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Minister reviews steps to trace missing coal files
Want to serve as Gujarat CM till 2017: Modi
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Truce violations create fear in the vicinity of LoC
Bill to keep parties out of RTI sent to House panel
SC panel asks CBI for Prajapati case report
Why insist on nod to quiz officials, SC asks Centre
FIR against SHO for harassing woman cop
Troops ‘not allowed’
to patrol up to LAC Quality assessment of education must: Prez Vanzara’s letter echoes in RS Why insist on nod to quiz officials, SC asks Centre LS passes amended Land Bill BSF man kills
two ASIs, self Khurshid, Aziz to discuss PMs’ meet
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Minister reviews steps to trace missing coal files
New Delhi, September 5 Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is already under fire from the BJP-led Opposition in Parliament amidst directions from the Supreme Court to the CBI on August 29 to furnish a comprehensive list of documents/files/ information pertaining to coal block allocations. Sources said government’s urgency to locate the files was visible at the meeting with Jaiswal asking all concerned to go out of their way to get clues to the missing files, which have proved to be a major embarrassment for the Prime Minister and the Congress-led UPA government. The government had recently admitted in the Rajya Sabha that seven files, 173 applications and nine other documents pertaining to coal block allocations were not traceable and efforts were on to locate them. The missing files apparently belonged to private companies that were allocated coal blocks but failed to develop them. The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) had last year said the faulty allocation of coal blocks had resulted in Rs 1.86 lakh crore worth of loss to the national exchequer. The political storm over the missing files has been rising, especially with the BJP seeking voluntary deposition of the Prime Minister before the CBI on the controversial coal block allocations amid demands by the Opposition for immediate registration of an FIR in the missing files case. It also created storm in Parliament in the ongoing session with Opposition members charging that the government had a “lot to hide” and the case might meet a “dead end”. The Coal Minister has now asked not only senior officials of his ministry but also those of the Steel and Power to constitute search teams to locate the files. He has even asked them to utilise “weekend holidays” to ensure files were found. “Union Coal Minister Sriprakash Jaiswal today had a detailed review of availability of coal blocks allocation files at a meeting with senior officials of Ministries of Coal, Power, Steel Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion, Chairman of CIL, and CMD of CMPDIL,” said an official statement. “The Minister directed them to constitute teams... to locate the relevant documents/file at the earliest.”
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Andhra CM’s remarks on graft create flutter
Hyderabad, September 5 What began as a pep talk to the newly-inducted officers soon turned into a candid admission about the political corruption. At one point, the Chief Minister appeared to exonerate political corruption. “There are other (forms of) corruption that we must be very careful, which does not come back into the system like business corruption or officers’ corruption. Do not think too much about political corruption,” Kiran told the probationary officers. He was replying to a question by a probationary civil servant on why political parties had put aside their differences and joined hands to take themselves out of the purview of the Right to Information Act. While treating political corruption leniently, he wanted more focus to be laid on corruption by businessmen and officials as the “money remains with them.” The Chief Minister’s observations have caused a flutter. “It could be off-the-cuff remark but an unfortunate one,” said former IAS officer and now the president of Lok Satta Party Dr N Jayaprakash Narayan. "There is no question that the phenomenal and illegitimate expenditure in politics is fuelling corruption in politics and in bureaucracy. There is also no doubt that there is plenty of bureaucratic corruption independent of political corruption. The political executive has failed to curb the propensity because it is the politician and politician alone who is elected to change the way things are. The bureaucrat is only there to implement what is laid down," said Dr Narayan who had quit his job in 1998 to work in the area of electoral and democratic reforms. The timing of the Chief Minister’s comments surprised many observers as they came in the midst of a raging controversy about political parties trying to escape falling within the ambit of the RTI. What Reddy said
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Want to serve as Gujarat CM till 2017: Modi
Ahmedabad, September 5 Even while keeping the backroom pressure on the BJP central leadership to name him the prime ministerial nominee of the NDA at the earliest, Modi told an audience in Gandhinagar that he always dreamt to “do something rather than to become something.” He was responding to questions during an interaction after addressing a Teachers’ Day function in Gandhinagar to give awards to the best teachers in the state. A young student asked him whether he would similarly come and interact with them even after becoming the prime minister post-2014 parliamentary elections. “I am harbouring no such dream to become the prime minister. I believe that people should always dream to do something which give them a sense of satisfaction and fulfilment rather than dream to become something,” he said. He said the people of Gujarat had given him the mandate to work for the state till 2017 and that he intended to “honour” the mandate, implying that he would not quit the chief ministership in a huff. The response apparently was an answer to the veteran BJP leader L K Advani’s ‘advice’ that he as the chairman of the BJP national campaign committee should resign as the chief minister to concentrate better in the poll campaigning for the coming parliamentary elections. It is not the first time that Modi had tried to deflate questions on his prime ministerial ambitions even as behind the curtain he is increasingly exerting pressure on the BJP leadership through his supporters in Gujarat and elsewhere in the country as well as the RSS and other Sangh Parivar leadership to name him as the prime ministerial nominee at the earliest. “It is good that he has at least realised that he will never be accepted as the prime minister by the people of the country,” a senior Congress leader commented.
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Truce violations create fear in the vicinity of LoC
Along the Line of Control, September 5 “We were preparing to go to sleep in the late evening, when firing began. There was chaos and panic, with several people sustaining injuries,” recalled Mohammad Salim, a 45-year old resident of Uchhad village that lies close to the LoC ahead of Mendhar. “People were running here and there to seek safety and nobody really knew what to do,” he added. Three persons from this village had sustained injuries last month. The remote border area has no proper medical facilities and no access to public transport. Villagers said the injured had to be transferred to Mendhar for treatment, the nearest town over 20 kms away by arranging private vehicles and then on Rajouri and Jammu for admission in hospital. “Before the ceasefire came into effect in 2003, we used to come under regular shelling and firing, which had caused a lot of death and destruction. Houses and buildings were damaged and livestock was killed,” Mohammad Arif, a local school teacher said. “There was peace for some time, but now the ceasefire violation has again created fear among us. There is nothing for our safety and we have nowhere else to go. The government should construct bunkers in the village where at least we can take shelter during such situations,” he added. “The fear for our lives is constant,” says Haji Mansoor Ahamed, head of the village panchayat. “I still have memories of scurrying through rivulets and forests with my father during the 1965 war when there had been a lot of shelling and firing in this area,” he added. Just 10 years old at that time, he said a lot of people had then been killed and most families had been scattered while fleeing for safety. “The area had remained littered with bodies for months afterwards,” he recalled. Villagers point out that with regular cross-border firing, things have become difficult. People are unwilling to work in the fields, nor is labour available to carry out the day-to-day tasks. Development works, or whatever little is being carried out, comes to a halt as contractors and traders are wary of venturing into the area over safety concerns. Even government functionaries tend to keep away.
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Bill to keep parties out of RTI sent to House panel
New Delhi, September 5 The Bill, introduced in the Lok Sabha this session, seeks to exempt political parties from the definition of a public authority to effectively exempt them from any provision of the RTI Act. The amendment has been proposed to nullify a recent Central Information Commissioner order declaring six national parties (Congress, BJP, SP, CPI, CPM and NCP) public authorities under the RTI Act. Political parties, however, came together to agree on an amendment to the RTI Act to keep national parties out of its purview. Bringing in the amendment Bill, the government said political parties cannot be called public authorities under the law as they do not have executive powers and the intent of the RTI law in the first place was not to cover these parties, which are in any case answerable to the Income tax Department and the Election Commission. Following the amendment, civil society led by former National Advisory Council member Aruna Roy and former Information Commission member Shailesh Gandhi met the Prime Minister to demand that the Bill be referred to a standing committee to enable wider public debate, considering that the decision to dilute the law was taken by the political class unilaterally. Monsoon Session extended by a day The government on Thursday extended the ongoing monsoon session till Saturday, adding one more sitting to clear pending legislations such as the Pension Fund Regulatory Authority Bill, the Securities Amendment Bill, the Street Vendors Rehabilitation Bill and the Manual Scavengers Prohibition and Rehabilitation Bill.
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SC panel asks CBI for Prajapati case report
New Delhi, September 5 Prajapati, the sole witness to Sohrabuddin Sheikh fake encounter killing in Gujarat, was eliminated in 2006. Former Gujarat home minister Amit Shah, a close aide of Modi, is facing trial in the case, which the CBI is probing under the eye of the Supreme Court. The commission, while dispatching to the CBI a copy of a sting CD that records some BJP members attempting to manipulate the justice process to favour Shah, said in its letter: "A copy of the sting CD is being sent for you to take cognizance. It contains evidence about the manipulation of the justice process and interference in the administration of justice." The commission further asked CBI director Ranjit Sinha today to apprise the Supreme Court of the contents of the CD, which records BJP MPs saying Modi had given the go-ahead to their "plans of saving Shah". Shah was made general secretary in the recent BJP organisational reshuffle and is party in charge for Uttar Pradesh, which comprises 80 Lok Sabha segments. The NCSC exercised its authority under Article 338 of the Constitution, which gives it the power to redress the grievances related to persons belonging to the SC and OBC community. Ironically, Modi himself is an OBC leader. With the SC commission exerting pressure on the CBI to report back to it on the Prajapati case calling it "serious", the Congress today renewed its calls for the resignation of Modi citing the CD as well as the letter written from Sabarmati Jail by suspended Gujarat DIG DG Vanzara.
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Why insist on nod to quiz officials, SC asks Centre
New Delhi, September 5 Pointing out that the SC was the guardian of people’s rights, a three-member Bench headed by Justice RM Lodha asked Attorney General GE
Vahanvati, “Will we fail in our duty to protect honest officers” against CBI harassment in the course of the investigations? The AG said the CBI could question officials in the rank of Joint Secretary or above only after taking permission from the competent authority as stipulated in Section 6(a) of the Delhi Special Powers Establishment Act, under which the CBI was set up. The Bench said there should not be any need for sanction in court-monitored cases.
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FIR against SHO for harassing woman cop
Lucknow, September 5 Taufiq was suspended yesterday and the police today filed an FIR against him under Section 354-A of the IPC. He may be arrested any time. Lucknow Zone DIG Navniet Sekera said in a preliminary investigation, Cantonment Circle Office Babita Singh found that the charges against the suspended SHO were prima facie true. According to the woman constable, the incident occurred on July 29 while she was posted at the Aliganj police station. The SHO summoned her to his private chamber and indulged in casual talk, gathering details about her family background. He asked her to show her palm on the pretext of telling her fate. He then pulled out his pen and drew a heart symbol on her palm besides writing an offending message. The woman constable ran out of the room and complained to the circle officer. Instead of coming to her aid, he advised her to go on long leave as the matter would bring her disrepute. Initially, the constable went on leave, but later she complained against the SHO on women helpline number (1090). The SHO has, however, denied the allegations.
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Troops ‘not allowed’ to patrol up to LAC New Delhi, September 5 The team, headed by National Security Advisory Board (NSAB) chairman Shyam Saran, visited Ladakh between August 2 and 9 to review the border infrastructure development and the situation there. It is believed to have said that Chinese troops have built motorable roads inside the LAC perceived by India in Daulat Beg Oldie and other sectors in Ladakh and that patrolling by Indian troops was being prevented, sources said. The issue was raised in the Lok Sabha today by BJP leader Yashwant Sinha who said media reports have quoted the committee as having concluded that 640 sq km of Indian territory has been occupied by China. He wanted Defence Minister AK Antony to immediately clarify the situation in Parliament. Government agreed, saying Antony will be requested to make a statement by 1 PM tomorrow or as early as possible. " Parliament is unaware of this... The Defence Minister should be called immediately to the House and he should clarify on the issue. There should be a debate in the House," Sinha said. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath said the government understands the seriousness of the matter but cannot make a statement immediately. "I will request the Defence Minister to make a statement tomorrow," he said. — PTI Dragon move
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Quality assessment of education must: Prez New Delhi, September 5 Speaking on Teacher’s Day today, the President said: “We need to create systems for continuous assessment of the quality of education and the outcome of our educational inputs. Our educational institutions have teachers who can shape the thoughts of the young minds. Through words, actions and deeds, such teachers inspire the students and elevate them to a higher level of performance and thinking. Such inspired teachers should be encouraged to share their knowledge, wisdom and philosophy with the larger student community.” National awards were presented to 177 primary teachers and 140 secondary teachers. Six Sanskrit teachers and four madrasa teachers were also honored. The President said a sound education system was the bedrock of an enlightened society. “It is the cornerstone on which a progressive, democratic society is built - where rule of law prevails, where there is a high degree of civility and respect for the rights of others as well as our own,” he said in his speech adding that development was about people, their values and their faithfulness to their spiritual and cultural heritage.
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Vanzara’s letter echoes in RS New Delhi, September 5 Members of the Left parties also staged a walkout after they were not allowed to raise the issue. The BJP was clear if the Vanzara, a Gujarat-related issue, was allowed in the House, they would also want to take up the matter related to charges levelled by Haryana IAS officer Ashok Khemka against Congress president Sonia Gandhi's son-in-law Rober Vadra. According to senior BJP leader M Venkaiah Naidu, though state-related matters were not discussed in Parliament, his party was willing to discuss the issue of Gujarat police officer if charges levelled by the Haryana IAS officer were also taken up.
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Why insist on nod to quiz officials, SC asks Centre New Delhi, September 5 Pointing out that the SC was the guardian of people’s rights, a three-member Bench headed by Justice RM Lodha asked Attorney General GE Vahanvati, “Will we fail in our duty to protect honest officers” against CBI harassment in the course of the investigations? The AG said the CBI could question officials in the rank of Joint Secretary or above only after taking permission from the competent authority as stipulated in Section 6(a) of the Delhi Special Powers Establishment Act, under which the CBI was set up. The Bench said there should not be any need for sanction in court-monitored cases.
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New Delhi, September 5 The Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Bill, 2012 aims to replace a law enacted by the British in 1894. The Bill was passed by the Lok Sabha on August 29 and the Rajya Sabha yesterday but was referred to the Lower House again to approve the three new amendments passed by the Upper House. Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh moved the three new amendments, related to exemptions for irrigation projects, which were passed by the Lower House without any discussion. — IANS
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BSF man kills
two ASIs, self Guwahati, September 5 An official in the BSF's Assam Frontier headquarters said constable Prabhakar Mishra, who was posted as a cook at the Hatichar border outpost, apparently picked a quarrel with two of his seniors, following which he shot them with a rifle. The two officers have been identified as Surender Kumar and Babul Lal. The incident occurred around 10.30 am when most other BSF personnel had gone out for patrol along the river border.
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The UPA government today undertook firefighting measures to locate a large number of missing files pertaining to coal block allocations.
Union Coal Minister Sriprakash Jaiswal held a review meeting in which representatives from related ministries such as Steel and Power were also present.
Ahmedabad, September 5
