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Voters defy Naxal threat; phase 2 turnout 53%
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High on symbolism, low on expectation
Geelani to be booked for hate speeches
DRDO developing ‘mind readers’
Jantar Mantar
BKI ultra held on Nepal border
In remote Arunachal, PDS
items to be airdropped
Sena launches signature campaign against Rahul
Two held for desecration of statue
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Voters defy Naxal threat; phase 2 turnout 53%
According to Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Sudhir Kumar Rakesh, the overall percentage of polling recorded today was 53 per cent. Of the six districts that went to the polls, the highest turnout of voters was reported from East Champaran (58 per cent) and the lowest from Darbhanga (48 per cent). In view of the Naxal threat and a major incident of violence in Sheohar on Friday night in which six cops, including an SHO, were killed in a landmine blast by the outlawed extremist outfit CPI(Maoist), the Election Commission had changed the polling time in five assembly constituencies under Sitamarhi, Sheohar and Muzaffarpur districts. The polling in five Naxal-affected constituencies -- Sheohar, Belsand, Paroo, Sahebganj and Minapur -- began at 7 am and ended at 3 pm. But even then 60 per cent polling was recorded at the Paroo assembly constituency and 49 per cent in Sheohar, the CEO informed. Naxals tried to disrupt the poll at booth No. 116 under the Runni Saidpur constituency in Sitamarhi district by burning the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and other poll-related material late last night. Presiding officer Baldeo Prasad Yadav, K N Sigh and Satyendra Patel went missing after the incident, Returning Officer for the seat Shivdani Singh said. However, the administration immediately made arrangements for their substitute and polling began there at 8:30 am. The Returning Officer said the ultras could have succeeded in attacking the polling booth easily as there were no security personnel there at that time. In the Naxal-dominated zones , the administration had directed the police patrol teams to avoid night travel and reach the polling stations early Sunday morning. In another incident, a policeman opened fire in the air at a booth in Hayaghat under Darbhanga district to save his weapon being snatched by a miscreant. The JD(U) candidate from Minapur and a minister in Nitish Kumar cabinet Dinesh Kushwaha was attacked by supporters of an Independent candidate at a booth in that constituency. Though the minister escaped unhurt, his body guard was injured in the incident. An FIR was lodged against the Independent candidate and his men. The vehicle of BJP nominee Veena Devi was attacked by her rivals in Gaighat constituency and the BSP candidate’s vehicle was also damaged by RJD supporters in Sheohar constituency. Bihar DGP Neelmani said 93 per cent of the polling stations were manned by the Central Para Military Force in Sheohar and the remaining ones by the Bihar Military Police.
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High on symbolism, low on expectation
Preparations for Obama’s November 6-9 have almost been completed, enabling Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to set off on his week-long East Asia tour along with his team of key officials. Though the American leader’s itinerary in India is being kept a closely guarded secret, indications are that he will travel to only Mumbai and Delhi, skipping the holy city of Amritsar and the Taj Mahal in Agra. Various Sikh organisations have appealed to President Obama not to drop Amritsar from his itinerary. In fact, the Punjab Government has written to the PM, asking him to intervene in the matter. However, no change is in sight in Obama’s programme as of now. Both New Delhi and Washington do realise the importance of the visit, but are assiduously trying not to raise the level of expectations over its outcome. For India, one thing is quite sure: the Bush era was rich, not only in terms of symbolism and protocol but also in substance. Bush might have become a pariah in the eyes of the world due to the policies he pursued, particularly in Iraq and Afghanistan, but senior officials admit that his Presidency was the best thing to have happened to Indo-US ties with the former American President making no secret of his desire to help India emerge as a big Asian power on a par with China. India is still not sure any major milestones are possible during Obama Presidency to give a new meaning and direction to the relationship that has been marked by differences in recent months over a plethora of issues. However, both Indian and American officials are downplaying the differences. The Indian side is disappointed with Obama’s administration for continuing to aid Pakistan despite being aware of the links between the establishment in Islamabad and “jehadi” groups, which have weakened the global fight against terror. Privately, the Indian officials do understand that Washington needs Islamabad “more than ever today” to realise its goals in Afghanistan. However, what irks them is that Washington is turning a blind eye towards terrorism emanating from Pakistan against India, while being concerned only about the activities of terror groups operating on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. Even the joint counter-terrorism initiative has not made much headway due to widening differences between the two sides over the confessions made by terror suspect David Coleman Headley. Obama’s controversial moves to curb outsourcing have also not gone down well with New Delhi. The issue is expected to figure prominently during talks. New Delhi is disappointed with relentless pressure being exerted on it from Washington to bring about changes in the Civil-Nuclear Liability Bill, passed by Parliament.
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Geelani to be booked for hate speeches
Sources in the ministry said an advice from the legal department was received that prima facie a case could be registered against hardline Hurriyat Conference leader Geelani and others for making statements which are seen as an attempt to instigate secession. The sources said the Delhi Police had been asked to register a case, which they are expected to do soon. Geelani, who gave a call to boycott the three interlocutors on Jammu and Kashmir, today flew back to Kashmir. Geelani's speech in New Delhi had triggered sharp comments from the BJP. BJP leader Arun Jaitley had accused the government of "looking the other way" when a number of separatist groups had met at a conference to say that India could not be one and must be broken. This, he said, was unacceptable as there was no right of free speech available to break up the country. This was against the sovereignty and integrity of the country and was an offence against the state, the BJP leader said. However, rejecting the BJP leader's charge, Home Minister P Chidambaram had said the Delhi police would take action in accordance with law over the speeches made by Geelani and others at the seminar here on October 21.
— PTI
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The Maharaja spurned Mountbatten’s advice
Captain Diwan Singh was fondly described as an adopted son of Maharaja Hari Singh. The last ADC to the last Maharaja of Jammu & Kashmir is now 87 years old but remembers vividly those dramatic weeks that led to the state's accession to India. Excerpts from conversations with him are reconstructed below :
"There was considerable talk about the options before the state, of acceding either to India or Pakistan, in early 1947. But it acquired urgency during Lord Mountbatten's visit to the kingdom between June 18 and June 23. I have reasons to believe that the option was officially raised for the first time by Lord Mountbatten." Mountbatten and the Maharaja did not discuss the issue till the second last day of the former's six-day trip to Srinagar. On that day, Maharaja Sahib and Lord Mountbatten went on a drive together. Maharaja sahib was at the wheels and there was no one else in the car. I was later told that Lord Mountbatten had asked the King to join Pakistan. "I advise you to join Pakistan," were his exact words. We were in another car following the two of them. The Maharaja apparently asked Mountbatten for a meeting next day, i.e. June 23 at 11 am with their entire staff to discuss the issue. The Maharaja, however, did not go to the meeting the next day. Instead, he handed over a letter to me for Lord Mountbatten in which he stated that he would not be able to go ahead with the meeting. I handed over the letter to a staff member of Lord Mountbatten. From a distance I could hear Mountbatten shouting. He was out of my ear shot but he was clearly fuming. As the partition between India and Pakistan became a reality in August, Jammu and Kashmir was on tenterhooks though the Maharaja's heart was always with India. He would often say, "I can't send my population to the hawks" whenever the subject cropped up. Indeed Jinnah, the first Sadar-e-riyasat of Pakistan, tried to meet the Maharaja twice. He first requested to meet him officially to discuss the Accession to Pakistan but the Maharaja declined. This was before August. Later, in September, Jinnah again wanted to spend some days in the valley on health grounds as he was not well and claimed doctors had advised him to rest for a few days and away from his usual environment. But the Maharaja again declined. He could see through Jinnah's move and was never inclined towards him. At the same time, the Maharaja was not happy at the insistence of Pandit Nehru to involve Shiekh Abdullah in the process. Sheikh Abdullah was in jail at that time as he had started a Quit Kashmir movement in 1946. The Maharaja was upset, especially after Sheikh Abdullah hung the ruler's pictures round the neck of dogs and took out a procession in the valley. Much later, after his release and Kashmir's accession to India, Sheikh Abdullah wrote a letter to the Maharaja saying he was never against him personally and launched the movement for ushering in democracy in the Valley. Pandit Nehru of course had a soft corner for Sheikh Abdullah although even he had to jail him later. Nehru possibly nursed a grudge against the Maharaja who did not allow him to enter the state in 1946 when the Quit Kashmir movement was boiling. While it is widely believed that the Maharaja put him under arrest at Kohila bridge near Uri, the gateway to the valley, I would like to put on record that actually Nehru was never arrested. He was merely stopped from going to the Valley and politely told to stay in the official guest house of the Maharaja near the bridge. The Maharaja sent his personal cook and servants to take care of Pandit Nehru. After a few days, Maulana Azad, the then President of the Indian National Congress came seeking Pandit Nehru's release, which surprised the Maharaja. I remember the Maharaja exclaim, " But he was never arrested. He is free to go." But Pandit Nehru was furious at not being allowed to enter the Valley and that began an unfortunate personality clash between the two well-meaning personalities. It is right to say that the unexpected tribal attack prompted the Maharaja to sign the Instrument of Accession with India and hastened the process. He felt Jinnah had ditched him. It also strengthened his belief that future of Jammu and Kashmir was secure with India and not with Pakistan. Moreover, Pakistan already had cut off all supplies of essential items like oil, vegetables and pulses, to India. The Maharaja in fact had a prenomination about the attack by tribals, which began on the night of Oct 21. On that day, the King was scheduled to visit Bhimber Tehsil in Mirpur (now in Pakistan) and left for the destination from Amar Palace in Jammu in the morning. However, when he reached Jewel Chowk, a few kms from the palace, he suddenly asked us to go to Kathua instead. Later, he flew to Srinagar in the late afternoon. That same night tribals attacked and we learnt later that a group of tribals were waiting to ambush him in a forest on way to Poonch. The King flew to Srinagar and when we reached there by road the next morning, everyone knew about the tribal invasion. Much to my surprise, I saw the King in battle fatigue. He wanted to go to the front. He asked us to get ready for battle and save the motherland. It took a lot of persuasion by me, Brigadier Rajendra Singh and others to make him change his mind. Brigadier Rajendra Singh, who was the Chief of his Army, assured him that he would be leading his troops to the front. I was present there. I remember an agitated Mahaharajs saying, "What would they do to me, kill me, let them." But Brig Rajendra Singh told him he would not be killed. "They would treat you well, force you to sign on papers and show the world that the Maharaja has acceded to Pakistan," the Brigadier told him. When the tribals were close to Srinagar on Oct 25, the King had to leave. Again it was done after much persuasion. He left on oct 25 night at 2 am with me in the car. He was quiet on the way. But the moment we reached Jammu in the morning, he took a step out of the car, turned his head towards Kashmir and said with melancholy, " we have lost Kashmir." Later that day, he signed the accession.
The papers were signed in the Maharaja's room in the Amar Palace. The Instrument
of Accession was signed in Hari Niwas, Jammu. Contrary to propaganda abroad that India forcibly got the documents after the tribal invasion, the instrument was actually signed before Indian troops landed in Kashmir. In fact, the Maharaja had laid down a clause (and this is well-known) that if Indian troops did not land, the agreement would become null and void. The Maharaja actually laid down the condition that if the Indian Army and the Air Force did not reach the Valley the next day, the accession would stand cancelled. Later that night, he told me, " If you don't see or hear Indian planes in the morning, shoot me in my sleep."
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There never was any talk of autonomy, special status or merger
I have virtually seen every leaf on the issue and I stress that the Instrument of Accession between India and Jammu-Kashmir has been subjected to a lot of disinformation and malicious campaign over the years whereas the fact of the matter is that Maharaja Hari Singh had acceeded legally to India and the Constituent Assembly endorsed it later in 1949. When the British rule was about to end, Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru and others told the British that they couldn't just leave without settling the issue of princely states. That would have led to balkanisation of India. The Muslim League and the British were keen on balkanisation of India. About 25 rulers out of the total of 562 princely states were seeking independence. Possibly, they believed Pakistan would support them. This was their strategy. There were 116 large princely states like Patiala, Jammu and Kashmir etc. among others. The remaining were very small states, some extending to just a few miles. The decision to divide India was formalised on June 3, 1947. The States department was divided into the Indian States Department and the Pakistan States Department. Then, Pakistan's territory was earmarked. The Muslim League integrated the princely states falling in that part.. the Kalat princely state in Pakistan did not want to accede to Pakistan. But they failed to get any support from the Indian National Congress as Congress leaders remained noncommital on the issue. For India, Kalat, far away in Baluchistan, was far too difficult to be governed from a distance. So they just let it go. But Muslim League leaders encouraged princely states to accede to Pakistan or seek Independence. The princely states like Hyderabad, Junagarh and Bhopal, all ruled by Muslim rulers but having Hindu majority population, were deep in the heartland of India. Three major states, i.e. Hyderabad, Junagarh and Jammu-Kashmir had not joined either dominion till August 14. Junagarh finally announced its decision to acceede to Pakistan on August 14. Hyderabad went in for a 'stand still' agreement. It is true that Maharaja Hari Singh wanted to accede to India much earlier than Oct 26. But as Hyderabad didn't accede to India, Indian Congress leaders advised him to opt for a similar stand still agreement. The Congress leaders argued that if he acceded to India as a Hindu ruler of a Muslim majority, the Muslim ruler of a Hindu dominated state like Hyderabad might opt for Pakistan. However, since governing Hyderabad while sitting far away in Pakistan was not easy, just as India would not have had an easy time governing the princely state of Kalat, the dispute would eventually have to be sorted out across the table, they felt. Under such circumstances, places geographically close to India might go to India and those closer to Pakistan might go to Pakistan, they argued. Had Jammu-Kashmir joined India at that time, it could have caused a chain reaction. All Muslim ruled states like Ahmedabad, Bhopal, Junagarh and Hyderabad could then have gone to Pakistan, felt these leaders. Maharaja Hari Singh also understood all this and he said he didn't want to be made a pawn for retaining Junagarh and Hyderabad. All leaders of the National Conference were in jail at that time. Sardar Patel, Lord Mountbatten and V P Menon drafted the text of the Instrument of Accession, which was similar for all 116 states with minor changes for the smaller states. The important part to be noted is that these were terms offered by India or Pakistan and not terms dictated by the rulers. The accession said that the states would have their own constituent assemblies but foreign affairs, defence and communication would remain with India. All 116 states barring Hyderabad and Jammu- Kashmir signed it either for India or Pakistan. There never was any instrument of merger to be signed by any state. It is a figment of imagination. There was an important difference for the smaller states. They had such small territories that they had to be merged into bigger states. For them the States Department of India formulated an Instrument of Attachment. It came long after the Instrument of Accession. It was to make these states into bigger states. Like Patiala and east Punjab states became one but much later. The National Conference leaders led by Sheikh Abdullah were in jails. Maharaja Hari singh wanted to accede to India and was waiting for the clearance by Indian leaders. But the Indian govt wanted the NC leaders to be released first. On September 6 a general amnesty was given to all prisoners. By the end of September all prisoners including Sheikh Abdullah were released. The NC working committee met under the chairmanship of Sheikh Abdullah soon thereafter. In that meeting, the General Secretary of the All India National Congress, D N Kachroo, was specially invited to sit as an observer. It was decided that the National Conference would support accession to India. Kachroo cabled Nehru a six para message about the acceptance of the Instrument of Accession. There was no condition, no talk of special status, no question of any autonomy. Then on October 22, the tribal raid from Pakistan took place. The National Conference leaders and activists formed a Salamti Fauj and fought against the tribals. When the invasion took place, Delhi reacted late. They first sent V P Menon to Srinagar to see what actually has happened as Nehru and others did not believe Pakistan sponsored tribals could invade India. Menon rushed back from Srinagar with reports of mass murders and civil defence effort by Kashmiri Muslims and Pandits who had erected bunkers all over Srinagar. The crucial thing I would insist again, is the Accession is permanent, irrevocable..all others things are misinformation. I have seen the material available in archives everywhere. No one says anything abut any condition, autonomy or special status. (As told to Jupinderjit Singh) A retired HoD from Kashmir University, Dr Teng is an authority on J&K’s accession to India
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DRDO developing ‘mind readers’
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is now engaged in developing devices that would enable soldiers to “read” the mind of the individuals and assess their intentions. “Our focus on cognitive science, which is a kind of brain mapping through sensors, has started this year,” VK Saraswat, scientific adviser to the Defence Minister and DRDO chief, said. “It would be of immense advantage to troops, particularly those deployed in low-intensity conflict or anti-terrorist operations,” he said. Saraswat was here on a two-day visit to review the ongoing projects at the Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory and the Snow and Avalanche Studies Establishment, and discuss future programmes with their top scientists. Cognitive science has been defined as the interdisciplinary study of the mind, which examines how information concerning faculties such as perception, language, reasoning, and emotion is represented and transformed in the brain. Devices to assess human intention would involve remotely sensing and interpreting neurological signals and electromagnetic impulses transmitting through the body. This is a part of DRDO’s recent focus on meeting the requirements of the Armed Forces and para-military organisations for anti-terror operations. Over 30 items have been included in this programme, which includes, besides weapons and personal equipment, foliage penetration radars, remote-controlled surveillance vehicles, chilli-grenades and vehicle-based mine detecting systems. With cyber security being a major issue in the wake of a series of attempts to hack networks, Saraswat said DRDO was developing its own computer operating system that would be much more resistant to penetration as the source codes for the software would not be available. DRDO is also working to build technologies and hardware to secure these vulnerable networks from cyber attacks. Space warfare, which includes defence against ballistic missiles and anti-satellite capability, is another area of focus for the DRDO and a roadmap has been chalked out for this sector.
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In Ghulam Nabi’s old college, students work as daily-wagers to pay rent
Udhampur, October 24 But for the government aid for which a proposal has already been submitted by the college authorities, students of the college, most of whom come from remote villages of the Chenab valley, have to work as daily wagers to pay the rent for private accommodation in the town. About 70 per cent of the total students come from outside. College Principal Mohammad Iqbal Zargar is helpless. “The matter has been hanging fire for the past about three years. A fresh proposal of Rs 45 lakh for the renovation of the hostel was sent to the Higher Education Department three months ago immediately after CRPF personnel vacated the building which they had been occupying since the eruption of militancy.We have yet to hear from the authorities concerned. I am really moved by the plight of the students who come from far-off villages,” he said. A son of a farm labourer from the remote Marmat area, 70 km from Bhadarwah in Doda district, Mohammad Sayed of the third semester of the Urdu PG course, works as a daily wager after the college hours to pay the rent. “At times, I have to skip classes to find work to sustain myself. A day's work gets me about Rs 120, but imagine how many days are spent to raise Rs 1,000 for the rent apart from the cost of food," he said. The building of the hostel of this oldest college of the area, set up in 1955, is unfit for stay as no repair was done during the stay of security personnel. Doors and windows of all dormitories are damaged and septic tanks and bathrooms are in bad shape. The mess was destroyed when militants set it on fire in 1991. Had the hostel been renovated, bright students like Davender Kumar of Malothi village, 25 km from Bhaderwah, would have been able to devote the maximum time to studies. A student of BSc-I, he passed his Class XII examination securing 82 per cent marks. “I lap up any type of work that comes my way. Sometimes, I could not even pay the rent due to the shortage of money,” he said. “Besides Rs 100 as the monthly rent for the hostel, the cost of food in the hostel can be almost 50 per cent of what these students are paying outside,” said the Principal.
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Jantar Mantar
Congress leaders complained that Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and his family wanted this visit to be a purely Akali Dal affair. Not only did they make it clear that any Congress presence at this programme would not be welcome, the Akali Dal allegedly tried to keep out its political rivals through the Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC), which is in charge of the Golden Temple and is controlled by SAD. Back from Vanvaas
The high-profile Arif Mohammad Khan, who is best remembered for taking on late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi on the controversial Shah Bano case, has reappeared on the Capital’s political circuit. Khan made an impassioned speech on Kashmir at a seminar organised by the RSS-backed Forum for Integrated National Security in Delhi last week. It is being read as a sure sign that Khan is looking for a re-entry into the BJP, which he left in 2007 after a brief three-year stint. He was once billed as a Muslim leader of great potential and was wooed by the Congress and the BJP in the run-up to the 2004 Lok Sabha polls. The Congress lost out but the BJP which did manage to snare him, was unable to retain him for too long. Now that Khan is looking for political rehabilitation, BJP’s other Muslim faces had better watch out. Bachchan still a model
This was Bachchan’s fourth national award but it has not dimmed the 68-year-old actor’s child-like excitement at being bestowed with this honour yet again. He made sure his entire family was present at the function to cheer him as he walked up to receive the award to a standing ovation. Despite his reputation as the Shehanshah of Bollywood, Amitabh Bachchan remains as professional and disciplined as ever. He makes it a point to participate in the rehearsals which are held a day before the award function. This time,too, Bachchan arrived a day in advance and went through the paces without demur. This is in stark contrast to younger stars like Shahrukh Khan and Priyanka Chopra who failed to turn up for the mandatory rehearsals when they were awarded. |
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BKI ultra held on Nepal border
Lucknow, October 24 He was presented before the CBI special court today and remanded by the Punjab police. The arrested ultra is a close aid of Babbar Khalsa’s chief Baghawa Singh alias Chacha, who is currently in Pakistan, the ADG stated. A mobile phone, some important documents, telephone numbers and some cash have been recovered from him.
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In remote Arunachal, PDS
items to be airdropped
Guwahati, October 24 In response to a plea of the members of consultative committee of the Food Corporation of India (FCI) for Arunachal Pradesh, Union Minister Sharad Pawar said the ministry had approved airdropping of PDS items in far-flung areas of the state. FCI consultative committee member Aath Tacho Kabak said Pawar also assured to enhance the existing monthly allotment of PDS rice (44,750 quintal) for the state. The Union ministry is considering providing funds for construction of a FCI regional office in Itanagar and godowns in all districts of the state. A team of FCI officers will be sent to Arunachal Pradesh to visit all districts and earmark suitable places for FCI
godowns. Meanwhile, the state government has given assurance as regards allotment of land for the FCI regional office and godowns in all districts.
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Sena launches signature campaign against Rahul
Mumbai, October 24 Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray, who was in Dombivali yesterday ahead of local Municipal Corporations polls, initiated the campaign with ally BJP. “Who contributed to Maharashtra? Tilak-Agarkar (political leaders and social reformers) or Biharis? Condemn Rahul Gandhi for being anti-Marathi,” was the message written on a 20-foot-long board, which was signed by Uddhav first. Following the Sena leader, hundreds of people signed the board and shouted anti-Rahul slogans.
— PTI |
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Two held for desecration of statue
Chennai, October 24 Prakash (24) and Santhosh Kumar (26) were charged under various sections of the IPC. They were produced before a court, which remanded them in judicial custody till November 3. The statue in Ashok Nagar in the city was found desecrated recently, triggering protests by Congress workers. Congress workers had staged protests at various places in the state, demanding action against the perpetrators.
— PTI
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Patna, October 24
New Delhi, October 24
New Delhi, October 24
At the very outset, I would like to emphasise that the Instrument of Accession signed by all the princely states in India, including Jammu and Kashmir, was a full, final and irrevocable document. All princely states had just two options, to either go to Pakistan or to India. There was simply no third option. All this talk about a state 'having acceeded but not having merged' is utterly baseless.
Chandigarh, October 24
It is being said that US President Barack Obama’s visit to the Golden temple is likely to be cancelled due to security concerns and the dilemma over his choice of headgear. But UPA insiders confide it is the political rivalry between the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) in Punjab and the Congress which proved to be the main stumbling block.
Superstar Amitabh Bachchan was clearly the cynosure of all eyes at last week’s National Film Awards function at the packed Vigyan Bhavan.