The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

	No-confidence motion Andhra Cong disqualifies 16 MLAs for voting against govtSuresh Dharur Tribune News Service Hyderabad, December 10 The stage appears set for “semi finals” in Andhra Pradesh political battle. With the ruling Congress today deciding to disqualify the rebels for defying the party whip and voting against the government during the recent no-confidence motion, the state is all set to witness byelections soon. As many as 16 Congress MLAs, owing allegiance to YSR Congress President YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, defied the whip and voted for the Opposition sponsored no-confidence in the Assembly early this week, dealing a severe blow to the ruling party. Two others — a Telugu Desam Party rebel and an erstwhile Praja Rajya Party (PRP) member, also backed the Kadapa MP. The Congress defeated the motion with the help of the PRP and the Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM). In the 295-member house, 122 members voted for the motion while 160 opposed it. Already, seven seats are vacant in the 294-member Assembly. With the Congress’ decision to disqualify its MLAs, the bypolls are likely to be held for 25 seats spread over 10 districts. “The Congress Legislature Party will submit a petition to the Assembly speaker, seeking disqualification of the cross-voters,” Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy said. The decision to crack the whip against the rebels was taken at a meeting that party President Sonia Gandhi had with the Chief Minister, PCC Chief B Satyanarayana and AICC General Secretary in charge of the AP Ghulam Nabi Azad in Delhi today. It was felt in the meeting that a swift and stringent action must be taken against the rebels, as any further delay would send a wrong signal to the cadre. The political observers said Jagan’s party and the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) would be the front-runners in capturing a majority of the seats in bypolls. In such an eventuality, the Congress would find itself on a sticky wicket ahead of the 2014 general elections. Adding to the woes of the Congress is the growing sense of restiveness among its leaders from the Telangana region. If the UPA Government decides against formation of a separate Telangana state, they might be forced to precipitate the matters, posing a threat to the stability of an already fragile government.
	BJP accuses Cong of complicity in Maya’s corrupt ways Tribune News Service New Delhi, December 10 Even while apparently training its guns at Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati for allegedly amassing huge wealth through benami companies, the BJP targeted the Congress and blamed it for allowing Mayawati to amass wealth through dubious means. BJP national secretary Kirit Somaiya and party vice-president Kalraj Mishra jointly released here today a list of 24 companies in which either Anand Kumar or his wife Vichitralata (alleged to be brother and sister-in-law of Mayawati) or both are major stakeholders or direct owners, said Somaiya, promising to release before the UP Assembly elections a list of 125 such companies. He however alleged that Mayawati has been getting protection from the UPA government at the Centre and blamed the Congress for secretly colluding with the BSP supremo to perpetuate loot of public money. Somaiya, a former Mumbai South MP specially drafted by the BJP for his expertise in financial matters, released a list of 26 companies last week in Lucknow and promised to release similar lists week after week, exposing financial bungling under the Mayawati regime in UP. He said, “We have found more than 125 companies connected with Mayawati’s friends and family. In-depth study reveals that they have amassed wealth worth thousands of crores of rupees through illegal means - scams, in the last couple of years.” Alleging that the UPA government was fully aware of whatever was transpiring in Lucknow, Somaiya produced a letter of the Enforcement Directorate to NOIDA authorities mentioning money laundering and parking of funds through illegal means at NOIDA. He said this proves that the Congress government has all information about the illegal activities and accumulation of wealth by the friends and family of Mayawati but is using this only to bargain with Mayawati. Simultaneously, the party launched a diatribe against Union Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal for rising in defence of Home Minister P Chidambaram in the 2G Spectrum scam.
	Sailor gets disability pension after 36-year wait Vijay Mohan/TNS Chandigarh, December 10 After running from pillar to post, a disabled Navy sailor who had suffered head injuries on a ship almost 40 years ago has been sanctioned disability pension with effect from 1975. Holding that the sailor was entitled benefits for 20% disability for life, the Armed Forces Tribunal also ordered the pension authorities to pay the sailor interest on arrears since 1975 at the rate of 12% per annum. Jai Bhagwan Sharma enrolled in the Navy in 1965 and served till 1973. He had also taken part in the 1971 Indo-Pak War. During service, he hurt his head when a high-pressure steam pipe burst in the engine room of his ship in 1972. After a long hospital stay, Sharma was boarded out of service on medical grounds. He began experiencing frequent bouts of severe headaches, which led to neurological complications, and was diagnosed as a case of neurosis. His disability was assessed at 20% and attributed to military service. Sharma was granted disability pension of Rs 59 per month from June 1973 to March 1975 and Rs 50 per month for life thereafter. He was hospitalised twice in 1974 and 1975 for cerebral seizures and was referred to the Dr Rajendra Prasad Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences and the All India Institute of Medical Sciences for clinical investigations and treatment. In 1990, Sharma was examined at AIIMS and found handicapped to the extent of 75%. He was under treatment for life and his vision has also become very weak. In June 2001, when Sharma visited the Pension Distribution Officer for yearly identification, he discovered that the disability pension has two elements -- disability and service -- and that payment of disability element of his pension had been discontinued since 1975 without any reason or intimation. Sharma wrote to the authorities for holding a resurvey medical board and also sought payment of his pension’s disability element from 1975. When there was no response, he moved the Delhi High Court, which directed the authorities to consider his representation within three months. Even this order was not adhered to. What followed next was a series of legal and bureaucratic wrangling and in 2005 he received a communiqué that he was granted disability element of his pension -- Rs 310 per month - with effect from 2004 for life. He made several representations for increase in disability pension but without any result and finally approached the Tribunal. Pension authorities have submitted before the Tribunal that Sharma’s revised pension payment order was issued on November 23, 2011. The Tribunal, while expressing its ire over the attitude of the authorities and the manner in which the case was handled, observed that the departments concerned had been making Sharma run from pillar to post and ordered that he be adequately compensated for this reckless delay. Testing times 1972: Jai Bhagwan Sharma suffers a head injury after a high-pressure steam pipe bursts in the engine room of his ship 1973: Sharma boarded out of service on medical grounds, granted disability pension June 2001: Sharma discovers that payment of disability element of his pension discontinued in 1975 November 23, 2011: After a protracted legal battle, Armed Forces Tribunal orders Sharma be paid pension from 1975 with 12% interest
	Negotiations over, RLD joins UPA Ajit Singh set to get Cabinet berth Vibha Sharma Tribune News Service New Delhi, December 10 Months of tedious negotiations later, the Congress today finally managed to convince Ajit Singh-led Rashtriya Lok Dal to join the UPA alliance, an arrangement that will now earn Ajit Singh a Cabinet berth in the Centre and around 45 seats in his stronghold — Jat belt of western UP. Senior Congress leader Janardan Dwivedi said Ajit Singh met Congress president Sonia Gandhi this evening and expressed his willingness to join the UPA. The decision, he said, was welcomed by the Congress president. Congress leader Mohan Prakash, one of the key persons involved in negotiations along with senior party leader Digvijaya Singh, termed the RLD’s decision to join the UPA and fight UP Assembly elections with Congress a “game changer”. “It will be a game changer in the UP elections,” Prakash maintained. The deal, believed to give the boost to the beleaguered UPA prospects in the Centre and fulfil Congress heir-apparent Rahul Gandhi’s “Mission 2012” dream in UP, however, did not go well with a section of the party. A senior Congress leader, on condition of anonymity, was of the view that the only person who would gain from the alliance would be Ajit Singh. “Rahul Gandhi has already done extensive groundwork in western UP. Besides, Ajit Singh’s penchant for party hopping to suit his needs is well known,” he said. Incidentally, RLD, with five members in the Lok Sabha, has been promised the Civil Aviation portfolio in the Center and around 45 seats in western UP and another two to three in eastern part of the state that has 403 Assembly constituencies. Sources said Ajit Singh is expected to meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and there is a possibility of him joining the Union Cabinet after the Winter Session of Parliament gets over. The Congress has already announced candidates for more than 200 seats in UP and was just waiting for sealing the deal with Ajit Singh to announce the list for western UP, the Jat-stronghold with around 140 Assembly constituencies.
	UP assembly polls 2012 Rahul assures Congress candidates full support Tribune News Service Lucknow, December 10 "If you believe that you can win you would, and if not, then nothing can help you win,” said AICC General Secretary Rahul Gandhi while delivering a motivational talk to the 213 Congress candidates for the 2012 Assembly elections, at a strategy planning meeting here today. On the first day of his two-day meeting at the UPCC headquarters, Rahul insisted upon the candidates to fight to win. He was assisted by PCC functionaries, elected representatives and union ministers who all remained behind closed doors till late evening. Tight security turned the Congress headquarters into a fortress with the media completely shut out. Rahul spoke at length, instructing the candidates to have belief in their selves and the fact that no party could form the next government in Uttar Pradesh without the help of the Congress. “If the Congress party gains ground, it will benefit all of us. If it does not, then we all are in trouble,” Rahul pointed out while assuring the candidates of his and of senior leaders’ full support. They were ready to campaign wherever they were invited, he assured. According to him, there was no dearth of issues in Uttar Pradesh and the candidates should focus on the local issues and the multiple failure of the present Mayawati and previous Mulayam Singh Yadav government on various fronts. Listing the achievements of the UPA Government since 2004, Rahul said most of the promises made to the voters had been fulfiled and now with the proposed minority reservation, another promise would be fulfiled. Calling upon them to focus upon the booth-level planning, he said the nitty gritty of planning at that level fetched the maximum results. In response to a question on price rise, Rahul said the FDI was being brought to address the question of price rise. “But the BJP, BSP and SP did not let it happen.” Later addressing the media, AICC General Secretary and UP in charge Digvijay Singh said for the purpose of better coordination during the Assembly election, the party had divided the state into 10 zones headed by a zonal officer who would mediate between the candidate and the party. Ruling out any chance of change of candidates at this juncture, Singh said Rahul had urged the selected candidates and other functionaries to work together and iron out differences and use the early announcement of candidates to gain a lead in their campaigning rather than wasting energies fighting.
	Illegal mining: Ramdev threatens hunger strike Blames Goa CM Digambar Kamat Panaji, December 10 Yoga guru Swami Ramdev today extended his support to the fight against illegal mining in Goa and warned of a hunger strike if the Congress-led Government in the state did not come clean on the issue. "We will run a campaign against illegal mining before elections (due in mid-2012). If required, I would sit for hunger strike in Goa against those involved in it. Can we allow these looters to be elected to the Assembly?" he sought to know while talking to reporters here. The popular yoga guru is touring the coastal state, where cases of large-scale illegal mining have come to light, and addressing a series of public meetings as a part of his 'Goa Bachao Sammelan' (Save Goa Conference). Several village-level groups have joined the Haridwar-based yoga teacher in his campaign in Goa. The main aim of the campaign is to ensure that none of the politicians involved in illegal mining gets elected to the Assembly in the forthcoming polls, he maintained. The Swami squarely blamed Chief Minister Digambar Kamat for the mining mess. "That person (Kamat) is holding the (mining) portfolio for the last 12 years. He is equally responsible for illegal mining." Clarifying that his organisation (Bharat Swabhiman Trust) would not be contesting the elections here, Ramdev said all political parties would be asked to come clean on the crucial issues of illegal mining, corruption and ill-gotten wealth, prior to the polls. The yoga guru, who has several branches of his outfits Patanjali Yog and Bharat Swabhiman Trust in the state, said "peaceful" nature of Goans (Goa residents) has stopped them from becoming Naxalites considering the pace at which their land had been diverted for mining activity. "It will not be wrong if people stand in protest against illegal mining," Swami Ramdev said, adding iron ore exports to a "hostile" country like China should be banned. The yoga guru claimed that a large part of ill-gotten money parked in overseas banks from Goa has been generated from illegal mining and land and drugs-related activities. Lobbying for more share of taxes for Goa, Swami Ramdev said the Centre should pump back at least 50 per cent of the money collected as royalty to the state. — PTI
	Antony: India wants good relations with neighbours Kannur, December 10 Defence Minister AK Antony today said India wanted to have good relations with Pakistan despite the neighbouring country’s “inaction” when it came to dismantling terrorist training camps there. “India wants to have good relations with Pakistan despite its inaction in dismantling 42 terrorist training camps functioning there as urged by India,” he told a meet-the-press programme of Kannur Press Club here. “Pakistan has not taken any action against such centres,” he said. Antony said there was need to strengthen the Indian Navy as the force had to protect the country from the threat posed by sea pirates and terrorists. Moreover, the Navy’s role was assuming importance as it had to safeguard coastal as well as maritime security, he said. “Utmost attention should be given to security of the seas as nearly 99 per cent of India’s trade is being carried out through seas,” he said. He further said the Union Cabinet had decided to sanction Rs 140 crore for the second-phase development of the Ezhimala Naval Academy here. Once the second phase is completed, the academy would be able to train 1,200 naval personnel, he said, adding that presently, it was providing training for 750 officers. — PTI
	Villagers lay siege to Kudankulam N-plant Chennai, December 10 Around 1,500 villagers laid a siege here to the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KNPP) in Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu to demand an immediate cessation of all work at the site, said an activist. “This morning, around 10 people from West Bengal came to Kudankulam and asked for directions to the plant site. When villagers enquired about their mission, they said they were labourers hired by a contractor to carry out work inside the project site,” S Sivasubramanian, coordinator of the People's Rights Movement, an organisation fighting for the plant's closure. "This proves our charge that Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd is not respecting TN Government’s resolution to stop all activities till fears of locals are allayed," he added. — IANS
	Dam issue: Jaya seeks to reach out to people of Kerala Chennai, December 10 With the row over the Mullaiperiyar Dam issue hotting up, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa today sought to reach out to the people of Kerala, saying there is no valid reason to believe that the reservoir is unsafe and they should see through the "machinations" of vested interests and divisive forces in both states. Appealing to the people of Kerala not to succumb to any divisive forces in the interests of both states, she said it was unfortunate that a fear psychosis among the people of Kerala was being built up. Meanwhile, Congress leader AK Antony has said he had detailed discussions on the Mullaperiyar Dam issue with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the issue.