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Most Favoured Nation status
60 lakh take holy dip at Sangam
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SC guidelines to fast-track trial under NDPS
Ban RSS, BJP if we are terrorists, Rajnath dares Home Minister
R-Day celebrations with a difference in Gujarat
Jantar Mantar
INTERNATIONAL ANTI-LEPROSY DAY TODAY
‘Netaji death still a mystery, thanks to govt apathy’
Assembly Poll
Telangana leaders cry betrayal
Fresh stir for separate Gorkhaland begins
India faces challenge of restoring high growth: Ansari
Digvijay wants early hanging of Afzal Guru
Jaipur Metro work
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India still unsure of Pak promise
Ashok Tuteja/TNS
New Delhi, January 27 The sense here is that the Asif Ali Zardari-led government would keep dilly-dallying on according the MFN status to India until the General Election, likely to be held in mid-May, and eventually leave it to the next dispensation to take a decision on it. “The current dispensation is Islamabad is too weak to take a final decision in the matter and earn the wrath of anti-India elements. Since it now has very little time at its disposal, a decision on such a sensitive issue is only a distinct possibility,” an Indian source acknowledged. The source admitted that the recent tension between the two countries over ceasefire violations on the LoC has made it difficult for both countries to immediately move on any front. Earlier this week, Pakistan Minister of State for Commerce Abbas Khan Afridi told the Senate that Pakistan was most likely to grant the MFN status to India next month in an attempt to boost bilateral trade to the tune of $ six billion. Pakistan had earlier set the deadline of December 31 for giving the MFN status to India. However, it failed to honour its commitment in the face of stiff opposition from the domestic industries as well as ‘jihadi’ groups. Since then, top Pakistani leaders have been saying that the move to grant MFN-status has been delayed to enable the government to hold consultations with industries which have expressed reservations about the move. There were indications that Pakistan Commerce Minister Makhdoom Amin Fahim would disclose his government’s thinking in the matter during his visit to India to attend a business meet in Agra later this month. However, he has now called off the visit, apparently in view of the tension along the LoC though the official reason given for the cancellation is somewhat different. India was quite hopeful that Pakistan would phase out the ‘negative list’ by the end of 2012, paving the way for formally granting the MFN status. India had accorded the MFN status to Pakistan in 1996 and has since then been insisting that Pakistan return the gesture so as to fulfill its obligation under the WTO. The lurking fear in Pakistan is that once India is formally accorded the MFN status, Indian goods will invade Pakistani markets at the cost of the domestic industry. The ‘jihadi’ groups have only been too happy to cash in on the sentiments of the business community. However, there is apprehension among the intelligentsia in India too. There are hardliners who believe that free trade between the two countries could add to India’s security concerns, or even lead to an increase in terrorist activities. The Indian business lobby is apprehensive about unhindered import of certain commodities like cement from Pakistan which could adversely affect the Indian industry. Poor track record
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60 lakh take holy dip at Sangam
Allahabad, January 27 Tents at Saket Dham in Sector 11 in Kumbh Nagari were gutted when gas leaked from an LPG cylinder and spread to the neighbouring two tents. At least eight of the pilgrims suffered more than 50 per cent burns. They had been admitted to the Swaroop Rani Nehru hospital from where the serious patients, were airlifted by an air force plane to Delhi’s Safdarjang hospital. Four fire engines had struggled for hours to bring the fire under control. Another minor fire had broken out in another tent in Sector 4 in which no one was injured. While the exact cause of the fire is still not known, unattended incense sticks left by devotees is being said to be the reason. There was no one inside the tent at the time of fire. Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav announced Rs 50,000 for treatment of those seriously injured in the incident. He also directed officials to ensure proper medical care to the injured. On the occasion of the Shahi Snan of Paush Purnima here today 60 lakh pilgrims approximately took the holy dip at Sangam here today. Despite the cold weather, people had started collecting at the bathing ghats since dawn. Meanwhile, unnerved by the two fire incidents, Allahabad Commissioner Devesh Chaturvedi along with the mela police administration have initiated an awareness programme for Kalpavasis for the prevention of any fresh fire break out in the area. Paush Purnima today marks the beginning of the month-long Kalpvas when ordinary pilgrims set up house for a month meditating, bathing, praying and cooking here for a month in which these days they use LPG gas. Fire services deputy director J K Singh issued a list of precautions in order to avoid any more fire breaks in the mela area. He has asked the pilgrims to be careful to check that the line connecting the electric wires is not near any carpet flooring, clothes, wood or iron material. He has asked that all devices that consume high electricity like immersion rod, geyser, heater and blower should be kept away from these wires.
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SC guidelines to fast-track trial under NDPS
New Delhi, January 27 “The laxity with which we throw citizens into prison reflects our lack of appreciation for the tribulations of incarceration; the callousness with which we leave them there reflects our lack of deference for humanity,” a Bench comprising Justices DK Jain and Jagdish Singh Khehar observed in a verdict in an NDPS case from Punjab. “It also reflects our imprudence when our prisons are bursting at their seams. For the prisoner himself, imprisonment for the purposes of trial is as ignoble as imprisonment on conviction for an offence, since the damning finger and opprobrious eyes of society draw no difference between the two,” the Bench pointed out. It was unfortunate that the authorities paid attention to the plight of under-trials only on solicitous inquiry by the SC and soon after pushed it back to backdrop, the Bench lamented. The apex court guidelines for expeditious trial cover the areas of adjournments, examination of witnesses, workload, narcotics labs, personnel, re-testing provisions and monitoring. Pointing out that adjournments were generally misused to prolong trials for various reasons, the Bench said this practice “deserves complete abolishment.” Under Section 309(2) of the CrPC 1973, trial proceedings should be held as expeditiously as possible and once the examination of witnesses had begun it should continue on a day-to-day basis until all the witnesses in attendance were examined. The Bench said the witness was often forgotten while harmonising the rights and duties of the accused and the victim. “No legal system can render justice if it is not accompanied with a conducive environment that encourages and invites witnesses to give testimony.” Noting that the number of NDPS cases pending for over five years was quite high in Jammu and Kashmir, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal, the SC directed these states to establish special courts to deal with such cases exclusively. Till this was done, NDPS cases should get priority over other cases. The SC also directed the government to appoint nodal officers in all the departments dealing with the NDPS cases for monitoring the progress of investigation and trial. This nodal officer must be equivalent or superior to the rank of Superintendent of Police who shall ensure that the trial is not delayed on account of non-supply of documents, non-availability of witnesses or for any other reason. The procedure for the appointment of Special Public Prosecutors for the Central Bureau of Narcotics should be simplified and brought in line with that generally followed for the appointment of PPs. Till then, the SC asked the District and Sessions Judge to recommend such appointments in consultation with the Administrative Judge/Portfolio Judge/Inspecting Judge.
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Controversy dogs Padma awards again, singer S Janaki turns down honour
New Delhi, January 27 Stories of disappointments, omissions and allegations of undue favours surface every year. The list of awardees often comes under criticism for being politically influenced and queries are filed under the Right to Information Act on the procedures adopted for nominations. Litigations have been filed with the Supreme Court and much said and written about lack of transparency in the awards, even to the extent of demands for altogether scrapping the awards. This year, wrestler Sushil Kumar, the only Indian sportsperson to win back-to-back individual Olympic medals, expressed disappointment for missing out on the Padma Bhushan award. His name had been recommended by the Sports Ministry but he was not considered since he had received the Padma Shri in 2011. Apparently, a gap of five years is required between two Padma awards to the same individual, but the provision can be relaxed in “highly deserving cases”. In the past, there have been allegations of favouritism in selection. In 2010, the announcement of the country’s civilian honours (also dubbed “loyalty rewards” by sceptics) for US-based NRI hotelier Sant Chatwal raised many an eyebrow. Chatwal, who was awarded the Padma Bhushan, had an upset BJP breathing down the neck of the government. An online campaign also broke out against the jet-setting NRI hotelier, citing pending CBI cases and controversial deals with Indian banks. The award of the Padma Shri to Bollywood actors Rekha and Saif Ali Khan the same year also ruffled many. There was a feeling that Rekha, being several acting leagues and years ahead of Saif, should not have been bracketed with Saif. There were also allegations that Saif, despite being involved in the black buck case along with actor Salman Khan, was chosen because of his mother Sharmila’s proximity to the Congress. Last year, there was some certain amount of heartburn when former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee was “ignored” for the Bharat Ratna, while his former secretary Brajesh Mishra was awarded the Padma Vibhushan. In the previous years, the rejection of nominations of Olympic medal winners Sushil Kumar (wrestler) and Vijender Singh (boxing) by the Padma Awards Committee despite recommendations by the Sports and Home Ministries also courted controversies. An RTI response said the Home Ministry had received recommendations in favour of both Olympians well before the cut-off date for accepting nominations.
The civilian awards
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Ban RSS, BJP if we are terrorists, Rajnath dares Home Minister
New Delhi, January 27 Questioning the silence of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi over the remarks, the BJP chief made it clear that his party would continue its “oust-Shinde” campaign even in the Budget Session of Parliament expected to begin in the third week of next month. “If, as the Home Minister, you think that the RSS and BJP are churning out terrorists, then we have also attended such training camps. Are we also terrorists? Do you consider us terrorists? Then put us also in jail,” Singh said. In a poser to the Home Minister, the BJP leader said: “If you consider the RSS and BJP to be terrorist organisations, why don’t you ban them? If you have evidence against them, why don’t you reveal that evidence?” At the Congress Chintan Shivir in Jaipur recently, Shinde had accused the RSS and BJP of promoting terrorism at their training camps. Singh alleged that Shinde had made the comments because of vote-bank politics. Noting that Jamaat-ud Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed had used Shinde’s remarks to target India, he said it was unfortunate that the Home Minister’s comments were being supported by the head of a terrorist organisation in Pakistan and the government is maintaining silence. “We have asked the Prime Minister to express regret over Shinde’s statement and withdraw it. He and Sonia Gandhi have maintained silence,” Rajnath said.
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R-Day celebrations with a difference in Gujarat
Ahmedabad, January 27 After Modi took over as Chief Minister, he introduced a “rotational system” of celebrating national festivals at different district headquarters each year, instead of at the state capital of Gandhinagar or the state’s biggest urban centre Ahmedabad, where people had started losing interest and public presence had dwindled, reducing it to the level of a mere customary official ceremony, as is the case in most states. Continuing with the system, the Republic Day parade was held on Saturday at the tribal-dominated backward district of Dangs that never had the opportunity to witness a R-Day parade and the Governor hoisting the National Flag. Large crowds flocked to the parade venue at the district headquarter of Ahwa and were not prepared to leave even after the festivities were over. Little-known artists and schoolchildren of Dangs performed a cultural programme for dignitaries that included Governor Kamala Beniwal, the Chief Minister, and Chief Secretary AK Joti. About 850 schoolchildren of local schools demonstrated their skills in yoga, besides the presentation of tribal folk dances and music by local artistes in addition to the customary tableaux by various government departments and state-owned boards and corporations. The occasion was also utilised to announce direct benefits to the backward district. Modi laid the foundation of seven projects at a cost of Rs 72 crore under the ‘Vanlakshmi Yojana’ to provide benefits for forestry schemes besides other development projects worth over Rs 180 crore. This included a new higher secondary school, a nurse training school and hostel, drinking water and underground sewerage lines, emergency ambulance service and a general hospital and a public mini bus service besides other schemes.
Breaking the stereotype
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Gadkari’s ouster reveals ongoing factional war within RSS
Anita Katyal
But Gadkari obviously did not bargain for the infighting within the RSS and veteran BJP leader LK Advani's persistence in seeing him out. Bhagwat's writ was openly challenged by the non-Maharshtrian pracharaks like Suresh Soni, Bhayyaji Joshi and CR Kanan who were inclined to go along with Advani's position that Gadkari's continuation as BJP head would undermine the party's anti-corruption plank.
A week after the new Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi made his stirring speech at the Jaipur AICC session, party circles are waiting anxiously for the changes that he promised to introduce in the organisation. However, there is a fair share of skeptics in the party who are convinced that the status quo will not be disturbed. "There is 100% consensus in the party that Rahul Gandhi made a great speech but there is also 100% consensus that nothing will change," remarked a member of Rahul Gandhi's youth brigade. While ecstatic that Rahul has finally decided to take on greater responsibilities, the party rank and file hopes he will shed his reticence and become more accessible not just to the cadres but the public at large. Congress cadres are still chafing that he missed an opportunity to connect with the youth who recently took to the streets to protest against the Delhi rape case. On his part, Rahul, was said to have told his colleagues that he deliberately kept away from the protesters as he did not want to use this episode to build his political profile. Of Tewari, babus and film festivals
The new information and broadcasting minister, Manish Tewari, has made it clear that he has definite ideas about the role of his ministry and its style of functioning. Presiding over a review meeting following the Goa International Film Festival, Tewari suggested that the ministry should have no role in conducting the festival and should instead be handed over to the industry. Tewari, it is learnt, maintained that it was not the government's job to organise such festivals and it would be best handled by domain experts, especially when the country has such a vibrant film industry. At best, the government could act as a facilitator, he felt. This proposal is bound to be lapped up by the industry. However, the proposal is bound to be opposed by the ministry's babus who vie with each other to get a posting with the Directorate of Film Festivals. It is considered to be a glamorous job as it involves close interaction with the film fraternity and travel to all the international film festivals, including Cannes and Toronto. It will be interesting to see if the babus will let go of their turf without a fight.
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INTERNATIONAL ANTI-LEPROSY DAY TODAY Aditi Tandon/TNS
New Delhi, January 27 Naturally success of the global anti-leprosy campaign hinges mostly on India's progress which has fallen short of expectations in the recent past. Over the last three years, the number of annual cases detected every year has remained stagnant between 1.27 lakh to 1.30 lakh, indicating complacency. Though India had declared leprosy elimination in 2005 when it brought the prevalence down to less than one case per 10,000 (WHO standards for elimination), 77 districts still have more prevalence than this. While complacency is one part of the problem, another concern is continued stigma against those affected. V Narsappa, President of the National Forum on Leprosy Affected Persons in India says people still want to isolate leprosy affected from the residential settings. "There are 850 isolated colonies where leprosy-affected persons reside in complete isolation from society. Those affected want to be mainstreamed and live with others like normal people. But the society still harbours myths against leprosy and isolates the affected." Leprosy is curable with multi drug therapy and is not infectious. Through the National Forum, the affected people have appealed to central and state governments to stop building more colonies considering even the families of the affected are forced to live like pariahs in such isolated places. Besides, many existing laws allow discrimination against leprosy affected to the extent of barring them from elections, travelling in public transport and enjoying matrimonial ties. Hindu, Christian and Muslim personal laws allow leprosy as a ground for divorce. "The affected persons had petitioned the Government in 2009 seeking amendment and repeal of such laws but things have not changed," Narsappa said. Odisha recently repealed a law that prevented the leprosy affected from entering poll fray. There is also clamour for amendments to anti-disability law which treats only cured leprosy affected and not those still suffering as disabled, denying them rights to health. "This despite the fact that leprosy is a disabling disease," says SK Noordeen, chairman, Board of Trustees of the Sasakawa India Leprosy Foundation, which works to eliminate leprosy in India. Noordeen says the Government has slipped into satisfaction closer to the goal of zero leprosy prevalence and until it pushes the programme with funds and commitment, old gains may be squandered. India has reduced annual leprosy cases from 35 lakh in 1985 to 1.27 lakh in 2011. Much of the disease remains confined to Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Gujarat, West Bengal and Maharashtra but the danger is not yet over as many states have reported rise in cases.
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‘Netaji death still a mystery, thanks to govt apathy’
Kolkata, January 27 "I don't know how much support the inquiry commissions had received, but I think in some ways it (government) was supportive and in other ways they (commissions) also had their handicaps," Anita told PTI in an interview here. Citing an example, she said the first commission was not allowed to go to Taiwan to investigate the so-called plane crash because it was politically "inopportune". "I have a feeling that the last commission (Mukherjee Commission) did not really get prompt support in terms of documents being supplied," Anita said. "That seems to be a bit sort of lagging, but I cannot tell you beyond that what they have written or what were their personal experiences," Anita
said. Since Bose's mysterious disappearance on August 18, 1945, three commissions had been set up by the central government since 1947 to find out his whereabouts after the alleged plan crash. Although the first two commissions supported the theory of plane crash and the death of Bose, the third one set up in 1999 did not and asserted that on that day, no air crash had taken place in Taiwan. The Mukherjee commission's final report was submitted in Parliament in 2006 which was rejected by the Congress-led UPA regime. Asked if she believes in the plane crash theory, Anita said, "I think it is the most likely thing. I have talked to several eyewitnesses myself, especially some of the Japaneses eyewitnesses. And by and large this seems to be the most persistent theory." She went on to say, "I agree that he is no longer alive." Bose was 48 years old when he disappered. The first commission - the three-member Shah Nawaz Committee, which was formed in 1956 by the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, had submitted that Netaji had indeed died in the air crash in Taiwan. The report was hugely controversial as several people, including some of the Bose family, disagreed with the report. The G D Khosla commission, which was set up in 1970 by Indira Gandhi, the then Prime Minister, had also concluded that Bose had died in the air crash. Both the commission were severely criticised by a section of political leaders and people of the society. The MK Mukherjee commission, which was set up in 1999 by then Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, visited countries like Japan, Russia, Taiwan and studied hundreds of files on Bose's alleged death in 1945 air crash. Contradicting reports of other commissions, the Mukherjee Commission came to the conclusion that the air crash was actually a cover-up plan on the part of Netaji to escape at the end of the Second World War. At the conclusion of his investigation in 2005, Mukherjee had said that the Taiwan Government had confirmed to the inquiry Commission during its recent visit to that country that no plane crashed at Taihoku between August 14 and September 20, 1945. On the findings of Mukherjee commission, Pfaff said, "In my opinion the Mukherjee commission found that he was present on August 18 in Taihoku. Though they say that they don't have any written evidence. But that dose not mean that the written evidence is the only evidence." She recently demanded declassification of all documents relating to Bose after 1945 by the government of India. Activist Anuj Dhar, who has penned "India's Biggest Cover up", welcomed the statement from Anita and said the government should now lift he veil from all the documents relating to Bose.
— PTI
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Trinamool not to contest CPM in Tripura
Agartala, January 27
To a question he said, "It is not a question of giving less importance to Tripura. It is a question of priority. If our party becomes stable in West Bengal we would be able to spread our organisations in other state, though we expressed our desire to contest in the elections." "We have decided to maintain equal distance from CPI-M and Congress both," Deb said. Tripura unit of TC itself is a divided house over participation in the elections which became clear from the remarks of Chairman of Adhoc Committee of TC, Arun Chandra Bhowmick. "I think our high command has taken the right decision of not contesting the elections in Tripura because the non left votes would have been divided giving advantage to CPM," Bhowmick told PTI. TC sources said, TC supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee indicated that if Congress is defeated in Tripura the responsibility would come to TC which would have a bad impact in by-elections and Panchayat elections in West Bengal. Moreover, the organisational network is not so strong that it would alone win in any seat and it is not a recognised party in Tripura either, Bhowmick added. There are by-elections in three seats in West Bengal in the last week of February and Panchayat elections would be held in April. Tripura Pradesh Congress President, Sudip Burman said, "We are grateful to TC for their cooperation. They have not only remained abstained from participating in the elections, their ranks are even participating in our campaign." However, the ruling Left Front is confident that they would return to power with massive mandate. — PTI
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Telangana leaders cry betrayal
Hyderabad. January 27 The central leaders' remarks came as a major disappointment as Shinde had himself set the January 28 deadline for announcing the final decision. The Home Minister had given such an assurance soon after chairing an all-party meeting on Telangana in Delhi on December 28. While the Telangana leaders dubbed the latest statement as a 'betrayal' of the statehood cause, those opposed to the bifurcation are angry over the Centre's failure to give a categorical assurance that AP would remain united. The dampener from Delhi came in the midst of protest rallies by the Telangana protagonists in Hyderabad. Tension prevailed in the city during the 36-hour protest programme by the Telangana Joint Action Committee. The violence broke out at the Osmania University campus, the epicenter of the Telangana agitation, when a group of student activists pelted stones at the police when they were prevented from taking out a rally towards Raj Bhavan. The police fired tear gas shells, causing injuries to some protesters. The TRS, which has been in the forefront of the statehood movement, warned of intensifying the agitation to mount pressure on the Centre to create the new state. "The Congress has once again back-stabbed the people of Telangana. We urge all the Congress MPs s and MLAs from Telangana to quit the party and join the agitation. Let us topple the government as it has betrayed the people," a senior TRS legislator T Harish Rao said.
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Fresh stir for separate Gorkhaland begins
Kolkata, January 27 The agitation will continue tomorrow but there will be no obstruction to the chief minister’s meeting. The GTA leaders will also be present at CM’s official meeting where the demand for Gorkhaland would be raised again, said Roshan Giri, secretary and spokesperson of Gorkha Janamukti Morcha. Giri said a settlement, though temporary, to the Darjeeling problem had been reached at a tripartite meeting on 18 July, 2011 between the state government and the GJM in the presence of Mamata Banerjee and the then union home minister P Chidambaram, the hill peoples’ basic demands had not yet been fulfilled.
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India faces challenge of restoring high growth: Ansari
Agra, January 27 Inaugurating CII's annual partnership summit here, Ansari said, "The challenge before us is to restore as soon as possible the high growth trajectory along with adequate employment generation in a sustainable and inclusive manner. "This would be the necessary condition for addressing the primary challenges of poverty alleviation and socio-economic development confronting us." The Vice-President said that though India could not maintain the robust pace of 7.8 per cent average annual economic growth in the period from 2002-03 to 2011-12, country's gross domestic product (GDP) expanded by 5.3 per cent in the July-September quarter this fiscal despite global economic crisis. He added that the economic growth is expected to be in the range of 5.5 per cent to 5.6 per cent for the current financial year.
— PTI
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Digvijay wants early hanging of Afzal Guru
“I have always believed that there should be a time limit for the disposal of mercy petitions pending before the President,” Singh told PTI. Delays in disposal of mercy petitions do not help anyone and nor do they serve any purpose, he said. “It is because of this I am of the view that Afzal Guru should be hanged soon,” the Congress leader said. On the controversy surrounding Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde's remarks on “Hindu terrorism” at the recent Jaipur ‘Chintan Shivir’, he said those who had gone to meet the Prime Minister and sought the release of terrorists must also apologise. Singh claimed that senior BJP leaders had earlier met the Prime Minister to secure the release of some people arrested for having indulged in terror attacks. “They must also apologise for doing so,” he said. Stating that there was no need to talk of terrorism in religious terms, he said, “A terrorist is simply a terrorist, irrespective of the religion to which he belongs.”
— PTI
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The Supreme Court has issued guidelines for fast-tracking trial in drug trafficking cases under the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances
(NDPS) Act 1985 to prevent under-trials from languishing in the jail. “The laxity with which we throw citizens into prison reflects our lack of appreciation for the tribulations of incarceration; the callousness with which we leave them there reflects our lack of deference for humanity,” a Bench comprising Justices DK Jain and Jagdish Singh Khehar observed in a verdict in an NDPS case from Punjab.
The unseemly manner in which BJP leader Nitin Gadkari was denied his second Presidential term not only showed up the simmering differences in the party but it also revealed the ongoing factional war within its ideological parent, the RSS. Generally viewed as a monolithic body, this episode clearly demonstrated that like political parties, the RSS is equally prone to internal battles and intrigues. Gadkari's second stint as BJP president was considered a done deal, despite allegations of financial irregularities in his Purti group of companies, primarily because he enjoyed the unstinted support of RSS chief Mohan
Bhagwat.
Bhopal, January 27