New Delhi, June 1
India today committed itself to build the capabilities of the Afghanistan security forces and continue training its security personnel.

Indian Defence Minister AK Antony said this here to General Abdul Rahim Wardak, minister of national defence of Afghanistan.

As per the stated policy, US President Barack Obama is planning to start a gradual drawdown of the US troops in Afghanistan from July, which has raised questions on the future security scenario.

The Indian commitment comes just three weeks after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh pledged an additional $500 million on a recent visit to Kabul. This was in addition to the $1.5 billion investment already made on roads, health and power.

The Afghan minister is on a three-day visit to India. During the delegation level talks, Antony said as a long-standing friend of the Afghanistan, India remains fully committed to support the country in its reconstruction and development efforts, a Defence Ministry release said. “India is committed to building the capabilities of the Afghan security forces in accordance with the priorities of the Afghanistan Government,” Antony told Wardak at the meeting.

Antony said India attaches high importance to bilateral relations with Afghanistan, as is evident from the multi-faceted relationship between the two sides.

Earlier this morning Wardak told reporters that Afghanistan aims to establish closer defence ties with India and will welcome any cooperation from it in training of its security forces.

He was asked about the nature of help Afghanistan has sought from India in areas of security and defence. India is at present training about 100 Afghanistan officers and non-commissioned officers in India.

“The Afghanistan army is keen that we should be training Afghanistan security forces but Pakistan is against it. India has recently started training the Afghanistan National Police, particularly two women battalions.

Wardak, also expressed keenness to buy India military equipment.

“In the future, we will have a better picture but there is a genuine interest in securing our national defences,” he added when asked on the possibilities of buying Indian military equipment.

Sources said Afghanistan has been keen to establish a security relationship with India, however, New Delhi is cautious due to the presence of international forces in Afghanistan.

There have been periodic exchanges between the Armed Forces of the two countries since General Wardak last visited India in April 2008.

India has also posted army officers to Afghanistan to teach basic English language skills to Afghan army officers, besides military doctors to work in hospitals in Kandahar.

New Delhi, June 1
Union Textiles Minister Dayanidhi Maran denied today reports of him favouring any company or the favoured company investing in his family firm the Sun TV network.

A news magazine has alleged that as Telecom Minister in UPA-I government, till he fell foul of his grand uncle and DMK leader M Karunanidhi in 2007, Maran favoured a Malaysian company Maxis which bought stakes in Aircel mobile company and invested in Sun TV network as a quid pro quo for favouring Maxis/Aircel.

Maran stated, “No telecom company had ever invested directly or indirectly in any of the companies owned by my brother during my tenure as Telecom minister.” He pointed out, “I was not even a Minister, when M/s Astro invested in Sun Direct in December 2007 as I had resigned on May 13, 2007. Needless to say, I own no shares or any fiduciary interest in any of these companies.”

Explaining the background of licence to Aircel he stated, “In so far as the issue of grant of UASL licence to Dishnet Wireless Limited (Aircel) is concerned, as far as I could recall, even before I joined as Minister of Communications and IT, on May 27, 2004, there were serious queries relating to funding potential of the company, its net worth and debt-equity ratio by the Department of Telecommunications and the application was under examination even before I became the Minister.”

Maran said, “I vouch that during my tenure as Minister of Communications and IT, I was totally impartial in taking decisions. I have not favoured any company over others. Neither any applicant company was allowed to jump the queue in grant of UASL licences nor was there any loss to the exchequer. Only companies fulfilling all the required conditions were given LOIs in their own turn. Even CAG has not mentioned any loss to the exchequer on account of issue of licences during my tenure.”

Immediately before issuing this statement, Maran met Union Communications Minister Kapil Sibal. On Monday, the day this news broke out, he met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to explain his position.

Significantly, while the BJP immediately charged him with corruption and scam, the Congress party has left Maran to fend for himself. After the embarrassment faced on account of the involvement of the first family of DMK in the 2G scam, the Congress is reluctant to stick its neck out.

New Delhi, June 1
The Supreme Court today reserved its verdict on two petitions filed by Sikkim High Court Chief Justice PD Dinakaran challenging the inclusion of senior counsel PP Rao in the Rajya Sabha-appointed inquiry panel and the procedure adopted by the panel to probe the allegations of corruption and land encroachment as part of the impeachment proceedings for his removal.

A vacation Bench of Justices GS Singhvi and CK Prasad passed an order reserving the judgment at the conclusion of arguments. The proceedings of the three-member panel, headed by SC Judge Aftab Alam, will continue to remain stayed at least until next month when the Bench, which had its last sitting today, is expected to deliver the verdict at the end of the summer holidays. From tomorrow, another vacation Bench will hear urgent cases.

Another SC Bench had stayed the proceedings on April 29, observing that justice should not only be done but seen to be done. The Bench had made the observation after Justice Dinakaran argued that Rao had campaigned against his proposed elevation to the SC.

Summing up the contentions of Justice Dinakaran, senior counsel Amarendra Sharan said the inordinate delay in the inquiry being conducted by the panel, known as the Judges Inquiry Committee (JIC), had effectively stalled the elevation of his client who would retire in May next year.

The JIC had taken about 16 months to conduct a “fishing and roving” inquiry against his client before framing charges for which there was no provision in the Judges Inquiry Act, 1968. All these months, his client had suffered every day in several ways, including the media trial, besides losing the opportunity of being promoted to the SC.

After taking such a long time to conduct its inquiry, the panel gave just two days for his client to reply to the charges that ran into over 6,300 pages. When the accused Judge expressed his inability to file his response to the voluminous documents in such a short time, he was being accused of adopting dilatory tactics. “This is not fair,” Sharan contended.

The panel had not given any reason for taking 16 months to conduct its inquiry by adopting procedures which had no sanction under the relevant law, Sharan said.

Dagshai, June 1
Overcoming the double trauma of losing their father in war and later their mother to the fury of nature, two young girls from Leh have set out to touch the sky. With the Army opening for them a world of opportunities, one now wants to be an Air Force pilot and the other a cardiologist.

Tsewang and Kunsang, studying in classes IX and VII, respectively, at the Army Public School here lost their father Sep Paskar Tander, who was serving with the Ladakh Scouts, during the Kargil conflict in 1999. The devastating cloudburst that hit Leh last year claimed the lives of their mother, stepfather and stepbrother.

They were just four and two-year-old, respectively, when they lost their father. Unable to make both ends meet, their young mother married the younger brother of her late husband. It was as challenging and hard a life as is the ruggedness of the Ladakh range of mountains in the shadow of which they were growing up. Only their aged grandparents are now left.

Even as they have found a second home, memories of the tragedy have not left the two orphaned sisters as was borne out by their sobs and stoic silence. After miraculously escaping the gushing waters and muck that swept away the girls’ family, they were put up in a hostel near Leh, faced with uncertain and grim future.

When the Ladakh Scouts learnt of their plight, the Army adopted the girls and got them admitted to the Army Public School in October last year and they have been studying here since then. Initial loneliness and hesitation soon gave way to fostering new friendships and picking up the threads of their lives to forge a firm course ahead.

Though away from their native place, both of them are adjusting to their new lives so vastly different to the ones they had led before. Sports, studies and extracurricular activities of the school keep them busy and happy. The Commanding Officer of a Ladakh Scouts unit based at Chandimandir and his wife have been nominated by the Army as their are “foster parents” to take care of their needs.

Interestingly, even the schoolteachers learnt about the Army adopting them only today, when they were felicitated by the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Command, Lt-Gen SR Gosh today. Among other gifts, they were presented a digital camera so that they could take pictures of their school and friends to show to their friends and relatives when they go back home during holidays.

New Delhi, June 1
Former Uttarakhand Chief Minister ND Tiwari today failed to turn up at the Delhi High Court dispensary for giving his blood sample for a DNA test to ascertain the claim of 31-year-old Rohit Shekhar that he was biological son of the veteran Congress leader.

In fact, Tiwari’s counsel argued that the court could not force his client to give his blood sample. “Nobody can be pressurised to give evidence in this manner,” he told the high court, seeking exemption for his client from giving blood sample as well as personal appearance.

Tiwari made the contention despite the fact that the Supreme Court had made it clear on March 18 that the Congress leader should subject himself to the DNA test in view of his age (85). In the event of something happening to him, Rohit would be left with nothing to prove his claim that he was born out of a relationship Tiwari had with his mother Ujjawala Sharma, the SC had explained.

Following the SC ruling, the HC had directed Tiwari, Rohit and Ujjawala on May 10 to give their blood samples today. In view of Tiwari’s plea today, the Joint Registrar of the HC referred the matter to the regular court which would hear the matter on July 7.

Opposing Tiwari’s plea, Rohit’s counsel argued it was nothing but an attempt by the Congress leader to avoid getting subjected to the DNA test by using unfair methods.

Though Tiwari did not keep his date with the HC, he deposited the fine of Rs 25,000 imposed on him for filing a frivolous application seeking deletion of some points raised in Rohit’s paternity suit.

In the absence of Tiwari, the blood samples of Rohit and 66-year-old Ujjawala were also not collected though both of them were present in the court of the Joint Registrar.

“It is a disappointing, shocking and very painful day,” Rohit told The Tribune after the 45-minute hearing. Tiwari was travelling to several places till May 28 and as such it was unfair of him to plead his inability to turn up for the test on account of ill health, Rohit said.

Lucknow, June 1
The Pilibhit court’s decision to file a chargesheet in criminal cases against fire brand BJP MP Varun Gandhi days before the party’s three-day national executive beginning on June 3 has cast its shadow over the crucial meet.

On May 30, while hearing Varun Gandhi's 2009 hate speech case, the Pilibhit CJM ordered framing of charges against Varun. Fixing July 6, 2011 as the next date for hearing, the CJM has ordered the prosecution to produce witnesses in the case.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, a senior BJP leader said that this was bound to affect the meet where the party was to chalk out its strategy for the 2012 Assembly election.

The case of Varun’s reported inflammatory speeches against the Sikhs and Muslims has reopened at a time when the BJP is trying hard to widen its vote bank amongst the minorities by setting aside its communal image, said the leader.

The BJP may well have to rethink its strategy of projecting Varun as a youth icon of the party to counter his cousin Rahul Gandhi.

New Delhi, June 1
After Anna Hazare’s fast-unto-death movement, the stage is set for another big campaign against corruption and black money in the National Capital.

Followers of yoga guru Baba Ramdev are working day and night at the Ramlila ground here to get everything in place at the huge “pandal” covering 2.5 lakh sq ft area to be used for the “yog shivir-cum-satyagrah” movement scheduled to begin from June 4.

However, the Delhi Police has withheld permission to Baba Ramdev to hold protest and fast-unto-death at the Ramlila ground and the Jantar Mantar. The baba, however, said they did not require approvals for eating or not eating food. “We will hold our yoga sessions during which we will fast throughout the day. We do not need government’s permission to eat or not to eat food,” said Baba Ramdev while talking to reporters.

Arrangements are being made to run the campaign for around a month. The chief managers at the site said people from all over the country would join the movement on June 4 and their registration would start from June 3.

As of now, more than 50 lakh people have joined the campaign through mobile phone and the number was expected to reach one crore on June 4, Ramdev said. “The movement will start in 624 big and small districts of the country simultaneously on June 4. We will continue till the government not only gives us assurance on our demands, but also starts working towards making constitutional amendments,” he said.

Around 650 temporary toilets have been erected for the public of which 30 to 40 per cent have been reserved for women. “As of now, only 650 bathrooms have been put in place. However, now we are expecting much more people, so the number will be increased to 900,” said Dr Jaideep Arya, chief party official. Around, one lakh litre water will be arranged for the visitors.

More than 1,000 volunteers are manning the huge “pandal” covering 2.5 lakh sq ft area. The pandal will have the capacity to accommodate over one lakh people, according to Dr Arya.

Around 50 LCD screens and projectors have been installed with more than 100 CCTV cameras keeping tabs on the visitors. Around 200 doctors will be on duty at the camp. The “pandal” will also have an air-conditioned ICU provided by the Delhi Medical Council and 50 ambulances to work round the clock at the site.

Asked about the total expenditure being done on the arrangements, Arya said it was all sponsored. “We are not being made to spend at all. People have sponsored each and everything at the camp,” said Arya.

New Delhi, June 1
Former organisation general secretary of BJP KN Govindacharya, a veteran RSS swayamsevak, guided and aided Baba Ramdev and even helped the Anna Hazare movement against corruption, with the objective of targeting Sonia Gandhi.

He said as much in an exclusive interaction with The Tribune. Baba Ramdev will sit on a fast from June 1 to bring back black money and all government efforts to dissuade him have failed so far, while Anna Hazare who sat on a similar fast against corruption seeking a Jan Lokpal Bill, is currently on a collision course with the Government.

Govindacharya who took a sabbatical when the NDA Government was in power, has been working independently for last couple of years after completing his studies, on programmes like Ganga, Gau (cow) and political morality, of great appeal to the RSS.

Criticising the course adopted by India Against Corruption of Anna Hazare and Arvind Kejriwal, the former RSS pracharak explained: “Fight against corruption cannot be in abstract terms. It has to have a face. Targets should be clear.” Was he targeting Sonia Gandhi? “In a way,” he smiled and said when asked.

Govind mentioned how Ramdev drew not just intellectual inspiration from his movements but even the name of the yoga guru’s outfit, variously called the Bharat Swabhiman Manch or Bharat Swabhiman Andolan, seems influenced by Govind’s platform called Rashtriya Swabhiman Andolan (RSA) working against “Accumulation of illegal wealth, corruption and seeking systemic and tax reforms.”

Govind recalls that in 2009 he brought together smaller political parties and pro-Bharat, pro-poor groups committed to decentralisation and morality in public life like BJS of Uma Bharti, Mahagujarat Janata Parishad of former Gujarat Home Minister Gordhan Zadaphiya, and Subramaniam Swamy’s Janata Party.

Meanwhile, Govind said, Ramdev started moving from yoga to ayurveda to facts of daily life like the affliction of corruption and by 2010 started talking of political intervention. Govindacharya provided the first platform to him at Gulbarga in Karnataka.

There Ramdev witnessed Govindacharya’s ability to mobilise crowds and the two started working together.

Bangalore, June 1
The Indian Space Research Organisation workhorse PSLV (polar satellite launch vehicle) will launch 12 foreign satellites in the orbit during the next two years.

An ISRO official said this here today in a press meeting attended by organisation chairman K Radhakrishnan, former ISRO chairmen UR Rao and Madhavan Nair, space commission member R Narasimhan and directors of various ISRO centres.

The 12 foreign satellites included four from Canada, two from Indonesia and two from Germany, the official said.

He, however, said only one of the 12 satellites would be the “main mission satellite” during the launch. The remaining 11 satellites were of the micro satellite and nano satellite category and would ride “piggyback” during other important satellite launches.

Hyderabad, June 1
For North Indian pilgrims visiting the popular Tirumala temple in Andhra Pradesh, here is some good news. The sought-after North Indian cuisine like roti-sabzi and roti-dal will be added to the temple menu very soon. Apart from the regular South Indian rice dishes, the temple authorities have decided to provide roti, sabzi and dal to the devotees free of cost at the Annadanam complex.

“Based on a feedback, we have decided to introduce roti, sabzi and dal as part of the free meal package offered in the Annadanam complex,” said IYR Krishna Rao, Executive Officer of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD), an autonomous body managing the affairs of the country’s richest temple.

The popular hill shrine, the abode of Lord Venkateswara, attracts about 50,000 pilgrims per day and the number crosses 1 lakh on weekends and special occasions. It is estimated that nearly 40 per cent of the pilgrims are from North India.

A massive roti-making machine, which can churn out 2,000 crisp rotis per hour, was inaugurated at the temple complex today. “We had sent a team of officials to the Golden Temple in Amritsar to observe the functioning of the roti machine there. The new machine has been brought from Coimbattore which has the capacity to prepare 2,000 rotis per hour. Today, the rotis will be served at employees’ canteen and at Padmavathi Guest House Canteen. From tomorrow, they will be served to pilgrims,” the TTD official said.

The new Annadanam complex will be inaugurated by President Pratibha Patil on July 7. At present, huge quantities of rice and dal are cooked using solar power. The TTD had launched the free meal scheme in 1984 in a small way, funded through donations. Today, the corpus of the scheme is over Rs 300 crore and the interest earned comes to about Rs 35 crore. The 24x7 meals scheme costs the TTD Rs 40 crore a year.