 |
|
|
Army chief defends action against Lt Gen Prakash
14 kids die in hostel fire
Whips want longer House sittings
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Why spare Big B: Raj to Shiv Sena
Ministers upset over grading guidelines
Narco done on Aarushi’s mother, father’s turn next
India, UK ink N-pact
Getting a disability certificate easy now
Not elevated, Delhi CJ retires ‘hurt’
PM’s Saudi Arabia visit from Feb 27
SC: Even silence can be cruelty in matrimony
Antony: Pak’s infiltration bids not to hit talks
Youths blacken face of moral brigade leader Muthalik
US man with knife detained at IGIA
No sabotage in YSR’s copter crash, say experts
419 militants lay down arms
Explosives recovered at Howrah station
India in touch with Lanka
on Fonseka
|
|
Army chief defends action against Lt Gen Prakash
New Delhi, February 11 General Kapoor said it was the "best course of action" he took after analysing the facts of the case and on the advice of Defence Minister A K Antony. "I felt this is the best course of action based on the kind of facts after analysing the case and on the advice of Defence Minister A K Antony," General Kapoor told Karan Thapar in CNN-IBN's Devil's Advocate programme. Asked whether he had consulted the Defence Minister on all the actions he took during the course of the controversy, he said it was a process and a certain degree of interaction did take place.
"It will not be wise to assume that the action was taken in isolation. I have to be fair, just and also look into the culpability of each individual officer. I can't put all of them in the same bracket," General Kapoor added. The General also dispelled any doubts on his perceived “closeness” to General Prakash. On being asked if he was soft on General Prakash since he was his principal staff officer, Kapoor said the former Military Secretary was only one of the PSOs among the eight he had. "One PSO is as dear or far away from me as the other," the Army Chief said. Admitting that the scam had dented the image of the Army, Kapoor blamed the media for sensationalising the case without understanding the nuances of Military Law. "Yes, to an extent the case has embarrassed the Army. The Army has taken steps to ensure that such incidents do not occur. Media has been sensationalising the case. If it had been better informed about how the military system of law works, they would have been better prepared to handle it a lot more in a positive way," General Deepak Kapoor said. Stating that the media "over-reacted" in the case, the Army Chief said to an extent reportage amounted to character assassination. "If the reportage was based on totally informed knowledge, it would have been appropriate and then passing judgement without knowing the facts really amounts to character assassination," he said. He said his decision to act against General Avadesh Prakash should be fair while adding it was the Army which initiated action on its own and not an outside agency. "The organisation is resilient, objective and is concerned about its image in the public eye. It was a self-correcting action taken by the army itself," he said. There is a misunderstanding in the public that if an officer is court martialled, he is headed for the gallows. It is not right. Many officers have been acquitted by court martials before," the Army Chief said. The land scam involves the issue of NOC for a 71-acre land adjacent to the Sukna military station near Darjeeling. An army probe had indicted Prakash along with Lt Gen P K Rath, Lt Gen Ramesh Halgali and Maj Gen P C Sen. While Rath was ordered to be court martialled, General Kapoor took administrative action against the other three following which AK Antony advised the Chief to initiate disciplinary action against General Prakash also.
|
|
14 kids die in hostel fire Guwahati, February 11 Deputy Commissioner Remo Kamki said, “Sixty-two children were staying in the private hostel run by a local lady, Biri Kamyar. Fourteen children, including three girls, died in the fire that broke out at around 9 pm. Nine of the dead could be identified while one was charred beyond recognition. The children probably died when they were asleep. It was a thatch and bamboo house and the children were studying at local Don Bosco school from KG to Class VIII standard.” Superintendent of Police Apang Tamut and an additional deputy commissioner (ADC) rushed to the spot this morning from district headquarters in Koloriang to conduct a probe. It takes about four hours to reach Palin, about 90 km away from Koloriang. The road, telephone connectivity is very poor and there was no fire brigade station in the entire district that has border with China, the official said. Some of the seriously injured children were shifted to hospitals in Itanagar, about 180 km away, while some others were admitted to hospitals in neighbouring districts as Palin only has one government health centre. Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu
is expected to go to Palin tomorrow to take stock of the situation. Father Jose of the Don Bosco provincial headquarters in Itanagar said the hostel belonged to a private individual and not to Don Bosco school at Palin. “Though our school has a hostel, there are also some private hostels nearby, which provide accommodation to a number of students coming from the interior areas,” he said.
|
|
Whips want longer House sittings
Chandigarh, February 11 The conference, he said, expressed serious concern over the reducing number of sittings in all legislative bodies across the country. The two-day deliberations have looked at bringing more discipline into the houses and ensure that meaningful business is conducted. Though, not necessitated by any rules, the Zero Hour is an important part of House proceedings that began in India, but is now being adopted by other democracies. The conference looked at ways to ensure that the time allotted for the Zero Hour is not wasted to score brownie points. Accompanied by K. Rehman Khan, Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha and Punjab Parliamentary Affairs Minister Tiksan Sud, Bansal said no legislation could be passed to assign a minimum period for sittings of a house, but it was the moral responsibility of all elected governments to ensure that enough time was spent debating issues concern with the people and governance. He said the conference had expressed a serious concern over low attendance in the House by the elected legislators. The quality of debate in Houses has also come under sharp criticism. It has been recommended that Chief Whips and Whips in every state be provided with the rank of a Cabinet, and state minister along with secretarial staff to help them become better informed on issues. The same has been suggested for legislators, who should be sent to institutes like the Lal Bahadur Shastri Institute at Mussourie, IIMs, Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR), etc to bring their knowledge up-to-date with requirement. Bansal said the AIWC had impressed on the participants to go back and finds way to ensure that the legislative bodies are allowed to function without disruption. “Disruption of the Question Hour should not be allowed in any manner, and once admitted, the questions should become property of the Assembly so that they could not be shelved to bail out any minister,” he said.
|
|
Why spare Big B: Raj to Shiv Sena
Mumbai, February 11 Speaking to reporters today, Raj Thackeray said the Shiv Sena was targetting Shah Rukh Khan for making just one comment even as it was silent on Bachchan performing with Pakistanis. "Why are you not asking Amitabh Bachchan to apologise for his Aman Ki Asha performance with the Pakistanis. You are targetting Shah Rukh Khan for a single comment, but the same standards are not being applied to Bachchan," Raj asked. Raj, who had hit out at Bachchan in the past, said the veteran actor did nothing for the people of Maharashtra where "he earned his name and fame". Raj was mum on whether the MNS would launch its own agitation against Bachchan. However, he said, the MNS would not participate in the protest against 'My Name is Khan' releasing tomorrow. "The MNS will only agitate on issues concerning Marathi people. The Shah Rukh Khan issue had nothing to do with Marathi people. The Shiv Sena is targetting Khan for publicity since he is a superstar," Raj said. Meanwhile, the Maharashtra government has tightened security outside theatres where “My Name is Khan” is scheduled to be screened from tomorrow. Senior police officials said today that nearly 2000 activists of the Shiv Sena have been taken into preventive custody as a precautionary measure. Several theatres which discontinued advance bookings on Wednesday after protests by the Shiv Sena have resumed sale of tickets today. However, major multiplexes haven't yet started advance bookings. Apart from tight security by the police, theatre owners have hired private agencies to prevent any untoward incidents. However, multiplex owners said they would hold a meeting this evening and take a call on exhibiting the movie. "Some mall owners have expressed concern about safety if multiplexes in their premises are attacked," the manager of a multiplex told this reporter ahead of the meeting. The Shiv Sena mouthpiece Saamna claimed that the Maharashtra government was preventing Shah Rukh Khan from meeting Bal Thackeray to sort out the matter. "Shah Rukh had said he was willing to meet Balasaheb to resolve the issue. But he was stopped by the Congress-NCP government," the newspaper said.
|
|
Ministers upset over grading guidelines
New Delhi, February 11 In a note issued last month, the expenditure secretary had informed the ministries about an amendment to the rules regarding the sanction of foreign trips of officials. Previously, foreign tours of the officials, irrespective of their rank, had to be approved by the minister concerned. According to the amended rules, officers of joint secretary rank and above will require prior permission from the minister while the trips of director and under secretary-level officers can be approved by the secretary of the ministry. Since the number of junior level officers is larger in number, the new order ends up giving greater powers to the secretary. “This amounts to clipping the wings of ministers,” remarked a senior UPA minister, adding that these are among the few powers, which a minister enjoys. Officials pointed out that a minister could punish or reward a bureaucrat through his powers to write their annual confidential reports, transfers and sanction of foreign trips. However, the well-entrenched bureaucracy has been slowly chipping away at the powers of politicians, which has created tension between the two. As it is, the ministers were smarting over the introduction of the scheme for evaluation of a ministry, which requires the ministers and their secretaries to sign a memorandum of understanding or the RFD that lays down each ministry’s promise to deliver on targets within a stated time frame. The document was signed by each secretary and countersigned by the minister, committing him or her to the completion of the listed tasks. This document, prepared by a newly constituted performance management division in the Cabinet Secretariat, asks each ministry to lay down the objectives, policies, programmes and the deadlines by which these will be implemented. In addition, the ministries are also required to list their commitment on their websites. A special task force, comprising retired bureaucrats and experts, has also been constituted to appraise the performance of ministries on the basis of these documents. While ministers agree that a certain amount of accountability is necessary, they are upset that bureaucrats will judge their performance. Several ministers have refused to sign the document on the plea that it is the job of officials to execute the plans and programmes laid down by their political bosses. Chafing at the grading system, ministers also point out that if they are to be evaluated, they should also be given a team of their choice. They complain that they have little say in the appointment of officers in their ministry.
|
|
Narco done on Aarushi’s mother, father’s turn next
New Delhi, February 11 While the tests are being conducted on her mother Nupur Talwar, her father Rajesh Talwar will undergo the tests from February 15 at the Forensic Sciences Laboratory in Gujarat. “The tests on Nupur Talwar started on February 8 and will continue till February 12. The narco-analysis of Dr Rajesh Talwar will start from February 15 and will continue till February 20,” official sources said. On January 5, the CBI had sought permission from a Ghaziabad court to carry out narco-analysis tests on the couple. Aarushi (14) and her domestic help Hemraj were found murdered at their Noida house on May 16, 2008. Though a narco-analysis test takes only three hours, in this case, the couple is subjected to the tests for nearly five days each. “It takes time because of the quantum of the query that is needed. In this case, since there is no headway yet, we are leaving no stone unturned to extract as much information as they have,” the sources said. “It took us so long to carry out the test since there is overcrowding of cases here. We also had to study the past outcome of the test undertaken by the Talwar couple. We had to jump the queue to conduct the test for which the CBI paid more than a lakh,” they said. Narco analysis involves psychotherapy which is conducted while the patient is deeply sedated with medication so that inhibitions are reduced and responses will be more truthful. The CBI conducted brain mapping and lie detector tests of the Talwars in 2009 but no narco analysis was done on the couple. — PTI
|
|
India, UK ink N-pact
New Delhi, February 11 Details of the pact were not immediately available. British High Commission sources said the details would be made known on Saturday. A department of the Atomic Energy Commission said it was a general umbrella agreement on civil-nuclear cooperation between the two countries. India has already signed nuclear deals with France, the USA, Russia, Kazakhstan, Namibia, Mongolia and Argentina. A nuclear agreement between India and Canada has also been finalised, which is expected to be inked later this year. Germany and South Korea have also expressed their desire to cooperate with India in the field of civil-nuclear energy. The nuclear agreement between India and Britain was finalised recently when Commerce Minister Anand Sharma visited London for the India-UK joint economic trade committee meet. The negotiations from the Indian side on the agreement were conducted by former National Security Adviser MK Narayanan, who is now the Governor of West Bengal. The pact is expected to provide legal framework to British companies to export components and products.
|
|
Getting a disability certificate easy now
New Delhi, February 11 A three-member medical board will no longer be required to certify a persons’ disability. Amending the PwD Rules, 1996, the Ministry of Social Justice today said a single doctor with specialisation in the relevant field of disability could henceforth issue a certificate. In case of visible disabilities like blindness, amputation and paralysis of limbs, any doctor, even at primary healthcare level, not essentially a specialist of the field, can now certify. “Any doctor can now certify complete blindness and other visible disabilities. The old system was illogical,” said government sources on the sidelines of the 9th national conference of state commissioners of disability today. With the amendment of certification rules (state governments will now have to notify them, disability being a state subject), the format of disability certificate has also been simplified. Now, the signature of single doctor will suffice for certification except in cases of multiple disabilities. The old concept of medical boards as final authorities for issuing disability certificates stands replaced with a medical authority, which again the centre and states will have to notify in different hospitals. The end of medical boards is significant given several complaints from PwDs of having to make repeated visits to hospitals because all three board members would hardly be present on a given day. Also, certification by each member consumed time; they also hesitated to sign rail concession forms, harassing the disabled. All that will now change. Till January 31, the office of Chief Commissioner, Disabilities, had received 11,741 complaints - 30 per cent related to disability certification issues. Only few states have so far issued certificates to a major percentage of their disabled population. These are Andhra Pradesh (100); Jharkhand (97.8); Goa (89); Himachal (74.8), Chandigarh (57.5), Andaman and Nicobar Islands (56.5), Punjab (53.8) and Karnataka (52.9). Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health is also trying to simplify the procedure of assessment of visible disabilities, said Social Justice Minister Mukul Wasnik, adding that India was committed to enabling the disabled under the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Sadly, only 22 states have so far amended building bylaws to ensure barrier free environment for the disabled; 13 including Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Uttarakhand and West Bengal are yet to intimate the government whether they have changed the laws to make buildings disabled friendly.
|
||
|
Not elevated, Delhi CJ retires ‘hurt’
New Delhi, February 11 The Supreme Court Collegium, headed by Chief Justice of India KG Balakrishnan, had ignored the seniority of Justice Shah while recommending names of CJs for elevation to the apex court. Justice Shah had taken over as the Chief Justice of Delhi High Court on May 11, 2008. Before that, he was the Chief Justice of Madras High Court. He scripted landmark judgements like legalising gay sex and bringing CJI's office within the ambit of RTI Act.
|
|
PM’s Saudi Arabia visit from Feb 27
New Delhi, February 11 Manmohan Singh will leave for the kingdom on February 27 on a three-day visit that obviously will be keenly monitored in Islamabad because of the special relationship Pakistan enjoys with Saudi Arabia. This will be the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Saudi Arabia more than 25 years after Indira Gandhi visited the key Islamic state, which is home to over 1.6 million strong Indian
diaspora, mostly workers. Official sources said an extradition treaty between the two countries could turn out to be the highlight of the visit. The two countries have already finalised the treaty, which is expected to go a long way in fulfilling their commitment to jointly combat terrorism. An agreement on transfer of sentenced prisoners and some other pacts could also be signed during the visit. The extradition treaty will underline a new trust and synergy between India and the Gulf's most influential country. It is likely to enable India to get access to some of fugitives like underworld don Dawood Ibrahim who are often spotted in Saudi Arabia.
|
|
|
SC: Even silence can be cruelty in matrimony
New Delhi, February 11 Acknowledging that there was no definition of cruelty under the Hindu Marriage Act, the Bench said, “Actually such a definition is not possible. In matrimonial relationship, cruelty would obviously mean absence of mutual respect and understanding between the spouses which embitters the relationship and often leads to various outbursts of
behaviour.” “Sometimes cruelty in a matrimonial relationship may take the form of violence, sometimes it may take a different form. At times, it may just be an attitude or an approach. Silence in some situations may amount to cruelty. Therefore, cruelty in matrimonial behaviour defies any definition and its category can never be closed.”
|
|
|
Antony: Pak’s infiltration bids not to hit talks
New Delhi, February 11 On the other hand, former BJP chief LK Advani questioned the “sudden” move for talks with Pakistan saying the principle issue is terrorism and talks should not be held unless the terror infrastructure in the neighbouring country is dismantled. “The principle issue is terrorism. We are not interested in talks for talks sake,” Advani told reporters on the sidelines of a function of his party. Advani reiterated his stand that the initiative for talks could have come after a “nudge” from the US. Meanwhile, Antony told reporters here on the sidelines of an Institute of Defence Studies and Analysis (IDSA) Conference on Asian Security that we took a concious decsion to take initiave from our side. The Foreign Secretary-level talks with Pakistan will “not be affected” despite increased infiltration by militants from across the border, he added. Pakistan had taken “some action” against the terrorists responsible for the 26/11 Mumbai attacks as per India’s wishes, and that was why India had taken a conscious decision to go ahead with the dialogue, Antony clarified.
|
|
|
Youths blacken face of moral brigade leader Muthalik Bangalore, February 11 “We have detained six youth for blackening Muthalik’s face with paint at a public debate on celebrating Valentine’s Day,” inspector CS Anand said. Muthalik has been carrying out a campaign across the state urging people to refrain from celebrating Valentine’s Day. Today’s incident took place near Town Hall in the city where a Kannada television channel had organised an open debate between supporters of V-Day and those opposing it. Anand said though some policemen were present at the venue, additional forces were rushed in after clash broke out between the two groups. The accused were taken into custody, he said. Muthalik was removed from the venue by his supporters. They claimed that members of the Youth Congress were involved in the attack. He later said he would continue his protest against celebrating V-Day. It was imported culture imposed on Indians, he added. “We will not give up our stand against Valentine’s Day. It does not matter if some disgruntled elements were instigated to deface me. I want the police to take strong action against the culprits,” Muthalik said. Muthalik and his followers were arrested in January 2009 for allegedly attacking young women in a pub at Mangalore. Sri Ram Sena has been indulging in moral policing against women visiting pubs, wearing western dress and celebrating occasions like V-Day.
|
|
|
US man with knife detained at IGIA
New Delhi, February 11 According to information, the security officials, during scanning, found that Marshal, a New York resident, had a small knife inside his luggage. What might also have raised suspicion was that he had converted to Islam from Christianity about a year ago. However, police sources said they found no strong evidence to charge him with any serious crime as the 4.3 by 1.5 inches knife that he carried was hardly threatening.
|
|
|
No sabotage in YSR’s copter crash, say experts
Hyderabad, February 11 The 11-year-old Bell-430 chopper crashed in the dense Nallamala forest area due to bad weather after the pilots failed to ‘lift up’ the twin-engine helicopter which was hurtling down at a great speed, the two-member panel said. “The available evidence in the form of cockpit voice recorder does not suggest any kind of sabotage. The helicopter got into bad weather. The pilots were trying to lift the helicopter which was coming down drastically due to pressure but in the process hit a tree and crashed,” the committee said in its report submitted to the Chief Minister K Rosaiah here today.
|
|
419 militants lay down arms
Guwahati, February 11 Superintendent of Police KK Sharma said the militants deposited 156 assorted weapons, including AK series assault rifles, SLRs, UMGs, US carbines, UBBL guns, pistols, and 9-mm carbine with 9,000 rounds of assorted ammunition, explosives, detonators and wireless sets. Chairman in charge of the outfit Habe Tokbi led cadres to surrender while KLNLF chairman P Dili is in jail. Union Home Minister P Chidambaram sent a letter welcoming the KLNLF cadres and said the surrender would pave way for tri-partite peace talks involving the Assam Government and the Centre with the outfit soon.
|
|
Explosives recovered at Howrah station
Kolkata, February 11 A red alert was sounded and the police along with their canine unit and explosive experts arrived at the spot. The entire area was cordoned off and an intensive search was conducted. The bag carrying the explosives was taken to a nearby embankment of the Hooghly where the explosives were defused. ADGP (Railways) D Mitra said nothing could be ascertained about the recovery of the bag, but he added that these explosives might be for the terrorists active in Assam or any other places on the Indo-Nepal-Bangladesh border. He said both police and the railways would conduct investigations separately. The Railway Minister blamed the state government for its failure in making necessary arrangements for ensuring the passenger’s safety. She said since the RPF had no authority to look after the law and orders problems, it was the responsibility of the Government Railway Police.
|
||
|
India in touch with Lanka on Fonseka
New Delhi, February 11 “As a friend and neighbour, we trust that due processes of law will be observed in democratic Sri Lanka in this matter,’’ a spokesman of the External Affairs Ministry said here today. — TNS
|
||
|
| HOME PAGE | |
Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs |
Nation | Opinions | | Business | Sports | World | Letters | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | Delhi | | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
