New Delhi, December 7
Even if Indian diplomatic cables between Indian missions and New Delhi are ever accessed and leaked, it is unlikely to affect bilateral or foreign relations, assert Indian diplomats.

While there is concern in the wake of Wikileaks exposing sensitive, and not so sensitive, messages exchanged between US missions and the US State Department, Indian diplomats are emphatic in claiming that there is little or no chance of whistleblowers or disgruntled elements within the system getting access to Indian diplomatic messages.

Hackers from China have in the past made attempts to penetrate government computers in vital ministries in India to gain access to vital documents but in vain, they point out.

India has so far played down the revelations made by WikiLeaks, particularly on Pakistan, saying they were mere reiteration of what New Delhi already knows or has been saying. In any case, the exchange of cables is not the only system of communication available to the MEA and Indian embassies abroad. “Everything need not be in black and white,” quipped one official.

Former Foreign Secretary Shashank wondered if the American leaks were a manual error. It was impossible to physically lift millions of papers by anyone and bring them into public domain. “It appears to be a case of man using technology to defeat technology.” Asked if Indian diplomats also use nicknames for world leaders like the Americans, he claimed it was quite rare. “If at all we do, we will use them in Hindi or other Indian languages which may not be registered by the (computer) system.”

G Parthasarthy, former Indian envoy to Pakistan, said Indian diplomats do not function in the manner as their American counterparts do. According to him, Indian cables, especially from sensitive missions, were meant for limited circulation on a ‘need to know’ basis.

The India cable traffic was very secure as Indian missions and diplomats were very careful about what they write in the cables. In any case, everything need not be mentioned in cables, he said on the basis of his own experience in Islamabad.

Shashank said the exposes in the case of the US were important since decisions taken by America made a lot of difference to global agenda. As far as India was concerned, it was still emerging as a global power.

Another former Secretary in the MEA, who did not wish to be quoted, said Indian cable traffic was very little compared to the exchanges between the US State Department and American missions. The Indian system was relatively fool-proof. Some tinkering was, however, done with it when Shivshankar Menon was the Foreign Secretary from September 2006 to July 2009. 

Bangalore, December 7
BJP chief Nitin Gadkari today set at rest speculations over change in leadership in Karnataka in the wake of land scam allegations, saying that BS Yeddyurappa would continue as the Chief Minister.

“The BJP high command is solidly behind Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa with full support," party president Nitin Gadkari announced at a press conference here after holding meetings with state unit office-bearers, legislators and ministers.

“We do not want to create any instability in the state over the leadership issue. Yeddyurappa will continue as the Chief Minister,” he said. However, he said, "There are certain problems within the party and these problems will be discussed and solved in the party forum."

Gadkari, who went around the city for an on-the-spot inspection of development works with Yeddyurappa, rated the performance of the first-ever BJP government in the south as "outstanding".

The BJP central leadership had on November 24 allowed Yeddyurappa to continue in office after contemplating to remove him following land scam charges. Yeddyurappa had, then, managed to save his post raising the issue of stability of the government if he was removed. Earlier, addressing a meeting of BJP state unit office- bearers, Gadkari told them in clear terms that the party was in no mood to change the chief minister. He asked BJP workers to unitedly fight the coming ‘zilla’ and ‘taluk’ panchayat polls to ensure the party's victory.

The BJP chief said he was confident of the party's victory under the leadership of Yeddyurappa and KS Eshwrappa (state unit chief).

“The results of the zilla parishad and taluk panchayats should be in such a fashion that it should serve to be a befitting reply to those who have been expressing doubts over the leadership of Yeddyurappa,” he said. — PTI 

Hyderabad, December 7
Over a week after quitting Congress, the rebel MP YS Jagan Mohan Reddy today unveiled his political plans, saying he would launch a regional party within 45 days to strive for realising the ideals of his father and former CM late YS Rajasekhar Reddy.

The details of the new party, including its name, policies and programmes, were being worked out, he said, adding “Our goal is to come to power in 2014 elections and bring back YSR’s golden rule.”

Jagan, the 38 year old industrialist-turned-politician, made the announcement while addressing a meeting of his supporters at his home town Pulivendula in Kadapa district. The first-time MP had resigned from Congress and Kadapa Lok Sabha seat after a 14-month long friction with the party leadership. He rebelled against the leadership after his claim for Chief Minister’s post was rejected.

The party high command chose senior most leader K Rosaiah for CM’spost after the death of YSR in a helicopter crash on September 2 last year. A change of guard was effected last month with the party making a deft move and choosing a YSR loyalist N Kiran Kumar Reddy to checkmate Jagan.

This had precipitated the matters leading to the exit of Jagan and his mother Vijayalakshmi who was earlier elected to the Assembly from Pulivendula, an Assembly constituency represented by her husband till his death.

Explaining the circumstances that led to his parting ways with Congress, Jagan told his supporters that the ruling party had humiliated his family and recounted how the leadership had sought to obstruct his “Odarpu Yatra” meant to console the families of those who committed suicide or died of shock after YSR’s demise. Pointing out that the entire nation was looking at the ensuing by-elections to Kadapa Lok Sabha and Pulivendula Assembly

constituencies, he described the bypolls as semi-finals and said “The 2014 general elections will be a final match. We have to work hard for the next three years to capture power. Then, there will be good governance for the next 30 years.”

Jagan accused Congress President Sonia Gandhi of using his uncle and YSR’s younger brother YS Vivekananda Reddy as “pawn” to create a wedge in the family. Vivekananda has been made a minister in the Congress government.

The young MP asserted that he had no intention of toppling the government despite having overwhelming support from party legislators. “Though 150 MLAs (out of 155) had supported my candidature (for CM’s post), I had obeyed the party’s decision and supported Rosaiah’s nomination for the post,” he claimed.

Chennai, December 7
In further embarrassment to former Telecom Minister A Raja, the Madras High Court today suspended from the bar a top lawyer who was allegedly involved in an attempt to influence a judge taking the name of the minister.

A Division Bench, comprising Justice F.M.Ibrahim Khalifulla and Justice M.M.Sundaresh, said the status of R K Chandramohan, as member and Chairman of the Bar Council of Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry, shall stand suspended forthwith.

Disposing of a petition by a lawyer, the Bench appended a portion of a letter written by a former judge of the court, Justice S Reghupati, who had reported that Chandramohan had entered his chamber last year and pleaded that the case of a father and a son, accused in a marks scandal case in Puducherry, for anticipatory bail be considered favourably as they were "family friends of a Union Minister by name Raja".

The lawyer handed over his mobile phone to the judge saying that the "Union Minister is on the line to have a talk with me".

“I discouraged such conduct of Mr Chandramohan and told him that the case would be disposed of in accordance with law, if listed before me,” Justice Reghupati had said in his letter of July 7, 2009, to the then Chief Justice of India.

Justice Reghupati, who has since retired, had in his letter, complained about Chandramohan's "outburst and uncontrollable" behaviour. — PTI

New Delhi, December 7
India is understood to have assured France that it would try to address some of its concerns relating to the civil nuclear liability law whenever a notification is issued by New Delhi to bring the Act into force.

However, it has also been made clear to Paris that there was no question of changing the basic character of the law, which was passed by the Indian Parliament after careful consideration towards the end of August, said official sources privy to discussions between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and French President Nicolas Sarkozy.

The law, which provides for Rs 1500-crore liability cap on suppliers in case of a nuclear accident, is causing a rift with French and US nuclear suppliers, who contend that the liability clause was heavily weighed against those desiring to enter the Indian civil nuclear market.

Both Paris and Washington have asked India to bring its nuclear liability law in conformity with international standards. New Delhi claims that the law is in line with international norms, enabling it to sign the Convention of Supplementary Compensation (CSC) with the IAEA. The convention, however, is yet to be ratified by India.

French nuclear giant AREVA, which yesterday signed a mega deal with the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) for building two nuclear reactors at Jaitapur in Maharashtra, has categorically told the Indian side it was awaiting the notification of liability law rules to gauge the extent of the compensation it would have to pay in case of an atomic accident in its facilities.

It is understood that while India would not amend the domestic law, individual contracts between Indian and French nuclear firms could have provisions to address French concerns over supplier liability by fixing a compensation amount.

New Delhi, December 7
The Congress today breathed easy with key ally Mamata Banerjee ruling out any differences with the government over a JPC probe into the 2G spectrum allocation scam while another ally, the DMK, left it to the government to decide.

Interestingly, the Trinamool Congress chief appeared quite supportive of the JPC probe into the matter. “Our support is totally with the Prime Minister. If the government forms a JPC, we will be happy,” agencies quoted her as saying in Kolkata before she left for Delhi.

Mamata said while she wanted the 2G spectrum scam to be discussed in the House, “under no circumstances” was her party “at loggerheads with the government”.

Congress leaders explained that statements issued by Mamata’s party were mere public posturing due to political compulsions. They said the Trinamool had a domestic constituency to cater to ahead of the Assembly polls next year

The government meanwhile continued to rule out a JPC probe even as the issue paralysed Parliament for the 18th working day. “There is no rethinking on the JPC. A JPC probe is uncalled for. It is only a political handle being used by Opposition. The allies are very much part of the government and we stand united,” Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal said while stressing that allies’ sentiments had been “eloquently expressed” by NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Monday.

Rubbishing speculation about rift in the UPA over the issue, Bansal said allies were very much part of the government. “They said we will stand united with the government”.

DMK T.R. Baalu left it to the government to decide whether or not to constitute a JPC. DMK MP A. Parliament remained paralysed for the 18th working day on Tuesday with no solution in sight to the impasse on the Opposition demand for a JPC, raising the spectre of the entire winter session going waste. 

Mumbai, December 7
French President Nicolas Sarkozy today read the riot act to Pakistan asking it to rein in terror networks and stop facilitating attacks by extremist groups in its neighbouring countries. Speaking at a function to pay tribute to the victims of the 2008 terrorist attacks, Sarkozy noted it was unacceptable that terrorist groups based in Pakistan's tribal areas were allowed to carry out attacks in Indian cities and other targets like the French troops based in Afghanistan.

"It is unacceptable that India's security can be threatened by groups of terrorists acting from neighbouring countries... It is unacceptable for Afghanistan and for our troops that the Taliban and Al-Qaeda find safe haven in the border regions of Pakistan. We know the price that the Pakistani people are paying for terrorism," Sarkozy said in his speech delivered in French.

The French President also called upon the Pakistani authorities to enhance efforts to crack down on terrorists. "But it is unacceptable for the world that terrorist acts should be masterminded and carried out by terrorist groups in Pakistan," Sarkozy said.

Extending support to the Indian government in tackling terror, Sarkozy promised that "there will be no limit to operational co-operation" in the efforts.

Sarkozy accompanied by his wife Carla Bruni, paid tributes to the victims of the terror attacks. "I want to tell you that we will never forget and will be with India so that justice is rendered," the French President said. "The Mumbai attack proved one more time that terrorism is nothing but criminal activity. It pretends to act for political or religious objectives, but it is just savagery. It pretends to serve ideals but it injures them through its acts," Sakozy said.

"For us all who are explicitly threatened by Al Qaida and its allies, it is not enough to protect ourselves from such attacks. We must find a way to prevent them from repeating themselves," Sarkozy said. The French leader, however, added that it was in everyone's interest to have a democratic, stable and prosperous Pakistan.

Guwahati, December 7
Following the release of five top leaders of the banned United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) on bail during the last six months, self-styled chairman of the outfit Arabinda Rajkhowa yesterday moved bail petition in a designated TADA court here raising hopes for peace talks between the outfit and the government.

The ULFA leader’s counsel said bail petition had been moved in the TADA court here in respect of all six TADA cases pending against Rajkhowa, who was arrested in Bangladesh along with two top leaders of the outfit Chitrabon Hazarika and Sasadhar Choudhury and handed over to the Indian authorities at Dawki border post in Meghalaya last year.

In response to the peace efforts initiated by the government, the ULFA had set a condition that its central committee members should be released to enable the group to hold its central executive body meeting to take a decision on holding dialogue with the government.

Government interlocutor PC Haldar has already met the jailed ULFA leaders as part of the spade work being done for facilitating talks with the outfit in the absence of its commander-in-chief Paresh Barua, who is at large.

So far five top ULFA leaders, including its vice-chairman Pradip Gogoi, deputy commander-in-chief Raju Barua, central publicity secretary Mithinga Daimari, cultural secretary Pranati Deka and adviser Bhimkanta Buragohain, have been released on bail after the state government did not contest their bail petitions in the interest of the peace process.

Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said peace efforts were proceeding in the right direction and hoped for talks to materialise within the next two months. He said the government could not inordinately wait for ULFA commander-in-chief Paresh Barua to begin the dialogue process with the outfit.

New Delhi, December 7
The Union Cabinet today approved the setting up of 20 Indian Institutes of Information Technology (IIITs) in the public-private partnership (PPP) mode at an outlay of Rs 2808.71 crore.

The capital cost of each IIIT will be Rs 128 crore to be contributed in the ratio of 50: 35: 15 by the Centre, the state government and the industry, respectively.

The ratio would be 57.5 : 35: 7.5 in case of North-Eastern states. Also, Rs 50 crore will be provided by the Central Government for faculty development programme for these IIITs as well as existing IIlTs and IISERs.

During the first four years, the Central Government will provide partial support towards recurring expenditure up to Rs 10 crore to each IIT, depending upon requirement.

The project is slated to start from the financial year 2011-12 with 5-10 IIITs dependingon the response of the state governments and private partners.

Each IIIT shall meet its operating expenditure within five years of commencement out of student fee, research and other internal accruals, while the concerned state government will provide 50-100 acres of land free of cost.

The move is in principle an approval for introducing the Indian Institutes of Information Technology Act, 2010. 

New Delhi, December 7
The Supreme Court today declared as “null and void” all resolutions passed by Bar Associations across the country advising lawyers not to accept cases from terrorists or others faced with serious charges of mass murder or rape.

“Every person, howsoever wicked, depraved, vile, degenerate, perverted, loathsome, execrable, vicious or repulsive he may be regarded by society, has a right to be defended in a court of law and correspondingly it is the duty of the lawyer to defend him,” a Bench comprising Justices Markandey Katju and Gyan Sudha Misra ruled.

“Professional ethics requires that a lawyer cannot refuse a brief, provided a client is willing to pay his fee and the lawyer is not otherwise engaged,” the Bench held.

The action of any Bar Association in passing such a resolution that none of its members would appear for a particular accused on the ground that he was a policeman charged with attacking lawyers, a suspected terrorist, rapist or a mass murderer “is against all norms of the Constitution, the Statute and professional ethics,” the apex court held.

“It is against the great traditions of the Bar that has always stood up for defending persons accused for a crime. Such a resolution is, in fact, a disgrace to the legal community. We declare that all such resolutions of Bar Associations in India as null and void.”

The Bench further advised the lawyers to ignore and defy such resolutions “if they want democracy and rule of law to be upheld in this country. It is the duty of a lawyer to defend no matter what the consequences, and a lawyer who refuses to do so is not following the message of the Gita.”

The ruling assumes significance in the light of the difficulties faced by Ajmal Kasab, the lone surviving Pakistani terrorist involved in the November 26, 2008, attack on Mumbai, in hiring a lawyer to defend himself in the trial court. However, the Bench issued the order while disposing of an appeal in connection with a resolution passed by the Bar Association of Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, asking its members not to defend some accused policemen.

New Delhi, December 7
Amid reports that India will participate in the ceremony to present Nobel Peace Prize to Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobao in Oslo on Friday, New Delhi today announced that Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao will visit this country next week.

News reports from Oslo quoted Torill Joahnsen, Secretary in the Nobel Committee Staff, as saying that India was among 44 countries which had confirmed participation in the ceremony. China, dubbing Xiaobao as a criminal, had told different governments that it would certainly not like them to attend the ceremony to honour a Chinese dissident.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), however, declined to confirm or deny the reports from Oslo. “What is the hurry… wait till Friday when the ceremony is scheduled to take place,” official sources said. The ceremony in Oslo will take place barely five days before the Chinese Premier lands in New Delhi on a State visit on December 15. It is to be seen how Beijing will react now.

Wen’s three-day visit comes at a time when Sino-Indian relations are passing through a rough patch in view of a host of unsavoury developments. For the past two years, China has been issuing visas to Indian residents of Jammu and Kashmir on stapled sheets and not on their passports, thereby questioning the status of the border state. New Delhi has taken up the issue with China time and again in recent months but all its pleas have so far fallen on deaf ears in Beijing. In July, China denied visa to a top Indian Army General who was commanding the Indian forces in Jammu and Kashmir. This agitated India no end, forcing it to put all defence exchanges with China on hold. India has also been concerned over the presence of a large number of Chinese troops in PoK. 

Cancun, December 7
Maintaining that the response of the US to climate change is “disappointing”, Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh today appealed America to better its emission reduce commitment before it was too late for the global community. Ramesh expressed concern about the US offer to reduce carbon emissions by 17 per cent from 2005 levels by 2020, which he said worked out to a 4 pc reduction on 1990 reference level used by Kyoto Protocol parties.

He further said due to absence of domestic legislation, executive action could only achieve 14 per cent reduction by 2020 on 2005 level, which translates to zero per cent reduction of carbon emissions on 1990 levels.

“By any standard the US offer on emission reduction for 2020 is deeply disappointing,” he said. “It’s one thing being ambitious for 2050 when all of us will be dead but the real issue is... are you going to be held accountable for 2020 mid term targets are very essential.” Under the US plan, it will reduce its carbon emissions by 80 per cent from 2005 levels by 2050.

“We would certainly expect the United States to better its emission reduce commitment as well as its offer on finance-start finance,” Ramesh said, pointing out that the offer of $1.7 billion, which he said “did no justice to the world’s preeminent economic power.”

Meanwhile, Todd Stern, the US envoy to the UN, said that his country could only implement its 17 per cent pledge with a “legislative component.” — PTI