New Delhi, February 21
Under pressure from the Opposition, the UPA Government is likely to allow a discussion on price rise on the first working day of Parliament’s Budget session, which is also expected to see a number of bills to be tabled for clearance from both Houses.

Joined by UPA allies, the Trinamool Congress and the DMK, the opposition parties, led by the BJP, had yesterday broached the issue of having a discussion on price rise at the meeting of parties’ chiefs convened by Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar.

The BJP and the Left had been threatening to disrupt the House proceedings if a discussion on price rise was not allowed on the first working day of the session on February 23.

Officials said among the important legislations to be introduced would be the long-pending Broadcast Service Regulation Bill.

It is expected to be introduced with a proposal to form either a broadcasting council or a broadcasting authority to provide a regulatory framework for television channels.

The government also intends to introduce the Biotechnology Regulatory Authority of India Bill and a legislation to protect whistle-blowers. Road Transport and Highways Minister Kamal Nath has indicated that his ministry will introduce a bill to ensure road safety with the country having one of the worst records in the world.

National Road Safety and Traffic Management Bill will lay down standards to ensure road safety and the ministry also proposes to constitute a National Road Safety and Traffic Management Board.

The Water Resources Ministry, too, plan to bring a legislation which aims at establishing an institutional system to monitor the safety of large dams as some dams across the country are over 50 years old.

A bill to streamline the functioning of Wakf Boards across the country will also be tabled in the Budget Session.

Officials said the bill intends to give more teeth to the Central Wakf Council in the wake of a parliamentary committee report, which suggested amendment in the existing Wakf Management Act.

A bill to prevent harassment of HIV +persons is also on the anvil. The government plans to replace Judges Act, 1968 with a judicial accountability and standards law to deal with complaints of corruption in the judiciary.

New Delhi, February 21
Even as activists fight to keep genetically modified food off Indian menus, with Bt cotton constituting around 90 per cent of India’s total cotton production and cottonseed oil being a favoured cooking medium, the GM technology could very well already be part of Indian meals.

Activists say Bt gene may have found another way of making it to the food chain. For instance, cows and buffaloes are traditionally fed cottonseed oil cakes to increase their milk yield. Food policy analyst Devinder Sharma says, “People really don’t know what they are eating. Similar health and environment risks apply to cottonseed oil also considering it is among the largest consumed oil.” It is not just cottonseed oil, soyabean oil -- much of which is imported from countries like the US and Argentina, the major producers of the GM soya -- too is being consumed in Indian homes even as activists and scientists slug it out over commercial cultivation of Bt brinjal.

Leading scientist Pushpa Mittra Bhargava says most of imported soyabean oil comes from countries like Argentina and the US and majority of the soya produced in these countries is genetically modified. If something is not completely processed, there is a chance that some genetic material may remain. Since cooking oils are highly processed and refined, the GM DNA may not be detectable, he adds. The answer therefore lies in the labelling of food items coming from abroad. The Environment Ministry says if the GM soyabean oil is indeed coming into the country, it should be labelled. The import of the GM products without an accompanying declaration that they are the GM products is liable to penal action under the Foreign Trade (Development and Regulation) Act, 1992.

Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh says India’s food safety regulatory body -- the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare -- is now considering making it mandatory to label the GM food products. He also adds that the government will ensure more teeth to the law so that it is implemented properly. But the worry doesn’t end here. Cotton seed cakes are traditionally fed to milking cows and buffaloes and with around 92 per cent of the cotton produced being Bt cotton, experts say effect of cottonseed meal on pregnant and milking animals are already visible. Random surveys carried out in states like Punjab, Haryana and Gujarat show that there has been a sizable reduction in milk yield and fat content.

“Cottonseed is known to increase the milk yield. But ever since Bt cotton, milk yield and fat content of milking animals has come down by 20-30 per cent. Farmers, who have traditionally been feeding their animals cottonseed cakes, have the experience to make a correlation and have now gone on to other supplements for their animals,” they say. India approved the GM cotton engineered with a bacterial gene to resist an insect in 2002. 

Berhampur (Orissa), February 21
A government schoolteacher in Ganjam district was arrested for allegedly thrashing a seven-year-old girl student, official sources said here on Sunday. Rita Bramha was arrested and also placed under suspension yesterday on charges of causing injury to Sabitri Dakua, a student of Class II of Harisharanpur village in the district, last week, the sources said.

The teacher had allegedly kicked the student in the classroom and pushed her against the wall, causing head injury.

"We have arrested the teacher after completion of the inquiry and also obtained the medical report," a senior police officer at Buguda said.

Describing the incident as very serious, child right activists have demanded immediate action against the teacher.

Sanjit Patnaik, secretary of the South Orissa Voluntary Action (SOVA), urged the government for enactment of a separate law banning corporal punishment in schools like other states.

The Orissa government had banned corporal punishment in schools in 2004.

Meanwhile, it was the third such incident in a week in Orissa. While an 11-year-old student died after being beaten up by a schoolteacher in Bargarh district, a 3-year-old girl was thrashed by an anganwadi worker in Dhenkanal district. — PTI

New Delhi, February 21
New BJP Chief Nitin Gadkari is planning to induct several fresh faces which is expected to bring forth a younger leadership in the party. A clear indication to this effect has been given by senior leader L K Advani, whom Gadkari refers to as his guide and philosopher, during the recent National Council at Indore when he said the new President belongs to the third generation of the party and his team is likely to be even younger.

The buzzword at Indore was teamwork, cohesion, discipline and performance, which have all been lacking in the right-wing party for the past few months.The decision to usher in a young team will also counter the Rahul Gandhi-effect which has reportedly led to the new generation finding Congress more attractive than BJP.

However, there may be some hiccups before Gadkari gets his new team in place.Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, who has been offered the post of national general secretary, has reportedly expressed her displeasure and argued that she wants to stay in her state as Leader of Opposition in the Assembly."She told the leadership that after losing the last assembly elections in December 2008, she does not want to run away to the Centre as that may affect her credibility and hold over the state."She feels in Delhi she will just be one of the several senior leaders," a senior leader said.

Her emissaries held a meeting with Gadkari's team in Indore during the three-day conclave (from which she kept away citing some flimsy excuses) to get across her point of view.

BJP Central leadership will have to take a call on the issue at the earliest as the Assembly session begins in Rajasthan and Raje's resignation from post of Leader of Opposition has still not been submitted to the Speaker.

Moreover, Gadkari is set to announce his team by February-end.

The number of women in Gadkari's team will also be higher than any of his predecessors as BJP has amended its constitution to increase the number of officer-bearers after giving 33 per cent reservation to women in party cadre posts.Shoba Karandlaje, close associate of Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa and a former minister in his cabinet who had to quit under pressure from Reddy brothers, is likely to hold the post of a general secretary or a secretary.Varun Gandhi is also likely to figure in the new team though he is not likely to get a key post due to his controversial anti-minority image and the party's new pitch to woo the Muslims.

Other names to be included in Gadkari's team include Shahnawaz Hussain, Manohar Parikkar, B C Khanduri, Arjun Munda, Kiran Maheshwari, Navjot Singh Siddhu and Amit Thakker.Young MP and son of Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal, Anurag Thakur, is likely to become the new head of the Bhartiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM). — PTI

Patna, February 21
In a bizarre incident, an unemployed youth shot dead his father, a railways employee, to get his job on compassionate grounds. The incident was reported from former railway minister Lalu Prasad Yadav’s Lok Sabha constituency, Saran.

According to Saran Superintendent of Police KK Singh, Shambhu Rai, married and father of four, was finding it difficult to make ends meet without a regular source of income. Well aware of the provisions to get a job on compassionate grounds, he decided to kill his father, who was to retire from the railways after six months.

Shambhu’s father came to their native village Bhagwanpur, under Avatar Nagar Police station of Saran district, on his weekly holiday last Thursday. He went to the nearby Rahimpur Bazar for tea and an evening snack.

Shambhu followed him with a loaded countrymade pistol. Around 7pm, when his father was on his way back home, Shambhu fired at him from point blank range. Hearing the gunshot, passersby rushed to the spot, gave the assailant a hot chase and overpowered him. Shambhu had already thrown his pistol into the canal. Shambhu’s mother lodged a complaint with the local police saying that her elder son had killed his father. 

Jaipur, February 21
Even as the scorching sun is still a couple of months away, the reports of water woes have already started pouring in from different parts of this desert state.

Among the worst-affected areas is Bhilwara where the people are doing with water supply once in 72 hours. The state government has already pressed into service water trains, which will do two rounds a day to Bhilwara. Next in line is Pali district where water train would start making trips from May. Nagaur, Ajmer and Tonk are the other troubled areas where water transportation is a major problem.

While the state has almost no surface water resource available, a bad monsoon has compounded its miseries, leaving most of the dams dry and 28 districts in the grip of drought. As per estimates, water will have to be transported through tankers in nearly 142 towns and 11,000 villages. The government has chalked out huge schemes to resolve water crisis, particularly in Bhilwara, for which a Rs 1,100-crore project is being planned with the World Bank’s assistance.

The state government is also under pressure from the farmers to release water for agricultural purposes rather than trying to save water for drinking purpose during summers. Since Rabi is the main crop, the government cannot afford to take the farmers’ demand lightly.

What has added to the government’s worries is the fact that the Indira Gandhi Canal, which has been a major source of irrigation for the farmers in the border districts, is drying up. The latest assessment about the availability of water from the canal that mainly uses water from the Pong dam says that the supply has already been reduced to almost half and is likely to decline further in the coming days.

As per the latest estimates, only 1,260 cusecs of water per day will be available to Rajasthan in the coming days, which will be almost half as against the previous season’s 2,400 cusecs.

The state government has already fired off missives to the Centre and the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) in this regard. It has also decided to stop farmers from using canal water for irrigation purpose. Principal Secretary, Water Resources, Ram Lubhaya, said: “The availability of water has been declining significantly every year in the canal and if the trend continues the inhabitants of the area will face acute water shortage even for drinking forget about irrigation.”

The authorities have asked the farmers not to grow crops like wheat which require more water. Subsequently, a majority of farmers have resorted to growing mustard, barley and gram for which water requirement is much less.

Meanwhile, the government is contemplating a progressive tariff policy for water as per which users will now have to shell out more if they consume more than the basic limit to be soon fixed by the state government. Under the new policy, drinking water tops the list of priority, followed by water for irrigation and power generation. The state government is also considering limiting the use of groundwater for commercial purposes.

The draft policy states the state is heading towards absolute water scarcity. The per capita annual water availability in the state is about 780 cubic meter against a minimum requirement of 1,000 cubic meter. It is feared that the availability would fall below 450 cubic meter by 2050. 

New Delhi, February 21
In its efforts to augment the strength of the Border Security Force (BSF), the Centre has approved raising of 29 battalions, comprising around 30,000 personnel, for the country's frontier guarding force.

Of the 29 battalions, 16 would be deployed in riverine areas along Indo-Bangladesh border while 13 would serve as additional reserve battalions to be deployed on a rotational basis to ensure sufficient training, rest and recuperation for the personnel.Minister of State for Home Ajay Maken said the new battalions would go a long way in increasing the efficiency and service conditions of BSF personnel.

Attending the Passing Out Parade of a fresh batch of 129 BSF officers at Takenpur in Madhya Pradesh yesterday, Maken said the exercise had began late last year. Two battalions have already been raised and seven are to be raised during 2010-2011.

With a view to enhance infrastructure to support the additional battalions, three Frontier Head Quarters and seven Sector Head Quarters will be created for control and command purposes, he said.

The government, Maken said, had also formulated and finalised a new recruitment policy to ensure transparency and objectivity in the selection process. The new recruitment process entailed incorruptible technology based selection with least scope of human intervention and manipulation.

The recruitment process include subjective evaluation while marking had been done away with and replaced by multiple choice Objective questions on OMR sheets. PET (physical test) which carried marks earlier and could be manipulated had been made qualifying only and would not carry marks.Interviews had been done away with, biometric identification of candidates was mandatory at all stages to prevent cases of impersonation and the entire recruitment process should now be videographed. — PTI

Mumbai, February 21
Several youngsters, including friends of three youths killed in the Pune blast, today held a peace march in South Mumbai to express solidarity with the victims and their family members.

Holding placards which read ‘youth want peace and not politics’, around 20 youths, including friends of the blast victims — Ankik Dhar, Anindiyee Dhar and Shilpa Goenka — came together under the banner of ‘Youth For Peace’ and marched from Marine Lines to Girgaum Chowpathy area. They lit candles and observed silence for a minute to pay homage to the deceased. Demanding justice for their friends, they said the government should act against the perpetrators of the ghastly terror incident.

“We want the government to take up the issue seriously and hold tough talks with Pakistan to dismantle terror networks operating from that country against India,” Sudeep Chakraborty, one of the participants of the rally, said.

Shruti Asokan, a student of Sophia college, said the blast could have been averted if the government was little more alert. “It was not only the government but also the duty of an individuals to be alert,” she said. Vidid Saxena said if the government did not take concrete steps against the terrorism, then such attacks would continue to happen. — PTI

Hyderabad, February 21
Pro-Telangana agitators today stoned the vehicle of an MLA and staged protests against another lawmaker demanding their resignation, even as the 19-year-old youth, who attempted self-immolation yesterday, succumbed to his burns.

Tension prevailed in Nalgonda town and police resorted to lathicharge to disperse a group of Telangana supporters, who hurled stones at the vehicle of CPM MLA J Ranga Reddy. The legislator, however, escaped unhurt, but the windowpanes of his car were damaged.

Slogan-shouting activists, including students, wanted Reddy to resign in support of the Telangana cause, police officials said. The CPM is opposed to the division of Andhra Pradesh.

The MLA was safely moved away, a senior police official said, adding one of the protesters sustained injuries during the lathicharge.

In another incident, ABVP activists held a protest in Mahabubnagar town demanding resignation of TDP MLA K Dayakar Reddy in support of the Telangana agitation. They also held a protest in front of the guesthouse where the MLA was staying, the police said.

Meanwhile, the body of the youth was buried at his village on the outskirts of Hyderabad. City Police Commissioner AK Khan said a post-mortem examination was conducted and the body taken to his village by the police.

Yadaiah, who set himself ablaze raising pro-Telangana slogans on the campus yesterday, was identified with the help of some certificates found in his bag along with a suicide note.

The note, purportedly written by him in Telugu, said the government was not responding to the pro-Telangana agitation. “People like me will get jobs if Telangana state is formed. I am giving life for Telangana and please don’t stop this movement till Telangana is achieved,” the note said.

The incident sparked tension in the university area, where police sealed off the campus to prevent students from participating in the ‘assembly muttadi’ (siege) announced by the Osmania University Students Joint Action Committee.

Meanwhile, Osmania University Vice-Chancellor T Tirupati Rao today said he did not have any specific information on allegation that Maoists had joined the Telangana movement at the campus here.

“We do not have any such information about the presence of Naxalites on the campus. Though, there are some non-boarders,” he told reporters after chairing an emergency meeting of the peace committee constituted by the state government. The students had, however, been told to be cautious in the wake of reports about Maoists having joined the agitators.

On the issue of outsiders on the university campus, Rao said, “We have initiated steps to deal with non-boarders in hostels who are staying along with students.”

Earlier, the meeting that reviewed yesterday’s violent incidents on the campus, including the self-immolation bid of a youth, who died later, resolved to involve students in confidence-building measures to restore peace and normalcy. — PTI

Mumbai, February 21
Four months after the involvement of American terror suspect David Headley in 26/11 attacks came to light, filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt’s son Rahul Bhatt is still to come to terms with the “betrayal of faith” by the US national, whom he now calls a “terror jackal” and an “absolute monster”.

“This incident has shaken me terribly. I have lost faith in everyone. I don’t even trust my girlfriend now. I have started suspecting people in my family. I can’t trust anymore. I have become like a typical policeman who looks at everyone with suspicion... It’s paranoia,” says 28-year-old Bhatt.

Bhatt, a nutritionist and fitness professional, said the Headley incident had made him “xenophobic” and he had lost faith in all human relationships. Whatever has happened of late has also made him “wiser”, he said. “I am extremely suspicious of foreigners... It is xenophobia that I have developed. So now, my guard is up and I am in a constant state of awareness and alertness because of the bizarre incident,” said Bhatt, who was questioned by security agencies after it emerged that Headley had known him while staying in Mumbai.

To a question about his association with Headley, a sudden agitation is quite evident in Bhatt’s voice. “Did I know Headley? The answer is a yes and a no. The David Headley I knew then was a different man and the David who has now emerged is a different man... The absolute monster.”

Bhatt, a budding actor, said during his conversations with Headley, there was no chance that he could have been doubted of having had any terror links. “My father was making a film on terrorism and I was getting an American perspective from him (Headley). He was not just any American. He was an intelligent man. He was a well-informed man, a man with high IQ. And like I said, in my dreams I still find it tough to believe that he was not only a terrorist but also a terror jackal... and you imagine the betrayal... he turns out to be the terrorist jackal. An absolute monster.” Bhatt, who has been questioned more than twice by National Investigation Agency, probing the role of Headley and his Pakistani-Canadian associate Tahawwur Rana, said that Headley had called him a month after the 26/11 attack.

“A month after 26/11 he had called me and sounded very concerned. He was a great actor, I would say. Imagine the way he fooled me... acting very concerned whether me and my family members and Vilas (Varak) and his family members are all okay and everything is safe... Yeah, that was one month after 26/11. He made a phone call,” recalled Bhatt.

Headley, who was arrested in Chicago on October 3, has been charged by the FBI with conspiracy of 26/11 terror strike in Mumbai. — PTI 

Patna, February 21
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar received thunderous applause at a gathering of upper caste landlords (bhumihars) on Saturday by dispelling misgivings about the ‘Bataidari (sharecropper) Bill’.

Speaking at a function to celebrate the 121st birth anniversary of Swami Shahjanand Saraswati in the state capital, the Chief Minister not only refuted any move initiated or intended by his government to introduce the Bataidari Bill in the state legislative assembly, he also challenged his opponents - Lalu Yadav and Ram Vilas Paswan - to show even a draft or rough copy of the bill they have been beating the drum about.

The contentious Bataidari Bill to protect the sharecropper’s rights has been causing widespread resentment among landholders across the state against the Nitish Kumar government post-Lok Sabha polls. It is also believed to have adversely affected the poll prospects of NDA in the September bypoll to 18 assembly seats.

The Chief Minister found an opportunity to speak at length on the issue in public for the first time yesterday. Markedly aggressive in his tone, Nitish said that those opposed to social harmony and peace prevailing in both urban and rural Bihar after a gap of 15 years were spreading such rumours to create a rift among the haves and have-nots. Charging his political opponents with double speak on this issue, Nitish said that they tell the landholders that Nitish will take away your land and when they go to address the landless labourers they say that Nitish will never implement the Bataidari Bill to ensure your rights on the land being tilled by you.

Exhorting landholders not to be misguided, Nitish said his government wanted all-round development of Bihar and this could be achieved by taking all sections of people along. Saying that the downtrodden needed special care and if his government was doing any crime by doing so, the CM said he was guilty of it and was ready to be punished by the society at large. “Whether I remain in power or not, I will continue to do this,” he said. 

Lucknow, February 21
Taking cognisance of the resignation of an executive engineer in the state’s Department of Irrigation, allegedly due to the harassment by a BSP MLA, the government has ordered a probe today to establish the facts of the case.

According to the state government spokesperson, Principal Secretary (Irrigation) K S Atoria will conduct the inquiry into the allegations levelled by executive engineer Shivdas against the BSP MLA from Lakhna in Etawah, Bhimrao Ambedkar."

Incidentally, the 45-year-old BSP MLA who shares his name with the Dalit icon and his caste with the CM, is also a member of the Vidhan Sabha’s Ethics Committee.

The principal secretary has been asked to summon the engineer and ascertain the details of the case so that the government could take appropriate action in the matter.

"Unduly pressurising officers and employees in the discharge of duty would not be tolerated.

In this case if the complaint is found correct after inquiry, effective action would be take against the person concerned," said the spokesperson.

In his resignation letter sent to Chief Minister Mayawati and Irrigation Minister Naseemuddin Siddiqui by registered post, Shivdas has complained about the MLA pressurising him to do what he wanted or else meet a fate worse than Manoj Gupta.

PWD engineer Manoj Gupta was brutally murdered by another BSP MLA Shekhar Tiwari and his henchmen on December 24, 2008, in Aurraiya district after Gupta refused to succumb to his pressure in several contracts.

The case is pending before the Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court.

In his letter to the CM, Shivdas, currently posted in the Tubewell Division, has said, “Keeping in mind the threat to my life and the ensuing insecurity, not to mention the constant agony and mental torture that I am being made to undergo, I am forced to put in my papers. Please accept the same”.

Substantiating his charge, the engineer has said that the MLA had called him on his mobile number 9454415260 from the mobile number 9415607486 and spoke for five minutes and 17 seconds during which he used unparliamentary language.

According to Shivdas, Ambedkar was reportedly upset with him as he had not recommended installation of tube wells in his constituency under the Chaudhury Charan Singh water supply scheme.

While Shivdas had identified 24 spots for the installation of tube wells, the rules did not allow him to meet the minister’s demands.

Soon after that the threat call came, making him decide that he would quit rather than face a fate worse than Manoj Gupta.

New Delhi, February 21
Human Resources Development Minister Kapil Sibal yesterday said he would hold discussions with the state governments to ensure a smooth implementation of the Right to Education Act from April 1.

“We will check commercialisation of education and get consensus among states to implement the Act. The idea is to ensure that all children in the country get quality education. Incessant hike of fee and overcharging from parents is something we do not support,” Sibal said at a press conference here. He added that consultations were needed on a number of issues. For example, the Act provides that no school, other than that established, owned or controlled by the government, will be established without obtaining a proper certificate. It also lays down conditions, like all-weather buildings and playgrounds, to make a school eligible for registration. The law is, however, silent on fee structures and teachers’ salaries.

In states like Delhi, there are separate laws to register schools that pay the government scales to teachers. Given this, certain schools that offers quality education but cannot pay money to teachers, might be closed down. “That should not happen,” said Sibal, who will meet Delhi CM Sheila Dixit on Monday to sort out these issues and ensure that schools are not left behind just because they are economically underprivileged.

New Delhi, February 21
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) will now start looking at the future battle scenario. It will give priority to technologies that are being denied to India by other countries.

The Secretary, Research and Development, Dr V K Saraswat, announced that the DRDO planned to converge the three technologies together -- bio, nano and information. After the success of the light combat aircraft - the Tejas - the DRDO will also develop the medium combat aircraft. The directors of the DRDO will be meeting in Delhi for a three-day conference starting on Monday. The participants will include the three service chiefs, top scientists, the Defence Secretary, Home Secretary and former head of the ISRO.

The annual conference will focus on the global research and development collaboration. It will have six technical sessions spread over two days covering a wide range of topics, including new emerging areas of low intensity conflict, cyber security, energy and space security. It will touch upon new horizons in aeronautics, global perspectives for naval research and development and future development in land systems. The DRDO will improve upon its unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and bring in a long endurance one named “Rustam” that was flight-tested last month. It will also focus on ground penetration radars, foliage penetration radars and other weapons for the paramilitary forces and the state police forces in their fight against the Maoists and other extremists.

Kolkata, February 21
Inspector General of Police Benoy Chakraborty, who was on deputation to Eastern Frontier Rifles (EFR), was suspended on Sunday for putting the blame on the West Bengal Government for the misuse of the paramilitary forces.

Addressing the media at Mednipur on Saturday, Chakraborty expressed his displeasure at the awful planning of security, which, he claimed, led to Maoist strike at an EFR security camp at Shilda in West Midnapore district in which at least 24 security personnel were killed.

Chakraborty had lashed out at his seniors and the establishment on Saturday for the unprofessional manner of security set up in the state. “The fact to be noted is that an important intelligence set up was created here in a most unprofessional manner in which 24 of our personnel lost their lives. In this figure you could include five more personnel who were targeted later. Where this camp was set up happened to be the most unsuitable location,” Chakraborty said.

He claimed that inspite of his best efforts, all his prior warnings were ignored. “Well, I joined around one-and-a-half-month ago and personally I did surveillance and reconnaissance of almost all the camps and possible hideouts of extremists in Bankura and Purulia regions. But all my efforts were in vain since the higher-ups never cared to evaluate my reports and act,” said Chakraborty.

“The SP had no time to entertain my observations. So much so, the SP could not even find time to respond to RT (radio telephone) wireless message to reflect how unprofessional the top brass and echelons of the force to react are,” he added. He noted how this camp was set up ignoring all precautionary norms since there was a public latrine and a next-door colony with a high wall of five to seven feet. — ANI

Chennai, February 21
Apparently rejecting growing demands for a weeklong economic blockade against Kerala on the Mullaiperiyar Dam dispute, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi said no party should act in haste and that the Supreme Court verdict on the matter favoured Kerala.

Countering statements by MDMK leader Vaiko, PMK leader S Ramadoss and Mullaiperiyar Dam Rights Retrieval Committee co-coordinator P Nedumaran that Tamil Nadu had failed to present its case in a proper manner, Karunanidhi said the Supreme Court had rejected Kerala’s demand for a tribunal on the issue and formed a five-member committee to study dam safety and storage level. Countering Nedumaran’s charge that Kerala had succeeded in its delaying tactics, the Chief Minister said the committee had been asked to submit its report within six months and the Supreme Court had declared that it would give its verdict based on the committee’s report.

While MDMK leader Vaiko had announced a symbolic blockade against Kerala on May 28, PMK had asked the Chief Minister to convene an all-party meeting to reach a decision. Nedumaran, too, had said he would announce an agitation against the Kerala government after consulting farmers’ associations in Tamil Nadu.

Vaiko and Nedumaran had alleged that Kerala had bought time to construct a new dam near the existing Mullaiperiyar Dam with the intention of denying water to Tamil Nadu. Ramadoss warned that all essential items were being supplied by Kerala and urged the Tamil Nadu government to block all routes leading to the neighbouring state. 

Soon after beginning his third stint as the Chief Minister of 10-year-old Jharkhand in December-end, Shibu Soren created a flutter in New Delhi, when he said, “Naxals are my brothers and sisters.” As an archer, he had hit bull’s eye!

This stunning comment came from Guruji - as the 66-year-old tribal leader and the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) founder is popularly known - at a time when all the Naxal-affected states, Jharkhand included, were gearing up for ‘joint-action’ against the Maoists. And in mid-January, when a section of the media claimed that the Chief Minister had ordered the police and the paramilitary forces to call off all operations against the Naxals, alarm bells started ringing in the Prime Minister’s Office and the Union Home Ministry in New Delhi.

The general perception in tribal-dominated Jharkhand is that Guruji and his party won this time’s state Assembly elections with the support of the Naxals. The JMM increased its tally by one, as compared to securing 17 seats in the previous polls. This time, the JMM formed the government with the BJP as a major ally. On coming to power, Shibu Soren, at various places, has said he would not like to take hard steps on counter-insurgency operations as his government would like ultras to shun violence before talks. While this made the Naxals smile, the police administration and the Union Home Ministry saw this as a major roadblock. For months, they have been busy fine-tuning counter-Naxal operations with Bihar, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Orissa, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh.

After hearing Shibu Soren’s tales of love for the Maoists, New Delhi called him for a meeting. After meeting Home Minister P Chidambaram, Guruji realised the ‘political mistake’ he had committed and said, “Jharkhand will not lag behind in curbing red violence.” Political instability in this backward but mineral-rich state since its inception has helped the Maoists increase their influence. The 28th state of the Indian Union, Jharkhand was born following the division of Bihar on November 15, 2000. At present, 18 of its 24 districts are seriously Naxal-affected. The remaining six in Santhal Pargana division are also showing signs of red activity.

While Shibu Soren, for the time being, is keeping quiet on the sensitive Naxal issue, the police and the paramilitary forces claim that 75 per cent preparations for logistical support for a strike against the ‘Reds’ are complete. The state government has started asserting that there is “no compromise” on its policy regarding counter-insurgency operations in Jharkhand. It now strongly refutes any ‘skepticism’ on the matter and has claimed that most of its preparation for the ‘much-hyped’ special operation against the Naxals is complete.

Jharkhand Home secretary JB Tubid and Director General of Police Neyaj Ahmed said: “We want to clear the doubt that was triggered by a local media report that the new state government has decided to take a soft stand on anti-Naxal operations and related policy. There is no truth in it…with the Centre’s assistance, we are getting ready and are equipped to meet the Naxal challenge.”

Regarding Chief Minister Shibu Soren’s recent proposal to the ultras for talks, Tubid made it clear that it should not be construed as the present government wanted to withdraw from the laid-out norms on the sensitive issue but “dialogue is one of multi-dimensional approaches to addressing the Naxal problem.” The DGP, who took charge last month, said that special operations against the Maoists were on across the state. “It is a continuous process and it is still on,” Ahmed said, adding that about 75 per cent preparation for logistics was complete “but there is no timeframe fixed when the offensive would be launched”. Asked about the reported Operation Green Hunt - said to be the code for the joint major offensive against the Naxals in various states, the Home Secretary said: “There is no such code name for operations in Jharkhand and it is figment of someone’s imagination.”

However, many senior police officers claim that the Chief Minister’s public display of affection for his ‘Naxal brothers and sisters’ has created major confusion in the rank and file of the forces, “as the Shibu Soren government is still not coming up with a clear cut stand on tackling the red bull.”

New Delhi, February 21
Keen to attract tourists, Taiwan has eased its laws to allow visa-free entry to those Indians who hold valid visas of several countries including the US, the UK and Schengen states.

Besides these, Indian tourists who also hold valid visas of countries like Canada, Japan, Australia and New Zealand, can stay up to 30 days in Taiwan.

However, such tourists have to obtain a permit for visa-exempt entry through advance online registration system of the Taiwanese immigration authorities, Taiwanese Representative (Ambassador) in India Wenchyi Ong said here.

The move comes in the wake of a decline in the number of Indians visiting Taiwan last year. The number of visas granted to Indian passport holders by Taipei Economic and Cultural Center last year was only 10,170.

There are only three flights a week by China Airlines between Delhi and Taipei, but no Indian airline operates to Taiwan at present.

Wenchyi said the Taiwan Visitors Association and Taiwan Tourism Bureau had drawn up attractive tour packages tailor-made for Indians.

Several tourist attractions and island tour programmes are being focused upon by the Bureau and travel agents, keeping in mind Indians' penchant for shopping, said Visitors Association Inspector General Joseph H Ru. — PTI

New Delhi, February 21
Dowry, violence and child marriage still mark the lives of young India women, with half of them being married off before 18 years and 25 per cent facing sexual violence on the first night of the wedding.

India’s first sub-nationally representative study on the youth reveals limited choices available to girls and concludes that sexual needs of the young remain unmet, as they enter pre-marital sexual relationships without any knowledge of the subject. Over 57 per cent young boys and 41 per cent young girls don’t know that a woman can get pregnant at the first sexual encounter; only 15 per cent youth have ever received sex education, exposing them to deadly diseases like HIV/AIDS. Interestingly, 83 per cent boys and 78 per cent girls say they want sex education and want it from teachers, not parents.

The finding lends weight to the demand for sex education at school - something the government has been sitting on. Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad was non-committal on the issue. Conducted by the Indian Institute of Population Sciences, Mumbai and the Population Council, New Delhi, the study happened between 2006 and 2008 on a sample of 50, 848 married and unmarried young men and women in Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu. It covered issues of marriage and pre-marital sex among the youth, their general life education and their knowledge of contraceptives.

The findings reveal that child marriage remains a reality. In the age group of 20 to 24, one-fifth of the young girls get married before 15 years. Girls in the rural areas are twice as likely as their urban counterparts to be married before 18 years. Contrarily, only 26 per cent boys between 21 and 24 years get married before 21 years. Strangely, the youth barely know what is the legal age for marriage in India. While 79 per cent boys and 59 per cent girls know that girls should not marry before 18, only 53 per cent men and 41 per cent women know that boys should not marry before 21 years. In Bihar, Jharkhand and Rajasthan, 70 per cent girls are getting married before 18 years.

If that was less, the study, released today by Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen, further finds the prevalence of dowry across the urban and rural spectrum. “Laws are not working. Dowry characterises marriages of 72 per cent men and 78 per cent women,” Usha Ram, one of the authors of the study said.

The researchers are pained at near-absence of couple communication on contraception. “Only 34 per cent young men and 55 per cent young women said they ever discussed contraceptives,” notes the study, adding that 25 per cent of the young married girls experienced physical violence in marriage, and 25 per cent who had premarital encounter were forced into sex by their partners. The findings also suggest that opportunities for pre-marital encounters are galore; 15 per cent boys and 4 per cent girls said they had had pre-marital sex, with minimum prevalence in Rajasthan. Most such experiences are risky, as 25 per cent young men and 21 per cent girls say they had sex with more than one partner and invariably without a condom. Surprisingly, rural boys initiate pre-marital sexual activity much earlier than their urban counterparts.

BRIEFLY

Security of Jindal, Bishnoi reduced
New Delhi: The government has scaled down the security of MP Naveen Jindal and a former Parliamentarian Kuldeep Bishnoi from Z category (27 guards round-the-clock) to ‘X’ category (one PSO round-the-clock). The security of the two VIPs was discussed recently at a high-level meeting in the Home Ministry after which it was decided that there was no threat at all to the duo and that the high security given to them could be withdrawn. — PTI

Advani elected NDA working chairman 
New Delhi: Senior BJP leader L K Advani was on Sunday elected unopposed as the working chairman of the NDA till incumbent Atal Bihari Vajpayee recovers from ill-health, while acting NDA convener Sharad Yadav has been elected as the convener. — PTI

Decision today on Sajjan’s bail plea 
New Delhi: Congress leader Sajjan Kumar's anticipatory bail plea is expected to come up for hearing by the Delhi High Court on Monday. He is accused of instigating mobs during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. — TNS