The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

6 more bodies fished out; Rahul at site
Bijay Sankar Bora
Tribune News Service

Guwahati, May 2
Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi today paid a visit to boat the tragedy-struck Medortari ghat in Dhubri district in the bank of Brahmaputra River even as six more bodies, including that of an infant and a 4-year-old child, were recovered by the rescue teams of the BSF and the NDRF since this morning.

Rahul Gandhi accompanied by Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and PCC president Bhubaneswar Kalita spent about 45 minutes talking to next of kin of boat tragedy victims at Medortari while thousands of people living gathered at the spot to have a glimpse of the Congress leader.

Because of the problem of communication Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi acted as a mediator while Rahul was interacting to victims kin. He was apprised of the sorry state of river transport service which is the lifeline in the backward area, by the aggrieved people.

Assam Environment and Forest Minister Rakibul Hussain, who has been deputed by the chief minister to oversee the rescue operation and provide aid to victims and their families, informed that Rahul Gandhi took stock of the entire rescue operation besides talking to family members of victims of the tragedy. Rahul arrived at the spot at around 3 pm by a chopper from Guwahati Airport.

Hussain informed that the administration today called for formal complaints from the people about those who had gone missing after the tragedy. That was aimed at removing confusion about the recovery of bodies as well as the number of missing persons. While Assam government claims to have got custody of 23 bodies so far, unofficial sources quoting locals put the recovery at 45.

The BSF and Bangladesh Border Guards (BGB) are holding a meeting tomorrow in Dhubri under the aegis of the BSF. The DIG (communication) of the BSF, C L Belwa informed that the DIG level meeting with the BGB had been organised to coordinate rescue operation with the latter given that the spot where the boat tragedy occurred was close to India- Bangladesh border and there was strong possibility of bodies being swept towards the shores of the neighbouring country.

“We will try to find out from the BGB if they too have recovered anybody so far or not. The meeting will be attended by district magistrate and superintendent of police of Dhubri district of Assam and their counterparts in Kurigram district of Bangladesh across the border,” the BSF official informed. He also informed that six more bodies were recovered since morning even as the rescue operation continued.

Fishermen’s killing
SC allows Italian ship, marines to leave
R Sedhuraman
Legal Correspondent

New Delhi, May 2
The Supreme Court today allowed the Italian merchant navy ship, Enrica Lexie, to leave the Indian shores following assurances given by Rome and the ship owners that they would extend full cooperation for the trial of two Italian Navy personnel involved in the killing of two fishermen off the Kerala coast on February 15.

A Bench comprising Justices RM Lodha and HL Gokhale also permitted four other mariners, who had no role in the killings, and the six crew members to leave the country. The SC also clarified that the ship could carry all the arms and ammunition that were on board, except those seized by the investigating officer of Kerala police.

The controversy over the incident was threatening to snowball into a major diplomatic row between India and Italy with the two governments making opposing claims over the place of occurrence, whether within the limits of Indian waters or beyond.

The SC directed the Italian authorities to give an undertaking to the Kerala High Court that they would ensure the availability of the four mariners as and when required in connection with the case. On the other hand, the ship owners would execute a bond for Rs 3 crore as a guarantee for ensuring the presence of the vessel and the crew members whenever needed.

Italy also submitted a note clarifying that the Rs 3 crore paid to the victims as part of an admiralty suit finalised in the Lok Adalat and decreed in the HC was a goodwill gesture and was not part of any settlement of their claims. The Bench, however, said it was “ignoring” the payment aspect as it had nothing to do with the petition filed before it by the ship owners seeking permission to leave the Indian shores.

Both the Centre and the Kerala government informed the court that they did not have any objection to allowing the ship, which was on its way to Singapore from Egypt, to resume its voyage in view of the assurances given by Italy and the owners. However, they did not accept Italy’s claim to sovereign immunity and assertion that the issue should be resolved under international laws.

Following the killings and the subsequent filing of an FIR by the victims’ families, Indian coast guards had intercepted the ship and brought it to Kochi port on February 16. The two mariners who had opened fire on the fishing boat were arrested on February 19. All the six mariners are from the Italian Navy and had been deployed on the ship to protect it from sea pirates who frequently looted merchant ships.

diplomatic row
The controversy over the incident was threatening to snowball into a major diplomatic row between India and Italy with the two govts making opposing claims over the place of occurrence, whether within the limits of Indian waters or beyond

Undertaking from Italians
Italian authorities have been directed to give an undertaking to Kerala High Court that they would ensure the availability of the four mariners as and when required. Following the killings of two fishermen, Indian coast guards had intercepted the ship and brought it to Kochi port on February 16

Govt makes fresh offer of talks to Naxals
Aditi Tandon
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, May 2
Ahead of the much-expected release of abducted IAS officer Alex Paul Menon in Chhattisgarh tomorrow, the Centre today made fresh offer of talks to CPI (Maoists) saying it was willing to hold a dialogue with the naxals provided they abjure violence during the period of talks.

Home Minister P Chidambaram, while describing CPI Maoists as the gravest threat to internal security of India, today said the government would be willing to talk to Maoists if they were willing to “give up violence from the day the talks start to the day the talks end”.

In a significant statement in the Lok Sabha, Chidambaram said the Maoists were very clear about their objective of “overthrowing parliamentary democracy with an armed rebellion” but it was civil society that still misunderstood their aims.

“Let us not be under any illusions about what the Maoists want. They want to seize power by the barrel of the gun and they are clear about what they want. We are misunderstanding their goals. Civil society organisations are misunderstanding their objectives. Although parliamentary democracy is not a negotiable subject, the government is still willing to talk to CPI Maoists if they give up violence while we talk.

“That is not a hard condition. In the North-East, we impose much harsher conditions to talk to insurgent groups,” Chidambaram today said replying to a six-hour debate in the Lok Sabha on the Home Ministry’s budget proposals for 2012-13. The debate lasted from 2 pm to 8 pm.

Another important point the government made close on the heels of two high-profile abductions by Maoists (of Menon in Chhattisgarh and the now free BJP legislator Jhina Hikaka in Orissa) was the naxal disinterest in development works.

Chidambaram told the Lok Sabha, “What are the Maoists targeting the most - schools and roads. They don’t want children to go to schools. They don’t want roads because then the hinterlands will open up. So while they don’t target mining companies which pay extortion money, they target companies like JCB.”

The minister said the government had no objections in talking to Maoists and had in the past made the offer. “The same offer had been made by the CMs of Orissa, Bihar and Chhattisgarh but there has been no response,” Chidambaram said adding that in the absence of Maoists’ response to the call for talks, the Centre was obliged to follow its two-pronged strategy - police action and development.

The naxal issue was raised by most members during the debate today and the government said during the past 18 months, 66,000 development works had been accomplished in 60 red-terror infested districts.

J&K interlocutors report soon
Chidambaram said that J&K interlocutors’ report would soon be placed on the Home Ministry website. The report was submitted to the government on October 12, 2011. The NC and BJP today demanded that the report be made public

A day before Menon’s release, Maoists clash with police in Dantewada
Man Mohan
Our Roving Editor

Bacheli (Dantewada dist), May 2
Just 24 hours before the expected release of abducted Sukma District Collector Alex Paul Menon (32), the Maoists had a fierce clash with the police in this iron ore town on Wednesday noon. Two jawans were killed and five injured. The injured were airlifted to Raipur for treatment.

Bacheli is home to the public sector undertaking National Mineral Development Corporation’s huge Bailadila iron ore mines. The mines are spread from here to nearby Kirandul town. The entire lush green jungles and hills around are under Naxalite control.

Today’s incident took place in the heart of Bacheli town - the ‘Budhwar haat’ (market) that primarily sells country made liquor. The Maoists used heavy arms, including AK-47 rifles.

Menon, who was kidnapped by the red rebels from a village near Sukma 100 km from here on April 21, is likely to be released on Thursday - a day after the 48-hour agreed deadline - as per an agreement reached between the BJP-ruled Chhattisgarh Government and the Maoists’ two negotiators on Monday night.

The Maoists had demanded the release of 17 ‘comrades’ including eight serving sentence after conviction, from different jails.

However, the Maoists agreed to release Menon following the agreement under which the state government has promised to set up a high-powered committee to review cases of alleged Naxalites arrested on ‘fabricated charges’ and implement welfare schemes for tribals.

Although no word has come from the Maoists about the exact time of Menon’s release in Tadmetla forests in South Bastar on Thursday, the local administration says that “it may happen in the morning.”

The Maoist network sources told The Tribune that the red rebels might release Menon “after making him appear before a ‘jan adalat’ (people’s court) where he might hear the tale of the police harassing and killing innocent villagers in the name of them being Maoists.”

On Wednesday, when the state administration was gearing up for the likely release of Menon on Thursday and contingency plans, reports from Bacheli of a major encounter between the Maoists and a police party has made the government jittery.

“You never know that the Maoists may postpone Menon’s release on the pretext of the police attacking them in this town,” a senior police officer in Dantewada said.

The incident in Bacheli - in the weekly bazaar in the Regional Engineering Service colony, 500 m from the main market in a side road - happened at about 12 noon and the exchange of fire between the Maoists and the police continued for over 30 minutes.

All the Naxalites numbering about 50 managed to escape. A Chhattisgarh head constable Mahavir and a home guard Jitender died on the spot. The five injured policemen, including an assistant sub-inspector, were airlifted to Raipur’s Ramakrishna Mission hospital.

The police claimed that some time back the body of a girl was found in a lodge in the area. “We had gone to the weekly ‘haat’ of the tribals after getting intelligence that the persons suspected in the murder of the girl from Raigarh (north Chhattisgarh, touching Orissa border) might be visiting the market.

“Suddenly, a big group of Maoists dressed as local tribals opened fire at their vehicle with heavy weapons, including AK-47 rifles. We also took positions and returned the fire. The Naxalites managed to escape,” a senior police officer told this correspondent adding that “we are combing the area.”

However, the Maoist network had a different version. The Maoists had been approached by the tribals who prepare country made liquor with forest produce and sell it in the weekly markets. The sale of such liquor has been permitted by the administration as it is part of their culture. This liquor is also their livelihood.

The sources linked with the Maoists further said that the English liquor traders have been ‘using’ the police to force tribals selling country made liquor run away as they affect their sales.

“So, this time, the Maoists had come prepared to attack the police if they harassed the tribal liquor sellers,” they pointed out.

As soon the police party arrived, the Maoists attacked them from three different locations. Heavy firing led to a stampede in the weekly market where the tribals come from far-off places to buy essential items like salt, medicines and cloth. The shopkeepers pulled their shutters down. Luckily, no civilian was injured.

govt gets jitters
n Two jawans killed, five injured
n The Maoists used heavy arms, including AK-47 rifles
n All 50 Naxalites managed to escape
n Incident may delay the release of Sukma Dist Collector Alex Paul Menon (in pic)

Govt frees sugar exports, scraps onion MEP
Vibha Sharma/TNS

New Delhi, May 2
Just two days after the government decided to free cotton exports, a high-level group headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today decided to abolish the quota system for sugar and free its exports by bringing it under the Open General Licence scheme.

Apart from removing quantitative restrictions on shipment of the sweetener “up to a particular level of export”, the group that met to arrive at a consensus on trade policies, also decided to scrap the minimum export price (MEP) on onion, thereby freeing its exports.

Both steps are being considered a positive move toward decontrol of the two commodities, which will benefit millers and in turn the farmers. However, there is also a perception that the decisions may end up largely benefiting the “biggies” having the capacity to take benefit of the shifting export policy. It may also have a detrimental effect on the already skyrocketing commodity prices back home, they feel.

“Basically, Sharad Pawar has had his way,” an official later said.

The meeting had been called after Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar wrote to the Prime Minister objecting to the export policies concerning agriculture items such as sugar, cotton and dairy products. Apart from the PM and Pawar, the meeting was also attended by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Commerce and Textiles Ministers Anand Sharma and Food Minister KV Thomas.

Irked by curbs on milk, cotton and sugar exports, Pawar had last month shot off a letter to the PM stating that the government’s policies were hurting farmers. He said the “negative approach” of the Food Department in sugar exports had led to heavy losses in export earnings, which could have been used to clear arrears of cane farmers.

Meanwhile, the government decided to constitute a committee, headed by Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council (PMEAC) Chairman C Rangarajan, for formulating policy on how to handle surplus foodgrain in government godowns.

The Food Ministry had wanted some extra allocations under the PDS for BPL and APL groups to offload the overflowing godowns of the country and create more storage space for new crops before the monsoon. Thomas has worked out a plan to distribute 14.5 MT of foodgrains to ration card holders and offload another 2.5 MT in the open market. Out of 14.5 MT for ration card holders, the ministry proposed distribution of 8 MT of additional foodgrains to BPL families and 6.5 MT to APL families.

The decision on sugar is a major move. Its export has been a contentious issue as even after having surplus production and international demand, the export hit a roadblock in the absence of a clear policy.

On March 26, the empowered group of ministers (eGoM) on food had decided to allow 1 MT of sugar export, but the decision had not been notified in the absence of export modalities. The panel of ministers had directed the ministry to come up with a new policy to expedite exports.

For the two million tonnes of sugar exports, which has so far been allowed to in the 2011-12 marketing year, the food ministry was allocating the export quota among millers on the basis of average production of last three years.

One pilot dies in a MiG crash every 3 months
171 pilots died in 40 years; 482 planes lost, Antony tells House
Ajay Banerjee/TNS

New Delhi, May 2
Defence Minister AK Antony today said 171 pilots of the Indian Air Force died in crashes involving the Russian-origin MiG series of fighter planes in the past 41 years.

The Minister said the IAF had purchased 872 MiG aircraft of various types between 1966 and 1980. Out of these, 482 met with accidents between the financial year 1971-72 and April 19 2012, Antony told Parliament in a written reply today.

On an average, one pilot was killed in a MiG crash every three months. Besides the pilots, 39 civilians, eight service personnel and one aircrew member lost their lives in the crashes, Antony said. Causes of accidents were both human error and technical defects.

The shocking statistics come just two days after the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence slammed the Ministry of Defence (MoD). It had said that the fleet of IAF fighter planes was ageing and specifically mentioned the MiGs while asking for an immediate need to induct a fresh lot of planes. “The number of aircraft due for retirement after completion of their technical life far exceeds the rate of replacements,” the panel noted.

In the past decade, the IAF has been inducting the much-superior twin engine Sukhoi-30-MKI. It is now on the verge of getting a new set of 126 warplanes as part of the medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA) deal.

For the IAF, “accident” is a broad term and mishaps are put in five different categories. These vary from accidents on the tarmac to full blown mid-air crashes. The deaths of pilots occurred in mid-air crashes and those of civilians due to falling debris, IAF officials explained to The Tribune.

Though Antony did not mention which of the MiG series aircrafts were involved in the most number of crashes, it is widely accepted in the IAF that maximum accidents involved the single engine MiG-21, first inducted during the early 1960s. The other jets of the series are MiG-23, MiG-25, MiG-27 and MiG-29.

The MiG-21 is often uncharitably referred as the “flying coffin” given its crash statistics and subsequent deaths. Barring the MiG-29 (now based at Adampur near Jalandhar) and the MiG-25 (now phased out), all others MiG series warplanes are single engine, making them more vulnerable.

In the past, the entire MiG-27 fleet was grounded following a couple of accidents in 2010. The MiG-29 is being upgraded with additional avionics among other aspects. The MiG-23 does not fly operationally.

The MiG-29 was the last to join the force in the late 1980s. These aircraft were inducted during the height of the Cold War and had created a flutter in those times.

flying coffin
n The MiG series aircraft was inducted into the IAF in the 1960s, beginning with the MiG-21
n The MiG-21 is often referred to as the “flying coffin” given its crash statistics and subsequent deaths
n Barring the MiG-29 (based at Adampur near Jalandhar) and the MiG-25 (now phased out), all other MiG series planes are single engine and hence, more vulnerable

CBI quizzes Tejinder Singh in Tatra case
Syed Ali Ahmed/TNS

New Delhi, May 2
The CBI today for the first time questioned retired Lt Gen Tejinder Singh in Tatra Case that was registered after an allegation of bribe was made by Army Chief Gen VK Singh.

Sources said Tejinder Singh reached CBI headquarters in the morning and was questioned for hours. Probing the case, CBI came to know about involvement of some former Army officers in clearing the deal.

The sources said Tejinder Singh was also asked to reply to the allegations levelled against him by the Army Chief, who claimed in his statement that the former Lt Gen had approached him in 2010 with a bribe offer of Rs 14 crore to clear a tranche of 600 Tatra trucks for the Army. Tejinder was also asked the reasons for his visit to the Army Chief’s office on September 22, 2010, when the alleged bribe offer was made to Gen VK Singh.

Tejinder Singh had denied all allegations made against him by the Army Chief.

‘Non-Hindu’ Jagan refuses to sign declaration at Tirumala
Suresh Dharur/TNS

Hyderabad, May 2
The visit of YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, president, YSR Congress, to the popular Tirumala temple today without signing a mandatory declaration form — meant for non-Hindus — has stirred up a controversy.

Jagan is a Christian by faith. According to convention, non-Hindus are required to sign a declaration form expressing reverence for the Lord Venkateswara before entering the hill shrine.

Accompanied by a large number of followers, the Kadapa MP had a ‘darshan’ of the Lord.

When the temple officials asked him to sign the declaration form, he refused to obey saying that he had signed a similar form during his visit in 2009 and that he was not obliged to sign the papers on every visit.

This has angered a section of the Hindu organisations and the temple staff. “Jagan has violated the temple norms and hurt the sentiments of Hindus. The temple authorities must take action against him,” senior BJP leader NVSS Prabhakar said.

The Executive Officer of the Tirumala Tirupathi Devasthanams (TTD) LV Subrahmanyam said that he would call for a report on the episode and take follow-up action as per norms. The main Opposition Telugu Desam Party also faulted the young MP for wilful violation of the temple’s custom.

“Every non-Hindu visiting the temple has to compulsorily sign the declaration form. By refusing to do so, Jagan has hurt the sentiments of Hindus. Added to this, his followers were seen raising slogans inside the temple hailing his leadership,” TDP leaders D Veerabhadra Rao and P Kesav said.

The episode came against the backdrop of electioneering by political parties for the June 18 byelections to 18 Assembly seats including the temple town of Tirupati. Jagan’s YSR Congress appears to be sitting pretty in a majority of the poll-bound constituencies.

Jagan, the 38-year-old son of former Chief Minister late YS Rajasekhar Reddy, is projecting himself as the sole inheritor of his charismatic father’s political legacy.

He is clearly ahead of his rivals in the campaign ahead of the byelections, widely seen as the “semifinals” before the 2014 General Elections. TTD authorities organised a special ‘darshan’ for Jagan and his entourage according to the protocol followed for an MP.

unpaid dues
Kingfisher staff threatens legal action
Shiv Kumar/TNS

Mumbai, May 2
Vijay Mallya's cash-strapped Kingfisher Airlines could be in deeper trouble after a section of the airline's employees today threatened to move the court over their unpaid dues.

At a protest meet held at the airline's offices near the airport in suburban Mumbai, pilots and engineers of the airline decided to move the Labour Court to get Mallya to pay them pending salaries from January to April. Last month, salaries till the month of December were paid to most employees though some 200 of them could not receive their dues. However, the employees postponed legal action after Mallya promised to clear all dues by April end. So far, the management has prevailed upon the employees not to come out on the streets in protest. But with the airline showing no signs of coming out of its troubles, employees have taken to setting up a fund to fight their legal battles, sources said.

Apart from pilots and engineers, members of the cabin crew and the support staff are said to be planning to join in the legal action against the airline.

Cong MP alleges manhandling by police

New Delhi, May 2
The Gujarat Government today came under sharp attack in the Lok Sabha from non-NDA parties when a Congress member from the state claimed she was manhandled by the police, putting the BJP on the back foot.

Members of the Left parties, SP, BSP, Trinamool Congress, AIADMK and RJD got together and said swift action was necessary.

Some members said it should be referred to the Privileges Committee and stern action should be taken against the guilty.

Girija Vyas (Congress) raised the issue on behalf of party colleague Prabha Kishore Taviad and said the latter was not allowed by the police to attend the Gujarat Divas celebrations at Dahod.

She claimed that Taviad and some Congress MLAs were manhandled by the police and taken 300-400 km away in a police vehicle yesterday.

Taviad, according to Vyas, was provided medical help only at 8 pm and later allowed to board a train for Delhi.

As a visibly upset Taviad showed bruises on her arms, Vyas claimed that she was pulled by her hair and manhandled. This prompted Congress members to shout 'shame, shame' as their BJP counterparts remained silent.

Leader of the Opposition Sushma Swaraj said since the issue was serious, she would talk to Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi and get back to the House.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal suggested that the matter be referred to the Privileges Committee of the House.

PC Chacko, who was in the Chair, said the Speaker has already received a privilege notice from Taviad and the matter should be left at her discretion. Chacko is the chairman of the Lok Sabha Privileges Committee. — PTI

Rahul on ‘political tourism’ in M’rashtra: BJP
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, May 2
Rahul Gandhi's recent visit to Maharashtra was criticised in the Rajya Sabha by BJP and Shiv Sena, which described it as "political tourism" that yielded nothing for the state witnessing a spate of suicide by farmers.

Raising the issue during Zero Hour, Prakash Javadekar (BJP) said five farmers in Vidarbha committed suicide on the International Labour Day.

As many as 900 farmers have committed suicide in six districts of the state in last eight years of the UPA Government. "More than 370 farmers have committed suicide since January.

These are not suicides but killings and the name of the killer is UPA...Rahul Gandhi had promised help to Kalavati, whose farmer husband had committed suicide, but she has to wage a battle to get her dues.

Two more persons from her family also committed suicide later," Javadekar said. Backing Javadekar on the issue, Sanjay Raut (Shiv Sena) said, "Rahul Gandhi went to Maharashtra four days back. It was political tourism. People did not get anything from this political tourism except some assurances."

Raut also pointed to the suicide of three farmers, including Gajanand Ghotekar, a cotton farmer in Yavatmal region last month. Ghotekar had left behind a note asking not to vote for NCP and Congress. "Gajanand, in his suicide note, appealed for voting against Congress and the NCP saying these parties do not care for farmers. A person doesn’t tell a lie at the time of his death. Hence the government and Parliament should take his words seriously," Raut said.

Divorce Bill faces opposition in RS
Girja Shankar Kaura/TNS

New Delhi, May 2
The government today faced a strong opposition in the Rajya Sabha over the bill to make divorce easier as the Opposition parties objected to its provisions and demanded a review of the provision forcing the government to seek more time.

While Minister for Law and Justice Salman Khurshid initially sought to refer the Bill to a Select Committee, but then as the opposition members pointed out to certain provisions in the bill, he sought time to respond to the suggestions raised by members during discussion on the Marriage Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2010.

The Bill seeks to further amend the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, and the Special Marriage Act, 1954. The opposition came from across party lines and various members felt that the bill was being brought in haste and its spirit went against the interests of women. They feared that the women would lose their rights further if divorce was made easier. Opposition parties, including the BJP, the SP, the BSP, the BJD, the CPI and the CPM, besides a Congress member opposed the Bill and sought not to "reduce cooling off period" for couples to end their marriage through divorce. Even as members insisted that the discussion be completed first and leaders of various parties be consulted on the issue, Khurshid said that a discussion with Leader of the Opposition was on for bringing amendments in the bill.

Tapan Kumar Sen (CPM) opposed the Bill in its present form and said it was a "reflection of a biased mindset" against the weaker sections of the society. "It would be discriminatory to relax the conditions for grant of divorce in marriage...Women are not considered equals in society...Our law does not view women as equal partners in marriage," he said. Sen said laws related to maintenance must be strengthened and women should get equal rights in property.

Insisting that there should be reconsideration of the bill, Sen said "There should be special arrangement so that women facing divorce should not suffer due to legal hazards".

Naresh Agrawal (SP) said the minister should not acquire an image of being anti-women and that he has already got an image of being "anti-minority" and said the bill be referred to the Select Committee.

When the minister sought to refer the bill to the Committee, Agrawal again raised objections saying that members be given opportunity to complete the discussion. Jaya Bachchan (SP) said the process of divorce must not be made easier and there should be longer cooling off period for couples to rethink about marriage. Brajesh Pathak (BSP) said the government wanted to make divorce easier but the passage of the bill will encourage western culture and increase insecurity among women.

'Bill being brought in haste'
The opposition came from across party lines and various members felt that the Bill was being brought in haste and its spirit went against the interests of women. They feared that the women would lose their rights further if divorce was made easier

Rekha in RS; Jaya wants her seat changed
Vibha Sharma/TNS

New Delhi, May 2
Bollywood actor Rekha is expected to take oath in the Rajya Sabha next week, but even before she has entered the hallowed precincts of the Upper House, the sultry siren from the South has managed to create quite a stir in her new surroundings.

While MPs, as also journalists covering Parliament, are all waiting with bated breath to see the vision in Kanjivaram from a touching distance, it seems her former colleague in Bollywood and now fellow Parliamentarian, actor Amitabh Bachchan’s wife Jaya Bachchan, wants a change of seat. Sources say while master blaster Sachin Tendulkar has been assigned seat number 103 in the House, Rekha has apparently been allocated seat number 99, which is quite close to the one presently occupied by the newly re-elected Samajwadi Party member.

Jaya Bachchan refused to comment on the issue.

When asked about reports of her request for change of seat, Jaya refused to answer the query.

When asked if the newspaper could go ahead with the information it had, the actress said, “Don’t threaten me… I don’t want to answer now. Talk to me tomorrow in Parliament.”

A government functionary confirmed Jaya’s request for a seat transfer. He said the SP leader had asked for a seat change, citing the death of her Rajya Sabha colleague Brij Bhushan Tiwari as the reason.

“She said that whenever she sits in her allotted seat, she is reminded of Brij Bhushan Tiwari. Therefore, her seat has been exchanged with that of another SP member, Kiranmay Nanda,” Shukla was quoted as saying.

If rumour mills are to be believed, it seems Jaya did not want to sit close to Rekha because of obvious reasons. Rekha is rumoured to have been involved in an affair with her husband, superstar Amitabh Bachchan. Jaya’s present seat was quite close to where Rekha would have sat among the nominated members, sources said, adding that the SP leader perhaps wanted to be near other members of her party in the House.

Adarsh Society flat owners in for financial scrutiny
Shiv Kumar
Tribune News Service

Mumbai, May 2
Flat owners in the controversial Adarsh Co-operative Housing Society, Mumbai, will have to answer some tough questions from various agencies.

Members of the society who have purchased flats at subsidised rates will have to open their books and provide details of their financial dealings to various central intelligence agencies.

Last week, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) had submitted to the Bombay High Court that its officials will soon probe whether purchases of the flats were made using proceeds from crime. According to officials, investigators will also probe whether the members of the society evaded Income Tax and other statutory dues.

"Properties purchased using dubious means will be attached under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA)," an ED official told The Tribune. There are allegations that several members of the society are merely acting as benami holders for politicians. Such premises would automatically stand attached under PMLA, according to the official.

The agency is to shortly begin questioning the flat owners. Other agencies like the Income Tax department are also likely to join the probe, according to sources.

So far, 14 persons including politicians and bureaucrats have been booked by the CBI in connection with Adarsh scam. Reports say prominent personalities have booked some of the flats in the building in the names of their drivers and domestic help.

Three years on, AFT out of steam
Work at a standstill as MoD fails to appoint new judges
Vijay Mohan/TNS

Chandigarh, May 2
Less than three years after the Armed Forces Tribunal was established as a platform for providing quick judicial redressal to aggrieved defence personnel and veterans, its work has almost come to a standstill due to non-appointment of judicial members.

It is learnt that out of 15 courts comprising eight Benches spread across the country, only three-four courts would remain fully functional by the end of next month, which would include one each at Delhi, Chandigarh and Lucknow.

At present, two of the three courts in Delhi are functional but the judicial member of one is scheduled to retire next month. So is the judicial member of the Jaipur Bench, while Kolkata Bench is also not sitting at present. Work has come to a halt at Mumbai, Kochi, Chennai and Guwahati Benches on the retirement of judicial members, sources said.

Sources further said the appointments of judicial members, done by the Ministry of Defence, have not been appropriately addressed by the government and the process is moving at a snail’s pace. As a result, litigants are suffering due to non-availability of any forum to address their grievances. Each Bench of the Tribunal comprises one judicial member, who should have served as a judge of a high court, and one administrative member, who should have held the rank of a Major General or an equivalent rank.

In the Chandigarh Bench, over 100 cases are listed on some days, with only one judicial member, Justice NP Gupta, handling the work of three envisaged Benches. This year, about 1,250 new cases have been filed till May and about 15 fresh cases are listed every day.

Legal experts opine that non-availability of a judicial forum in most parts of India also amounts to infringement of right to constitutional and legal remedies.

The President of the AFT Bar Association, Maj Navdeep Singh, when contacted, confirmed that both the Bench and the Bar were overstretched. He also added that there was an inherent flaw in the system wherein the entire scheme of appointments and infrastructure had been made over-reliant on the Defence Ministry and executive bodies which was against the spirit of the law laid down by the Supreme Court in Union of India Vs R Gandhi case wherein it was opined that such dependence affected independence of judicial functioning.

Sources say there is no definite information as to when the appointments would be made and till then, the adjudication of military matters was bound to suffer. Unlike the CAT where lawyers are also eligible to be appointed as judicial members, in the AFT, only retired HC judges are eligible and they remain in office till the age of 65 years, which adds to the limited availability of applicants.

The Tribunal was inaugurated by President Pratibha Patil in August 2009 and about 10,000 cases pending in the high courts and lower courts pertaining to service and pension matters were transferred to its various Benches in phases.

Proceedings against Bhatt stayed

Ahmedabad, May 2
The Gujarat High Court today stayed the proceedings against suspended IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt in a 1990 custodial torture case.

Justice A S Dave, who stayed the investigation against Bhatt, also issued notices to the state government and complainant Vijaysinh Bhatti. The next hearing will be on June 22.

The IPS officer approached the High Court through his lawyer I H Syed. — PTI

Man home after captivity in Qatar

Jaipur, May 2
A man allegedly confined among camels in inhumane condition by his employer in Qatar for almost two-and-half months has returned to his home in Sikar.

Father of three daughters, Babu Khan Badgujar had gone to the Gulf to work as a cook in February, but when he reached Doha, he was sold by his first employer for 200 Riyal a month to another employer, who sent him to graze camels in the desert.

His employer allegedly confined him in a tent at an unidentified place in the midst of camels and only provided him rice and potatoes for food and a tank of water for drinking and other purposes. — PTI

Student visa requests to Australia decline

New Delhi, May 2
Visa requests from Indian students has registered a sharp decline after the incidents of attacks there, Australian Minister for Immigration and Citizenship Chris Bowen said here today.

He terming the attacks as "unfortunate". "Now analysis shows that Indian students are less likely to be attacked there," Bowen told a FICCI meeting here.

Besides the incidents of attacks, there were also other reasons like the high cost of Australian dollar which resulted in decline in request for student visas from India, he said.

Bowen said a number of steps have been taken by his country to encourage students from across the world, including India, to study in Australia.

Under its immigration policy, Australia will allow skilled workers to work there, he said, adding that his country would prefer to have employee-sponsored work force but would allow independent people also to settle there.

The Australian Minister said changes have been made recently in the student visa programme after a review.

He said as per the data of 2011-12, India was the largest source of permanent migrants to Australia ahead of both the UK and China. — PTI

M’rashtra set to slap fresh ban on gutka
Shiv Kumar/TNS

Mumbai, May 2
The Maharashtra Government is all set to bring about a fresh ban on the sale of ‘gutka’ and ‘pan masala’ in the state nearly ten years after these were first banned. The ban had to be removed after it was struck down by the Supreme Court.

The proposed ban on gutka and pan masala would come under a new Central law enacted last year, said government sources. "The Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restriction of Sales) Act, 2011 allows state governments to ban products like ‘gutka’ and ‘pan masala’,” said Jayant Kumar Banthia, Additional Chief Secretary, Public Health and Family Welfare.

A proposal under the new law is in the process of being vetted by departments concerned. Once the green signal is received, a notification banning manufacture and sale of ‘gutka’ and ‘pan masala’ in Maharashtra would be issued, Banthia said.

Should the ban come about, Maharashtra would be following Madhya Pradesh which banned food products containing tobacco under this new law earlier this month.

Way back in 2003, the Maharashtra Government had banned ‘gutka’ and ‘pan masala’ under the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act. However, the gutka manufacturers went to the Supreme Court and got the ban struck down on the grounds that state governments do not have the powers to ban manufacture and sale of food items under the law.

Karnataka may get police chief from North-East
Shubhadeep Choudhury
Tribune News Service

Bangalore, May 2
Students from North-Eastern states and also their Bangalore-based elder peers, who are agitated over the mysterious death of a 19-year-old Manipuri male student in a hostel here last month and are demanding police probe it, may soon get a gift from the state government in the form of a state police chief who is a native of a North-Eastern state.

It is learnt that Lalrokhuma Pachau, a 1977 batch IPS officer of Karnataka cadre, is returning from his native Mizoram where he had gone on deputation and was posted as the DGP there.

Pachau, one of the three officers whose names were shortlisted by the UPSC for posting as DGP of Karnataka, is expected to join duty in Bangalore on Friday. He has been relieved by the Mizoram Government already.

The 1955-born Pachau, a recipient of the President’s Police Medal, will retire in 2015 and will thus enable the state government to fulfil the guideline of having a police chief with a minimum tenure of two years at the helm.

Pachau may have to wait till May 31 (when the retirements of both the incumbent DGP AR Infant and his predecessor Shankar Bidari are due) to become the DGP.

Infant, a 1977 batch officer, became the DGP after the High Court upheld a CAT order which, following a petition by Infant, had set aside the appointment of Shankar Bidari as the DGP.

Subsequently, the HC order was set aside by the Supreme Court which asked the HC to have a fresh look at the case.

The state government today moved the High Court urging it to review its verdict of quashing Bidari’s appointment to the police top post. A similar petition was also moved by Bidari himself.

Chief Justice Vikramjit Sen is slated to decide which Bench will hear the review petition. The apex court has asked the HC to give its verdict by May 30.

Citing Bhullar case, SC agrees to hear Rajiv assassins’ pleas
R Sedhuraman
Legal Correspondent

New Delhi, May 2
Citing the Devender Pal Singh Bhullar case, the Supreme Court today transferred to itself the cases relating to the Rajiv Gandhi assassination from the Madras High Court. In a judgment, a Bench comprising Justices GS Singhvi and SJ Mukhopadhaya said it would hear the pleas of three convicts - Santhan, Murugan and Arivu - for commuting the death sentence awarded to them for their involvement in the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1991.

The three have sought commutation of the death penalty to life term in view of the 11 years of delay in the rejection of their mercy petitions.

The Bench pointed out that it had already heard a similar petition filed by Bhullar seeking commutation on account of a nine-year delay in rejecting his mercy plea. Bhullar was sentenced to death for his role in the 1993 bomb attack on then Youth Congress chief MS Bitta in Delhi. The Bench has reserved its verdict on Bhullar’s plea.

Acknowledging that the issues involved in both the cases were identical, the Bench said the ‘question is of substantial general importance’ as the SC’s ruling would affect a large number of persons who were similarly placed.

“Therefore, we are satisfied that it will be in the interest of justice to transfer the three writ petitions pending before the Madras High Court to this court,” the Bench noted.

The transferred cases would come up for hearing in the SC on July 10 for final disposal.