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Black flags mark Rajapaksa’s visit
GoM to look into caste Census
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Heritage Golconda diamond put up for sale
Showers grace region
NIA to book Army Major
Gen Nanda to face CoI over ‘misconduct’
Manipur puts price tags on rebels’ heads
Gyaneshwari Train Mishap
Two more bodies found near site
RS Poll
Three years in office
Scribe narrates traumatic events of ’84
Justice RS Sodhi along with noted journalist Kuldip Nayar at the launch of Harminder Kaur’s book “1984: Lessons from history”, in New Delhi on Tuesday. Tribune photo: Manas Ranjan Bhui
Sonia behind Pawar’s troubles, says Thackeray
SC okays Rs 6.1 lakh relief for negligence
Mumbai blast accused extradited from UAE
Six to enter RS unopposed from TN
Heat kills 14 in Orissa
Abetment to suicide Mohinder is NCMEI member
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Black flags mark Rajapaksa’s visit
Chennai, June 8 Rajapaksa arrived today on a three-day visit where he is expected to discuss the issue of a political solution to the Tamil ethnic problem with Indian leadership. CPI leader and party's national committee member R Nallakannu, state secretary D Pandian, Sri Lankan Tamils Protection Movement co-ordinator P Nedumaran, leaders of Tamil nationalist outfits and popular Tamil directors were also detained. Hundreds of PMK activists were arrested at a separate black flag demonstration condemning the Sri Lankan president's visit. PMK leader S Ramadoss said the Centre should issue an ultimatum to the island government "to solve the ethnic problems of Tamils as per their aspirations". While the cadres of Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi, an ally of the DMK, resorted to rail roko at many places, effigies of Rajapaksa and symbols of Sri Lankan government were burnt throughout Tamil Nadu at more than 300 places. Police had a tough time controlling the protestors, who were beating the burning effigies with chappals, thereby risking burn injuries to themselves. The Lankan deputy high commission virtually resembled an invaded fortress as thousands of policemen were deployed around it, since more than a dozen parties, including DMK ally Thirumavalavan, Dalit outfits like Puthiya Thamizhagam, popular director Seeman's Naam Thamizhar and Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam, had threatened to proceed towards the embassy. Nallakannu said Communists had always opposed genocide and stood by the oppressed people all over the world. Any government that massacred civilian people under the guise of fighting terrorism should be strongly opposed and those who committed war crimes against humanity should be punished. When the UN has appointed an expert committee to go into the war crimes of Rajapakse government, it was wrong to shake hands with a leader accused of atrocities and human rights abuses, he said. He also appealed to the Centre not to have any kind of commercial or military ties with a "rascist government". Vaiko said the Centre's invitation to Rajapaksa and the red carpet welcome to the "rascist Sinhalase ruler" who brutally massacred thousands of Tamil men, women and children was aimed at diverting the demand of several European nations for a probe into the war crimes committed by the island government.
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GoM to look into caste Census
New Delhi, June 8 The decision to set up a GoM on the matter was taken at a meeting of the Union Cabinet last month at the instance of Mukherjee, who felt the issue needed an in-depth study given the complexities involved. The GoM, which was notified by the Cabinet Secretariat on June 4, comprises AK Antony, P Chidambaram, Veerappa Moily, Kapil Sibal, Mukul Wasnik and Salman Khursheed (Congress), Sharad Pawar (NCP), Mamata Banerjee (Trinamool Congress), Dayanidhi Maran (DMK) and Farooq Abdullah (National Conference). The GOM, which is to submit its report “expeditiously” to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, has been mandated to look at the issue of enumeration of castes other than Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) in Census 2011. Among other issues, it will consider Home Minister P Chidambaram’s view that instead of going in for a caste head count at this stage since the Census is already underway, it should be undertaken when the biometrics photographing, fingerprinting and iris mapping of citizens is to be done for the preparation of the National Population Register (NPR). This subject has been discussed twice by the Union Cabinet ever since the demand for a caste-based Census was raised by OBC leaders like Samajwadi Party’s Mulayum Singh Yadav, RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav and Sharad Yadav of the Janata Dal (U) and subsequently endorsed by members cutting across political parties in Parliament. There were sharp divisions in the Cabinet at its first meeting but this opposition had toned down considerably at the next round of discussions in view of the overwhelming support for a caste headcount in Parliament. The proposal was opposed by Union Ministers MS Gill, Anand Sharma and Kapil Sibal, who felt that the practice of enumerating castes should be avoided as it is everybody’s endeavour to move towards a casteless society. Union Law Minister Veerappa Moily pointed out that there is no need to be hypocritical since caste is a reality which cannot be brushed under the carpet. He was supported by Union Ministers Jaipal Reddy and Pawan Kumar Bansal.
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Heritage Golconda diamond put up for sale
Bangalore, June 8 The 140-year-old Bangalore-based jewellery house C Krishnaiah Chetty & Sons (CKC & Sons), is one of the three selected concessionaires (one is in the US, the second is in Europe) in the world who can sell it. “The response has been very encouraging. We have several interested parties. We are even working on shared ownerships, consortiums and trusts. I believe as a consortium we will be able to bring the country's legacy to be placed in some museum soon,” CKC & Sons Managing Director Vinod Hayagriv said. It is important that the Government of India encourages such initiatives since it is a matter of national pride and preservation of one's culture and heritage. In the US, private individuals acquire heritage pieces but place these in museums for general public viewing and future generations to cherish, he said. The diamond takes its name from Archduke Joseph August (1872-1962), a prince of the Hungarian line of the Hapsburg dynasty. The Archduke was a descendant of Emperor Leopold II, son of empress Maria Teresa. The mention of Empress Maria Teresa may remind one of the famous Florentine diamond, one of the greatest gems of history and for many years an heirloom of the Hapsburgs. But while the Florentine was light yellow in colour, Archduke Joseph is a colourless gem. — PTI
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Showers grace region
Chandigarh/Jalandhar/Jaipur, June 8
The Met department predicted more heavy shower in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand on Wednesday but said that elsewhere rain will be scattered. The desert district of Jaisalmer in Rajasthan received its annual share of rain in less than 24 hours. It received more than 110 mm of rainfall from Sunday night to Monday morning as against the annual rainfall of just 80 mm recorded last year. Torrential rain inundated several villages, breached a dam and affected both rail and road movement. The unexpected rain, effect of a weakening cyclone Phet and not the pre-monsoon spell, could not have come at a more auspicious or appropriate time for farmers in the region, particularly in Punjab where paddy transplantation cannot legally begin before June 10. Following last year’s drought-like situation, the rain this week is seen as a good omen. The Met department also confirms that the South-West Monsoon is expected to hit the region on schedule at the end of this month. “The current spell of rain, well before the onset of monsoon, is good for all. It is highly beneficial for farmers and also good for lactating animals, the milk yield of whom will go up,” said Dr Balwinder Singh Sidhu, Director, Agriculture, Punjab. Satnam Singh, a farmer from Samrala, also appeared elated at the ‘good start’ to the paddy season. Inflow of water in reservoirs at Bhakra, Pong and Ranjit Sagar Dams is expected to increase following heavy rains in Himachal Pradesh during the past 48 hours. The rain god has come to the rescue of power generating units by reducing the power requirement for agriculture in the next couple of days, acknowledged an official of the Punjab State Power Corporation. Rain, however, is considered harmful for certain fruit crops such as apricot, Khurmani etc. though it is good for vegetable crops. The current spell of rain will also mark the end of the musk-melon and water-melon season in the region. The rain has, however, exposed the civic authorities and the vulnerable urban infrastructure in the region. Waterlogging, overflowing sewage in low-lying areas, the menace of mosquitoes and widened the pot-holes on several roads. (With inputs from Prabhjot Singh, Sarbjit Dhaliwal and Perneet Singh)
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Jethmalani’s road to RS gets tough
Jaipur, June 8 The desert state is witnessing elections on four Rajya Sabha seats and bypoll for one seat. While the Congress has fielded its candidates on three seats, including one for the byelection, the BJP has played it safe by fielding its candidates on the remaining two seats. However, former Union Minister Santosh Bagrodia’s last-minute entry into the electoral arena has upset the BJP’s equation and now a contest seems inevitable for the seat. A candidate would need 41 first preference votes to get elected to the Rajya Sabha. The BJP with 79 MLAs along with lone JD(U) MLA has 80 votes on its side. Though the BJP’s first choice, former Bhilwara MP VP Singh, is expected to get through, balloting 41 votes in his favour, Jethmalani’s chances may suffer because of the new player. Even the JD(U) support, which the BJP is claiming, appears to be shaky as the party’s state unit hinted that a decision to support the BJP on Jethmalani’s candidature would be taken by the party high command in New Delhi. Meanwhile, Bagrodia’s entry is being seen as a Congress strategy to dent BJP candidate’s chances.
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NIA to book Army Major
New Delhi, June 8 The NIA will book the Major for possessing documents that were top secret and “were way beyond his nature and sphere of work”, sources confirmed. The Major had about 2,500 presentations and documents on his computer, which was found during the analysis done by the Central Forensic Sciences Laboratory,
Hyderabad. A lot of data from the Major’s computer in Andaman and Nicobar Islands was being regularly transferred to Pakistan that was detected by US agencies that informed their Indian counterparts in April. The NIA is also following up on leads to find out the sources of the information of the Major, who is being questioned in Delhi, sources in the government said while confirming that the Major, who is from the 21 Bihar regiment, will be booked in the next few days. He is likely to be booked under the Official Secrets Act, 1923. “It is shocking why the Army on its own has not booked the Major under the Official Secrets Act as the documents and presentations found on the Major’s computer were beyond the level of his seniority and were highly sensitive,” said a source in the government. Legally, the Army should have booked him even if the Major’s computer was hacked. The question is who provided the documents and where did he source them from. “These are not some documents that are there in the open domain,” a senior official said. So many files and presentations cannot be given to a Major-level officer in any “good faith.” The CFSL in its report has confirmed that documents were deleted during the period the computer was supposedly seized by the Army authorities. The dates of deletion have been provided by the CFSL and they match with the period the computer was in custody of the Army. The dates on which the documents had been deleted from the computer, was the period it was not in the Major’s possession, a senior government functionary said. The sources said the NIA had not shared the CFSL report with its counter parts from the military intelligence, which were part of the joint probe. The contents had been communicated to the Army top brass due to the sensitive nature of the case.
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Gen Nanda to face CoI over ‘misconduct’
New Delhi, June 8 The wife of a Colonel, who was earlier working as Technical Secretary to Gen
Nanda, has accused him of molesting her during an official visit to Israel last month. The woman had accompanied her Colonel husband on an official trip.
Nanda had headed a delegation of Army officers to Israel and at least three of them were accompanied by their spouses. The woman, on returning to India, had submitted her complaint to Army Chief Gen VK Singh’s wife Bharti Singh, who is also the President of Army Wives Welfare Association. The complaint was forwarded to the Army Chief, who had ordered a preliminary probe by a senior Lt General to see whether prima facie there was any case for further action. The venue and date of the start of the
CoI, which is the first formal action taken after a preliminary probe establishes a prima facie case, would be decided by the Presiding Officer, who would be senior to
Nanda.
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Manipur puts price tags on rebels’ heads
Guwahati, June 8 Manipur police Director General Y Joykumar Singh has issued an order declaring acting president of All Naga Students Association, Manipur
(ANSAM), David Choro and president of United Naga Council (UNC), Samson Remei as “wanted men” with cash rewards of Rs 1,00,000 each for their arrest or information leading to their arrest. Earlier, in response to a PIL filed by an Imphal resident RK
Joysana, Gauhati High Court Bench in Imphal last week ordered Manipur police to produce ANSAM chief Choro before the court after he had failed to appear before the court as directed by the court. The court had given the police 10 days till June 16 to produce the ANSAM
leader. Manipur police, meanwhile, took up a suo moto case against the members of ANSAM and UNC under various sections on June 3 last after the High Court had summoned the DGP to appear before the court in person. The cases were registered at Sekmai and Patsoi police stations of Imphal West district against the imposition of economic blockade on the NH-39 and 53. Backed by United Naga Council, the ANSAM has been imposing economic blockade on the NH-39 and NH-53 highways since April 11, demanding the annulment of Manipur Autonomous District Council Act, 2008. The blockade took an intensive turn after Manipur government refused to allow
NSCN-IM leader Thuingaleng Muivah to visit his birthplace Somdal village in
Naga-inhabited Ukhul district of Manipur. The blockade has caused untold misery to people of Manipur who are reeling under acute shortage of essential commodities and fuels.
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Gyaneshwari Train Mishap
Kolkata, June 8 Describing Mahato as a “key conspirator” in the Jnaneswari Express derailment on May 28 in which 148 persons were killed, source said he guarded the railway tracks while other “saboteurs” unhooked pendrol clips from the rails. This is the second arrest after Khagen Mahato, who carried the alleged saboteurs in his van, was nabbed by the CID from Kharagpur in East Midnapore district last Friday. — PTI
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Two more bodies found near site
Kolkata, June 8 The police suspected they had been gunned down by the Maoists as several Maoist posters were strewn near the site. A poster read as “right lessons to the police agents” was seen sticking to the shirt of one of the victims. Another local CPM leader was kidnapped last night from Jhagram who is still missing. Several posters, warning the CPM and the police were also found pasted on the walls of a market area at Jhargram. The CID that had been inquiring into the case arrested another PCPA activist Samir Mahato last night from Kushmundi village. The police alleged that he was directly involved in the train accident that took place on May 28, near Sardihi, in which 150 passengers were killed. Another suspected activist Khagen Mahato who was arrested three days ago had been under interrogation by CID officials. Both suspects were remanded to the police custody. Earlier, several Maoist posters and placards carrying the identity of the PCPA were found near the site. The CBI today registered an FIR in Jhargram court as a procedural measure for conducting its inquiry into the incident. The CBI probe was ordered by the Centre as demanded by Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee though Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee was against it on the plea that the CID was a competent authority for conducting the probe. Meanwhile, the CID that was co-operating with the CBI already submitted a preliminary report to the state. Though nothing was disclosed about the report, DGP Bhupender Singh said the Maoists had been suspected. But the police said the railway minister’s allegation of bomb explosions could not be substantiated. The forensic report also did not tell there were loud explosions at the site before the accident on May 28.
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BJP cold-shoulders woman candidates
Faraz Ahmad Tribune News Service
New Delhi, June 8 Later, Sushma Swaraj, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, had showcased her party as “most committed” to enforcing women’s reservation. She also offered to agree to the Election Commission proposal to let political parties give 33 per cent ticket to women. There was no dearth of women candidates for this round of biennial Rajya Sabha elections. There was Najma Heptullah, who easily met the criterion set by Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley who said, “I would appreciate someone who is regular in the House and is sufficiently articulate.” He added that Najma Heptullah fitted his bill. Then there was yesteryears’ star Hema Malini, campaigning for the BJP all over the country. She retired last year and apparently former Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje was backing her. Hema retired from Rajya Sabha last year and was looking forward to a second term. Also in the run was another actress Smriti Irani. She was also cold-shouldered. But the one who they say really deserved was former Karnataka Minister Shobha Karandlaje, who had to resign to end the feud between her mentor Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa and the Bellary brothers G Janardhana Reddy and G Karunakara Reddy. Most people agreed that she was the most competent member of Yeddyurappa’s council of ministers. A woman member of BJP computed that 33 per cent quota of women for the 12 Rajya Sabha nominations works out to three or four and if the other 10 nominations for legislative council are also included, then it should have been roughly seven to eight women candidates, both in Parliament and the councils. As against that, the BJP has nominated only two women, only for the legislative council, one from Maharashtra, Shobha Phadnavis, and the other from Bihar, Kiran Ghai.
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Three years in office
Panaji, June 8 The revolt was calmed down by intervention of the Congress and the NCP high commands. Kamat said some areas of concern and challenges were declined in agrarian economy and making agriculture an economically viable proposition. “Existence of unemployment and underemployment, rising migration, slums and related social issues, solid waste management, disposal issues, coverage of sewerage and sanitation facilities, sustainable development with environmental protection and adequate availability of financial resources are the challenges faced by the government," he said. Kamat said his government had accorded top priority for rejuvenation of the agricultural sector and allied
activities like horticulture and floriculture. After being rebuffed by party high command for his controversial statement on women in politics, the Chief Minister has made special mention about his support towards empowerment of women in the booklet. “I have great faith in Nari Shakti. I not only support 33 per cent reservation for women in legislatures and Parliament, but would also want them to get involved in public affairs more thereby supplementing the efforts of the administration to provide relief to the common man,” he
said. — PTI
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Scribe narrates traumatic events of ’84
New Delhi, June 8 The book was launched at the India International Centre by Justice RS Sodhi and noted journalist and former Rajya Sabha member Kuldip Nayar. Harminder has been covering Punjab politics as a journalist since the last 32 years and has previously authored, “Operation Bluestar” back in 1991. Speaking about her book, Harminder Kaur said, “My study uses 1984 as a metaphor, a culmination point of nearly 38 years of Congress politics in the state. On the surface it seems that the Punjab problem of 1980s started with Sikh Nirankari clashes of 1978, however, the seeds of the conflict are sown much earlier. They were rooted in the transfer of power to India.” Kuldip Nayar said, “The Centre-Sikh conflict started on the issue of ‘safeguards for minority protection’ at the time of framing the constitution and escalated into a chain of conflicts with the passage of time, over the formation of a Punjabi speaking state, over Chandigarh for Punjab, then sharing of river water issue and many more that followed thereafter.
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Sonia behind Pawar’s troubles, says Thackeray
Mumbai, June 8 “The Congress has properly tied him up in a corner just the way Sonia Gandhi wants him to be,” and editorial in Shiv Sena mouthpiece Saamna quoted Thackeray as saying. Spinning a tale of conspiracy, Thackeray alleged that the Congress party first got Shashi Tharoor to quit on moral grounds over the bids for the Kochi franchise of the IPL. “Then the names of Praful Patel and Pawar too came out in the open and now everyone wants the two to quit as well,” Thackeray wrote. Thackeray, who always enjoyed an on-off relationship with Pawar demanded that the NCP chief too follow Tharoor and quit the cabinet. “Why should other ministers in the cabinet be different from Tharoor,” Thackeray asked. The write up also attacked Pawar for putting up a feeble defence over bidding for the Pune franchise. The Shiv Sena chief then went on to attack Pawar for practising politics with money power. “Sharad Pawar’s politics revolves around money and the power that comes with it. There is no one who knows about it better than me,” the editorial said. Thackeray, however, admitted that Pawar’s amazing fund-raising skills helped him immensely in politics. For good measure, Thackeray wrote that he had advised Pawar to concentrate on his portfolio instead of cricket.
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SC okays Rs 6.1 lakh relief for negligence
New Delhi, June 8 The National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission had directed Dr VK Garg from Lucknow to pay the compensation on April 15 this year as ordered by the consumer bodies at the district and state levels. Refusing to entertain the appeal, a Bench comprising Justices Deepak Verma and KS Radhakrishnan asked the doctor to be honest and sincere at least sometimes. The child had suffered an eye injury in October 2003 and while operating on him the doctor had failed to remove a metal wire.
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Mumbai blast accused extradited from UAE
New Delhi, June 8 These bomb blasts had killed 257, injured 713 and destructed property worth crores. A request for extradition of Taher Mohd. Merchant to face trial in India was sent by the CBI through the Ministry of External Affairs in 2004 as per the provisions of the Extradition Treaty between India and United Arab Emirates, the CBI said. He was declared a proclaimed offender by the TADA Court, Mumbai, on October 15, 1993. He was produced before the designated court in Mumbai and was sent to the CBI custody till June 14.
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Six to enter RS unopposed from TN
Chennai, June 8 Nomination papers of the Independents were not supported by 10 MLAs, as required, and were thus rejected by Election Officer M Selvaraj, officials said. The papers of TM Selvaganapathy, KP Ramalingam and S Thangavelu (DMK), PH Manoj Pandiyan and KV Ramalingam (both AIADMK), and EM Sudarsananachiyappan of the Congress were found to be in order during the scrutiny today. They will be declared elected on June 10, the last date for withdrawal of nominations.
— PTI
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Heat kills 14 in Orissa
Rourkela, June 8 Last Thursday, eight sunstroke deaths were reported in the district, while four persons died yesterday. Normal life has been severely hit in the steel city and elsewhere in the district. The weather office said the minimum temperature hovered between 30 and 32 degree Celsius while the humidity count was more than 80 per cent. Long power cuts are adding to the woes of residents, who are having to do with an acute shortage of drinking water as rivers, ponds and wells have gone dry. The condition in the rural pockets of the district is even more miserable with the mushroom growth of sponge iron units which have added to the heat.
— PTI
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Father accuses school principal
Kolkata, June 8 Ajay Rawla lodged a complaint at Shakespeare Sarani police station alleging his son Rauvanjit committed suicide because of the inhuman torture inflicted by his teachers. The class VII student committed suicide on February 12 because one of his teachers had beaten and humiliated him in the school, Rawla alleged. Rawla lodged a complaint charging abetment to suicide against the principal Sunirmal Chakraborty and four other teachers. — PTI
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The famous 17th century Archduke Joseph diamond, which is in Europe for the past 200 years, is up for sale and stands a fair chance of being brought back to India if enough money can be raised to buy the 76-carat Golconda gem valued at Rs 250-300 crore.
New Delhi, June 8
