New Delhi, August 6
Former Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kumar Dahal ‘Prachanda’ has sought to drive a wedge between India and China ahead of crucial two-day talks between the two countries here tomorrow on the lingering boundary dispute.

New Delhi today rejected with contempt ‘Prachanda’s’ claim that India and the US wanted to launch anti-China activities, even a possible attack on China, using the Nepali territory when he was the Prime Minister.

“The Nepalese leader’s charge is completely baseless,” External Affairs Ministry spokesman Vishnu Prakash said. He declined to say anything further on the issue.

Official sources stated that India always had apprehensions that ‘Prachanda’ would indulge in rhetoric against India as part of his attempts to fuel anti-India sentiments in Nepal ever since he resigned his post in early May. There were also fears that he might even seek to bring China into picture in his anti-India campaign. These apprehensions were now turning out to be true, they added.

Meanwhile, India and China will launch the 13th round of talks between their Special Representatives (SRs) here tomorrow to explore the framework for a final package settlement covering all sectors of the boundary. National Security Adviser M K Narayanan is the SR on the Indian side while Chinese State Counselor Dai Bingguo is his counterpart on the Chinese side.

India seems to have made up its mind to ask China to stay away from Arunachal Pradesh if the issue figures during the talks. Apparently frustrated by China’s move to scuttle a loan of $80 millon from Asian Development Bank (ADB) for financing an irrigation project in Arunachal Pradesh, India is learnt to have decided to go for self-financing the project.

Asked if they were satisfied with the progress of the talks between the two SRs that started way back in October 2003, the sources said the boundary dispute was a complex issue and required time and lots of patience.

However, they noted with satisfaction that there was commitment on both sides to explore from the political perspective of the overall relationship the framework for the political settlement of the issue.

The first five meetings of the SRs had resulted in the signing of the ‘agreement’ on the political parameters and guiding principles for the settlement of the boundary problem. In the second stage which is under way, the two SRs are exploring the framework for a final package settlement covering all sectors of the boundary.

In the last stage, the two sides would undertake delineation and demarcation of the boundary on map and ground by the civil, military and survey officials of the two countries.

New Delhi, August 6
Close on the heels of the Chander Mohan episode, the Law Commission has recommended amendments to the Hindu Marriage Act 1955 and other family laws for preventing married men from taking the conversion-to-Islam route to have more wives.

Men covered under this Act should not be allowed to marry again “even after changing religion unless the first marriage is dissolved or declared null and void in accordance with law,” the Law Commission said in its 227th report.

Commission chairman Justice AR Lakshmanan presented the report, titled “Preventing bigamy via conversion to Islam — A Proposal for giving Statutory Effect to Supreme Court Rulings,” to Law Minister M Veerappa Moily yesterday.

The Commission has made four suggestions: the first proposal is for introducing section 17A in the Act that would declare null and void all such marriages unless the first wedding had been dissolved. Second, a similar provision should be inserted at suitable places in the Christian Marriage Act 1872, the Parsi Marriage and Divorce Act 1936 and the Dissolution of Muslim Marriages Act 1939.

Third, the commission wants the deletion of the provision in Section 4 of the Dissolution of Muslim Marriages Act 1939.

The fourth recommendation states: if an existing marriage becomes inter-religious, it will henceforth be governed by the provision of the Special Marriage Act, including its anti-bigamy provisions.”

New Delhi, August 6
The government today faced embarrassing time in Parliament again. This time, it had to beat a hasty retreat in the Lok Sabha when it was forced by an angry Opposition to defer moving a bill in the absence of the ministers concerned.

When Minister of State in the PMO Prithviraj Chavan rose to move the Rubber (Amendment) Bill for consideration, BJP members, led by Sushma Swaraj, raised objections demanding why Commerce Minister Anand Sharma or his deputy Jyotiraditya Scindia were not present. “The ministers are not present in the House. We cannot take the bill up,’’ Swaraj said. Both ministers are on official trips abroad.

With the Opposition refusing to budge from their stand, Deputy Speaker Karia Munda adjourned the House for an hour. When it reconvened, the government had to bow to the Opposition’s demand. “We want to defer (consideration of) the bill… We will take it up again (later),’’ Parliamentary Affairs Minister PK Bansal told the House. Only on Monday, the government had to cut a sorry figure in the Rajya Sabha when the Opposition forced Law Minister M Veerappa Moily to defer the introduction of the Judges (Declaration of Assets and Liabilities) Bill for lack of consensus.

New Delhi, August 6
Finding itself on the backfoot on two occasions in Parliament, the UPA government is unlikely to create more problems for itself by introducing the controversial land acquisition and relief and rehabilitation Bills, which have been opposed by Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress, a key member of the ruling combine.

Tomorrow is the last day of the budget session and from all indications, the government has developed cold feet towards introducing these Bills. The Bills do not figure in Lok Sabha’s agenda for tomorrow. This is despite the fact that Congress president Sonia Gandhi had, in her speech to party MPs last week, specifically mentioned that the relief and rehabilitation Bill would be introduced in this session.

Having been forced to defer the introduction of two Bills already by a vigilant opposition, the government does not want to alienate an important alliance partner. Banerjee had objected to the Bills at a Cabinet meeting two weeks ago on the plea that she would not be able to face the public in Singur and Nandigram where she had fought a successful electoral battle against land acquisition.

Mamata has opposed the role of the state in land acquisition while the Bill provides that the government would acquire 30 per cent of land and private parties the remaining 70 per cent for setting up an industrial project. The Trinamool Congress chief is insisting that the entire land be acquired by private developers.

New Delhi, August 6
The government is in the process of preparing a road map for judicial reforms in the country by holding consultations with all stakeholders, Law Minister M. Veerappa Moily informed the Lok Sabha today.

“Accountability in the judiciary is one of the components of the judicial reforms. A decision in the matter will be taken on completion of the process of consultation,” the minister said in a written reply. He did not elaborate.

He said allegations of corruption in the higher judiciary had come to the notice of the government from time to time. As for the subordinate judiciary, the administrative control over its members vested with the high courts and the state governments concerned as per the provisions of Article 235 of the Constitution of India.

Meanwhile, Supreme Court Chief Justice KG Balakrishnan refused to comment on the government’s move to enact a law for making the assets of Judges public. “Let us see the outcome of the proposal,” he told mediapersons.

Asked about his comments on the issue, Constitutional expert KK Venugopal said bringing the details about the assets of Judges in public domain would enhance the prestige of the judiciary and would be in the interest of the democratic system.

Patna, August 6
Chairman of National Commission for Scheduled Castes Buta Singh seems to be in for more trouble for his alleged acts of omission and commission as the Governor of Bihar.

Buta Singh has come under fresh controversy regarding his role in the allotment of Rs 900-crore contract for construction of an embankment on Bagmati river to a firm that did not have any experience in building embankments in 2005 when the state was under Presidents’ rule. The embankment breached a few days ago causing flash floods in around 100 villages affecting a population of more than one lakh under Sitamarhi and Muzaffarpur districts.

The breach in the newly-constructed embankment at a time when there was about 100 cusecs of discharge in the river took experts by surprise. Preliminary enquiry revealed that the quality of work was below standards. The government decided to stop the work and order a high-level enquiry into the matter.

Bihar Minister for Water Resources Bijendra Prasad Yadav confirmed the news. If the report finds irregularities in allotment of work, then the state government may file a criminal case against the guilty, the minister said. He admitted that as per prescribed rules open tenders should have been invited for allotment.

Surprisingly, decisions to get the detailed project report (DPR) made and allotment of the construction work to the same company - Hindustan Steelworks Construction Limited (HSCL) - without inviting any tenders for the same were taken by the Governor, who acts as the chief executive officer of administration during President’s rule. 

New Delhi, August 6
The government today gave its clearance for the development of a communications satellite that would have a GPS-based navigation system. The approval came at the meeting of the Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

The design and development of GSAT-10 spacecraft would cost Rs 735 crore with a foreign exchange component of Rs 634 crore, the government said. The 3.3-tonne satellite, one of the heavier spacecrafts to be developed by space agency ISRO, will replace INSAT 2E and INSAT 3B, an official release said.

The GSAT-10 satellite will have 12 high power Ku-band transponders, 12 C-band and 12 extended C-band India coverage transponders that would create additional capacity for direct-to-home like operations.

In another decision, the Cabinet approved the revision of pay scales of faculty, design and scientific staff and other academic staff of the centrally-funded institutions. It also approved financial assistance to states for implementing the above revised scales. This will enable the institutes to recruit and retain qualified faculty and provide them working conditions will encourage them to enhance their performance and capacity.

The Cabinet also approved the scheme for providing homestead sites to the rural BPL households and its basic parameters. The beneficiaries will be selected through permanent IAY waitlists as per priority. Only those BPL households who have neither land nor house will be eligible.

The state governments will regularise the land as a homestead site if it is presently occupied by a BPL household. If not, the state government will allot suitable government land as homestead site to the eligible BPL household. In case government land is not available, private land may be purchased or acquired.

Financial assistance of Rs 10,000 per beneficiary or actual, whichever is less, will be provided for purchase or acquisition of a homestead site of an area around 100-250 sq. mt.

Funding will be shared by the Centre and states in the ratio of 50:50 while in the case of UTs, the Centre will fund 100 per cent. 

New Delhi, August 6
India is trying to verify reports that Pakistan has asked Interpol to issue a global alert for 13 suspects wanted for the Mumbai terror attacks. “Our high commission in Islamabad is trying to ascertain full facts about the reports,” official sources said here today.

Earlier in the day, the Interpol, in a statement pasted on its website, said its National Central Bureau (NCB) in Islamabad has issued a global alert for 13 individuals wanted by police authorities in Pakistan in connection with the ongoing probe into the Mumbai attacks.

The alert asks Interpol member countries to assist in locating the fugitives and immediately notify NCB, Islamabad and Interpol’s headquarters in Lyon with any investigative leads. If the fugitives are located, Pakistani authorities will then formally request provisional arrest with a view towards extradition, in accordance with any applicable extradition treaty.

The alert contains the fugitives’ names and other nominal data registered by the organisation’s command and coordination centre in Interpol’s database of wanted persons. However, the names are not mentioned in the statement. The alert will ensure that all Interpol’s member countries will be alerted to the wanted status of the 13 individuals and that their movements are recorded. 

Interpol Secretary General Ronald K Noble praised Pakistan’s co-operation with the international police community. He said the investigation into the Mumbai terror attacks highlighted the vital role played by the world police body’s international tools in supporting its member countries against terrorism by circulating information worldwide to ensure the location and eventual arrest of suspected terrorists. 

Meanwhile, Minister of State for External Affairs Shashi Tharoor welcomed the ban on 25 religious and other organisations in Pakistan and said India expected Islamabad to fulfill its commitment to take action against perpetrators of the Mumbai attacks, including Hafeez Saeed. “The Pakistan should also act on its commitment to dismantle terror infrastructure on their soil,” Tharoor told reporters here.

New Delhi, August 6
Terming overall price situation in the country as “very serious”, the government today admitted that it was “not very comfortable” with pulses and sugar stocks in the country.

“We are quite worried. Each and every family is being affected,” Food and Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar told the Rajya Sabha today. He, however, said various steps, including easy imports of pulses and sugar, were being taken to ease the pressure and protect vulnerable sections of the society. 

Replying to a discussion in the Upper House on rising prices of essential commodities, Pawar said “overall price situation is very serious.” Adding to the government’s worries was the dismal performance of the monsoon this year. “We are worried….if August and September go well, we will see a different situation,” the minister added.

Earlier, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee said “We are sensitive to it (price rise). Government will take appropriate measures.” The Centre is holding a meeting with states on August 8 to discuss situation arising out of the current scenario. 

However, Pawar’s assertions that state of affairs regarding rice, wheat and edible oils was comfortable and that “there has not been much change” in prices of rice and wheat as compared to last year had the Opposition fuming. The entire Opposition, including the BJP and the Left, walked out to protest against Pawar’s statement.

BJP’s Venkiah Naidu asked, the Agriculture Minister to tell the name of the shop where these items were available at the price he was quoting. Later, Pawar admitted that the government was worried about the overall situation regarding pulses and sugar, which was the fallout of a gap between the demand and supply. “Sugar production has been around 150 lakh tonnes. There is a carryover of 100 lakh tonnes from the last year. The domestic demand is 225 to 235 lakh tonnes,” he said.

Additional problem has been lack luster monsoon this year. While UP and Maharashtra has not received sufficient rains Pawar hoped that “good” plantations in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat would come to the country’s rescue. Monsoon has been deficit in the crucial sowing season.

Pawar said the government’s decision to allow import of raw sugar by mills and fine sugar by PSUs will also improve the situation. 

Shimla, August 6
Could the delayed action on the part of the government despite the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) report confirming the voice of Virbhadra Singh in August last year be prompted by the initiation of proceedings by the Lokayukta in a complaint filed against CM PK Dhumal by a suspended IPS officer?

Even though the CFSL report had confirmed in August 2008 that the voice in the CD was that of Union Steel Minister Virbhadra Singh and his wife, Pratibha Singh, but it is a year later now that the go ahead for registering of an FIR was given. Could the letter from the Lokayukta dated July 24, 2009, asking the complainant, former ADGP, BS Thind, to appear before it with all the documentary evidence have prompted the registering of the FIR against Virbhadra?

It was on April 4, early this year, that Thind had filed an affidavit before the Lokayukta, seeking a probe into the properties of Chief Minister PK Dhumal and his family. Incidentally, he was arrested the same day by the police when he came here in connection with a court case.

Thind, who has himself remained in the thick of controversy for one or the other reason, had filed the complaint against Chief Minister Dhumal, CBI director Ashwani Kumar, a Himachal cadre IPS officer, DGP (Vigilance) DS Manhas, and IG (Vigilance) SR Mardi, levelling serious charges of misuse of position.

The secretary, Lokayukta, has now asked Thind to appear before it on October 7 with regard to his complaint against Dhumal. Since Thind had filed his complaints before the Lokayukta through four different affidavits on April, 4, he has been asked to appear before it on separate dates.

With regard to the complaint against Ashwini Kumar and Mardi, he has been asked to appear on September 8, while in the one against Ashwani Kumar and Manhas on September 10. In the complaint filed by him against Manhas, he has been asked to appear on 16 September.

Though it remains to be seen whether the Lokayukta finds any substance in the allegations levelled by Thind, but the timing of the registering of the FIR against Virbhadra Singh is being linked to the Lokayukta case.

Chandigarh, August 6
Anjolie Ela Menon’s, a Padma Shree awardee, grim picture of the land acquisition process in Haryana painted on the legal canvas today caught the Punjab and Haryana High Court’s attention, which stayed a notice issued under the provisions of the Land Acquisition Act.

With this, it is clear that the internationally renowned artist and her co-petitioner “celebrated” author Primila Lewis will not be dispossessed of their properties. They had moved the high court against the “illegal” acquisition of her 19 kanals and four marlas in Ghatta village in Gurgaon district.

The state government had on July 15 issued a notice under Section 9 of the Act for a part of the property for a proposed road. Another notice under Section 4 was also issued on June 2 for the remaining property. The government till date has not filed a reply to the writ petition, despite the issuance of notice.

As the matter came up, Justice JS Khehar and Justice SD Anand also issued notice to the state and other respondents for August 31.

Mumbai, August 6
The family of 14-year-old Rida Shaikh, who succumbed to the swine flu on Monday, has filed a criminal complaint against two private hospitals — Jehangir Hospital and Ruby Hall Clinic — alleging medical negligence leading to the girl’s death.

After filing the complaint at Bund Garden police station here, the family's lawyer Asif Lampwala told reporters that an FIR maybe filed against the accused. Apart from the two hospitals, the family has named Dr Sanjay Agarwal, a panel doctor at Jehangir Hospital, in the complaint.

The Jehangir Hospital is part of the Apollo Group of hospitals. The family's complaint comes shortly after the Maharashtra government’s health department initiated a probe into the death of the schoolgirl. CM Ashok Chavan had earlier said preliminary information available indicated negligence on the part of the hospital.Lampwala further told reporters that the family was seeking compensation from the hospital by filing a civil suit at the consumer forum.

In the complaint, the family alleged that doctors at the Jehangir Hospital sent Rida’s samples to Ruby Hall Clinic instead of National Institute of Virology (NIV). Rapid-testing methods instead of the regular techniques adopted by the clinic turned negative, the family alleged. According to the complaint, the Jehangir Hospital had also begun treating the girl for pneumonia following the wrong diagnosis.

Eight more cases of swine flu in Pune have come to light. Three of them are students of the St Anne’s school where Rida Shaikh studied. The other patients are from St Helena and Loyola schools. Meanwhile, panic-stricken city residents kept on rushing to the hospital for getting themselves tested. With unprecedented rush at the sole testing facility — Naidu Hospital — the government today said pre-screening of patients for the H1N1 will be conducted at 15 new centres.

Lucknow, August 6
AICC general secretary Digvijay Singh said today the proposal on setting up a Bundelkhand Development Authority was not an infringement of the Indian constitution’s federal character but very much in consonance with it, deriving its legitimacy from article 263.

The former Madhya Pradesh CM was addressing a press conference here at the conclusion of the fifth meeting of the 40-member state coordination committee attended, among others, by AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi.

He asserted the UP and Madhya Pradesh chief ministers were opposing the proposal “without understanding” its structure and objective. “It’s meant for better coordination of policy and action in Bundelkhand as per the charter of interstate councils. Both the CMs are not considering the fact that the implementation of the development projects would be undertaken by none else but their state governments,” he added.

“Bundelkhand is spread over two states and has its unique topography that requires close coordination between these states for various development projects like integrated watershed management, depleting water table amongst others,” said Digvijay. He pointed out a similar council existed for the coordinated development of the seven states in the northeast.

Referring the UP Chief Minister Mayawati’s oft repeated grievance of the central government not providing the Rs 80,000 crore package for development of Bundelkhand and Purvanchal, Digvijay said, “Instead of that she would soon get Rs 50,000 crore every financial year for Bundelkhand alone”. He said he was confident once the concept of the Bundelkhand authority was “properly explained to the leaders of the two states they would see reason and their opposition would subside”.