned in 1977, is functioning with the strength of more than 1,100 personnel now. The BSF has also demanded additional battalions, exclusively for border management, since 2006 for the borders with Pakistan and Bangladesh, which is highly porous. "As the first responder in case of a war-like situation, the force finds itself at loss as it has limited manpower for intelligence gathering along the 2,526 kilometre-long Indo-Pak border and 4,096 kilometre-long Indo-Bangla border," a home ministry official said. The force, according to sources, also needs "interceptor" abilities to intrude into suspicious mobile networks along land and riverine areas near the Indo-Pak and Indo-Bangla borders. "As of now, the technology available with the force can only intercept wireless messages. New age communication devices like cellular phones, internet and global positioning system (GPS), which are increasingly been used by terror outfits need to be intercepted," the official said. The force, spread across 10 frontiers, gets its snooping men trained in interpretation and analysis abilities at its "G" school situated here. "The need of the hour is to impart interpretation abilities, special operations, psychological operations and an exclusive counter-intelligence wing so that the hard earned intelligence is not leaked," the official said. Looking at the requirements of the two sensitive and porous borders, the BSF had moved a proposal in 2006 to supplement its strength by at least 26 battalions (1,000 personnel in each battalion). "The proposal also included conversion of the seventh company of the force with the addition of new troops into a battalion. The proposal is still with the MHA," he said. With India going on an alert amid reports of Pakistani army build-up, the BSF has begun coordinating with other security agencies on security arrangements on the frontiers.
— PTI
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Security up at Kolkata airport
Kolkata, December 28 The practice of deploying sky marshals as passengers on board flights has been continuing for a long time, but in view of the recent attack in Mumbai, vigil by them has been intensified, airport sources said today. National Security Guards also conducted rehearsals at the NSC Bose International Airport. CISF sources said a team of 126 NSG commandos flew in here on Thursday and joined 50 of their colleagues who were already posted here. Later, they practised drills at the airport. They taught security personnel in charge of the airport, methods to counter such situations.
— PTI |
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Mumbai terror sites drawing tourists
Mumbai, December 28 Contrary to assumptions of a fall in tourist inflow in the aftermath of the attacks, there is no let-up in the number of visitors to these places. “I watched the terror attacks on TV and was proud to see the way Mumbai bounced back and also at the pace at which the Taj hotel reopened,” a consultant from Switzerland Dettling Franz Xavier, who arrived here two days ago on his maiden visit to the city said. Suresh
Nikam, a cable operator from Pune, who specially visited Mumbai to see the terror-affected spots. “After watching non-stop TV coverage of the attacks, I was curious to visit these places,”
Nikam, who was accompanied with his family, said. Nikam and his family also visited
Oberoi-Trident hotel and Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST). Visitors at CST are curious to see the bullet marks dotting the rail concourse. The glass panels of Re-fresh Food Plaza, which was cracked in the shootout is yet to be replaced. People also throng Leopold Cafe and Nariman House in Colaba area.
— PTI |
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Tourism perking up in Goa after X’mas
Panaji, December 28 The state, which is witnessing unprecedented security along the coast, is a favourite destination for tourists to usher in the New Year. “We may not be able to make up for the loss. But the situation is changing and we are receiving lot of inquiries. The tourism is bouncing back,” Travel and tourism association of Goa (TTAG) president Ralf de Souza told PTI. The tourism industry saw dent upto 20 per cent this season with the global meltdown and also the situation arising post 26/11 Mumbai terror attack. The tourists remained away for some time from the state till Christmas festivities went on without disruption.
— PTI
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14 bar girls arrested
Mumbai, December 28 Acting on a tip-off, the police raided the bar in suburban Borivali in the wee hours and arrested them, it said. “Bar manager, cashier and one other person were arrested, along with the 14 girls,” R Joshi of the SSB said. A sum of Rs 1.20 lakh was also recovered from the bar, the police said. They were later handed over to Kasturba Marg police station, the police said adding further investigation is on in the matter.
— PTI |
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