New Delhi, November 19
The European Union has asked India to show flexibility in granting real market access, both in agriculture and industry, so that the stalled WTO Doha-round negotiations can be restarted.

EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson, who was here on November 17 and 18, however, did not want India to make any compromises in subsistence farming.

Describing India as a big player in the Doha round of the World Trade Organisation, Mr Mandelson said New Delhi could help restart the suspended trade talks by dropping its tough stand on agriculture.

“India has one uniquely important contribution to make at this point of restarting the round. This is to show some further flexibility on agriculture. Not to the extent of opening India’s huge agricultural subsistence economy to global competition.”

“This is not possible. But by moving where you can, to allow others limited but real market access, including some difficult commodity areas...This is where India can now show additional leadership,” Mr Mandelson said in his speech at the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit.

In the area of industrial tariff, known in WTO parlance as Non-Agriculture Market Access (NAMA), Mr Mandelson also wanted India to deliver real cuts.

Meanwhile, a report from Melbourne said a meeting of the world’s most powerful economic leaders called for an early resumption of stalled WTO talks today and warned against rising protectionism.

The Group of 20 Finance Ministers and central bankers said at the end of a meeting in Melbourne that a successful conclusion to the WTO’s Doha talks was essential. - PTI, AFP

The following are the excerpts of an interview with Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad. He spoke to Amar Chandel

Q: What has been your experience during the first year as Chief Minister?

A: Well, there have been challenges as well as achievements galore. We are shaping a new work culture in the state and have also started an all-out drive against corruption. I called a special session within one month of taking over as Chief Minister in November last to enact an anti-defection law and to restrict the size of the Council of Ministers to 24. At one time, the state has had as many as 50 ministers.

Deputy Commissioners busy with fighting militancy were not able to keep a check on development work. We have become the first state in the country to appoint Additional District Development Commissioners exclusively for physical verification and monitoring of quality of development works.

J&K is also the first state in the country to introduce double shift system for completion of infrastructure projects. As many as 550 such works have been taken in hand.

We are the first state in the world to enact a legislation whereby properties disproportionate to known sources of income of public servants shall belong to the state government. Properties of eight individuals have already been taken over and properties of around 50 individuals are under the process of being taken over.

We met the challenge of the October 2005 earthquake. Thanks to the timely government relief and rehabilitation, no one died due to cold, lack of shelter or medical help.

Q: But there is no decline in daily incidents of terrorist killings.

A: You have to blame Pakistan for that. Infiltration more than doubled this year. There has been some decline during the past 2-3 months but overall there has been a big increase this year.

There are three types of terrorists. One, those sponsored by militant organisations across the border but not entirely under the control of the present dispensation; two, ISI sponsored and three, Army sponsored. If President Musharraf wants to control them “dil se”, he can surely control at least the second and third. He must practice what he pledges before international audiences.

What you must appreciate is that the human rights situation has improved greatly under my charge. Custodial deaths and custodial disappearances are the lowest in 17 years. Civilian killings at the hands of security forces, even accidentally, are also the lowest. As a consequence, complaints lodged by individual bodies to the NHRC and the SHRC are also the lowest in 17 years. The cases of alleged rape and molestation have fallen down to the extent of being negligible.

Q: There has been a lot of talk about autonomy. What is your perception on the issue?

A: No political party should air its views in public. Now that the matter is before the working group, no one should take any stand in public. I have been telling the same thing to the PDP too. If one party takes a particular line, an opposing one challenges it tooth and nail.

Q: How do you react to the Hurriyat Conference’s boycott of the political process and the working groups?

A: Hurriyat has some bright young faces who can play a great role in nation-building in the days to come. If they are really interested in helping Kashmir, merely visiting foreign countries or rushing to Delhi to meet visiting Pakistanis won’t help. They must join the political process and working groups. We keep requesting them. We should not close the doors. At least their followers should realise what is best for Kashmir.

Q: What is your experience of a coalition government in Jammu and Kashmir?

A: Such governments have peculiar challenges whether at the Centre or in states. We have to learn to tolerate one another.

Q: You went back to Kashmir from the national Capital. Did it create problems?

A: It was a challenging task which offered many opportunities. I have been in politics for 30 years and have been in charge of all states and union territories for my party. That experience plus the experience as a Central minister was a great help. It was a privilege to go to my state at a challenging time.

Q: Did your being from outside the valley cause special complications?

A: I am from Jammu region, but Doda district happens to be Kashmiri speaking. I am lucky to have both backgrounds.

Q: There are apprehensions in some quarters that the working groups will get bogged down like many administrative committees!

A: On the contrary, they can play a very constructive role. All political parties can present their viewpoints before them which will help in formulating an active and effective blueprint for the state.

Q: You have said that the return of Kashmiri Pandits is essential for Kashmiriyat. When can they hope to return?

A: It is a chicken-and-egg dilemma. They don’t want to return till there is cessation of terrorist violence. We are unable to ensure that, what with the neighbouring country playing mischief.

Incidentally, did you notice that more people get killed in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar in everyday violence than are killed in Kashmir in terrorism-related crimes? It is just that only the J&K happenings make headlines. My success lies in winning back Kashmiris. The demand for creating new districts had been pending for 27 years. I not only created four districts for Jammu but also four for Kashmir.

A finance commission has been set up for equitable development of the three regions of the state. The long-pending demand of delimitation of Assembly constituencies and 25 per cent increase in Jammu and Kashmir and also Assembly constituencies in PoK has been implemented.

Patna, November 19
Eleven-year old Kislay Kishan is now the most sought after child by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to advise his government on promoting and protecting children’s rights in the state.

A student of class VI at DPS, Patna, Kislay Kishan made his state proud by emerging champion in the junior category at the Horlicks Wiz kids competition held in Bangalore last week.

For the past one year, he has undertaken the task of reaching out to the children, their parents and teachers to get to the bottom of the problems being faced by the children.

Kislay’s initiative came much before the Centre implemented the law imposing ban on employing children as domestic helps, workers at roadside stalls and in hazardous industries on October 10.

Kislay wrote a letter to Mr Nitish Kumar in October narrating the problems faced by the children, besides highlighting his ways to create awareness among the masses on the issue. The Chief Minister called him up and said he had constituted a three-member committee headed by the state Chief Secretary to spread awareness on the issue. He also invited Kislay to interact with the committee and share his views with it.

New Delhi, November 19
Women organisations are determined to ensure that the Congress-led UPA Government keeps its promise on the passage of the Women's Reservation Bill in the forthcoming Winter Session of Parliament.

To mount pressure on the government outside the Parliament, the Centre for Social Research and some women organsiations have joined hands to organise a rally on November 24 from Barakhamba Road to Jantar Mantar.

Representatives of women organsiations have also sought time the same day with Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee to press for tabling and passage of the Bill.

The All India Democratic Women's Association (AIDWA) is also holding a rally on Parliament Street on Tuesday, a day before the opening day of the Winter Session of Parliament to put pressure on the government to pass the Women's Reservation Bill.

Ranjana Kumari, Director, Centre for Social Research, told TNS here on Sunday that justice to women is not really the priority of any political party. ``If any of the UPA Coalition partners were serious about lending unconditional support to the Bill, they would bring the government down. The casual attitude of the government to the Bill can be gauged by the fact that the UPA Government has not even made any fresh efforts to prepare a draft Bill. To make matters worse, they have been saying that they need to convince some coalition partners. This, despite the fact that the Common Minimum Programme of the UPA Government which formally announces their commitment to the passage of the Bill, is a consensus document. In any case, why should women face the consequences of coalition politics, first by the Deve Gowda-led United Front Government and succesive governments led by Chandra Shekhar, I.K Gujral and Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

Isn't this the issue of half of the women population of the country?'' she asked.

She said the women activists would raise slogans in support of 33 per cent reservation for women in Parliament and state Assemblies. ``The Women's Reservation Bill is the longest struggle for the rights of women in the history of independent India.

The very fact that women in this country have to fight for their rightful place in Parliament and state Assemblies for 11 years speaks volumes of their status in society,'' she observed.

Ranjana Kumari said when a delegation representing a dozen women organisations comprising the National Commission for Women, National Federation of Women, All India Democratic Women's Associaton, Women Power Connect met the Prime Minister after the Monsoon Session, he expressed his concern over dissension from his Cabinet colleagues.

Talking to TNS on Sunday, a senior Congress leader echoed his party President Sonia Gandhi's stand that the UPA needs to convince Lalu Prasad, Sharad Yadav and some DMK leaders on the Women's Reservation Bill.

Rajya Sabha member and CPM politburo member Brinda Karat said the Left parties

will fight to see that the Bill is tabled and voted on. She said the Left parties have been constantly raising the issue of Women's Reservation Bill in the UPA-Left Coordination Committe. ``We have said this is an important part of the Common Minimum Programme and should be implemented. At our suggestion, discussions have been held on three ocassions and within the course of these discussions, those partners within the coalition who were hesitant to supportint the Bill have now come around to the position of supporting it.''

Brinda said contrary to popular perception, the biggest hurdle at present is not the Samajwadi Party or the Janata Dal (United) but the Bharatiya Janata Party. ``The BJP has said it is not supporting reservation but is supporting increase in seats. This is an extremely unfortunate development and exposes the hypocricy of the BJP. In 2005, when we were close to introducing the Bill, the same point was made by the BJP.''

New Delhi, November 19
The UPA government’s floor coordination skills would be put to test in the Winter Session of Parliament beginning on Wednesday when it would take up crucial economic and social legislations. Issues like seats for women in legislatures, quotas for the underprivileged in educational institutions, land rights to tribals, and free market reforms like pension fund, increase in FDI cap in insurance, special economic zones are set to figure in the crucial month-long session scheduled to end December 19.

Contentious issue like mercy plea by Afzal Guru sentenced to death in the Parliament attack case, sealing drive in Delhi, Indo-US civilian nuclear deal, reduction in petrol prices and rising prices of essential commodities are other issues which are likely to figure prominently and result in flare up of tempers.

Incidentally, the session is beginning on a day on which the UPA coalition will complete half its term and at a time when it is faced with elections in five states, including Uttar Pradesh and Punjab, in the year ahead and the Congress-led coalition could use the opportunity to send positive political message to boost the electoral prospects of its constituents.

Granting of SC categorisation to Rai Sikhs, a socially and economically backward community settled mostly on the banks of the Sutlej and the Beas, could also come up in the session.

The Left, which support the government from outside and crucial for its survival, has vowed to pursue its diehard opposition to unbridled free-market economic policies.

The BJP, on the other hand, is set to put the UPA government in the dock over the sealing and demolitions of illegal shops in the national capital.

The Supreme Court's directive to exempt the 'creamy layer' from among the Dalits and tribals from the reservation privileges has irked many political parties including Left and some allies of the Congress-led UPA.

The bill for 27 per cent OBC reservation that was introduced in parliament is pending with the Parliamentary Standing Committee of the human resource development ministry. It would submit its report in the winter session of parliament.

Noida (UP), November 19
Two days after kidnapped three-year-old boy Anant Gupta, son of a top software company official here, returned home in mysterious circumstances, the main accused in the case Chhatrapal and his alleged accomplice were arrested today.

Noida Superintendent of Police R K S Rathore said Chhatrapal was arrested from Noida.

Police sources said Chhatrapal’s accomplice Vijay Chauhan was picked up in Panipat, Haryana, and was brought here.

With these arrests, the total number of persons apprehended in connection with the kidnapping of Anant went up to three. Jitender was the first to be arrested on Friday last, the day the boy was freed.

Police had late last night claimed to have recovered Rs 47.5 lakh ransom amount given by Anant’s family for his safe release from the residence of Jitendra in Kakod village of Bulandshahar district.

The seizure quashed the claims of Anant’s father Naresh Gupta, CEO of Adobe India, that he had not paid ransom despite receiving 10 to 15 calls demanding Rs 60 lakh for the boy’s release.

Rathore said the transaction was made without the knowledge of police though late last night Gupta admitted paying the ransom as part of a “strategy” to ensure that the child comes out safely. — PTI