The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

	Five booked for assaulting Dalit woman Tribune News Service Mumbai, January 11 The Satara police has filed cases against five persons for allegedly assaulting a Dalit woman after her son eloped with a girl belonging to a higher caste. The police said three women and two men belonging to the Mulgaon village in Patan taluka of Satara district have been booked after they allegedly assaulted and tore the clothes of Rekha Chavan, 42. All the five who attacked Chavan are relatives of the girl, the police said. Local officials refused to say whether the woman was paraded naked. “We have not heard of the woman being paraded naked, but our people are still verifying,” a police officer from the Satara police headquarters said. The woman has been admitted to a hospital. The incident happened on Tuesday night when Chavan went to fill water from a common pipeline. She was accosted by the relatives of the girl who had an argument with Chavan after which they beat her up. Chavan’s son aged 22 had eloped with the girl some time ago, the police said
	CBSE postpones 2 Class XII papers Tribune News Service New Delhi, January 11 The CBSE today rescheduled two exams for Class XII graders in view of the Election Commission of India postponing elections in Uttar Pradesh from February 4 to March 3. In a notice, the CBSE said exams in political science and lending operations for senior school certificate examination (class XII) of the board, earlier scheduled for March 3, will now be held on April 16 for candidates in India and abroad.
	Law saving kids from sex crimes Govt to scrap 16 yrs as age of consent Aditi Tandon/TNS New Delhi, January 11 The government has decided to amend the draft law on protection of children from sexual offences and scrap the provision treating 16 years as the age of consent for sexual acts with children. Minister for Women and Child Development Krishna Tirath today said that everyone under the age of 18 would be treated as a child for the purpose of the Bill, introduced in the Rajya Sabha on March 23 last. In doing so, the ministry agreed to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Human Resource Development which submitted its report on the draft law on December 21 last during the winter session. The committee approved the Bill, but rejected the government’s stand on treating 16 years as the age of consent and not classifying as offences consensual sexual acts with children aged 16 to 18 years. The ministry is further agreeable on another suggestion by the committee with respect to the landmark law to protect women from sexual harassment at workplace. The Protection of Women against Sexual Harassment at Workplace Bill 2010 that the Ministry introduced in the Rajya Sabha last year had excluded domestic servants from its ambit. But Tirath today said she was for inclusion of domestic servants despite the challenges of defining households as workplaces. “I am for scrapping 16 years as the age of consent in case of sexual offences against children and for extending the protection of women from sexual harassment at workplace Bill to cover domestic servants. We will soon come up with our position officially,” Tirath told The Tribune. In agreeing to include domestic servants under the law, the Ministry of Child Development conceded to the position the National Commission for Women took in its draft law on the subject. The NCW had been working on this Bill for long but the ministry finally piloted its own version of the law in the Rajya Sabha and excluded domestic servants from the ambit saying codes of conduct could not be enforced in the privacy of homes. Rejecting the ministry’s stand, the House Committee cited NCW’s position: “The privacy of home argument is unfounded as the enactment of the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005 had shown that legal scrutiny can be offered in homes.” Punjab and Gujarat had backed the House Committee on the issue of including four million domestic servants under the said law, so had the Sonia Gandhi-headed National Advisory Council. Anti-sex crime law n 7-year imprisonment extending to life for penetrative sexual assault defined for the first time in the law. n 10-yr imprisonment extending to life for aggravated sexual assault defined as penetrative sexual assault using deadly weapons; act that leaves a child incapacitated; all sexual offences by police/security personnel n Imprisonment of five years for aggravated sexual assault defined in the Bill. n Stripping, blackmailing, stalking with sexual intent covered n Child pornography punishable with 5 years
	It’s raining goodies for legislators in Andhra Pradesh Suresh Dharur/TNS Hyderabad, January 11 It is raining goodies for legislators in Andhra Pradesh. Thanks to the political instability and the continued uncertainty over the statehood issue in Telangana, the ruling party legislators from the volatile region are a pampered lot these days. A hefty hike in salaries and allowances, swanky SUVs, special discretionary quotas in sanctioning housing schemes and local jobs and additional Constituency Development Funds are some of the highlights of the bonanza. The reasons for the largesse are not far to seek. The Kiran Kumar Reddy government had just managed to survive a no-confidence motion with a slender margin and the threat of desertions to the YSR Congress Party, headed by YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, looms large over the ruling party camp. While all the MLAs will get a massive pay hike, the Telangana Congress legislators are being showered with special gifts, including the luxurious Toyota Fortuners. At present, the MLAs are drawing close to Rs 38,600 per month, including allowances. This will go up to Rs 90,000 per month as per the new proposal. The salary of a minister is set to increase from the existing Rs 70,000 to Rs 2 lakh per month. There is a a proposal for a monthly pension of Rs 15,000 for one-term MLAs, Rs 20,000 for two-term legislators while who serve three terms will draw a pension of Rs 25,000 per month. In a move seen as an attempt to arrest further exodus in Telangana, the Congress leadership has decided to pamper its MLAs from the region. To begin with, 15 first-time MLAs from Telangana have been given high- end Toyota Fortuner SUVs, each costing Rs 25 lakh. They were purchased at behest of the ministers in each district. The gifts came against the backdrop of three Congress MLAs crossing over to Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), ostensibly to fight for the statehood cause. The government also cleared a proposal to give vehicle loans to all legislators at a low interest rate of 4 per cent. Why the move The Kiran Kumar Reddy government had just managed to survive a no-confidence motion with a slender margin and the threat of desertions to the YSR Congress Party looms large. The bonanza A hefty hike in salaries and allowances, swanky SUVs, special discretionary quotas in sanctioning housing schemes and local jobs etc are some of the highlights of the bonanza.
	Uma Bharti threatens stir against Muslim quota Tribune News Service New Delhi, January 11 In the first formal interaction with the media in the Capital in her new avatar as the rehabilitated BJP leader Uma Bharti threatened to launch a nationwide agitation against the Congress attempt to “create another partition” of the country. Reacting to Congress leader and Union Law Minister Salman Khursheed recent offer to give 9 per cent sub quota from the 27.5 per cent OBC quota to backward Muslims, Uma accused the Congress today of a “bigoted mentality” for talking of “religion-based reservation” ahead of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections and said her party would not tolerate it. She appealed to the OBC leaders Mulayam Singh Yadav and Lalu Prasad to oppose it and hoped that even fair minded and good Muslims would not like it since it is “against the basic tenets of Islam”. “Islam does not accept discrimination. Caste inequality has been a part of Hindu society,” Uma Bharti said. “It reflects the bigoted mentality of the Congress. Muslims should also condemn the Congress...We will not tolerate it. We will fight on the streets, in Parliament” adding that her party will not allow a “second partition of the country”. She reminded the Congress that former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru had also spoken against religion-based reservation. Uma Bharti, who is among the lead campaigners of the BJP in Uttar Pradesh elections, said Muslims had got the maximum share in economic development in Gujarat, a state ruled by the party. Stating that religion based reservation made sense only in a country which had a state religion, she pointed out that India is a secular state which does not practice “religion based reservation.”
	13 killed as bus plunges into gorge in Uttarakhand Ajay Ramola Mussoorie, January 11 Thirteen persons were killed and 10 injured when an Uttarakhand Roadways bus on its way to Barkot from Dehradun rolled down a gorge and landed into the Yamuna at Naingaon, near Nainbagh, on the Damta road in Tehri district this morning. Residents of the nearby area helped the police and fire brigade officials in the rescue operations. Ambulances from Badkot and Mussoorie were pressed into service to carry the injured to the Nainbagh Primary Health Centre (PHC). Those killed in the accident included Anil Aswal (35), Arvind Chauhan (32), Praveen Rana (35), Dharampal (33), Vinod Kumar (33), Prakash Pant (38), Ashwani (36), Surtama (27), Suraj (11), Laxmi (40), Rajendra Singh (38) and Ajaypal (23).
	After Anna, Aamir to campaign against tainted candidates Aditi Tandon/TNS New Delhi, January 11 Don’t be surprised if Aamir Khan calls you with a request to vote against a candidate with criminal history or another who uses money or muscle power to buy votes. In a unique voter awareness campaign that was rolled out in poll-bound states of UP, Punjab and Uttarakhand on Tuesday, the Bollywood actor has tied up with the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and National Election Watch (NEW) to urge voters to boycott tainted candidates in the fray. The actor will reach out to four lakh voters in UP and one lakh each in Punjab and Uttrakhand. A recorded audio clip of Aamir would be played. The clip would contain a personalised message from the actor who would in a way campaign for clean candidates. In his message, Aamir will also ask voters to register on a given number by giving a missed call. Such registration would entitle the voter to get all ADR updates about the forthcoming Assembly elections in five states. An SMS will also follow Aamir’s calls to encourage voters to register for election updates by giving missed calls on a number that would be sent as part of the SMS. Those who register will be free to get access to ADR analysis of political parties and candidates in the fray.
	RK Sharma’s acquittal challenged R Sedhuraman Legal Correspondent New Delhi, January 11 The Delhi Government today challenged in the Supreme Court the acquittal of former senior IPS officer Ravi Kant Sharma and two others in the Shivani Bhatnagar murder case, contending that the Delhi High Court had failed to appreciate that the police had provided “substantive evidence” to show their involvement in the killing of the journalist on January 23, 1999. The HC had acquitted Sharma on October 12, 2011, observing that the prosecution had mainly relied on the records of telephone calls made between the four accused and there were several missing links. Sharma and two other co-accused, Shri Bhagwan Sharma and Satya Prakash “get the benefit of doubt and they stand acquitted of all charges,” the HC had held. These three accused and another one, Pradeep Sharma, who killed Shivani, had been sentenced to life imprisonment by a trial court here on March 18, 2008. The HC upheld the conviction and sentence awarded to Pradeep Sharma. However, the Delhi Government in its appeal has contended that the telephone call records were not complete as the Telecom Department used to maintain only STD call details in 1998-99. “The prosecution has successfully proved through cogent evidence that accused Pradeep Sharma joined the accused in criminal conspiracy and committed Shivani’s murder. The absence of such data on account of the service provider not maintaining records cannot benefit the accused,” it reasoned. According to the prosecution, Pradeep Sharma, accompanied by Satya Prakash, had gone to the Navkunj Apartments, Patparganj, Delhi, and stabbed her to death. At the time of the murder, RK Sharma was posted in Mumbai as Director (Vigilance), Air India. He has also been Inspector General (Prisons) in Haryana. He had come into contact with Shivani when he was working as an Officer on Special Duty (OSD) in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) from July 2, 1997 to April 23, 1998. Shivani murder The Case Files n The Delhi HC had acquitted RK Sharma and two others on October 12, 2011, observing that the prosecution had mainly relied on the records of telephone calls made between the four accused and there were several missing links n The HC upheld the conviction and sentence awarded to Pradeep Sharma, who killed Shivani on Jan 23, 1999. n The Delhi Government in its fresh appeal has contended that the telephone call records were not complete.
	Indian team to visit Iran to resolve oil payment issue Ashok Tuteja Tribune News Service New Delhi, January 11 With India apprehending a serious problem in making payments to Iran for crude oil exports because of the recent steps by the US to target the Islamic Republic's nuclear programme, a high-level Indian delegation is scheduled to leave for Tehran next week to discuss alternative modes of payment and routes of supply. The delegation, comprising officials of the Oil, Finance and External Affairs ministries, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and oil refineries, will hold talks with senior Iranian officials to find ways and means for uninterrupted oil supplies to India, informed sources said. It is learnt that Iran also is willing to help India in every possible manner to ensure that the oil supplies were not affected. India currently pays about $ 1 billion every month through Turkey for the 370,000 barrels of crude oil it buys per day from that country. There are fears in India that the growing tension between Iran and the West might lead to a further increase in the prices of oil. Financial sanctions signed into law by US President Barack Obama on New Year's Eve are likely to make it difficult for India to pay for the Iranian oil. The new American sanctions come with a wide range of exemptions and a grace period of six months. The European Union too is likely to announce tough measures of its own at the end of the month. The sources said National Security Adviser Shivshankar Menon had recently chaired a meeting of officials from different ministries concerned after indications from Turkey’s state-run Halkbank that it would have to stop settling Indian payments to Iran in view of the US sanctions.
	Paswan’s LJP in UP poll fray, perhaps not for itself Many see it as Cong game plan to dent BSP vote bank Sanjay Singh/TNS Patna, January 11 Even after being rooted out from Bihar, Ram Vilas Paswan-led Lok Janshakti Party’s (LJP) decision to contest all Assembly seats in neighbouring Uttar Pradesh and that too all alone is being perceived as a Congress game plan to make a dent in the Dalit vote bank of its arch rival - the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP). The LJP has already announced the names of its candidates for 288 seats and the second list is expected very soon. A couple of days ago, Paswan announced in Patna that his party would contest elections on its own in all states other than Bihar. His party’s alliance with Lalu-led RJD continues in Bihar, although they had not been able to wrest even a single seat during the byelections here. The LJP had contested elections in UP earlier also, but could not achieve anything big. Then, what had prompted it to go it all alone once again and that too on all seats? The LJP chief’s theory is that the Dalits had been the biggest sufferers under the “corrupt” BSP government in UP and his party was fighting for their cause. But there are hardly any buyers for Paswan’s theory. The common perception in the political circles here is that the LJP had been asked by the Congress to contest on all seats in UP on its own so that it can cut into the votes of the BSP. It is also understood that Paswan’s party may not win even a single seat on its own, but it can very well upset the victory chances of BSP candidates where they have a marginal edge over their rivals by making a small dent in the Dalit votes and there may be quite a few constituencies like this. A senior Congress leader of Bihar was quite hopeful of the LJP playing the role of a “spoiler” for the BSP on many seats in eastern and central parts of UP. Needless to say that it will be to the advantage of the Congress. However, the LJP leaders in Bihar defend their party’s decision to contest all seats in UP by saying that the Mayawati-led BSP had done the same in Bihar by putting its candidates on almost all seats in 2010. Although, the BSP could not win a single seat in this state, it damaged the prospects of the LJP candidates on quite a few seats. Therefore, the LJP leaders of Bihar see nothing wrong, if their leader had decided to pay Mayawati back in her own style. The LJP has no presence in the Lok Sabha or the Bihar Vidhan Parishad (upper house of the state legislature). It has just one MLA in the 243-member Bihar Legislative Assembly and Paswan is the lone member of his party in the Rajya Sabha that too courtesy Lalu-led RJD.
	‘Fake’ encounter returns to haunt Army chief’s likely successor Tribune News Service New Delhi/Srinagar, Jan 11 Tipped to take over as the next Army Chief, Lt Gen Bikram Singh, has been accused of being involved in a ‘fake’ encounter that took place in Anantnag district of Kashmir in 2001. A Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) Youth Empowering Kashmir (YES-KASHMIR) had for long been claiming that the encounter, which took place on March 1, 2001 near TB hospital Junglat Mandi in Anantnag, was fake. According to the NGO, a civilian was dubbed as a foreign militant after being killed in the encounter. “A 60 year-old man, identified as Rabbani or Abdul Matin Chahcha, was killed during the incident. He was branded as a foreign militant. The old man was a not a foreign militant but a local Kashmiri, Abdullah Bhat,” the NGO had claimed. According to the FIR, two persons had also sustained injuries in the encounter that took place when Lt Gen Bikram Singh was a Brigadier and headed 5 Sector Rashtriya Rifles headquarters. However, the local police has maintained that there was "no case" against Bikram Singh. The high court here on October 13, 2011 had issued notices to the state government and the Defence Ministry asking them to file their objections in a writ petition, seeking reinvestigation into the alleged fake encounter. The court ruling came after the petitioners, family of Abdullah Bhat, had sought re-probe into the case. Incidentally, YES Kashmir had also held protests in November last year in New Delhi demanding reinvestigation into the case. Serious questions are being raised on how the 10-year old case against Lt Gen Bikram Singh has been allowed to fester in a court in Jammu and Kashmir. Though the notice has been served on the Ministry of Defence, Lt General Bikram Singh has not been given the notice as reported in the section of the media. In these three months, the MoD and the Army have not been able to reply to the court forcing the judge to issue a final notice, a reply to which is mandatory by February. It is alleged that lobbies are at work in circulating allegations against the Eastern Army Commander Lt Gen Bikram Singh, who is poised to take over as the new Army chief after Gen VK Singh retires on May 31.
	It’s homecoming for Trinidad PM Bhelupur (Bihar), January 11 Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissessar today visited Buxar, the land of her forefathers where she was moved by the warm welcome of the people. Bissessar, who arrived here amid tight security by an IAF helicopter visited her ancestral village Bhelupur under Itarhi block of the district. Later addressing a huge gathering at the village, she said India and Trinidad and Tobago have strong historical and cultural ties "just like ties of the heart and soul". "We believe in grand Mother India," Bissessar, who was accompanied by her husband Gregory and her sister Revati, said. She congratulated the Government of India for doing "exceedingly well" by laying thrust on literacy and education and appealed to the people to try their best for ensuring education for their wards, particularly girls. — PTI
	Soon, 5-fold rise in BSF women constables Vijay Mohan/TNS Jalandhar, January 11 There’s set to be a five-fold increase in strength of women constables in the Border Security Force (BSF). The force will shortly be inducting close to 3,200 women in its rank and file. In addition, BSF has started intake of the women at the level of sub-inspector (SI). The first batch of nine SIs passed out recently and additional batches are under training. They will fill in the hierarchical gap between constables and gazetted officers, performing certain supervisory and leadership roles like those of platoon commanders, which are, at present, responsibility of male officers. “The force is recruiting 3,184 women constables. Of these, 300 would be posted in Punjab,” Aditya Mishra, Inspector General Punjab Frontier, said. At present, the strength of women constables in the BSF is about 650. Each battalion deployed on the border has a company of women constables. The BSF has 13 battalions deployed for border management in Punjab. The first batch of women constables was inducted into the force in 2009. They were initially deployed for frisking civilian women at checkpoints along the fence on the India-Pakistan border. BSF officers said their role had gradually expanded to take on operational responsibilities as well as guarding and patrolling duties along the border. Recently, a woman constable had to open fire in the line of duty while on border guarding duty.
	IGNOU celebrates World Hindi Day New Delhi, January 11 The Indira Gandhi National Open University today conducted various contests to celebrate the World Hindi Day. Celebrated annually on January 10 to mark the first Hindi conference held in Nagpur in 1975, the event at IGNOU received an overwhelming response, the university said. — PTI