Jaipur, November 3
The Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) of Rajasthan arrested another suspect in the 2007 Ajmer Dargah blast case who had allegedly played key role in the conspiracy behind the incident in which three persons were killed.

The suspect - Harshad Bhai Solanki, alias Munna alias Raj alias Daadhi Bhai - was also involved in the 2002 Best Bakery riot case in Vadodara and had been absconding since 2004.

“He was brought by our team from Gujarat for interrogation and was arrested on November 1,” ADG (ATS), Kapil Garg, told reporters here today.

“On the same day, he was produced before the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate, Ajmer, from where he was remanded to police custody till November 9.”

Hailing from Vadodara, Solanki came into contact with Sunil Joshi, a suspect in the Ajmer blast case who was murdered in December 2007, and was his accomplice while planning the Dargah blast, Garg said, adding he had played important role in preparing the bombs, collecting explosives and other necessary equipments, and packaging of bombs.

Garg said Solanki was involved in Best Bakery riot case and was among the four absconding accused out of total 17 since the trial of the case was transferred to Maharashtra from Gujarat in 2004.

Garg, however, declined to disclose details regarding Solanki's organisational affiliation, if any.

The ATS had filed the chargesheet in Dargah blast case before the court of the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate in Ajmer on October 22 against five persons -Devendra Gupta, Lokesh Sharma, Chander Shekhar Lave, Sandeep Dange and Ramji Kalsangre (both absconding). — PTI

Guwahati, November 3
The civil society organisations in Manipur have organised protests in different parts of the state to reassure solidarity with civil rights activist Irom Sharmila - “Iron Lady” of Manipur. Sharmila has completed 10 years of fast-unto-death on Tuesday, demanding withdrawal of the controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), 1958, from Manipur to save innocent people from harassment in the conflict between the security forces and militants.

Sharmila began her trade against AFSPA 10 years ago after 10 civilians were killed in an alleged encounter by the Assam Rifles personnel near Imphal airport. A room in Imphal’s Jawaharlal Nehru Hospital where she is being fed through the nose has been converted into a jail for Sharmila, now in judicial custody.

Sharmila’s brother and convener of the Just Peace Foundation (JPF), Imphal, Singhjit Singh said a public would be organised on November 5 in solidarity with Sharmila’s tirade.

The JPF-led civil society groups programme has been christened ‘The festival of hope, justice and peace’. Various theatre groups from Manipur and outside the state would stage performance to highlight the demand for repeal of the AFSPA.

Singhjit Singh further stated that many artistes led by eminent film maker Aribam Shyam Sharma staged a day-long fast in Imphal yesterday to mark the beginning of the six-day programme in support of Sharmila’s unrelenting campaign.

Besides film personalities, a horde of eminent singers, actors and technicians also joined the demonstration organised under the aegis of the Thangmeiband United Art and Culture Organisation. 

New Delhi, November 3
Runaway couples facing the threat of honour killing in Punjab are now entitled to state protection for six weeks from the date of their marriage. During this period, their lodging and boarding would also be the responsibility of the state. Couples apprehending trouble from their immediate or extended family have to simply make an application

for protection in the court of the District Registrar, who now stands empowered to order adequate security deployment in such case.

These commitments have been made in Punjab Government’s revised guidelines to check cases of honour crimes. These guidelines form part of the affidavit filed the state recently filed in the Supreme Court which had earlier this year pulled up nine governments for failing to check violent honour killings, besides asking them what steps they were taking to ensure people’s right to life and property.

Rajasthan was the first to reply to the Apex Court in the matter, followed by the Punjab government which, in the affidavit, has committed itself to “eliminating all forms of honour killings.”

Strangely though the state - which is home to 50 per cent of all honour crime cases reported in India the past two years - mentions that such cases were “stray incidents and it had left no stone unturned in taking protective, corrective and pre-emptive measures to discourage these crimes”.

That apart, the important point Punjab has made in its admission to the Supreme Court relates to its non-tolerance of the heinous crime which involves alleged killing of women and men in love by their family members. The state’s freshly issued revised guidelines to deal with these cases mandate strict action against parents and family members who threaten couples who have inter-caste and love marriages; protection for newly-wed couples who apprehend danger to their life and liberty and even “counseling for the people to broaden their horizons and outlook in this matter.”

The state argues that honour killings can’t be eliminated unless mindsets change. “The root of the issue is being attended to by the Government,” the affidavit states.

For their part, the revised guidelines, issued by Punjab Home Secretary, categorically order the setting up of mediation and counseling centres in the offices of police commissioners or SSPs to guide parents, relatives and couples to “live in peace”.

The guidelines also mandate special cells in village panchayats and cities to counsel resisting parents to reconcile with “such love forms and tell them that love does not harm family honour at all”.

The affidavit, whose copy the Tribune has secured, further warns police officials against booking young boys who have married on their own in false cases of rape and kidnapping. “False cases should not be registered at the behest of parents etc under Sections 363/366/376 IPC against such couples who are majors. The tendency of relatives to separate couples should also be dealt with strictly,” says the state government order issued to all deputy commissioners, police commissioners and SSPs.

Lucknow, November 3
Clearly with an eye on the forthcoming Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, Chief Minister Mayawati on Monday launched the Mukhya Mantri Mahamaya Gareeb Arthik Madad Yojna under which around 31 lakh BPL families, not covered under any welfare scheme, would now get Rs 300 every month.

Speaking to the media, the Chief Minister said the scheme, being simultaneously launched in 72 districts, would cost the government Rs 558 crore in the current fiscal and would fulfill the needs of 1.55 crore poor people. The financial assistance would be given in two six-monthly instalments, she said.

The scheme which was announced on the CM’s birthday on January 15 this year, was formally launched on Monday with the CM by handing over approval letters to 10 woman-headed families of Lucknow district selected under the scheme.

The populist scheme, effective from October 1, could not be formally launched as the model code of conduct was in force due to panchayat polls. "The scheme is being launched to extend financial assistance to those families not covered under any other government scheme like BPL cards, Antyodaya, old age, widow or handicapped pensions," declared Mayawati.

Charging the Centre of not including all BPL families in the list of beneficiaries, the CM said that the Central Government had a fixed quota of 1.07 crore BPL people in Uttar Pradesh, while a state government survey revealed that many more lakh families were eligible for the BPL safety net. She pointed out that repeated requests by her government to provide wheat and rice at cheaper rates to lakhs of such families left out of the official BPL list was ignored by the Centre.

Left with no option, the BSP government started the scheme along with several other welfare measures through its own meagre resources by saving expenditure, said Mayawati.

Lucknow, November 3
Crime against Dalits has sharply risen in Uttar Pradesh under the Dalit Chief Minister Mayawati, alleged newly appointed state Chairperson of the SC/ST Commission P L Punia here today.

Speaking at a jam-packed press meeting at the press club, Punia, a retired IAS officer from the UP cadre, once considered close to Mayawati, said that it was the state government’s indifference due to which it did not respond to the Commission’s queries.

He said that the crime figures were neither generated by the Commission nor the Home Ministry but were sent by the state government to the National Crime Record Bureau.

Reading out a list of 10 recent cases of atrocities on Dalits for the past four months, in which the Commission had asked the state government to furnish details, nothing has been done in a single case so far.

In contrast, the Commission’s office received five letters from the state government requesting them to put off my present visit, first due to engagement with panchayati raj elections and then Divali. The Chief Secretary has suggested any date after December 6, and even refused a preliminary meeting as he said it might create confusion, said Punia.

The state government even refused to give permission to hold today’s press meet at the state government’s VVIP Guest House. Since none of the state government officers have agreed to meet him during this visit, he would spend it interacting with NGO representatives, said Punia.

A Congress MP from nearby Barabanki district, Punia, who had turned approver in the Taj Corridor case earning the wrath of Mayawati, however refused to admit that his visit was political. “My post is constitutional and my duties and responsibilities are clearly spelt out in the constitution. The SC/ST Commission is not P L Punia. I have no wish to confront the state government as I need its cooperation in order to serve the Dalits which is my agenda.”

New Delhi, November 3
The era of favouritism in the postings and transfer of teachers of Kendriya Vidyalayas is set to end with the government today adopting a transparent point-based system with an idea to give a fair deal to all.

To begin with, no one will be exempted from transfers in the new regime approved today by the 89th meeting of the Board of Governors of KVs that lasted all day. It was chaired by Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal.

Anyone, in his or her first place/school of posting, would also have to compulsorily spend three years in the said place and would not be exempted from this tenure. He would be eligible to move out of first posting only after three years in the first tenure.

Further, the government will evolve a point-based transfer policy where teachers would be assigned scores on various determinants of transfer. Eventually, cumulative scores would be kept in mind before moving any person in or out of any place; also, the choices of a person being transferred would be kept in mind.

In areas with difficult terrain and harsh weather conditions, only 40 plus teachers would be posted, it was agreed today.

Simply out, the new guidelines seek to end the system of corruption and politicking in the area of KV postings and transfers. As the Ministry officials say, “The guiding principles of the proposed policy are - provide a fair chance to every employee of getting a choice posting, do so transparently; balance employee aspirations and organisational needs, assigning appropriate points to relevant factors; use cumulative score as the basis for the transfer, both for transfer in and transfer out; recognise choices of persons being displaced; give no blanket exemption.”

Meanwhile, the KV Board has decided to lend out school premises between 3 and 8 pm to private players offering vocational and skill development courses. The move would help the government make money from the KV buildings. Sibal has asked the Ministry to evolve a policy for lending of space and directed that such a policy must compulsorily retain with the government and the KV the right of exiting the school campus. This would ensure no one illegally occupies the schools and uses them only for the purpose for which the space is being shared.