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Most sitting MLAs on Cong list of candidates in MP
Cong wants opinion polls banned
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2 Punjabis among 10 Indians stuck in Nigerian jail
NSG plans teams to deal with chemical, nuclear contingencies
Shashi Kant Sharma
Rare hybrid solar eclipse today
14-day judicial custody for IM suspect Uzair
Celebrities in jail on Diwali
PM takes initiative to clear M’rashtra projects
Poachers’ threat looms as rhino parks opened for tourists in Assam
Leading Malayalam actor ‘molested’ by Cong MP,
Shweta Menon
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Most sitting MLAs on Cong list of candidates in MP
New Delhi, November 2 While Ajay Singh is presently the Congress Legislature Party Leader in the MP Assembly, the party high command has also put its trust on a number of youngsters to drive it home to victory. In this lot, prominent names are those of former youth Congress presidents Priyavrat Singh, Sanjay Pathak and Jeetu Singh. Most of the sitting MLAs of the party have been given the ticket with Congress insiders saying there was consensus on almost 194 candidates and the remaining would be finalised by the Central Election Committee of the party, which met here today again. The MP assembly has 230 seats. The party has decided to field all those candidates who lost the last elections by a margin of less than 1,000 votes. Seven out of eight such candidates have been named. Besides, some top leaders are seeking the party ticket for their family, including AICC secretary Vijaylakshmi Sadho who wants his brother to be fielded. But the brother does not fit into the rule finalised by the MP Pradesh Election Committee of the party, which had decided not to field MLAs who lost the last elections by a margin of over 15,000 votes. Sadho’s brother lost by over 35,000 votes and his candidature has now been referred to the CEC headed by Congress President Sonia Gandhi. An excuse being made to incorporate him is - he lost a byelection and not a routine election. Also on the first Congress list of MP is deputy CLP leader Bisahulal Singh, former vice-president of Madhya Pradesh Congress Satyadev Katare, former Samajwadi Party president Narayan Tripathi and state Congress’ former president Radhakrishna Malviya’s son Ramlal Malviya. In the second list, the party may field sitting MPs Uday Pratap Singh and Gajendra Singh Rajukhedi who have expressed a desire to contest assembly. Also it will name its candidate from Budhni, the segment from where Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chauhan will contest from the BJP. The BJP has fielded some sitting MPs in the state, including Gwalior MP Yashodhara Raje Scindia who will fight the Assembly elections from the Shivpuri segment. Whether Congress’ campaign committee chief for MP Jyotiraditya Scindia will fight elections is not known yet.
Digvijay’s son files papers without being named
Although the first Congress list did not name its candidate from Raghogarh in MP, the son of Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh on Friday filed his nomination papers, confident that he would be named as the party candidate from the seat which has remained with the family for long.
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United Cong in MP forces BJP to opt for royal fight
New Delhi, November 2 Faced with the royal challenge provided by Union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, the 42-year-old Maharaj of erstwhile princely state Gwalior, the BJP has fielded his aunt Yashodhra Raje, the sitting Gwalior MP, from Shivpuri. In fact, the strategic move to give Assembly ticket to three sitting MPs, including Yashodhra, in the first phase is indicative of the fact that the saffron party is not taking lightly the emergence of Scindia as the face of the Congress for the top job in the state. Even though state BJP leaders pooh-pooh the observation that a “more united” Congress could be gaining ground in the state that Shivraj Singh Chouhan has held steadfast for the past two terms, it is obvious that Yashodhra has been fielded to counter the royal challenge provided by nephew Jyotiraditya who is leading the Congress campaign in Madhya Pradesh and is effectively the chief ministerial candidate of his party in the state. Political observers say the BJP, in the past decade, had been fighting against the conglomerate of widely divided Congress satraps Digvijay Singh, Kamal Nath, Suresh Pachouri, Ajit Singh, Kantilal Bhuria et al. Now that the Congress high command has given a tacit approval to young Scindia and also asked the warring old-timers to join ranks against Chouhan, the grand old party is expected to pose a tougher fight. Anticipating a meaner fight from the Congress this time, the BJP has given tickets to Yashodhra, KD Deshmukh and Bhupendra Singh - the three sitting MPs, opine political observers. Gwalior MP Yashodhra will contest from the Shivpuri Assembly constituency, Balaghat MP KD Deshmukh from Katangi and Sagar MP Bhupendra Singh from Khurai. BJP sources say the party wanted to field their tallest and most influential leaders to instill confidence in the electorate.
Campaign leaders
Saffron party has fielded Yashodhra Raje to counter nephew Jyotiraditya Scindia’s challenge.
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Cong wants opinion polls banned
New Delhi, November 2 Responding to the commission’s request to reply to its call for whether opinion polls need banning, the Congress has said yes, justifying its response by terming such polls as unscientific, erroneous, bereft of credibility and to that extent vulnerable to exploitation by vested interests. The commission had recently written to all political parties to elicit views on opinion polls with the Congress saying the publication and dissemination of opinion polls during election time deserves to be banned. The Congress spokespersons have in their recent briefings been critical of random surveys in the name of opinion polls, with Sandeep Dikhsit earlier arguing that in 2004 when the opinion polls had predicted defeat for the Congress, the party actually won. The same results had been forthcoming in the 2009 LS elections. The Congress in his reply to the commission said the opinion polls did no good to the democratic process and did not represent the view of the majority, sample sizes being meager. The EC had initiated the exercise of eliciting replies after Law Minister Kapil Sibal asked the panel to go forward and hold consultations on the matter. The EC had earlier banned exit polls.
Reply to EC
* The Election Commission had recently written to all political parties to elicit views on opinion polls *
The Congress said the publication and dissemination of opinion polls during election time deserves to be banned *
The party called such polls unscientific, erroneous, bereft of credibility and vulnerable to exploitation by vested interests.
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2 Punjabis among 10 Indians stuck in Nigerian jail
New Delhi, November 2 MT Akshay, owned by a Dubai-based shipping company, was impounded in January. It was followed by the arrest of 10 Indians (including two Punjabi boys) on board. But their families back home had no clue about their wards’ whereabouts until Gagan Singh, one of the arrestees, managed to call his father in Hoshiarpur last Sunday. The call led to the disclosure that 10 Indians were caught abroad without any judicial help — a matter which local BJP MP from Hoshiarpur Avinash Rai Khanna has now taken up with the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Salman Khurshid. Avinash Rai Khanna has petitioned the government demanding immediate intervention in the matter to secure the release of the youth from Punjab and the other Indians trapped in Nigeria. “The arrested Indians have no help and the matter was not even known till Gagan Singh called his family to inform them of it. The issue must be raised at the highest level,” Khanna told The Tribune today. Meanwhile, Bachan Das, the 60-year-old father of Gagan Singh, has his fingers crossed. Bedridden for long now, Das said Gagan’s travel to South Africa last year was one of the happiest events in the life of his family which has very humble means. Das runs a ‘dhaba’ for a living and barely manages to make ends meet. His son Gagan was working on the impounded vessel as a cook. “Hardly had we imagined this fate. For eight long months, we had no information about Gagan. We were running from pillar to post to find out but in vain. Only last Sunday, he called us briefly and told us that he along with his friend from Gurdaspur Sarabjot Singh were caught in Nigeria. It is so sad as Gagan got married only two years ago. He has an infant girl,” Gaurav Das, elder brother of Gagan, all of 29 years, told The Tribune today. Sarabjot Singh’s family has also represented their case with Khanna who has forwarded the petition along with the passports of the missing youths to the Ministry of External Affairs and the PMO. A Nigerian naval ship NNS Predator had intercepted MT Akshay this January off the oil-rich Sangana River sector and found cargo suspected to be stolen crude oil. All 23 persons on board the ship (10 Indians, two Ghanaians and 11 Nigerians) were arrested and handed over to the country's anti-corruption police — the economic and financial crimes commission (EFCC) — for investigation and prosecution for oil theft.
Dream gone awry
* MT Akshay, the ship they were working on, was impounded in January for alleged illegal oil bunkering *
All 23 persons on board, including 10 Indians, arrested * Hoshiarpur BJP MP Avinash Rai Khanna has now taken up the matter with the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Salman Khurshid
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NSG plans teams to deal with chemical, nuclear contingencies
New Delhi, November 2 The CBRNE are hazards that can be like the Bhopal gas tragedy or could be in the form of an improvised nuclear device and a radiological weapon such as the dirty bomb, which can be used by terrorists. The dirty bomb is a conventional bomb that is packed with a radiological material. When it explodes, the material is dispersed as dust over a wide area. The exposure of people to the hazardous material can cause cancer, genetic damage and infertility. In the most recent use of chemical weapons, hundreds of people were killed when the nerve agent, Sarin, was used in an attack on the Ghouta agricultural belt in Damascus, Syria, on August 21 this year. The UN confirmed that surface-to-surface rockets containing Sarin were used in the attack. After the 26/11 terrorist attacks in Mumbai, the NSG decided to have specialised teams of its commandos, who are trained to fight in case of a CBRNE attack. The NSG was created in 1984 and is India's elite counter-terror and anti-hijacking security force. "If terrorists attacked one of India's major cities, they could also attack a nuclear installation one day. It is after this realisation that the NSG thought of creating CBRNE teams," said sources. Last year, the NSG pitched its idea of having CBRNE teams to its parent organisation, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). The ministry did not give its approval. About six months ago, the NSG again pitched its idea, but they are yet to get a go-ahead and the required funds for establishing the teams. The NSG has planned to raise an initial three teams of about 100 commandos, who would be trained in CBRNE warfare. The strength of the NSG is made up of officers and men who are on deputation from the Indian Army and the central armed police forces. And over a period of time, the force plans to train all its commandos in the CBRNE warfare. Sources explained that to fight in such situations, the NSG would have to devise standard operating procedures or be trained by the Special Forces of a foreign country, who have the expertise in operating in CBRNE contingencies. "They would be able to fight against terrorists in a CBRNE environment in coordination with the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), who would carry out the task of rescuing people," said sources. The NSG has also been visiting teams of the NDRF, which is a specialised force for responding to man-made and natural disasters. The NDRF which is controlled by the National Disaster Management Authority has four teams that have been earmarked to deal with CBRNE contingencies. "On such visits, the NSG examines the kind of equipment the NDRF have and then procures them," explained sources. The NDRF may train the NSG on the proper use of the CBRNE equipment such as gas masks, radiation detectors and the contamination kit. Since its inception in 1984, the NSG possesses CBRNE equipments, but only has 'rudimentary knowledge' about them. The Indian Army was one of the first in India to be trained in CBRNE warfare. From 1987 onwards, the Army's College of Military Engineering at Pune, started running familiarisation courses in CBRNE warfare. "But the NSG were never imparted any organised training in fighting in a CBRNE environment. Only a couple of years ago, courses on CBRNE emergency management were started for the NSG. But these were only lectures on CBRNE. There was no training," explained sources.
Preparing for the worst
* After the 26/11 terrorist attacks in Mumbai, the NSG decided to have specialised teams of its commandos, who are trained to fight in case of a chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosive (CBRNE) attack *
The NSG has planned to raise an initial three teams of about 100 commandos, who would be trained in CBRNE warfare *
The CBRNE are hazards that can be like the Bhopal gas tragedy or could be in the form of an improvised nuclear device and a radiological weapon such as the dirty bomb *
The NSG was created in 1984 and is India's elite counter-terror and anti-hijacking security
force.
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CAG on UN Board of Auditors
New Delhi, November 2 India defeated Philippines with a convincing margin. Out of the 186 votes cast, India got 124 votes against 62 for Philippines. As a result India will replace China from July 1, 2014, as China will be completing its term in June 2014. CAG of India will now get access for audit of the UN organisations, the prominent one being the UN headquarters itself. He, along with other two members of the board, will also be responsible for audit of UN bodies like UN Peacekeeping Operations, UN Development Programme (UNDP), UNICEF, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), UN Environment Programme (UNEP), UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT), UN Women and UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Sharma is the chairperson of the Asian Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions (ASOSAI) and also heads one of the key committees of the International Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI) viz., the Knowledge Sharing and Knowledge Services Committee. The General Assembly of the United Nations established the United Nations Board of Auditors to audit the accounts of the UNO and its funds and programmes and to report its findings and recommendations to the General Assembly through the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ). The General Assembly appoints three members to the Board of Auditors, each of whom must be the Auditor-General (or officer holding the equivalent title) of a Member State. The members of the board have joint responsibility for the audits.
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Rare hybrid solar eclipse today
New Delhi, November 2 This eclipse will not be visible from India but SPACE says people can view it live by logging on to the Eclipse Chasers Athenaeum-(ECa) website. Experts say the eclipse is unique because the central path begins annular and ends total. Because hybrid eclipses occur near the vertex of the Moon’s umbral/antumbral shadows, the central path is quite narrow. The hybrid eclipse of 2013 is visible from within a thin corridor, which traverses the North Atlantic and equatorial Africa. A partial eclipse is seen within the much broader path of the Moon's penumbral shadow, which includes eastern North America, northern South America, southern Europe, the Middle East and Africa. When the shadow leaves earth, it will be Somalia where a 1 second total eclipse occurs at sunset.
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14-day judicial custody for IM suspect Uzair
New Delhi, November 2 District Judge I S Mehta sent Uzair Ahmed to Tihar jail till November 14 after the NIA sought his judicial remand saying, the investigation is at an initial stage and the accused is also allegedly involved in serial blasts at Patna on October 27. Uzair (47)was arrested by the NIA on October 30 from Ranchi in Jharkhand and was brought to Delhi on three days of transit remand. NIA said that he is allegedly associated with banned terrorist outfit SIMI and Indian Mujahideen (IM). Wasim Akram Malik is the lone accused facing trial in the case relating to the Delhi High Court blast which left 79 people injured. While deciding to frame charges against Malik earlier, the trial court had referred to co-accused-turned-approver Amir Abbas Dev’s statement to the magistrate under Section 164 of CrPC. Dev was also arrested by NIA for his alleged role in the case but had later turned approver and was granted pardon by the judge. The Ranchi module of IM has been blamed for the Patna serial blasts at a BJP rally, addressed by party’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, which left six persons killed and over 90 injured at Gandhi Maidan at Patna on October 27. The NIA team had told the Jharkhand court that Uzair has been booked under Unlawful Activity Prevention Act. A diploma-holder in electrical engineering, Uzair had gone to Ethiopia to work for a multinational company. — PTI
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Celebrities in jail on Diwali
Chandigarh, November 2 Political leaders who are in jail include two former Chief Ministers — Om Parkash Chautala (Haryana) and Lalu Prasad Yadav (Bihar). A popular face from the religious constituency Asaram Bapu and film star Sanjay Dutt are also in prison. Other imprisoned political leaders include two former Haryana ministers — Gopal Kanda and OP Jain, besides a former Chief Parliament Secretary, Haryana, Jile Ram. Former MP Ajay Chautala, who is a son of Om Parkash Chautala, a former senior Congress MP Rasheed Masood and a former Rajasthan minister Babu Lal Nagar are in judicial custody. Ex-MLA from Himachal Pradesh Ram Kumar and former INLD leader Sher Singh Badshami are behind bars. IAS officer Sanjiv Kumar is also in jail.
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PM takes initiative to clear M’rashtra projects
Mumbai, November 2 Chavan said at a public function earlier this week that Singh was looking at three major projects - airports at Navi Mumbai and Pune and the elevated rail corridor between Churchgate in downtown Mumbai and Virar in the western suburbs. State government sources said while the two airport projects are stuck because of land acquisition issues, the elevated train corridor was held up because the Maharashtra Government and the railways were yet to sign the state support agreement which would spell out the roles and responsibilities of the state government and the Indian Railways. Among the remedial measures being suggested include reclaiming land from the sea for the Navi Mumbai airport and increasing the floor space index on the land to be developed by the railways to pay for the elevated corridor project. "Without sufficient land we may have to abandon Navi Mumbai and look elsewhere to build the airport," a senior state government official said. On the other hand, reclaiming land from the sea will entail involving the Ministry of Environment and Forests which could pose fresh hurdles for the project. State government officials, however, feel that the Prime Minister could swing things their way if required in order to give a much-needed boost to investor confidence. Sources say the Prime Minister’s office is expected to bring together officials from different ministries such as the railways, environment and forests, urban development, etc. so that the problems of Mumbai and Pune are addressed urgently.
Meeting convened
* Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has set his eyes on clearing the path for three major projects in Maharashtra *
He has convened a meeting with CM Prithiviraj Chavan later this month to discuss removal of hurdles
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Poachers’ threat looms as rhino parks opened for tourists in Assam
Guwahati, November 2 Even as tourists from within the country and abroad flock the Kaziranga park, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the park authorities have a major distraction this season due to rhino poachers on the prowl. A day after the KNP was declared open for tourists by Assam Forest Minister Rakibul Hussain, the carcass of a poached adult female rhino was found in the park today. A source in the park said the carcass was found in Agoratoli range of the park this morning. Poachers had shot dead the pachyderm and cut off its horn. Over 35 rhinos have been poached in the state so far this year, including over 25 alone in the Kaziranga park. The rhinos are poached for its horns, which fetches around Rs 80 lakh per horn in the illegal international wildlife parts market for their mythical medicinal healing powers. Close on the heels of opening of the Kaziranga park for tourists, another globally known rhino habitat, Pabitora Wildlife Sanctuary, was also declared open for visitors today. Located 45 km from the heart of Guwahati, the sanctuary is known to have the highest density of great Indian one-horned rhinoceros. In the sanctuary, the rhino population has gone up from 54 in 1987 to 93 in 2012. Pabitora recorded zero poaching from 2007-10 with only one rhino falling prey to poachers last year and one so far this year. The tourist inflow to the sanctuary has increased from 8,993 in 2006-07 to 18,779 in 2011-12. Pobitora park, having an area of 38.81 sq km was declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1998 and brought under the Guwahati Wildlife Division in 2006.
Three arrested
* Three persons were arrested after the carcass of a male rhino, without its horn, was recovered from the Kaziranga park on Saturday *
On Sunday, the carcass of a poached adult female rhino was found in the park n Over 35 rhinos have been poached in the state so far this year, including 25 alone in Kaziranga *
Assam's Kaziranga National Park and Pabitora Wildlife Sanctuary, known for one-horned rhinoceros, have been opened for tourists.
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Leading Malayalam actor ‘molested’ by Cong MP, plans to write to CM
Kollam, November 2 Without naming her tormentor, Shweta complained that she was “insulted” at the venue of the President’s Trophy boat race here and the television footage of the event showed the MP moving towards the actress and touching her. While 73-year-old Kurup termed the allegation as “untrue”, Shweta said she stood by whatever she had said about the incident. She said she would decide on further action on the matter after consulting the film Malayalam Artistes Association AMMA. Though she has not lodged a formal complaint with the police, the actress claimed that she had told the District Collector of the bitter experience she suffered. Seizing on that, women activists and opposition political leaders voiced strong resentment at the failure of the authorities to act against the MP based on her oral complaint or take a suo motu case by taking cognizance of the television visuals. Refuting the charge, Kurup said “it is totally untrue. I am confident of proving my innocence. For the time being, it needs to be seen only as a politically motivated move when elections are approaching. It is painful that any kind of malicious attack could be unleashed against me just because I am a politician,” he said. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy told reporters at Kottayam that he had not received any complaint from the actor so far on the incident. “If we get a complaint, after investigation appropriate action will be taken,.” he said. Condemning the incident, CPM stalwart and Opposition Leader in the Kerala Assembly VS Achuthanandan said it was deplorable that the authorities had not bothered to act on either the actor’s oral complaint or on their own ignoring the fact they are competent to do under the present law. State Women’s Commission member Licy Jose said in Kochi that she would take up the case before the panel and her personal view was that it was a fit case for suo motu action. While many Congress leaders expressed personal resentment at the incident, the party was yet to take an official stand on the incident. Meanwhile, pro-Left youth outfits took out marches in many places across the state and burnt Kurup’s effigy. — PTI
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imphal A bomb exploded in a crowded market complex here on Saturday but no casualty was reported, the police said. The improvised explosive device, which was planted by militants near a drain at the crowded Thangal market complex, went off at 7.45 pm but no one was injured. No individual or group has claimed responsibility for the incident. — PTI
New Delhi To increase the voter turnout for the upcoming Delhi Assembly polls, a 'Democracy Run' was organised today by the District Election Office (East). According to election officials, over 2,000 residents and children from east Delhi participated in the run, which was flagged off on Saturday morning from Yamuna Sports Complex. — PTI New Delhi About 127 Haj pilgrims from Bihar are stranded in Saudi Arabia for more than 36 hours after their flight was cancelled due to some technical reason. The group, consisting of 54 women and 73 men, claimed they were not being provided any information when their flight would actually take off for Gaya from Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz airport in Medina. — PTI
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In an attempt to expand its scope of counter-terror operations, the National Security Guard has planned to raise specialised teams of commandos, who will be trained to fight in chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosive
(CBRNE) contingencies. The CBRNE are hazards that can be like the Bhopal gas tragedy or could be in the form of an improvised nuclear device and a radiological weapon such as the dirty
bomb, which can be used by terrorists.
