New Delhi, April 1
In further embarrassment to Suresh Kalmadi, the Shunglu panel has slammed him for setting up a “sham” Commonwealth Games Organising Committee that was low on accountability and transparency. The committee in its 103-page sixth and last report made public today on “Conduct of Commonwealth Games 2010” said it has found “material changes” in official documents by Kalmadi to get the post of OC chief and also to have sweeping administrative control over it.

The OC was constituted “to retain absolute and unhindered control on the Commonwealth Games, 2010 through a sham society with much lesser accountability and transparency even in comparison to the Indian Olympic Association (IOA),” the report said. “We have therefore no hesitation in coming to the conclusion that a document (relating to appointment for CWG OC chairman) was created by Kalmadi or at his behest in IOA for being specifically used to secure his ends, i.e. chairmanship of the OC and justification for the commitments made by him at Montego Bay without any authority,” the committee said.

The committee gave several instances of Kalmadi's approach to get the key post. “It would be also pertinent to mention that all attempts made by the Ministry of Sports to open a dialogue with Kalmadi between November 2003 and September 2004 on the action to be taken for CWG 2010 were unsuccessful because Kalmadi was unwilling to open negotiations till he was assured of the chairmanship of the Organising Committee,” it said.

Questioning the constitution of OC, the report said, “On February 10, 2005 Kalmadi got a society named Organising Committee registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860. This society, its memorandum, its rules, its executive board, its membership etc. ought to have been approved by the Group of Ministers (GOM). However, no such approval was taken.”

In one of the meetings of the GOM on March 17, 2005, the memorandum of the OC was circulated by Kalmadi, which the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports had framed a few months back. “A comparison of the document available on the file of the ministry with the one registered by Kalmadi on February 10, 2005 shows a number of material changes made by him with the object of concentrating all powers in his hands,” the committee said, adding that Kalmadi appointed himself as chairman of OC in perpetuity and without any consultation with the government. — PTI

New Delhi, April 1
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today said that the report of the VN Shunglu Committee on alleged irregularities in the conduct of the Commonwealth Games (CWG) was being analysed by various ministries.

Talking to reporters on the sidelines of the Padma awards function at the Rashtrapati Bhavan here, Manmohan Singh said: "There are appropriate procedures. The report is under analysis by various ministries. I am yet to get the analyses from the ministries."

The Congress, however, tried to sidestep the issue, saying it did not believe in knee-jerk reactions and action would follow after a through evaluation of the report. At the AICC briefing, Congress spokesman Abhishek Singhvi said, “The process (to evaluate the Shunglu Committee report) is on. The Congress does not believe in any knee-jerk reaction. An action must be balanced and informed. Those who are trying to short circuit it are wrong.”

New Delhi, April 1
Two days after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh hosted his Pakistani counterpart Yousuf Raza Gilani at Mohali, relations between India and Pakistan came under strain over the detention of a Pakistan High Commission 'driver' in Chandigarh on Wednesday and the subsequent disappearance of a staffer of the Indian mission in Islamabad yesterday.

Sources said a 'driver' of the Pakistan mission in New Delhi was found in the restricted area near the Chandigarh Airport on March 30, the day India and Pakistan were to clash in the cricket World Cup semi-final.

When the authorities tried to detain him, the 'driver' tried to escape. In the process, he suffered minor injuries. He was questioned and released safe and sound the next day. A medical check-up was also done and the 'driver' was found in good health. In what is seen as a retaliatory action, an official of the Indian mission in Islamabad went missing yesterday while on his way home from the High Commission at around 1730 hrs. There was no official confirmation of his detention but a Pakistani media report mentioned that an Indian mission staffer had been detained.

The High Commission immediately took up the matter with the Pakistan foreign office and expressed serious concern over the staffer's disappearance. The mission asked the Pakistani authorities to trace the missing official immediately and ensure his safety, security and well-being. The External Affairs Ministry simultaneously conveyed the view in the matter to the Pakistan High Commission here. Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao too spoke to her Pakistani counterpart Salman Bashir.

After India took up the matter strongly, the staffer of the Indian mission, who works in the Consular section, has been released. However, the sources would not disclose his identity.

New Delhi feels Pakistan "needlessly" escalated the issue. The Indian official picked up in Islamabad was much senior to the one working as 'driver' at the Pakistan High Commission.

New Delhi, April 1
Caught between the dilemma of Right to Freedom of Expression and its proprietary rights over Mahatma Gandhi’s legacy, the Congress today steered clear of commenting on whether it favoured a ban on the controversial latest biography on Bapu’s life, putting the onus on the government to take the call.

However, the party did issue a warning to those taking “potshots” at the Father of the Nation without proper “knowledge” or on the basis of “half baked information”.

Responding for the first time on “Great Soul: Mahatma Gandhi and his struggle with India”, which stirred up a hornet’s nest due to certain references regarding Bapu’s sexuality, Congress spokesman Abhishek Singhvi said, “Gandhiji is too big a man to be dwarfed by pygmies around him. His persona is far too big to be touched by critics.”

Further, he said that it does not mean that because “Gandhiji was magnanimous and those who follow him are also magnanimous, that people can take potshots without knowledge”. But to a specific question on whether the Congress favoured a ban on the book, the Congress spokesman said, “We leave it to the government to take appropriate action.”

New Delhi, April 1
Non-telecast of the T-20 World Cup in 2007 by Doordarshan is among the four charges slapped on suspended Prasar Bharati CEO BS Lalli on the basis of the Presidential reference to the Supreme Court for his removal for acts of misbehaviour.

Prasar Bharati did not telecast the first-ever T-20 World Cup held in South Africa from September 11, 2007 “despite a specific decision by the Empowered Committee on Sports Rights that such matches were to be carried,” says the case status filed by the government listing the charges against him. A Bench headed by Chief Justice SH Kapadia today directed the government to file the CBI report on alleged irregularities committed by Lalli as the head of the public broadcaster.

The Sports Broadcasting Signals (Mandatory Sharing with Prasar Bharati) Act had specific provisions for sharing live signals of sporting events of national importance by rights holders with Prasar Bharati. However, Doordarshan did not cover the T-20 World Cup 2007. Consequently, a private broadcaster (ESPN) got to telecast the matches exclusively. This resulted in loss of advertisement revenue to government and increase in ESPN viewership and profit at the cost of Prasar Bharati, it said. “DD lost out financially and also ended up violating the mandate of Parliament,” the second charge against Lalli.

According to the first charge relating to selection of a revenue management company, Lalli unauthorisedly took all decisions on his own and even determined the bid amounts. “Not only this, a strange procedure of interactive bidding was adopted which gave the private parties an opportunity to better offers made by Prasar Bharati,”

The third charge pertained to engaging lawyers for Prasar Bharati who had association with Lalli’s advocate-son. The fourth charge related to acquisition of radio rights without referring the issue to the Empowered Committee on Sports Rights. In some cases, Lalli entered into agreements at “double or more than double the rates” determined by the committee, the case status filed in the apex court showed.

New Delhi, April 1
Nearly two months after the government constituted a committee for the appointment of PGI Director, the committee held its first meeting today to chalk out the modalities of the selection process.

Headed by Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, the eight-member special search panel decided to interview all the 24 candidates who have applied for the coveted post which will fall vacant after the retirement of incumbent director Dr KK Talwar this May 1.

The Tribune has learned that the panel also formed a sub-committee comprising technical experts drawn from the selection committee to interview the aspirants. Azad is not likely to be part of the screening panel, to allow technical members to interview the aspirants.

The panel has already sent out invites for the interviews to the 24 aspirants in the race. They have been asked to report for the interview on April 9 in Nirman Bhavan, Delhi, where the Health Ministry office is located. After that the candidates will be shortlisted.

It is interesting to note that the committee did not shortlist final candidates in the first place, as has been the practice in the past. Sources in the Ministry said the decision to interview all the candidates was taken because their number was not very high.

The selection panel comprises Union Health Secretary K Chandramauli, Director General, Health Services, RK Srivastav, Secretary, Medical Research, VM Katoch, and Director, NIMHANS, Bangalore, Satish Chandra. Private members on the panel are Dr Rajan Badwe, Director, Tata Memorial Centre and Cancer Research Institute, Mumbai, NK Ganguly, president, JIPMER, Puducherry, and Seyed E Hasnain, Vice Chancellor, University of Hyderabad.

Among the aspirants to the position are 12 doctors from PGI-Binoy Sakhuja, Amod Gupta, Kartar Singh, P Kulhara, Dr SK Jindal, Dr AK Gupta, Savita Malhotra, Arvind Rajvanshi, S Prabhakar, Subhash Verma, Y Chawla, D Behera and Dr Raj Bahadur, presently Head, GMCH, Sector 32, Chandigarh. Five doctors from the AIIMS are also in the race.

It may be recalled that the process of appointment of new PGI Director had earlier come under a cloud after the relaxation of certain eligibility norms for the candidate. The text of nominations sent out for inviting applications did not cap the limit to which the PGI was willing to relax the upper age limit of the nominee. The section under debate stated that the upper age limit of eligible candidates should not exceed 60 years and was "relaxable for government servants or retired government servants or serving or retired persons from autonomous and statutory institutes of state and Central government or exceptionally qualified candidates."

This is contrary to the rules followed by the AIIMS even though both the PGI and AIIMS came up under the Acts of Parliament and should ideally have similar recruitment rules.

New Delhi, April 1
The CBI today told a Delhi court that the alleged cash transaction between DB Realty and Chennai-based Green House Promoters Pvt Ltd, which is under probe in the 2G scam, “might have link” to the death of Sadiq Batcha, a close aide of arrested former Telecom Minister A Raja.

“The cash transaction (between DB Realty and Greenhouse Promoters), instance of Batcha’s driver reportedly going missing and his (Batcha) suicide, might have link,” the CBI said in the court of Special CBI Judge OP Saini while seeking extension of custody of Kusegaon Fruits and Vegetables Pvt Ltd Director Rajiv Agarwal by three days.

Batcha was Managing Director of Green House Promoters which the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate suspected to be a front for Raja.

Agarwal was arrested for his alleged role in 2G Spectrum allocation scam in transferring Rs 200 crore to Kalaignar TV Pvt Ltd through the bank accounts of Cineyug Films Pvt Ltd.

The CBI said that Agarwal is also linked with Green House Promoters in which Raja's wife is one of the directors and he is required to be quizzed further regarding the cash transaction between DB Realty and Green House Promoters.

The court extended Agarwal's CBI custody till April 4 saying, “There is a statement on record that Green House Promoters Pvt Ltd, Chennai, were having close relations with DB Realty Pvt Ltd and the witness also mentions accused Rajiv Agarwal.”

“The nature of the case is quite serious, the crime is enormous and the investigation is complicated and tedious and in such a situation, I find that the prayer for further custodial interrogation of the accused Agarwal is justified," the judge said.

Batcha (38) was found dead in mysterious circumstances at his home in South Chennai on March 16 and his wife had claimed that he committed suicide as he was "unable to cope with the pressure" of the probe.

The court also sent Swan Telecom promoter Shahid Balwa's cousin Asif Balwa, who was arrested with Agarwal, to Tihar Jail till April 15 under judicial custody after the CBI said that he was no more required for interrogation. — PTI

New Delhi, April 1
The CBI is ready to probe the mysterious death of former Telecom Minister A Raja’s aide, Sadiq Batcha, in Chennai last month, the investigation agency informed the Supreme Court today. The agency also said senior counsel UU Lalit had agreed to be the special public prosecutor (PP) in the trial against Raja and others for their alleged involvement in the 2G Spectrum scam, which according to the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) resulted in a notional loss of Rs 1.76 lakh crore.

Appearing for the CBI, senior counsel KK Venugopal informed a Bench comprising Justices GS Singhvi and AK Ganguly that the first chargesheet in the case would be filed tomorrow against Raja and others. The chargesheet would be filed in the special court set up to conduct the trial on a fast track basis.

Venugopal said the CBI had already received a request from the Tamil Nadu government for conducting the investigation into the death of Batcha. The CBI would begin the probe immediately after the Union government had issued the relevant notification to this effect.

The Bench asked the CBI and the government to update the court on the Batcha issue on Monday and on the special PP issue on Tuesday.

New Delhi, April 1
The Supreme Court today expressed shock over the sorry state of affairs in the Army and the Defence Ministry that not only resulted in the illegal sale of a large number of prohibited weapons by its own officers to around 800 people, including terrorists and criminals, in connivance with top civil servants but was also impeding the inquiry and disciplinary action.

“We are shocked and surprised at the state of affairs. The matter does not appear to be receiving a serious attention,” a Bench comprising Justices B Sudershan Reddy and SS Nijjar told Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Vivek Tankha. The Bench was hearing a PIL that has sought action against the officers of the Army and the civil administration involved in the illegal sale. The Bench made the remarks after Tankha informed the court that the Defence Ministry had asked the Army to review the policy of giving weapons to top defence personnel for personal use in the light of a September 2008 Court of Inquiry (CoI) against some officers involved in such sales.

“See what is happening in the Army and the defence forces? That is why the pain is more. That is why the anguish,” the judges lamented. The apex court felt the proposed policy review would not serve the purpose. “There must be a wholesale ban on this. Where is the need for transfer of weapons,” the Bench asked. The Additional Solicitor General said it was just an aberration on the part of some personnel. “What an aberration and touching what aspects,” the Bench retorted pointing out that the crime posed a grave danger to national security.

“Of all the places, these things have happened in the armed forces where utmost discipline is required,” the judges remarked.

The Bench also took exception to the Defence Ministry filing an affidavit in the SC through a junior officer (having a rank of an Under Secretary). “These matters should be dealt with at the appropriate level. Does the Defence Secretary think it is below his dignity to file an affidavit,” the judges wanted to know.

“It was unfortunate that the SC had to tell the ministry as to who had to file the affidavit and what details should be given to the court in such a serious matter. And, you are in charge of the Defence of the country,” the Bench remarked sarcastically. The ASG assured the court that action would be taken against all officers, but the judges were not convinced. “It is a very, very serious matter. Weapons have gone into whose hands and from whom,” the court said.

At one point, the Bench noted: “It appears we are heading for another racket.” At this, the ASG said “There is no racket. It is just an aberration.”

The petitioner, advocate Arvind Kumar Sharma, said the Army was presently moving against officers only in the Western Command, while it had five commands. Around 40 officers, including those at the rank of a Major General, were involved in the Western Command, whereas their number would go up to over 200 if all the commands were covered, he said.

The accused officers had bought these weapons for as little as Rs 500 and sold them for as much as Rs 10 lakh, Sharma contended. A CBI inquiry was conducted against Army officers and civil servants in Punjab and Haryana. “We don’t know what happened after the inquiry,” he said. The ASG said the Defence Ministry wanted an inquiry against all other officers, who were not covered under the earlier CoI.

When the ASG said the relevant file was moving in the right direction, the Bench was sarcastic again: “Ultimately, it will go to a hawaldar.”

Rajasthan informed the court it was proceeding against the three IAS officers and five officers of the state administrative service (RAS) for their alleged involvement in the issue of arms licences. The SC directed the Defence Secretary and Rajasthan’s Chief Secretary to file fresh status reports and affidavits by April 29, the next date of hearing, giving details about the progress from now and then.

Chandigarh, April 1
As part of its endeavor to transform the foot soldier into a techno-savvy combat system equipped with state-of-the-art gadgetry, the Army has initiated the process of procuring wrist-worn computer and communication system.

In a recently floated global request for information for “integrated computer and communication system (ICCS) for infantry soldiers”, the Army has sought an end-to-end, full-featured computer and communication solution which provides “scalable, high-quality data services that include both real-time and non-real-time services”.

The ICCS, with its display and communication unit worn on the wrist and other elements like the battery carried in the battle-load vest, will interlink a soldier vertically with his commanders as well as laterally with fellow troops in the field. This will enable an individual soldier to receive as well as transmit information or orders, resulting in fast communication and greater situational awareness in any operational and environmental condition.

The ICCS is being implemented under the Army’s much talked about F-INSAS (future infantry soldier as a system) vision, conceived to significantly enhance the potential, lethality and survivability of infantry soldiers through modern weapons, sensors, communications and other offensive and defensive measures.

With 360 battalions, the infantry forms the Army’s largest fighting arm, making up about a third of its total strength. As compared with modern armies, the personal equipment of the Indian foot soldier is largely rudimentary.

New Delhi, April 1
A law is only as good as the one who uses it. So, when 12-year-old Suman Bhati from Delhi became the first beneficiary of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act (RTE) in the first year of its implementation, she not just showed how a mighty-sounding law could come in handy when needed, but also put the cynics to rest.

“Had it not been for this Act, I would not be in school,” Suman tells The Tribune on the first anniversary of the Act that prevented her unfair expulsion from a private school in Delhi’s top-end Rajniwas locality.

Naturally, she doesn’t care about dim statistics doing the rounds today - the fact that only 15 states have notified the RTE rules in one year; that five lakh teachers’ posts are still vacant; that 8 crore uniforms and 14 lakh classrooms are still to be provided for, and 655 residential schools have to be constructed. What matters to her is not what you can’t do with the law; what matters is what you can do with it.

So she recalls her daring act with pride: “My school authorities failed me in Class VI and ordered my expulsion. I knew that a law had been passed to bar expulsions and detentions. My father also knew. We sued the school and won our case.”

It was a little after the Act’s enactment in April last that Naresh Bhati, Suman’s father, moved the Delhi High Court against St Xavier’s Senior Secondary School, which asked him to withdraw his daughter, citing her failure in Class VI. “This school had a queer rule. They would expel any child who failed twice in any class. Suman had missed her final exams in Class IV because she was down with chicken pox. Even then, she had been detained. Again in Class VI, they failed her and said that we should withdraw her from school,” Naresh says.

But that was not to be. Aided by Social Jurist, an NGO helping in the implementation of RTE Act in Delhi, Suman petitioned the local HC which ordered that the child be readmitted immediately. The beauty of the battle was - 50 other children who had been similarly expelled were retaken.

Today, Suman (now in Class VII) and her father are the heroes for the parents whose wards had lost out on crucial years of schooling due to expulsion. But their fight for justice has come at a price. St Xavier’s has twice refused admission to Suman’s younger brother, despite the latter having cleared the admission test, which too is barred under the law. A second court case may be the only way out.

New Delhi, April 1
Bihar might still figure among the lowest-literacy states in India, but it has surprised everyone by posting the second-highest decadal growth in female literacy rates in the country.

The number of literate women in the state more than doubled from 10,4,65,201 in 2001 to 21,6,78,279 in 2011-- a 107 per cent growth, which is next only to Dadra 
and Nagar Haveli’s 161.73 per cent growth rate for female literacy.

The lowest female literacy decadal growth rate of 13 per cent has been reported from Kerala, where the gender disparity in education is already the lowest in India. In fact, Kerala is the only state where women literates outnumber men literates.

But Bihar’s success story is truly inspiring considering the fact that the state still has the lowest literacy rate of 63.82 per cent in India, the national literacy rate being 74.04 per cent.

Bihar along with Dadra and Nagar Haveli has in fact driven the nationwide rise in literacy rate, with the two states reporting the overall growth rate of 75 per cent and 119 per cent between 2001 and 2011. Bihar for its part has added 232 lakh literates to its pool between the last Census and 2011.

Comparatively, the growth rate in female literacy has been low for most of the northern states. Jammu and Kashmir leads the pack with 64 per cent decadal growth in the number of women who are now literate. The state has now 28,74,449 female literates as against 17,46,658 in 2001.

Among the northern states and UTs, Chandigarh has registered the lowest growth rate in female literacy at 31 per cent, followed by Himachal Pradesh at 31.18 per cent, Punjab at 32.42 per cent, Uttrakhand at 46 per cent, Haryana at 49 per cent and Delhi at 40.10 per cent.

According to census 2011, among the states that top the ladder so far as percentage growth in female literacy is concerned are Jharkhand (with 83.64 per cent); Arunachal Pradesh (84.80 per cent) and UP (78.78 per cent). Arunachal Pradesh has the second lowest literacy rate of 66 per cent in India.

The fact that low-literacy states like Bihar, Jharkhand, UP and Arunachal Pradesh have posted the highest gains on the challenging front of female literacy, is quite encouraging. It is these states that helped India bridge the difference between female and male literacy rates from 21.70 per cent in 2001 to 16.68 per cent in 2011.

Guwhahati, April 1
Congress president Sonia Gandhi is yet to overcome the hangover of Team India's 'big' win against Pakistan in Mohali in the World Cup and it was obvious when she started her election campaign in Assam today with call upon the people to pray for the team's win in tomorrow's WC final in Mumbai against Sri Lanka.

Addressing the first of her three election rallies of the day at Karimganj in South Assam's minority dominated Barak Valley, Sonia set the mood of the meeting by showering praise on Indian cricket team for its 'Mohali win' and wishing a massive win in Mumbai tomorrow in the WC final much to the cheers from the crowd.

The UPA chairperson toured the poll-bound state addressing poll rallies a day ahead of the visit of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who will come to hit the campaign trail tomorrow defying a bandh called by the anti-talks faction of the banned United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA), which has threatened to target Congress men during polls. Singh is slated to address two rallies at Naoboicha and Rupahithat in the state.

Sonia fired broadside at the rival Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and the BJP for acquiring a habit of making false promise to the people of Assam before every election only to forget for the next five years.

"The AGP and the BJP have no commitment and sincerity towards all round development of Assam and that was well reflected at the failure of the two parties to do anything concrete for the benefit of people of Assam while they were in the power at the state as well as at the Centre," Sonia said.

She highlighted 'achievements' of the Congress government in Assam in the last ten years in respect of economic development, restoration of peace and reiterated that Congress was the only party that would never compromise on the issues related to development of Assam.

She said, "Assam had voted for Congress 10 years ago when the law and order situation was at its worst. But the situation has reversed today. I request the people of Assam to continue help Congress to script an unprecedented saga its development and peace."

Mumbai, April 1
The BJP today dropped a bombshell in the Maharashtra assembly with its leaders alleging that Nationalist Congress Party leader Sharad Pawar and his relatives had close business dealings with tainted real estate developer Shahid Usman Balwa who is presently in jail in connection with the 2G scam.

Leader of the Opposition in the Maharashtra legislature Eknath Khadse of the BJP named Pawar's wife Pratibha, daughter Supriya and son-in-law Sadanand Sule apart from senior NCP leaders for having links with Balwa. Khadse alleged that 326 acres of land belonging to the state government was handed over to the Mukund Bhawan trust headed by Pawar and part of the property was used to construct a technology park.

"Pawar's daughter Supriya Sule and her husband Sadanand Sule own 909 shares each in the Panchasheel Tech Park that is coming up on part of this land," Khadse told the Maharashtra assembly. He further added that Balwa's company was building a luxury hotel on another part of the property. Khadse also added that details of the deal were obtained by an activist under the Right to Information Act. The leader of the opposition alleged that Pawar and his associates benefited to the tune of Rs 15,000 crore.

The BJP leader went on to say that Shriniwas Patil, former collector of Pune, who played a major role in allotting the land to the trust way back in 1989 is now a Member of Parliament representing the NCP.

Khadse's revelations in the assembly today comes a day after he alleged that Pawar and his relatives travelled to Dubai on a plane belonging to Balwa. Apart from Pawar, Khadse named former Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel, BCCI president Shashank Manohar among others as beneficiaries of Balwa's hospitality.

Khadse's claim was rebutted by Maharashtra Home Minister RR Patil. He retorted that leaders of all political parties availed of Balwa's hospitality. Patil alleged that leaders of the BJP and the Shiv Sena all travelled by Balwa's plane in the past. The minister specifically named Shiv Sena Executive President Uddhav Thackeray as one of those who travelled by Balwa's aircraft.