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Joshi owns up to 2007 letter to PM
Lokayukta puts another UP minister on notice
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Parliamentary panel turns down enemy property Bill Outrage over killing of Mumbai men who fought eve-teasers
Yeddyurappa gets bail in graft case
PC meets Gogoi, reviews security
DRDO unit starts producing infrared seeker for Nag missile
India, Japan set to bolster military ties
Mumbai only for Marathis: Thackeray
WB Govt gets notice in infant death case
HC extends stay on Singur land return
Sibal wants social audit of IIMs every three years
Pondy MLA booked on assault charge
RPSF man from Patiala held with illegal arms
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Joshi owns up to 2007 letter to PM
New Delhi, November 3 Addressing the media today, Joshi touched upon all kinds of subjects ranging from the March 2011 finance ministry note to the PMO raising an insinuating finger at former Finance Minister P Chidambaram to the nation’s defence preparedness, but made no mention of this letter. Replying to persistent questions by media, he denied advocating against auction and expressed support for level playing field for ‘genuine players’. Joshi’s letter was contrary to his claims. In the confidential letter to the PM, Joshi had stated, “Some operators have suggested that the Spectrum should be auctioned which means that there could be a case of hoarding and cartelization to the detriment of MTNL and BSNL.” Further down, he wrote, “I would therefore request you to protect the interests of our PSUs and those of the genuine players. Perhaps this can be achieved by ensuring a level playing field through a licensing policy which earns revenue to the government, unearths the excess
Spectrum being used without meeting social obligations and protects the interests of PSUs, allows new players and permits the allocation under a technology neutral licence…” He told newsmen today, “I did not oppose the auction. I was only warning the government against the tendency of cartels to not allow increase of tele-density in far off rural
areas and suggested that there should be a level playing field”. But in this letter written barely a month before
the distribution of licences to 122 new players, Joshi, the then chairman of Standing Committee on Commerce, nowhere seeks an auction and in effect speaks against competition. The entire force of criticism of the then Telecom Minister A Raja is that he did not auction and instead sold the licences to 122 new players on a ‘first come, first serve’ basis. This is the force of argument of BJP and rest of the Opposition. The CAG too argued in its report that because Raja did not auction the Spectrum he caused a loss of Rs 1.76 lakh crore to the national exchequer. Agreeing with this general presumption the PAC took up the issue and Joshi came out with his controversial unilateral report indicting Chidambaram as well in the 2G scam.
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Lokayukta puts another UP minister on notice
Lucknow, November 3 The minister, who represents Babina Assembly segment of Jhansi, has been asked to respond to the Lokayukta’s notice by November 14. Speaking to the media, Justice Mehrotra admitted that Jhansi District Magistrate Anil Garg had confirmed receiving the complaint
of land-grabbing against the minister in his preliminary investigation. The Lokayukta has dispatched the District Magistrate’s report along with his preliminary report to Chief Minister Mayawati. The complaint against Ahirwar was filed by a Jhansi resident through an affidavit in which he levelled many charges against the minister, including granting of funds to the tune of Rs 25 lakh from the MLA Fund to a school run by the minister’s family. The school is not recognised by the state education board. Another complaint pertains to grabbing of Gram Sabha land to build the school hostel and laboratories. The DM’s report confirmed that another Rs 9 lakh from
the Bundelkhand Development Fund was also diverted to the school. The Lokayukta is probing complaints against five
other ministers of the Mayawati government. The other ministers facing corruption charges are Parliamentary Affairs Minister Lalji Verma, Agriculture Minister Laxmi Narain, Energy Minister Ramveer Upadhyaya, Higher Education Minister Rakesh Dhar Tripathi and Horticulture Minister Narain Singh. According to Justice Mehrotra, complaints were pending against 10 MLAs and chairmen of six corporations. Culture Minister Subhash Pandey and BJP MLA Moti Singh have been absolved of the charges. Four ministers, including Rajesh Tripathi, Awadhpal Singh, Rangnath Mishra and Badshah Singh, were removed from the ministry after being indicted by
the Lokayukta. misappropriation and land grab
Ahirwar has been asked to respond to complaints made against him regarding misuse of MLA Fund, misappropriation of the Bundelkhand Development Fund and large-scale grabbing of Gram Sabha land. The minister, who represents Babina Assembly segment of Jhansi, has been asked to respond to the Lokayukta’s notice by November 14. Speaking to the media, Justice Mehrotra admitted that Jhansi District Magistrate Anil Garg had confirmed receiving the complaint of land-grabbing against the minister in his preliminary investigation.
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Parliamentary panel turns down enemy property Bill New Delhi, November 3 The multi-party committee headed by BJP leader Venkaiah Naidu, recommended that “the government may withdraw the present Bill (Enemy Property Amendment & Validation Second Bill, 2010) and bring forward a fresh Bill after incorporating views and observations of the committee”. The existing Enemy Property Act, 1968, says “no India-born legal heirs to properties left behind by those who migrated to Pakistan after Partition, can approach the courts”. The amendment was to permit them to claim such properties, if they proved their status to the government. The committee’s report, submitted to Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari today, said it “strongly feels” that the enemy properties worth crores of rupees should not go into the hands of those who do not have any legitimate claim over them. The issue heated up last year when the government wanted to make an amendment to the law to prevent Indian family members of those who migrated to Pakistan from going to the court to regain possession of the properties of their forefathers that had been seized as “enemy property”. Notably Raja Mohammed Amir Ahmad Khan won a long battle in the Supreme Court over a property worth Rs 20,000 crore. The Home Ministry in July 2010 issued an ordinance blocking all legal heirs from going to the court to reclaim enemy properties. The Enemy Property (Amendment & Validation) Ordinance, 2010, was promulgated on July 2, 2010, to amend the Enemy Property Act, 1968. The Enemy Property (Amendment & Validation) Bill, 2010, was introduced in the Lok Sabha on August 2, 2010 to replace the ordinance. However, the Bill could not be passed and the Ordinance also lapsed. Thereafter, the Bill was withdrawn on November 15, 2010, and a new Bill - the Enemy Property (Amendment & Validation) Second Bill, 2010, was introduced on the same day. The matter was referred to the parliamentary committee in December last year. enemy properties Through an Act in 1968, the government had declared the properties left behind by people who migrated to Pakistan during Partition as “enemy properties” and taken over 2,200 such properties. The Enemy Property (Amendment & Validation) Ordinance, 2010, was promulgated on July 2, 2010, to amend the Enemy Property Act, 1968. The Enemy Property (Amendment & Validation) Bill, 2010, was introduced in the Lok Sabha on August 2, 2010 to replace the ordinance.
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Outrage over killing of Mumbai men who fought eve-teasers Mumbai, November 3 A night out in Mumbai turned fatal for Keenan Santos, 25, and Rueben Fernandes, 28, when they tried to defend their female friends from eve teasers. The group of seven, including three girls, had gone to watch the India-England ODI at a restaurant in suburban Amboli on October 20. Shortly after dinner the group stepped out for ‘paan’. Four men from the area brushed past the girls sparking off an altercation. In their statement to the police, the friends said they slapped the men for misbehaving with the women. The goons left but returned within minutes with a group of men armed with knives and cricket wickets. In the brutal attack that followed, Reuben, who was currently unemployed, and Keenan, a former chef in a hotel, were stabbed in the abdomen. Keenan lay on the street, his intestines spilling out. Reuben too was seriously injured. Both were rushed to the Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital where Keenan was declared dead. Reuben died after an 11-day battle on October 31. Reuben's brother Benjamin and their friend Avinash Solanki also received injuries. The police arrested four men, Jitendra Rana, 25, Sunil Bote, 20, Satish Dulgaj, 35 and Deepak Tival, 19. "We are on the lookout for four more men who participated in the attack," says VD Bhoite, a senior inspector at the DN Nagar police station. However, over two weeks after the attack, the other assailants haven't been apprehended though residents have told local newspapers that all of them are known to be troublesome characters in the area. Officials from the local police station are also accused of protecting some of the men who allegedly carried out the attack, as they happen to be police informers. "The police are not protecting anyone. If someone is found involved in a crime, action will be taken against him regardless of his status," asserts Inspector Bhoite. Meanwhile, residents' groups have announced protests demanding that the accused be tried in fast-track courts while the friends of the victims have set up online fora to demand justice. At a meeting organised at a local school, angry citizens demanded that the government set up a fast-track court to try the murderers. "If the matter is delayed for years, the accused will walk out of jail as we have seen in other murder cases," says Michael D'Souza a local resident who participated at the meeting. Celebrities are echoing the views of citizens like Michael. “Why can’t our legal system fast-track these cases? Isn’t it in everyone’s best interest to conduct a swift trial?” said DJ and MTV anchor Nikhil Chinapa. The sense of outrage is also evident online where campaigns for justice to the victims have cropped up. A group on Facebook called ‘Keenan Santos’ set up by Reuben’s brother Benjamin and another friend Querida Fernandes has more than 45,000 members. Another group called the Zero Tolerance Campaign set up following the incident condemns eve-teasing. "The approach to the issue of eve teasing has always been a casual one. Every woman in Mumbai has been groped or touched inappropriately at some point in time. So much so, that they are now silently bearing this humiliation as a fact of life. It is the 'pink elephant' in the room that no one wants to talk about," writes Maitreyee Avachat who set up the group. Testing times for kin
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Team Anna meets House panel, suggests changes in Lokpal Bill New Delhi, November 3 The team said while it was open to bringing in Constitutional amendments, there should be no delay in implementing them in the states. Team Anna members Shanti Bhushan, Prashant Bhushan, Kiran Bedi and Arvind Kejriwal appeared before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Personnel and Law and Justice and suggested 34 amendments to government's version of the proposed Bill. "We had a very good and positive meeting with the Standing Committee in which we explained the amendments we are seeking in the government's Lokpal Bill," Prashant told reporters after the meeting. He said all the provisions that Team Anna had suggested in the Lokayuktas, have been incorporated by the Uttarakhand Assembly in their Bill. "We explained all the reasons for seeking the amendments in the government's Bill," he said, adding that they will face questions from the committee members tomorrow when Anna Hazare is also expected to be present. — PTI anna may end maun vrat Anna Hazare on Thursday left his village Ralegan Siddhi for New Delhi where he is expected to end his vow of silence and attend the meeting of the Standing Committee on the issue of Lokpal Bill on Friday. "Hazare left the village around 3 pm after meeting Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and RPI leader Ramdas Athawale," Hazare's associate Datta Awari said. kejriwal returns dues Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday returned over Rs 9 lakh in dues to settle the issue of his resignation from the IRS, insisting that he was doing so in protest and it does not mean he has accepted any mistake. Kejriwal sent a cheque of Rs 9,27,787 along with a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, asking him not to "trouble" his six friends, including Magsaysay winner Harish Hande, who had given him an interest-free loan to settle his dues.
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Yeddyurappa gets bail in graft case
Bangalore, November 3 Even as Yeddyurappa got relief in the third complaint in which he has been accused of denotifying government land for personal gains, the verdict tomorrow on the fourth on similar allegtion will decide whether he will walk free from judicial custody to which he has been remanded since Oct 15. Justice Pinto said criminal jurisprudence principles would not go to the extent of denying a person the right to personal liberty on the basis of allegations levelled against him, while ordering conditional bail to Yeddyurappa who has been directed to furnish a surety for Rs five lakh and not to destroy evidence. The judge said it was too early to decide if Yeddyurappa was guilty as the credence of documents submitted to the court was yet to be proved. The order on bail plea of former minister SN Krishnaiah Shetty, arrested along with Yeddyurappa, has also been reserved for tomorrow.
— PTI
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Fighting spirit keeps this paddler going
New Delhi, November 3 She arrived on October 18 to become the first woman to paddleboard 700 miles along the Ganges and raise funds to promote cervical cancer prevention in India where the malady kills most women worldwide. She says it would be her last big journey, and she wants to make it count. “No one should die of cervical cancer,” 45-year-old Baldwin told The Tribune today while on her Varanasi-bound journey that commenced from Rishikesh. She calls the expedition “Starry Ganga” and planned it two months ago after her metastatic cervical cancer returned for a third time following earlier rounds “I see this idea as an opportunity to raise awareness about the cancer I have and which kills 2,50,000 women a year worldwide. It’s not so much a want but something I feel I must do,” Baldwin, a single mother of three, says. Asked why she chose the Ganges for the mission, the New Mexico resident replies, “I first came to India when I was 19 and worked with Mother Teresa. I fell in love with its culture. This time, the Ganges called me back. It gives me peace. The only time I am not in pain is when I am paddling here.” Baldwin wants to raise one lakh dollars for a global initiative against the human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and for cervical cancer screening by a US-based body in India. Shobha Krishnan, founder of the initiative, said, “I cautioned Michele on her weak immune system, but nothing seems to cast her away. She swam in the river the day she began the mission. She even got a water-proof dress, a kind of a conservative outfit that makes her look more Indian than most Indians.” Also trained as a nurse, Baldwin has been paddling a 12.5-foot custom inflatable board weighing 30 pounds. The board has a ‘yoga’ block where she rests and meditates when she gets tired. Accompanying Baldwin is Nat Stone, cameraman-navigator, who has rowed, paddled, or sculled 10,000 miles solo from the Mississippi to the Mekong in Laos. “We are paddling 25 miles a day in two four-hour sessions and carrying our own food and supplies. At night, we camp along the river banks,” she says. Some donation has already come though Baldwin has not had the time to keep an account of it. “We will count the funds we’ve raised when we are done with the journey,” she says. Baldwin, a Buddhist, also got river boots for her mission after someone told her the Ganges had several species of snakes. “She said the boots would keep her safe,” Krishnan adds while Baldwin recounts how she failed to get a Pap test done for 10 years and then missed out on noticing the symptoms of cancer. This summer, her condition had advanced to where her doctors told her no further treatment was possible. So she went back to her tryst with the river. “I noticed here how hours would go by without
one thought of cancer. That’s how the idea of Starry Ganga came,” Baldwin says.
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PC meets Gogoi, reviews security
Guwahati, November 3 State Chief Secretary NK Das, Home Commissioner J Baruah, DGP Sankar Barua and other senior security officials accompanied Gogoi in the security review meeting. Emerging from the hour-long meeting, Gogoi said discussions were held on the progress of peace initiatives with different outfits like the ULFA, NDFB (both the factions) and about the Maoists trying to strike roots in the state. “The Home Minister stressed on development along the inter-state border areas, where the Maoists are trying to gain a foothold. We have to nip the problem in the bud and development can counter the Maoist propaganda,” Gogoi said. He said the state government has sought additional central forces to tackle the Maoist threat. “Chidambaram said it was not possible to send extra troops immediately. But he has assured of looking into it,” Gogoi added. According to Gogoi, the Home Minister laid stress on expeditious end to the long-continuing talks with various outfits. Chidambaram has asked the state government to give its report on how sincere are the anti-talks faction of the NDFB led by Ranjan Daimary in starting the peace negotiations. “The Centre will send its interlocutor to start the peace process with the NDFB’s anti-talks faction depending on the latter’s sincerity,” Gogoi said. Today’s security review meeting assumed significance in the backdrop of the anti-talks faction of the ULFA issuing fresh threat to strike terror in the state by targeting security forces and politicians. There has been intelligence inputs about the CPI (Maoists) trying to gain foothold in parts of eastern Assam and neighbouring areas in Arunachal
Pradesh.
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DRDO unit starts producing infrared seeker for Nag missile
Hyderabad, November 3 The state-of-the-art IIR Seeker is used for guiding the missile and giving it “fire and forget capability”. The first lot of IIR Seekers was rolled out at BDL’s Hyderabad unit. With the production of the IIR Seekers, BDL has joined an elite group of companies across the globe engaged in the production of the Seekers. “BDL is the first in the country with the requisite skills. The first lot of IIR Seekers made by BDL was handed over to DRDL director P Venugopalan by BDL chairman and managing director Maj Gen Ravi Khetarpal,” a release issued said here. The IIR Seekers for Nag missile have been designed for a range of four km while the seekers of similar anti-tank missiles of USA and Israel have a two-km range. The Seekers will be used for the forthcoming developmental trials of helicopter-launched Nag (HELINA), the aerial variant of Nag missile being developed by the DRDO. The technology for the Seeker was developed by the Research Centre Imarat (RCI), one of the key laboratories of
the DRDO and transferred it to BDL. Nag missile system has successfully completed its final validation trials and is expected to be inducted into the Army in 2013. The BDL has created the required facilities for assembly, integration, testing at high and low temperatures and also the simulation of the movement of the missile with the IIR Seeker. Military muscle
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India, Japan set to
bolster military ties New Delhi, November 3 The two nations, both not on the best of terms with China, moved closer to each other and decided to cement their military ties. They listed a series of defence exchanges and also a first-ever bilateral exercise involving naval warships. The two countries have forged defence ties recently and have been making conscious efforts to work closely with each other. The broad spectrum of issues to be discussed at the meeting last night included maritime security, anti-piracy measures, freedom of navigation and maintaining the security of the Sea Lanes of Communication. Defence Ministry spokesperson Sitanshu Kar said both sides recognised the importance of sea lanes and decided to “actively pursue consultations and cooperation in the field of maritime security, both bilaterally and in association with other countries in the region”. The issue of “unhindered trade” stems from the incident of INS Airavaat that was warned against venturing there by a radio communication believed to be from China. The warship was on port-call to a city in Vietnam. Beijing claims total rights over the South China Sea, which is disputed by countries like Vietnam. Antony’s statement is significant as Japan also has faced maritime disputes with China in the East China Sea, with navigation there being a major issue of contention. Though he did not name China, Antony’s statement was significant saying “India supports freedom of navigation in international waters and the rights of passage in accordance with accepted principles of international law, including the United Nations Convention of the Law of the Sea UNCLOS. These principles should be respected by all”. Antony said the India-Japan defence cooperation “is geared towards peace and prosperity of the region and is transparent”. The Japanese Defence Minister will visit India early next year and both sides will implement the Japan-India Defence Policy Dialogue in Tokyo, also early next year. The two countries will have the first staff exchanges between their air forces in 2012. In the same year, warships of both nations will make mutual visits and Japanese naval aircraft will visit India. Bilateral exercises will be carried out on these occasions. There will be cadet exchanges between the national defence academies of Japan and India. The two sides will also implement exchange of ideas aimed at concrete collaboration, such as joint training for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.
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Distorted map New Delhi, November 3 The occasion was a business meet organised at a five-star hotel by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) in honour of Nur Bekri, Governor of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (XUAR) of China, who is visiting India at the invitation of the government under the India-China Distinguished Visitors Programme (DVP). Bekri is here to explore two-way investment opportunities at the head of a high-powered business delegation. The Chinese envoy was seated on the dais along with other dignitaries, including Gautam Bambawale, Joint Secretary (East) Asia) in the External Affairs Ministry, when the journalist from a magazine walked up to him after the conclusion of the function and questioned him about a brochure brought out by a Chinese power company TBEA, showing Arunachal Pradesh as part of China, which lays claim over the entire northeastern state of India. “This is a technical matter, you should not ask this question,” an irritated Zhang told the newsman, adding that “if you want good relations between India and China, you should not do this story.” The journo told him that it was the discretion of his editor to decide which story should be used. By then, the Chinese envoy had lost his temper and shouted at him “stop it here itself….shut up.” The media personnel objected to the harsh words used by Zhang and told him “if you don’t want to answer, don’t do that but don’t say shut up.” The Chinese envoy then proceeded towards the table where other dignitaries were waiting for him to have their meal. Suddenly he got up and walked up to the journalist who was explaining the entire episode to other media personnel. The ambassador now tried to pacify him, saying “this is a technical issue, we will handle it.” But the damage had already been done by then. This is a technical matter; you should not ask this question. If you want good relations between India and China, you should not do this story.....stop it here itself….shut up. — Zhang Yan, Chinese Ambassador If you don't want to answer, don't do that, but don't say shut up. — Indian journalist
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Mumbai only for Marathis: Thackeray
Mumbai, November 3 Writing in the party mouthpiece “Saamna”, Thackeray said North Indians who live in and work in Mumbai are uninvited guests. “Only the Marathi manoos has the first right over Mumbai.... If the North Indians stop work for even a day, there are many others to take their place.... Maharashtrians who run ‘vada pav’ stalls will also start selling ‘bhel puri’ and ‘pani puri’ and start ironing clothes,” Thackeray said. “The North Indians were not invited to Mumbai. They came here to earn their livelihood and then settled down here,” the write-up said.
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WB Govt gets notice in infant death case
New Delhi, November 3 Sikha Bibi was admitted to the hospital in Murshidabad for a delivery on October 30 where she gave birth to a baby boy. “After the delivery, it is alleged that the doctors cleaned Sikha with carbolic acid instead of an antiseptic. A number of burn marks appeared on her body and the infant reportedly died. We take cognisance of the matter as it amounts to violation of children’s right to life,” Vinod Kumar Tikoo, member of the commission, wrote in his letter to the Chief Secretary today, ordering the victim’s treatment at state’s expense. The Commission has sought a detailed report in the matter within 15 days. It ordered, “In case the incident has revealed negligence on part of the doctors and staff, details of action initiated against such erring officials should be communicated to us. Sikha Bibi may be given treatment and counselling at state’s expense and we be intimated what action has been taken so far by the concerned departments at the state level, especially, by the Department of Health, to prevent infant deaths in the state as a whole”. Copies of the notice have also been sent to Secretary, Health, West Bengal and District Magistrate, Murshidabad.
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HC extends stay on Singur land return Kolkata, November 3 The two-member Division Bench of Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghosh and Justice Mrinalkanti Chowdhury, which was hearing Tata Motors’ petition on Singur land today, ruled that till the case in the Bench was disposed of, no land at Singur could be returned to the farmers or be re-allotted to any others for industrial or other purposes. On behalf of Tata Motors, a petition was filed before the Division Bench against the judgment of the Bench of Justice Indraprasanna Mukherjee on September 28, which had granted legal sanctity to the Singur Land Rehabilitation and Development Act (SLRDA). Justice Mukherjee also ruled that the state government had rightly taken back 997.32 acre land at Singur which had been leased out to Tata Motors for its Nano car project. Challenging the order, Tata Motors moved a petition in the Division Bench of Justice Ghosh and Justice Chowdhury, which issued the order today. The Bench will start its regular hearing from Tuesday. The Chief Minister regretted that the decision to return lands to the farmers at Singur had again been jeopardised. However, they would honour the high court’s order and accordingly, the government would wait for the court’s final judgment. But she hoped the judiciary would “also honour the verdict of the people”.
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Sibal wants social audit of IIMs every three years
New Delhi, November 3 “The social audit will enable external reviewers to see if the IIMs are going in the right direction. It would not be a financial audit. It would only be meant to monitor quality,” Sibal told reporters today after the Council meeting where the institutes take decisions on policy matters. The government will also set up a task force to identify future needs of the Indian economy and design courses, which IIMs will then impart to fill existing gaps in expertise available.
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Pondy MLA booked on assault charge
Puducherry, November 3 A case was registered against AINRC MLA P. Karthikeyan for offences including wrongful restraint, causing hurt and uttering obscene words by Auroville police. Police said a Congress volunteer from Puducherry and his sister were assaulted by Karthikeyan after their car collided with his vehicle near a speedbreaker at Tiruchitrambalam near here in Auroville police limits. — PTI
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RPSF man from Patiala held with illegal arms Guwahati, November 3 RPF inspector AG Farooq saw Kanwaldeep Singh Siddhu carrying illegal arms and ammunition at the Guwahati railway station and overpowered him after giving him a chase. Siddhu is a resident of 581, Ranjeet Nagar, Patiala (Punjab), and is now posted at New Jalpaiguri with the RPSF 4th Battalion, B-Company. He was found carrying three 9 mm pistols, a magazine of AK-47 Rifle, 70 cartridges of AK-47 rifle and 50 cartridges of .303 rifles.
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